NaNoWriMo Prep 105: Meet the Parents

       Prom 2010  

     16. At last. You know I was never one of those girls who looked forward to having a Sweet Sixteen party, but Prom was different and I knew – I knew – that it would be the defining moment of the year I turned 16. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those girls whose going to go and get a hotel room with my boyfriend for the night but still, ever since I was a little girl, I had a vision of prom where I was the Cinderella of the ball. You know, minus all the fairy godmother, glass slipper and mystery girl stuff. No, it was definitely no mystery; I would be going to prom with Jack, my junior high crush and now, my boyfriend of the past three months. There was only one hindrance to get over before the big night and that was Jack meeting my parents.

          “So, I don’t understand, Missy. Tell me again. Why do your parents insist on meeting your boyfriend before prom night? I mean it’s not like he’s such a stranger. We’ve known him since we were in kindergarten and you guys have been dating for a while now,” Lauren asked me one day in the cafeteria.

          “I don’t know L, they’re just old-fashioned, I guess, and they’ve never met him before any of our dates so…I don’t know…I guess they just want to make sure he’s a good guy,” I tried to explain without making my parents sound like Mr. and Mrs. Brady.

          “Or maybe they want to make sure he’s not a rapist,” quipped Christine.

          “Or at least get a good look at him if he is,” Alison giggled.

          “Ha ha,” I jabbed Alison in her arm. “Very funny; my parents will love Jack as much as I do. I’m not worried a bit.”

          “Ooh,” both girls teased at once. “She said she loves him,” Alison got in a jab of her own.

          I rolled my eyes. “You know what I mean.”

          “Oh, we know exactly what you mean,” Alison and Christine gave each other a knowing look.

          “Oh just eat your lunch. We’re going to be late for Geometry.”

          “Yeah, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be late to learn about love triangles.”

          Later in class, I got to thinking about my parents and the meeting with Jack that coming weekend. What if they did scare him away? What if they started asking him questions? What if they wanted to know about…you know…things. Ugh, they can’t meet him. Can they?

          “Honey, you look absolutely beautiful. The color of that dress is just so striking against your skin tone and your eye color. I can’t believe how much better it looks outside of the store,” my mom gushed, causing my cheeks to burst with flames of red. “You look so grown up.”

          “Come on, mom. I’m 16 now. It’s not like I’m 12 years old anymore.”

          “I know, I know, which is why I wanted to give you this.” With that, my mom reached from behind her back and handed me a rectangular black velvet box.

          “What’s this, Mom?”

          “Go on, open it,” she said with the eagerness of a child waiting to open her Christmas presents.

          I opened the box and couldn’t contain my own excitement, “Is this? These are…Mom, this is too much. This was your mom’s; and it’s so expensive.” I held the string of pearls so that they glistened in the light of my room.

          “I know, but I trust you. You’re not 12 anymore remember?” She mimicked my previous comment with a sly smile.

          Then the doorbell rang. I could feel my whole body tense up.

          “Come on, Missy. Let me put them on for you. Don’t worry. Your dad can let Jack in.” Hmm…exactly what I was worried about.

          “Alright, well, here goes nothing,” I gave myself one last look in the mirror and followed my mom out of my room and to the top of the staircase where I could see Jack standing next to my dad at the bottom, waiting with such poise and patience.