"Well, why the hell would you say yes?" Damon asks through the phone, no doubt frustrated with my lack of will to say no.
"What was I supposed to say, Damon?" I ask exasperatedly. "He would of known something's up if I said no to meeting his parents."
"We're going to have to figure out how this is going to work now." I can tell by his voice that he's running a hand through his hair. He's stressed, that much is obvious and the majority of this is my fault.
"I'm sorry," I apologize, guilt seeping it's way into my blood stream.
"Don't worry about it, babe," he tells me, but I can't not think about what's going on. It's been plaguing my mind since it happened.
"Is this really going to work, Damon?" I have to ask. It's my inner OCD talking along with my consistent need to worry.
"I'm going to try my damndest to make sure it does," he promises. "You know why?"
"Because Jace will kill you if it doesn't?" I chuckle, twiddling with my comforter seams.
"No," he says and I become confused. "Because if it doesn't, there will be no second chances. Your life is on the line here, Nina. That's why I'm going to make this work if it's the last thing I do."
There's a long stretch of silence between us, mostly because I have no clue what to say. Instead of dwelling over it, I lamely respond, "Okay."
He tells me he'll text me the details and to have fun tonight before we get off the phone. And all the while, I feel as if I've let him down. This was partially my idea - being the bait and all - and now I've basically told him that I agreed to other plans.
Even if I'd rather sit here and go over how unreliable I am, Jace will be picking me up in an hour. I hardly have time to waste considering these are his parents we're talking about. I can't slack on my makeup and clothing choice tonight, first impressions are critical.
•••
"Is this, like, something you would wear?" I ask, frantic now. Then I shake my head as if I'm talking gibberish. "I mean, would this be something you'd wear to meet your boyfriends rich parents?"
"Sweetie," my mom smiles, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "Your look beautiful. They will see that. And you're sweet, there's no way they will not love you."
I smile softly and pat my mom on the shoulder. "You're just saying that because you're my mother."
She laughs and pecks my cheek. "You look great, honey."
She leaves after that and I stare after her in distress. I don't have enough time to go through another alternative, though, because Jace is already texting me that he's here. I know I look okay - sophisticated and classy - but the anxiety of meeting Jace's parents is getting to me.
With Eric, this never happened because I had already known his family when we officially started dating. Stuff like this didn't occurs to me, but I need to come to terms with the fact that this whole thing is new. A clean slate.
There's a quick goodbye exchange between my parents and I when I'm heading out of the door to await my fate.
Jace smiles at me when I enter his vehicle, even then though, I can sense his unease of the situation. He told me once that he's not that close to his parents, so maybe that is the reason for his nervousness.
"You look beautiful," he grins, pressing a kiss to the back of the hand. I blush under the scrutiny of the tiny gesture.
"Thank you." I look over his choice in clothing and I must say - he makes it hard not to jump him. A white button down shirt is over his torso, the first two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. This way, his tattoos and tan skin are shown off. And a pair of dark blue jeans match the shirt perfectly. "You look..."
"Sexy?" He asks and I nod. "I know."
I shake my head with a smile. "You're annoying."
He laughs. "This whole thing would be a lot more boring if it weren't for me."
True. My hand sits in Jace's the rest of the ride to his house, pulling into the driveway is when my nerves strike up again. The house that I lost my virginity in - and some other things - is no longer a comfort to me. His parents are behind that door, and my mind begins to race with what their facial expressions look like.
"Babe?" I look to my right, hardly noticing that Jace has my door open already.
"Oh," I flush, shakily getting out of the car with the help of his hand. "Thank you."
"You shouldn't be so nervous," he tells me, almost concerned.
"What if they don't like me, Jace?" I become an anxious mess for him.
"You're overthinking this," he informs me, his lips pulling into a small smile. "They will love you. If I'm being honest, I think they're expecting a girl in a leather jacket and mini skirt with dyed black hair."
I snort and he kisses my cheek.
"Trust me, you have nothing to worry about." I try to trust him, take his words to heart, but as the smell of food hits me, I become nauseous. It's not because the food smells bad, but it's so consuming that my nerves can hardly handle it.
"You must be Nina." A tall, thin lady shows up in front of me, hands clasped in front of her. She's wearing an elegant dress, form fitting just below her knees with a high neck line. The delicate pearls around her neck do not go unnoticed.
"Y-yeah-"
"Nina," Jace saves me from utter humiliation. "This is my mom - Eleanor. Mom this is Nina."
"I've heard so much about you," she gushes - literally the face of pure happiness. What kind of girls has Jace brought home? "You're even more beautiful than I imagined."
"Mom," Jace rubs a hand down his face.
"Oh, hush," she is still grinning. Eleanor turns her head and calls out, "Robert! Your son is home with his beautiful girlfriend!"
From the door way emerges a large man - in no way fat - whose face is uncanny. Jace looks exactly like his father without a doubt. I lick my lips, nervous for his reactions because right now he does not look too pleased.
"Nina, this is my dad." As if I could tell, Jace mutters this.
"Hello, sir," I clear my throat. "Nice to meet yo-"
"Is dinner ready?" Even his voice holds authority. Meanwhile, I feel my face flush in embarrassment while I close my mouth.
