An Unexpected Romance

“I don’t know if I want you to go anymore,” Nova whined the morning I had to leave. Steph, Nova and I had woken up early since the plane took off at 8:45. They forced me into making my infamous French toast that I rarely ever made. So we were currently sitting at the miniscule kitchen table munching away, when Nova decided to voice his opinion on me leaving.

“Nov, you were so gung-ho about it when Levy asked. Why’d you change you’re mind,” I asked.

“I’m gonna miss you baby doll,” he uttered like a wounded puppy.

“Awe, Casanova,” I cooed while bringing him in for a tight hug. He sniffled a little but then shook it off.

“You don’t think it’s moving a little fast. Isn’t meeting the parents like something you wait months for?” Steph questioned.

“Yeah, it’s a little fast, but Steph don’t you think you’re being hypocritical?” I asked slightly peeved.

“What are you talking about?” she queried angrily. I pushed the wrong button. One thing Steph hated was being called a hypocrite.

“Well, you and Allen are always together and haven’t you already met his parents?” I asked, starting to get angrier too.

“Oh, dear,” muttered Nova, realizing this might turn into a screaming match between the two of us. Sometimes Steph and I don’t see eye to eye and we end up fighting for weeks over something trivial. I guess we’re both too stubborn to see the error of our ways.

“So what, that’s a totally different situation. You don’t even really like Levy!” she shouted.

“What in the hell, Steph? It’s not a different situation, and I do to like him. In fact I like him a lot!” I yelled back infuriated.

“You’re so ridiculous! Levy’s just going to be a rebound for Greg and then you’re going to end up forgiving Greg. What’ll happen to Levy then when you break his heart? Hmmm?” she questioned matching my ferocity.

“I’m never going back to Greg! How can you even say that? Do you realize who you’re talking to? I’m not some lousy whore, Steph that makes some guy fall in love with her and then leaves him in the dust!” I screeched up to my limit of anger.

“Ugh, you’ve gone back to Greg once, you’re bound to do it again!” she yelled.

“That’s not true! I’m not gonna do that again! I’ve made my mistake and learned from it!”

Nova had slowly scooted away during the beginning of our fight to answer the door. In came Allen and Levy, both watching as Steph and I had a screaming match. One of the three guys had cleared their throat causing Steph and I to look in their direction.

“So, I’m not the only one you argue with, tiger,” Levy quipped.

“Ugh!” I shouted turning toward my room.

I heard Allen asking if Steph was okay, being the polite and sweet guy he is, but she just yelled.

“She doesn’t get it! Meeting parents is a big step she’s not ready for! She just got out of a six year relationship and now she’s just gallivanting around with some guy. Good God!” and that was the end of her rent because the door to the apartment slammed shut with Allen and Steph on the other side.

Nova, Levy and I just stared at each other for a while. Now let me tell you something about me, I rarely cry. The last time I cried was when we first moved to New York and the last time before that was at my cousin’s funeral, which was three years ago.

And here I was crying, frustrated tears that I didn’t want Levy to see, but there he was. He spotted the waterfall and quickly embraced me.

“Hey, it’s okay tiger,” He soothed while rubbing his hand down my hair in continuous strokes.

“Baby doll, you know Steph didn’t mean any of that. She’s just worried about you,” Nova said. I knew he was right, so I stopped my crying, hiccupping here and there.

“So, you ready to go tiger?” Levy asked once I washed my face and ceased hiccupping.

“Yup, let’s go,” I replied. Nova and I hugged, which for sometime he wouldn’t let go. He told me to be careful and placed a peck on my forehead, before grabbing Levy and pulling him into an unexpected hug.

After that, Levy carried my two bags and put them in the trunk of the cab he had rented. Soon enough we were rolling up to the airport and taking all out luggage in.

I guess we came later than expected because people were already boarding. Levy handed over our tickets and then we walked onto the plane.

“First class, Levy?” I whispered to him. He smirked and sat in his super plush chair patting the one next to him.

“What tiger? It’s not that big a deal,” he said once I sat down.

“It is too a big deal? Especially for someone who’s never been in first class. I didn’t know bakers made that much money,” I whispered to Levy, trying not to bring attention to us.

“They make enough,” he said signaling the end of the discussion. He had a deep scowl set on his angular face. I just huffed and buried myself lower in the cushy seat. This erased the scowl, but brought back his too well-known smirk.

We didn’t speak for the hour and a half it took to get to Vermont. Once the plane had landed Levy decided to break the silence in the rental car.

“Look, Charlie, my family is sort of wealthy,” he said looking extremely nervous.

“Sort of?” I questioned skeptically. He just shrugged his shoulders and said nothing out.

“Sort of Levy! Sort of rich is like having multiple cars and a nice driveway. Not having a mansion!” I shouted as Levy pulled up to his ‘house’ in the rental car.

