Chapter Ten: Talk About Humiliation
"You nervous?" Miller takes my hand and I am tempted to pull it away when my brain reminds me that we're in public eye and this is what we must do.
Yesterday, Miller broke up with Ella and told her that he became interested in another girl. I heard that she cried and tried to strangle him. He should've gotten it on video, it would've gone viral.
Tossing my hair back and forcing myself to grin, I shrug, "Yeah, it's now or never, right?"
"That's my girl," he ruffles my hair from the top and smirks. I slap his hand away, but can't help smiling for real this time, "Don't push it, Woods." I'm trying to act cool, but you could basically hear me blushing thanks to Miller's comment.
Usually, when new couples come in, the school is all light-headed about it. They ask stupid questions about how they got together, have they slept together yet, do they love each other, and it makes them sound like they're questioning about someone's murder, but instead of an investigator, it's a drunk teen. I usually just stay out of the new couple's way and try not to eavesdrop while they are enjoying their attention.
Even before we enter the school, there are already people spinning their heads around in our direction.
"Oh my gosh, who's that chick holding Miller's hand?"
"How did you become so under the rock? Ugh, she's Caitlin Mays, the girl's whose cousin cheated for her a few days ago at the cheer off?"
"I thought Miller was dating Ella Anderson though?"
"They broke up last night dumbass. You need to check Facebook! Ella clearly changed her relationship status to 'Available'. The fuck is wrong with you?"
It's even worst when we get into the school. The conversations repeat themselves over and over, I think I may need earplugs just to live through this day. Miller keeps rubbing my back, which I am not sure if it's to calm me or just part of the act.
I feel my phone buzz in my pocket and it's a text from Carter, who seems to have heard the news. What the hell Cait? I look at my entwined hands with Miller and type a quick and innocent reply. What?
We stop at my locker first so that I can gather my books for first period, but I feel guilty about it the whole time because Miller's probably going to be late for class. "You can go if you want."
"You haven't done this much, have you?" he looks down at the ground and shakes his head with a chuckle, "What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let my girlfriend just travel alone in the hallways?"
Boyfriend; the ultimate word. I swear, every single head around us turned to us when that word came out of his mouth. It even takes me a second before I can register what he has said. I can't move until I remind myself that it's all fake.
With a light tone, I push Miller's shoulder, "A normal one?"
As Miller opens his mouth to retort, an icy tone stops him, "Hello." Both of us glare at the blonde freak standing in front of us with her arms crossed over her flat chest and a smirk playing on her lips over and over again.
This is definitely not the reaction I expected. She should be screaming, or at least crying at the sight of us. That's when I see the finger rubbing. Yes, Ella is rubbing her fingers together and have been her best friend for so long, I know what this means. Ella Anderson is mad. Ha, not mad more like steaming. Wait until smoke comes out of her ears.
"Morning Ella!" I chirp a bit too happily, but just enough to convince the people around me that I'm nothing but a little girl in love. Miller's tone is perfect for the boy talking to his ex-girlfriend character he is playing, "Well, Cait and I should be getting to class."
We push throught the crowd that I didn't even know had formed and I find myself crashing into my brother. "Caitlin! We need to talk, right now."
Carter has only used that voice once with me. It was when we were thirteen and I accidentally forgot to tell him that I had started my period, which I didn't understand because we aren't that close in the first place.
"You-you can go, you don't have to wait," I yell to Miller as Carter is dragging me away and I pause for a second before saying, "I'll miss you, babe!"
"I don't think I should be hearing that my sister has a boyfriend from some random person who just happens to pass by. It's your first one too, did you think you could hide it from me? Or mom and dad?" He sounds really, really mad.
I look down at me fingers and he raises my chin up with his hand, "Sorry, sorry that I sound like a psychopath right now. Let me just make sure of one thing so that I can let a breath out. You haven't, you know, slept with Miller Woods right?"
For a moment there, I feel the urge to tell him that everything is a lie. It's all a sick joke that doesn't make any sense anymore. But, I don't. It wouldn't be fair to Miller and the deal we made.
"No, of course not," I must sound unconvincing because Carter raises his eyebrow.
I know Carter's not the guy to beat around the bush and he doesn't tonight at dinner. The minute everyone is seated he tells them about Miller and my 'relationship'.
Dad starts scolding me and acting like the over protective father that always bickers with the boyfriend, but ends up liking the guy. Mom, completely contrary to dad, is nearly crying with happiness. She hugs me and tells me that she's so proud that I got a guy as handsome and charming as Miller to fall for me.
"You know that I have to give you the talk now, don't you?" mom smiles at me knowingly as she loads the dishwasher.
I gulp. I totally forgot about that. Mom gave the whole 'use protection' talk to Miller freshman year when he got his first girlfriend. When he told me about it, I couldn't eat dinner that night. Maybe that's why I'm not really interested in dating; the talk scares the hell out of me.
"I really don't thing that's necessary," I put on my most convincing smile.
She snaps her soapy fingers and moves her head in agreement, "That's right. We should invite Miller's family over tomorrow for a lunchtime barbecue and then his mother and I can talk to you guys together. It'll be more meaningful that way and it'll stick in your crazy teenager brains much easier."
Before I can object, mom trots out of the kitchen to call Miller.
Shit.
+++
I tap my fingers against my desk, anxiously anticipating the arrival of the Woods family. The nervousness is eating me whole.
Miller and I exchanged a few texts last night. His usually swearing and mines trying to calm him down. The way we're going to play it is like a happy couple in love and he even takes the liberty to warn me that he might have to kiss me to help with the proof.
