Anonymous

“Stop worrying,” I told Louis seriously over the phone. “I don’t know where you got the idea that my parents are tyrants, but I swear they’re not.”

“What should I wear?” he mused. “Will they think I’m not responsible if I wear skinny jeans and a button-up shirt? Should I wear a suit? Or would that look like I’m trying too hard? But I definitely shouldn’t wear trainers, right?”

“Louis, breathe,” I laughed. “Love, just wear whatever you want. My parents aren’t judgmental. They wouldn’t like knowing that you’re in One Direction, since they’d want to know what the hell had possessed me to start dating someone I met over the internet, but other than that, they’re totally cool. Don’t stress.”

“I shouldn’t wear white, in case I spill anything on it,” he confused to mutter to himself. I could hear him pacing his room and throwing things around. It would have been comical if it weren’t so pathetic.

“Do you want me to come over and prep you or something?” I questioned, cocking an eyebrow, even though he couldn’t see. “Would that make you feel more relaxed?”

“Kind of. Is it possible for you to get over here?”

“Yeah. I’ll be there in fifteen.” I hung up my cell phone and sighed loudly before getting up, throwing on a pair of worn-in gray TOMS, and grabbing my mum’s keys before heading out to the car.



“Are you sure my hair looks okay?” Louis asked as he brought down the visor in the car, flicking open the mirror and running a hand through his hair so it was just the right amount of messy-cool.

“Um, I did your hair, so yeah, it looks great,” I chuckled. “Now will you stop? What happened to the confident guy that said he could charm the pants off my parents?”

“He went into hiding, and he left this bundle of nerves in his place.” Louis grumbled for a second. “God, why did I say I wanted to meet your parents?”

“Because you’re an idiot,” I told him plainly, not knowing what he wanted to hear, as we pulled into the driveway.

“Ouch. That wounds me,” he responded jokingly. “Is it too late to back out of this?”

“Um, yes, since my mother is making a massive Italian meal for you because she’s so excited that I actually have a boyfriend. I think she was convinced that I was going to die alone with fifteen cats.”

“That’s awful,” Louis mumbled, shaking his head. “But there’s no way that would have happened, even if you didn’t meet me. Because you’re beautiful.”

“Aw, thanks, cheeseball.” I leaned over and pecked him on the lips, my hand going up to cup his jaw. “Now let’s head inside before my mother gets panicked that I made you up.”

As we walked up to the front door, Louis laced his fingers together with mine, and his palm was slick with sweat. I felt bad that he was so anxious about meeting my parents, since I never said they were evil creatures or anything, but nothing I said did any sort of help. So he’d just have to talk to them and see that he had nothing to worry about.

The second I opened the front door, it was almost like a sensor sounded throughout the house, alerting all the inhabitants to our arrival. Immediately, the sound of my mother’s scampering feet was audible, and soon, she was standing right in front of us. Her hair was a little wild from the humidity radiating off the oven, but her face was still beautiful, just as always.

“You must be Louis!” she exclaimed, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek a few times. “So lovely to meet you.”

Louis’ face was bright red as he nodded politely. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you, too.”

“I do hope you’re hungry. I have lots of food here for you. Jess, show your boyfriend to the table. I’ll put the meal out soon.”

And with that, she wiped her hands on her stained off-white apron and hurried back toward the kitchen.

Louis looked at me, his face strained as he struggled to hold back his grin. “Oh, lord. Your mum is so friendly.”

“I told you,” I laughed, bumping his hip a little. “Now if you’d follow me to the dining room, it’s just this way.”

“Like I don’t know where it is already,” he snickered into my ear softly, so only I could hear him.

But that didn’t stop me from elbowing him in the stomach, widening my eyes in warning. If my mother heard that he had been in the house without her present, she’d probably take me immediately to the doctor to make sure I wasn’t pregnant.

“MARIA,” my mother screamed down the stairs. “STOP YOUR GAME AND GET UP HERE. JESS HAS A BOYFRIEND OVER.”

I felt my cheeks flush, which I hoped escaped Louis’ notice, but from the way he nudged my knee with his foot under the table, I figured it didn’t. I kept my eyes fixed on the doorway to the basement, waiting for my sister to emerge.

As usual, she hadn’t bothered to dress up for the occasion. Her long hair was up in a sloppy ponytail, her face framed with an explosion of tiny baby strands that weren’t long enough to get pulled back. Her t-shirt was about three sizes too big for her frame, as were her jeans, and when she lifted her arm, her teal sports bra was clearly visible.

She slumped down in the seat next to Louis, adjusting her position, watching him out of her corner of her eye, as if she were trying to stretch herself enough so she was taller than him.

Dad came in a couple minutes later, looking casual yet neat. His hair was combed, which was good, and he immediately connected eyes with Louis. “So you’re the boy my girl’s been seeing?” he questioned in a conversational tone.

“Dad, you have two girls,” Maria grumbled as she reached for a roll and slammed it on her plate.

He watched her movements critically before laughing lightly. “Right. Sometimes, it seems like I only have one child, since I only see one of them, while the other’s holed out in the basement like some creep.”

I snorted to hold back my laughter, but Louis wasn’t so successful. His loud chuckle filled the emptiness in the room and broke through any kind of awkward barrier that had once existed. And once Maria hit him jokingly (or I hoped it was jokingly, anyway) in the arm, it pretty much solidified that we’d be able to make it as a sort of family.

“Dinner’s ready,” Mum cooed as she brought in a few pans of food: one of ravioli, one of lasagna, and one of regular spaghetti. “There’s more, I’ll be right back. Louis, just take whatever you like. I wasn’t sure what you’d want, so I really just made a bit of everything.”

Louis looked up at me with wide eyes, and I knew we were both thinking the same thing: Holy shit, where’s Niall when you need him?

Mum returned with chicken and eggplant parmesan and placed them next to the previous dishes. “Alright, let’s eat!”