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to scare you away,” he pleaded.

“Jesus Christ!” I exclaimed, while shaking my head. “Now I feel like I'm filthy and not worthy to enter a castle like that.”

“What are you talking about?” Levy questioned perplexed. “You look amazing all the time.”

How can he say something like that without cracking up?

“Let’s just do this thing,” I said with determination. We got out, and once again Levy grabbed most of my bags and his own. This place was too amazing; it almost seemed like something out of a movie.

“Levy is that you?!” someone shouted while running out of the house and catapulting into Levy’s arms, causing him to drop the bags. Luckily they all stayed closed.

I don’t want these people seeing my $2 batman underwear…

“Hey Maggie,” Levy said hugging the girl back. She was pretty tall like 5’7 or 5’8 and had similar hair to Levy, that odd bronze color. She pulled back and looked over to where I was.

“You must be Charlotte! Oh, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m Margaret, Levy’s little sister, but you can call me Maggie,” she said before pulling me into a hug. Her clothes looked expensive, her hair cut looked expensive.

Is it weird that she even smells expensive? Hmmm

“Um, nice to meet you too,” I uttered feeling small and out of place.

“Everybody’s inside Lee! Mom’s so excited to see you and meet your girlfriend,” she dragged out the word ‘girlfriend’.

“I’m not his…,” I didn’t get to finish because Levy decided he’d cut me off.

“Of course, come on baby. Let’s go inside,” he said while grabbing everything. Margaret took off inside like a dash of lightning leaving Levy and I walking slowly.

“Baby?” I whispered murderously. “Why does your family think I’m your girlfriend, Levy?”

“Well, I may have told them that I fell in love with this great girl, but I don’t think that’d be considered lying,” he whispered back harshly walking faster ahead of me. I stopped dead in my tracks.

He loves me…oh come on! If throwing the parents and then the oodles of money on me wasn’t enough, why don’t you tell me you love me too? Yeah that sounds like a great plan!

I guess I zoned out too much because soon I heard, “And this is the lovely girl who’s got you smitten!”

I tried to stifle my laugh, but light giggles escaped. Everyone was looking at me.

I heard whispers of “What’s she wearing?” and “Levy can do better than that. Remember when he dated that model for like a week, she was gorgeous.”

I could feel my self-esteem plummet.

Some rich people are really nasty

“Hello dear, I’m Mrs. Taylor, but you can call me Barbara,” an older women said. You can tell she’s had some work done. Her dyed blonde hair done up elegantly and was even wearing a pair of Jimmy Choos!

No one’s cheek bones are really that high

“Um, nice to meet you. Levy’s told me so much about you all,” I lied, the only person I knew anything about here other than Levy was Ollie who was waving like a maniac at me. I smiled his way which calmed his flying hand.

“Oh good!” she exclaimed. “Michael, Michael come and meet Charlotte.” A very tall man with slightly graying hair came down the winding staircase and approached me. He had the aura of power.

“Hello, I’m Michael Taylor,” he said it like the CEO of a big company, with pure confidence and authority.

“Charlie Morgan,” I replied timidly shaking his hand.

Ouch! Jesus, don’t crush my hand man

“Alright, we can do more intros later at the party. I think Charlie and I need some rest before hand,” Levy asserted, while pulling my by my elbow. I waved a little and soon we were walking up the flight of stairs.

Once the doors closed to ‘our’ room. Yeah, we had to share a room. I huffed and dropped onto the king size bed. Everything was amazingly decorated in this room and just like every other room the expensiveness seemed to ooze through the walls.

“Levy, why are you putting me through this,” I wailed. Levy’s body soon rested nest to mine in the same position on the too large bed.

“I’m sorry, Charlie. I know they’re kind of over-bearing, but that’s why I need you here,” he explained while turning to look at me.

“But, my family’s dirt poor. I’ve lived off of my brothers hand-me-downs pretty much all my life. I’m not meant to mingle with these types of people, they all hate me,” I argued. I felt worthless here, surrounded by the gold carvings and intricate paintings.

“Ollie and Maggie most definitely don't hate you,” he countered, taking my face in his warm, calloused hands. “And anyway none of that matters. I love you for you, not your status, not what you own. You have a genuine heart and a fiery personality; you’re my tiger, that’s all that matters.”

There’s that ‘I love you’ stuff again...I hope he doesn't expect me to say ot back yet...

“Look, I don’t want you to feel obliged to say I love you back, but I want you to know that no matter what my family thinks. You’re mine.”

He’s an over possessive mind reader…now if he was only a vampire, I’d have my very own Edward Cullen

“Ugh,” I grunted, untangling from his grasp and sitting up. “So what do I need to wear?” I questioned.

Levy immediately jumped up and picked me up off the floor, yelling ‘thank you’ over and over again.

Let’s hope I make it out of this alive…