I see Caroline walk through my front door as I'm sitting on the couch home alone. Today's the big day and I'm freaking the hell out.
"Caroline!" I yell getting up from the couch and over to her. Her black hair is up in a high ponytail, which makes me laugh because her hair is always like that.
"What was so urgent that you woke me from my slumber. You know Rose, a girl like me needs her beauty sleep." She tells me sarcastically.
I stare at her. "Lucas asked me to meet his parents."
"Screw my sleep! It's about time that bitch invited you over." She rolls her eyes. "I wonder what made him change his mind."
"Well, yesterday a few things happened, which aren't important right now. He had said that hes been thinking about this for a while."
"If he's been thinking about it for a while, he should've acted on it as soon as he thought of it."
I laugh, "Give him a break, would ya? Please help me get ready."
"Of course, that's why I'm here." She replies as she grabs my hand and we sprint up the stairs. "What time are you going over?"
"Well, he said he's going to pick me up at-"
"Wait, he's going to pick you up? What a gentleman! That's probably the nicest thing he has ever done!"
I roll my eyes at her comment. "He has done a lot of nice things. Anyways, he's picking me up at three."
She glances over at the time. "We should probably start getting ready."
"It's literally one."
"We need to make sure everything is perfect for that little boy toy of yours." She winks and I make my way to the bathroom that's connected to my room.
"So, how do you think tonight's going to go?" She asks me from my bedroom. I really don't know to be honest. I wouldn't be nervous if dad hadn't said what he said to me. I know Lucas is perfect, but maybe there is something off about him. I mean, he's never acted this way before. Maybe I'm over thinking all of this. I definitely am. I'm going over to his house to meet his parents! Which also doesn't sit with me because of how long hes waited to do this.
"I think it's gonna go well."
After I get my makeup and hair done, I shut off the bathroom light and head into my bedroom. "Wow, you're gonna have him on his knees girl!"
I laugh, "Oh shut up, you're acting like he's my crush and I'm going on a date."
"Well you kind of are and this is very important Rosemarie." She gives me one of her "mom" grins that she likes to use from time to time before her eyes widen and she suddenly gasps. She probably saw the fire in my eyes. "Rose! I meant to say Rose! Sorry, sometimes I slip."
"Yeah it's fine. Anyways, what do I wear?" I open my closet doors and look at my options. "Do I wear a dress? Is it nice out? Well, it is November. I don't want to dress too down." Caroline stares at me like a dear in freaking headlights. "What the hell are you staring at? Help me please!"
She snaps her head up. "Sorry, what?"
"What do I wear? I think it's too cold out to wear a dress, but I don't want it to look like I didn't try or-"
"Jeans and some type of top that stops right before your jeans." She randomly says. Caroline has always been good at picking out outfits, that's why she's going to go into the fashion industry. She's been wanting to do that since she was little and since the guidance office wanted us to start reaching out to colleges and think about what we wanted to do, she got right on that.
"Alright, I'll see what I got." I start to say, but she gets up and pushes me out of the way, looking through my clothes. I stand there, watching her and tapping my foot on the floor repeatedly. "Are you almost done? Its been like five minuets and we only have an hour till he's picking me up."
She turns to me with a smile. "You can't rush perfection, babes." She turns back around and continues to rummage through my closet.
I wait for what feels like forever until she finally turns around. "Are you done?!"
"No. I wanted to ask what shoes you plan on wearing?" She asks with a smile.
I smile back at her, how could I not. "Well, I probably won't have them on for very long."
"You make everything so complicated." She states, rolling her eyes. "Do you want to wear something more fancy than what you wore at the party?"
"No, I need something more casual. That was really showing stuff and I don't want to come off like that for the first time meeting his freaking parents." I laugh, but then stop. Caroline brought back a memory bringing up the party.
The girl.
A part of me aches inside, remembering that I'll never see her again. I've never been one to believe in fate, but maybe one day I'll run into her again and I'll be able to have a conversation with her. We can just be friends, but would I want something more? I'm insane, I have a boyfriend who's parents I'm going to meet in an hour! I need to stop thinking about her and focus on the task in front of me.
But I can't stop thinking about her.
The thought of her is like a drug.
"Rose? Girl, are you okay? I've been trying to show you your outfit for the past minuet and you haven't even noticed." She explains, grabbing the clothes once more. "Is everything good?"
"Yeah, sorry I was just thinking."
"About?"
I take a deep breath. "The girl at the party."
She laughs, "You'll most likely never see her again, Rose. I know that's not what you want to hear, but as your best friend I have promised to always tell you the truth."
"I know, you're right. It was a one time thing and I'll never see her again. I need to get over myself before I actually go insane." I laugh as Caroline starts talking about the clothes she has picked out for me. Once she's done, I grab the clothes and head into the bathroom to try it on.
"Don't look at yourself yet! I want to get your initial reaction!" I hear her yell to me. So after I put on the outfit, I walk out with my eyes closed. I hear Caroline get up and guide me towards my mirror. She keeps her hands on my shoulders as she tells me to open my eyes.
I open my eyes and gasp. "Holy shit girl. You're too good at this." She has me in a lavender knitted sweatshirt that stops right before my jeans (like she said), and a pair of black boots (the cute kind, leather that stops at the perfect height. Not too short where it looks like I'm 10 and getting ready to go to a friends house in the middle of winter, but not too high where I look like I'm about to put on a nice show for a few guys in a private room at a strip club). Oh and my jeans are a dark blue.