"It is," Eleanor nods. It takes no time at all for Robert to turn on his heel and head towards the living room. Jace's mom is apologizing as soon as he's out of sight. "I am so sorry about him, sweetie. He's not a warm person."
"It's okay," I shake my head. "It's really not big deal."
She smiles once more before leading us into the dining room as well. Jace stops me from following her.
"What?" I question, thinking I've done something wrong.
"Don't take what he does to heart," he instructs of me. "He's a dick, and always has been."
"Okay, Jace," I smile and stand on my tip toes to peck his lips. "I won't. Let's not keep them waiting."
With a sigh and hand in mine, we follow the path his mother had took to the dinner table. Both his parents sit at a mahogany table set that could easily hold 8 people. Four chairs are taken away; his parents at both ends and Jace and I on opposite sides across from each other.
The house no longer feels like it once did, there's an overbearing weight in the air. Not to be judgmental, but I feel as though that presence is Jace's dad. He's very brooding, much like his son, but also very tense. It's as if there's a steel rod standing straight through him.
I'm told there will be three courses to the meal, and the first one is brought throttle after. It's a greek salad.
"So," Eleanor breaks the silence. "What are you planning to get into after high school, Nina?"
"Well," I dab my mouth with the cloth napkin provided to me. I'm sure it costs more than my outfit combined. "I'm hoping to get into U of M for university and become a trauma surgeon."
"Really?" She widens her eyes and nods. "That is a great school for medicine. My sister actually is an aluminist from there, she went for becoming a doctor. It's a school that will guarantee you a job that is for sure."
"Of course," I nod with a smile.
"And what makes you think you'll be able to keep that as your career?" Mister West speaks to me for the first time since I've gotten here.
"Robert," Eleanor warns him and he tries to look innocent.
"It's a simple question, dear." He directs his attention back to me, sending a cold chill down my back when he does so. "I mean, it's a very popular career choice, and the stakes are becoming higher and higher. What has you so certain that you will even fulfill this dream?"
"Uh, I guess, because I'm passionate about it." I've been interested in medical situations since I can remember. Ever since I was little, I've always had a desire to help people.
"So, that just automatically means it will happen?"
"Enough," Jace gets involved and I cower away from him.
"We're having a discussion, son." Robert completely discards Jace's efforts.
"No, you're not," he snarls. "You're trying to put her down."
"They are simple questions, Jace," he shoots back. "She can take care of herself I'm sure."
Jace glares at him for a hard moment until our main meal is placed in front of us, and he has no choice but to stay docile.
"Besides," Robert starts it up again. "Becoming a surgeon is far more ambitious than a mechanic."
Jace throws down his utensils and Eleanor jumps in her seat.
"Then I should become just like you, right?" He growls.
Robert leans back in his chair with a dark chuckle leaving his lips. "A successful entrepreneur? Yes, I think you should."
"A successful entrepreneur that has no life, but his job?" Jace asks, snappingly. "I'd rather not."
"Jace," Eleanor tries to simmer the growing frustration amongst the two men.
"No life?" His father scoffs. "My businesses are my life. Without them, I would have no means of any of these luxuries you've been gifted."
Jace snorts, sarcastically sounding. "So being a father is not as important?"
"A father?" His dad questions. "I've given you everything you've ever wanted. Money, cars, game systems, you name it, you have it. None of that would be possible without my businesses."
"Spoiling me with material things doesn't make up for your lack of parenting," Jace bites back. I wish I was over by him, to comfort him, but we're a table away and he's not slowing down. "And neither does sending me away to the Beets."
"We had unfinished matters to take care of," Robert reminds. "If you can't understand that, than maybe you're still maturing."
"Maturing?" Jace nearly yells, my body flinching at the sudden noise. "I finished maturing a long fucking time ago. Considering I basically had to take care of myself since I was ten."
"Now that's just not true," his father denies, but I can tell that even he doesn't believe that statement. "We've been around for all your life-"
"-but never really around," Jace points out. "You never played football with me, took me out for ice cream after one of my baseball games, or even attended any of the team dinners for basketball. I was always alone."
"That's enough," Robert nips it in the bud. "You need to stop being such a cry baby."
Jace shoots out of his seat, sending the chair back against the wall while his mother gets up too.
"Come on, Nina," he instructs and I do as he says. "This was a bad idea."
"Don't go, honey," his mother begs.
"If he's still here when I come back, then don't expect to see me again," Jace snaps, anger radiating through him.
"Jace," she pleads, but he's already pulling me out of the door, not even glancing back.
"Let him go, Eleanor," Robert demands, anger clear in his voice.
And when we make it out to his car, he curses at the top of his lungs, into the night sky.
____________________
Short chapter, I know and I'm sorry, but my birthday was today so I didn't have much time to write until now :/ the next chapter will be Saturday hopefully even though I'm becoming very busy :(
What do you think? Isn't Damon the sweetest? Would you be nervous to meet Jace's parents? Do you like his mom? What's up with his dad?
Don't be a silent reader!!
ALSO GO VOTE FOR ME FOR THE WATTYS2018!!!
Enjoy. Love you all <3
Like and comment :)
Snapchat: kearaboo01
Twitter: KearaSanders