Yeah, like that's not gonna make my heart pound for the whole night.
Mom is way more excited than I am. She woke me up two hours before the time I usually get up so that we could 'prepare for the big day'. She straightened my hair, then curled it in the exact same places. She gave me a 'natural' makeup look to 'enhance my already beautiful face'; her words, not mines. Lastly, she put me in black skinny jeans that hurt my butt, a push-up bra, and this frilly plaid blouse that varied in the black and purple colors.
The only good thing about this is that Carter asked if he could invite Tasha and mom and dad actually scolded him for being inconsiderate and sent him to his room. Carter's face was priceless.
When the doorbell rings, I basically jump out of my skin in fear. I even trip on my way downstairs, but that's normal.
As soon as l step out of the elevator, mom opens the door with an abnormally huge grin.
Miller is the first to walk in. He goes straight to me and gives me a huge hug. His fingers pull a few strands of hair away from my ear and whispers, "Wow, you look hot." I begin to blush furiously.
Mom clutches her heart like its the cutest thing she's ever seen. I look beside her and Miller's mother has the same expression on.
"You have a pretty house," Miller's sister Vienna tells me in her sweet childish voice and her sister nods with a goofy smile. I lean down and kiss their foreheads, "Thank you so much. There are some cookies in the kitchen right down this hall, if you're interested."
After hearing this, they run to the kitchen yelling "cookies".
Mom pulls Miller to her and tugs at his cheeks, "Aren't you a handsome one? Look at the messy hair! And the dimples! Oh my, Caitlin, look at his lips, they are so soft! You must use moisturizer everyday, don't you Miller? Caitlin will have so much fun kissing you!"
I can't tell if the redness of his cheeks is from being pinched by my mom or the fact that she complimented him so much.
Dad strides in and smiles at Miller, "I presume that you've learned the proper way of throwing a football?"
"Yes, sir," he shudders nervously.
Dad and Carter go outside to cook, but as Miller and I are opening the door that leads us to the patio, mom and Mrs. Woods beckons for us to join them on the sofa. Both of the moms smile at our entwined hands.
TheTalk.
"Love is a tricky thing kids, especially young love," Mrs. Woods begins.
"We don't want you two making any mistakes, so we're going to talk to you about it whether you want to or not," mom continues sternly, "To kick off, I thought why not everyone tells their own story of teenage love. I'll begin. My relationship with a guy in high school caused me a lot of stress, but he would occasionally remove the stress by doing things with me. I do mean sex. This man was the man I was sure I was going to marry until we broke up because of university distances. One day, we got in contact again and he is now my husband."
God, I did not need to know that.
Now, Miller's mother tells her story. "I was sixteen when I lost my virginity to some guy in a bar. I did everything in my power to find this guy because back then everyone thought that the person you are to lose your virginity with is the person that becomes your husband. In the end, I never found him, but I found another man that made me glad I never found him."
Mrs. Woods and mom look at us expectantly.
"I met Caitlin when I accidentally threw a football at her head. At first, I was very annoyed with her, but I soon began to appreciate how beautiful she is, inside and out. It's rare to find that kind of girl these days. I plan on taking good care of her and making sure she has the best life she can possibly get." Miller's face looks slightly pink when he finishes and I give him a little smile.
Everyone has their eyes trained on me now. Taking a deep breath, I start, "I met Miller in the nurse's office after I had woken up from the football attack by Miller. He generally pissed me off until I realized what his true personality was like: calm, caring, and sweet. That's what made me fall for him besides his looks. In the future, we will care for each other and be the best people we can be together ."
The moms are wiping tears away from their eyes and telling me that my story was beautiful. Miller's grip in my hand becomes noticeably tighter when his mom begins to speak, "You two haven't had sex, have you?"
"No!" Miller and I spit out in unison and in disgust.
Mrs. Woods looks at my mom with a knowing smile. Mom pushes her hair back and just smiles at us happily. This is reminding me of the time mom and Ella's mom gave the two of us a surprise trip to Water World when we were in middle school.
"Soon you will be inclined to touching each other. It may be the face, hair, or maybe a more private part of the body. I'm not saying that it's wrong to have sex... you're nearly 18 for god's sake, but we just want you to be safe," mom puts one of her hands on my knee and the other one on Miller's.
Mrs. Woods takes out a foil packet and a bunch of pills, "Okay, I know that having sex is exciting and gets you pumped up, but even during the most pleasurable moments, you have to remember to use protection. I'm sure you've learned this in health class, so I won't do a demonstration. Caitlin, here are some birth control pills, take them once a week from now on. Miller, keep these condoms, you never know when you'll need them."
As if Miller Woods doesn't already have condoms stashed everywhere.
Miller's cheeks look like two giant cherries and no doubt mines do too. What an embarrassing topic to cover.
When our moms shoo us away so that they could chat, I honestly couldn't run out of there fast enough. Miller grabbed onto my hand and kissed my cheek. I calmed down when his hot breath pressed against me and when I look back at the moms, they looked at each other with pride... a lot of pride.
"Hey, look on the bright side. Now we can have sex freely," Miller whispers sarcastically.
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Extra long chapter dance!
Miller and Caitlin are so cute, don't you think? Caitlin is really bad at this whole acting thing though, so she's really lucky that Miller guides her through it. I feel so bad for them having to go through this sort of talk with their parents. Man, everything is so ironic:)
Question: What do you want to happen during the second half of the barbecue?
Thank you so much for reading! All of my readers are like gold chests to me! Remember to vote, follow, and smile!