"You look spectacular! Wow, I am too good at this." She sighs. "We only have a half out left! What bag are you wearing? Wait! Please don't tell me your-"
"My emotional support cross body. You've guessed it!" I wink at her as she slumps back onto my bed.
"You wear that one every time you go somewhere! The mall? The bag. Fancy restaurant? You've guess it, the bag. A funeral? Most definitely the bag." She laughs. "For your birthday I'm getting you a new bag." I stare at her. "A new emotional support bag."
"Better." I grab the bag out of the closet and hold it. I motion her towards the door as she gets up, slowly. Very. Slowly. "Oh my God."
She shoots me a look. "Got a problem, Miss. Rose?"
I turn around and scrunch my nose at her. "Not at all Caroline. Not at all."
After 20 minuets of siting on the couch and hearing Caroline talk about this hot guy she saw at Whole Foods the other day, I see a car in the corner of my eye. "Oh, fuck. No. No. No! I'm not ready!"
She squints her eyes at me. "I know, but it's okay. I mean, I didn't think I was either! But listen, we made eye contact in the pasta isle and-"
"No, Caroline! He's here!" I jump up and start to pace. "What if they don't like me?!"
"Oh shit! Don't worry babes! They'll adore you!" She gets up and puts her hands on my shoulders. "Just remember to breathe." We hear a knock at the door and we whip out heads around. "I got this." I watch as she walks up the the door, she takes a visible deep breath as I put my hand on my forehead.
This isn't gonna go over well.
"Hey babe- Caroline? Where's Rose?" I hear Lucas ask.
"Hey, Lucas! It's super sweet of you, her boyfriend of five years, to finally take her to meet your parents! About time shall I say!" She starts to laugh as she smacks his right arm. "Sorry, I had to. As Roses' built in best friend, I have to ask you some questions. Number one-"
I realize enough is enough and push Caroline out of the way. "Enough." I turn towards Lucas who is standing in a polo shirt and some pants I've never seen him wear before. His dirty blond hair is perfectly messy and his light greens eyes are full of love (and I guess lust too). He looks hot to say the least. "Hey."
"Hey. You look stunning, baby." He bends down and kisses my lips. "Are you ready?"
"I think she is." Caroline adds.
"Thanks... Caroline." He nods at her. "Ready?"
"Always." I say as he grabs my hand and we start to walk out until we hear Caroline let out a very loud breath. "Yes?"
"I guess I'll just stay here and wait for you to get home, Rose. If he does anything, call me. I'll be on speed dial all night!" She says very sternly.
"What the hell do you think I would do to her?! We're literally dating!"
"I don't know what tricks you got up your sleeve, Lucas Riggs." Her facial movements don't change. She's very matter of fact about this.
He rolls his eyes. "You are one odd girl." We walk out of the house and he opens the car door for me. I look up to see Caroline staring out the bay window, smiling but also giving the he's safe for now look. I roll my eyes and giggle to myself.
Oh how I love my best friend.
I hear Lucas' door open, but I keep my eyes on my house the whole time. "So, I'm not going to lie but I'm nervous as fuck."
I look over to him as he puts his hand on my thigh. "I'm not going to lie either, I am too."
He chuckles, "I'm glad we're feeling the same way." He starts to drive off as I stare out my window. When we arrive at his house and he tells me not to get out. He comes over to my side and opens the door. "What a gentleman." I tease and he laughs, shaking his head.
"Are you ready, baby?" He asks me, grabbing my hand. I nod and he opens the door.
As soon as you walk in, the living room is to the left, kitchen to the right and there are stairs a little further back. All of the furniture is comforting and modern.
"Rose! I'm so happy to meet you, darling!" His mother yells, running up to me and giving me a huge hug. She's super pretty. She has beautiful blond hair that's wavy and ends right below her shoulders and her green eyes remind me of Lucas' a little, but her's are just darker. She's wearing a very nice pink floral shirt and jeans.
"I'm really happy to meet you too, Mrs. Riggs." I pull apart from the hug and smile at her.
"Please, call me Emerson." I nod as I see his dad walk in from behind. He reaches out his hand, I shake it.
"Mr. Riggs, but you can call me Kade." I smile at him. His hair is a light brown and his eyes are hazel. He's wearing almost the same thing as Lucas, but just different colors of everything. "Dinner's all ready, we can go ahead and sit." I follow them down the little opening past the stairs, which leads to a open dining room. There's a sliding door at the end which leads to a deck. We made small talk, but stop when we hear the floors creak from upstairs.
"Is there someone there?" It should seem like an obvious question, but I didn't know Lucas lived with anyone else besides his parents.
"Yes, it's our daughter. She should be down in a few." Emerson says. I look over at Lucas, who's sitting next to me, and I furrow my brows at him.
"Sorry I never told you, she just never came up in conversation." I get this uneasy feeling in my stomach as he says that. Just because she "never came up", why wouldn't he tell me?
Something seems off.
"Harper! Get down here!" Emerson yells. I hear the stairs creek and I turn my head when the creaking stops and foot steps treading on the hardwood floors.
I shoot a look over to her.... no fucking way.
My heart stops and I feel my whole body fill with goosebumps. My hands start to shake and everything feels frozen.
That's the girl from the party.
The girl.