Bound 2

Chapter 13

"No. He's," I said. "He's out of high school," I said closing my eyes afraid of their reaction.

"So he's a college boy," my dad said. "Typical. He's gone, isn't he? Just going to ruin your future then run off to his-" 

"No dad," I said cutting him off. "He isn't in college. He lives in Colleyville. He's twenty-two," I said.

My mother gasp. 

"You're in a relationship with an adult?" She asked me.

I nodded my head.

She put her hand to her head and began to rub her temple.

"Demi, I think we should all to go to bed and discuss this in the morning," My mother said.

"I agree," My dad said. "I want to meet that boy," He said. "You call him up and tell him to come face me like a man," He said in a frustrated voice.

"Okay," I said before hopping up and scurrying to my room.

Even though we were all in bed, I knew none of us would be getting any sleep.

-

"I just want to warn you please just don't take offense to anything they say," I warned to Joe. "In fact, it might be best if you just don't say anything to them at all," I said.

He chuckled as he turned on my street. Today was the day he was going to meet my parents and we were supposed to discuss all of this. 

"Don't worry Demi. I've got this. I'm just going to be myself," He said as we pulled into my driveway.

I swallowed hard as I looked at myself in the side view mirror. 

That was exactly what I was afraid of.

-

We walked in and I saw my parents sitting on the couch. They definitely had their game faces on. 

"Hello," my mother said in a less than enthusiastic voice.

I bit my lip as I looked at my dad. He said nothing and kept a straight face.

"Hello Mrs. De La Garza," Joe said flashing her his most charming smile and holding his hand out to shake. 

She gave him a small fake smile and shook his hand. 

"Hello," She replied quietly.

Joe turned into the bag that he had brought from his house and pulled out a bouquet of flowers.

"These are for you," He said handing them to her.

She took them with a shocked look on her face.

"How did you know I loved white roses?" She asked him before looking at me. "Demi," she said.

"It wasn't me," I said putting my hands up in defense. 

Joe chuckled.

"It was just a lucky guess," He said winking at her before turning to my dad. "Hello Mr. De La Garza. I'm Joe," He said holding his hand out to shake it.

My dad looked at his hand as if he was disease ridden.

"Oh Eddie," My mom said patting him. "Shake his hand," She said in a sweet voice as she sniffed the flowers.

It was clear that my mother was won over by the gesture.

"Right," My dad said as he stood up and shook Joe's hand firmly. 

I expected Joe to be taken aback but he stood still and shook back just as firmly. I knew he was trying his hardest to impress him because I saw the veins popping out of his arms as he shook. I was just glad my dad wasn't shaking him around the room like a rag doll.