Status: complete :)
I'm Frightened That I Won't Be Strong
18.
I couldn't fit my smile as I watched Joe and Jesse chatting as we walked to the car. I didn't know what they were talking about, I was just glad Jesse was getting along with my family so well. I probably should have warned Jesse that my mum was a hugger, as he seemed fairly surprised, but he'd quickly got over the shock and hugged back. It hadn’t taken much for his nerves and shyness to disappear either, as I knew it wouldn’t. It was hard to be shy and unsure around my family, as they attempted to make you feel as at home as they possibly could. I knew Jesse appreciated it. Joe had even offered to carry Jesse's suitcase. Jesse had declined, but after Joe had insisted, he had let Joe pull it along.
I sped up so I was walking alongside them and linked my fingers with Jesse's. He turned and flashed a happy smile at me and I knew he was going to be okay. "We're taking Jesse to play golf tomorrow," Joe said and I smiled.
"Okay," I nodded.
"He thinks he can beat me," Joe added and I laughed softly.
"Joe, you suck at golf," I pointed out and Jesse chuckled and turned to Joe, waiting for his reply.
"Yeah, well, we'll see," Joe smiled and I shook my head. Joe then hung back to tell my parents that we would be playing golf tomorrow and I was left on my own with Jesse.
"Your family's nice," he said, his voice soft so he wouldn’t be over heard, not that my family wouldn’t like to hear that.
"Thanks," I smiled. "They like you, too." He just smiled, clearly uncertain. "They do," I assured him. "Trust me." He smiled and nodded.
Kevin, Danielle and Joe had all come in Kevin's car, while my parents had come separately with Frankie. On the way home it was decided that Frankie would go with Kevin so we weren’t squashed in my parents' car. We climbed into the back and I sat in the middle seat so I could be closer to Jesse, who blushed and bit his lip, but didn't argue. I think he was debating with himself whether he should hold me so close while my parents were in the front seat. I didn't really give him much of a choice, as I raised his arm, wrapped it round my waist and snuggled into his side. After a few minutes, when he realised my parents weren’t going to say anything, I felt him relax and hold me closer. I smiled and sighed happily. "We've got the guestroom all made up for you, Jesse," my mum said as we drove home. "You should have everything you need, but if not, make sure you tell me. I want you to feel at home." I was slightly disappointed that my parents weren't letting Jesse sleep in my room with me, but it didn't really surprise me.
"Thank you so much, Mrs Jonas," Jesse smiled. He didn't sound as though he was disappointed he wouldn’t be with me, but I could tell he was by the way he tightened his hold on me.
"Please call me Denise, Jesse," mum said happily. "We're practically family anyway, right?" I blushed and hid my face in Jesse's chest. I'd confided only in Kevin before I'd even left home, voicing my thoughts that Jesse was 'the one'. And I guessed that Kevin had told mum...or else she just guessed. But either way, I knew what my mum was implying. I didn't risk looking up at Jesse's face to see how he took that comment.
"Thank you, Denise," Jesse said happily and I smiled but kept my face hidden. Jesse squeezed my hand tightly and I found it hard to fight the grin working onto my lips. I just stayed buried in Jesse's shirt, listening to his heartbeat, until we got back to our house.
I sped up so I was walking alongside them and linked my fingers with Jesse's. He turned and flashed a happy smile at me and I knew he was going to be okay. "We're taking Jesse to play golf tomorrow," Joe said and I smiled.
"Okay," I nodded.
"He thinks he can beat me," Joe added and I laughed softly.
"Joe, you suck at golf," I pointed out and Jesse chuckled and turned to Joe, waiting for his reply.
"Yeah, well, we'll see," Joe smiled and I shook my head. Joe then hung back to tell my parents that we would be playing golf tomorrow and I was left on my own with Jesse.
"Your family's nice," he said, his voice soft so he wouldn’t be over heard, not that my family wouldn’t like to hear that.
"Thanks," I smiled. "They like you, too." He just smiled, clearly uncertain. "They do," I assured him. "Trust me." He smiled and nodded.
Kevin, Danielle and Joe had all come in Kevin's car, while my parents had come separately with Frankie. On the way home it was decided that Frankie would go with Kevin so we weren’t squashed in my parents' car. We climbed into the back and I sat in the middle seat so I could be closer to Jesse, who blushed and bit his lip, but didn't argue. I think he was debating with himself whether he should hold me so close while my parents were in the front seat. I didn't really give him much of a choice, as I raised his arm, wrapped it round my waist and snuggled into his side. After a few minutes, when he realised my parents weren’t going to say anything, I felt him relax and hold me closer. I smiled and sighed happily. "We've got the guestroom all made up for you, Jesse," my mum said as we drove home. "You should have everything you need, but if not, make sure you tell me. I want you to feel at home." I was slightly disappointed that my parents weren't letting Jesse sleep in my room with me, but it didn't really surprise me.
"Thank you so much, Mrs Jonas," Jesse smiled. He didn't sound as though he was disappointed he wouldn’t be with me, but I could tell he was by the way he tightened his hold on me.
"Please call me Denise, Jesse," mum said happily. "We're practically family anyway, right?" I blushed and hid my face in Jesse's chest. I'd confided only in Kevin before I'd even left home, voicing my thoughts that Jesse was 'the one'. And I guessed that Kevin had told mum...or else she just guessed. But either way, I knew what my mum was implying. I didn't risk looking up at Jesse's face to see how he took that comment.
"Thank you, Denise," Jesse said happily and I smiled but kept my face hidden. Jesse squeezed my hand tightly and I found it hard to fight the grin working onto my lips. I just stayed buried in Jesse's shirt, listening to his heartbeat, until we got back to our house.