All of Me

Nervous

Sebastien Laurent

I can't remember the last time that I was this nervous about anything. I'm sure Naomi's parents are nice and she said she gave them a warning about the age difference, but none of that makes me feel any less stressed.

"Don't be so nervous," Naomi whispers, squeezing my sweaty hand as we stand outside the door of her parents' home. "They are going to love you. I'm sure of it."

"Right," I gulp and Naomi looks up at me with an amused smirk. "What is it?"

"I don't think I've ever seen you sweat like this, babe. Not even when you first asked me about being exclusive that weekend in Big Sur."

Can she blame me?

"I'm fine," I say, clearing my throat. "I'll be fine. It's fine. We're good. It'll be good. A great day. Yes, things will go all well."

Naomi lifts to her tippy toes and kisses my cheek. "It will." The sentence is short, but the confidence with which she says it gives me some ease. "Are you ready?" she asks, pulling the keys out of her purse.

I take a deep breath and nod.

When Naomi opens the door, she calls out to her parents and brother and we wait for them in the foyer. I've seen them in photos, but meeting them in person for the first time, Naomi is a perfect split between her mother and father, while her little brother favors her mother.

"Hey, honey!" her mother, Cassandra, beams and wraps Naomi in a hug. Her father, Isaiah, follows the motion. Her brother, Miles, enters the room several moments after them to greet his sister.

"And you must be Sebastien! Come here!" Cassandra pulls me in for a hug. "It is so nice to finally meet you! Naomi may have kept your name a secret from me for some time, but she has not shut up about you. Feels like you're already fam-"

"Cassandra," Isaiah interrupts with a chuckle. "Don't overwhelm him now... A pleasure to meet you," he says and reaches out to give me a firm shake.

Naomi finishes greeting her brother and then pushes him toward me.

"Miles, Sebastien went to Berkeley!" she chimes. "Isn't that your first pick?"

He looks apprehensive as he gets closer, I give him a wide smile in hopes of disarming him and it appears to kind of help. He looks more shy than anything. Miles extends his hand to give me a loose handshake and a dry greeting.

"Hi, Mr. Laurent..."

"A pleasure to meet you, Miles! And please, call me Sebastien. Naomi tells me you're interested in my alma mater. I'm still pretty involved and could always pull some strings," I add with a wink.

Naomi gives me a look of disapproval and Miles has a bit of a glare.

"I don't need your charity, Mr. Laurent... I've already gotten into Berkeley on my merit."

"What?!" Naomi gasps and hits Miles on the arm. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I was going to tell you today during lunch," he turns to his sister to reply while rubbing his arm. "I just found out yesterday."

"Unacceptable!" she chides playfully. "You get accepted into this fancy school and you're already forgetting about your big sis."

"I said you I was gonna tell you," he grumbles. "And then it slipped..."

Cassandra appears to try to defuse this already awkward situation and stands between Naomi and I and Miles. "Okay, well Naomi and Sebastien came just in time because the food will be ready in five and we can spend lunch talking about what you plan to do, Miles, as well as learn more about Sebastien."