I Thought You Hated Me

Chapter 16:

I decided to go on a walk, the weather is absolutely perfect today.

I have been avoiding Dominic this past week because I couldn't handle the fact that I'm falling for him. We still text but any time he wanted to hang out I made up excuses.

"Nat! Natalie!" I hear from a distance somewhere and look around narrowing my eyes to see who is calling my name. "Nat over here!" I look behind me and see my...Mom and Dad?

I widened my eyes in shock and they rushed towards me devouring me with kisses. "Hey mom," I face my dad, "dad." I look at them with my mouth wide open. "Uh, what are you guys doing here?"

"Why? We cant see our daughter?" My mom says. I'm grateful they're here but I'm just shocked. I finally realize that, oh my god, they're here. I break out a big smile and hug them both.

"You guys are actually here." I squeeze them tight, I pull away. "Holy shit, I need to introduce you to my friends."

"Oh yes sweetheart please do." My dad says. I see my parents every vacation I have but it was always me going to visit them. This is the first time they have ever come here in the two years I have been here. Wish they would have visited at least once, but hey at least I get to see them.

"Okay follow me." I excitedly walk to the directions of the dorms and text Emily.

Me: my mom and dad are here!!!

Emily: what??? omg can i pls meet them????

Me: yes yes i'm bringing them over our dorm, make sure ure decent

Emily: 👍

"What have you guys been up to?" I ask.

"Oh you know," my mom waves her hand, "been going from country to country these past weeks."

"What?" I stop walking and look at them. They never tell me anything then get upset when I don't tell them certain things. "Why didn't you guys tell me?" They both shrugged and waved it off like it wasn't a big deal, and we continued walking.

"How's Daniel?" Yikes, well shit. This is...funny. I hadn't told them yet, not knowing how to. They never asked about him so I never brought it up.

"Uh," I clear my throat, "he and I are actually not together anymore."

"Aww baby." My mom says then gives a sloppy wet kiss against my cheek. I wipe it off and chuckle because I miss that feeling.

"It's fine, really, he actually..." I debated on whether to lie or tell them. If I tell them he cheated on me they will be up my ass about it all the time worrying if I'll be okay and I don't want them to worry about me. "We actually just weren't a match for each other." I awkwardly do a low laugh.

They both rubbed my back and started talking about something but I couldn't focus at all. In the distance I could see Dominic. My heart stopped and everything went silent, he's walking the other direction. With a girl in his arms. He gives her a kiss on the cheek and hugs her tight. My breathing gets faster and I get yanked back into reality when my mom claps into my ears trying to get my attention.

"Earth to Nat." My dad snaps his fingers next to my face and I flinch and look at them. "What's the matter?"

"Oh, no it's nothing. I was just uh thinking...about the work I have to do." Both of them shake their heads.

"Honey, please don't tire yourself out with this. We're so proud of you but please, take it easy." I forced a smile and realized we arrived at the dorms.

I lead them to my dorm and knock on the door to let Emily know we're coming in. "Come in, come in." I hear Emily say. I see her smiling big on the bed then she gets up and greets my parents. "Hi Mrs and Mr Henderson, I'm Emily, Natalies-"

"Oh my god you are the famous Emily," my mom gasps and rushes to hug Emily, "oh dear you are very pretty." She played with her hair and pinched her cheeks.

"Okay okay let's not harass my friend please." We all laugh and for a second, just a fucking second I almost forgot about what I saw.

Maybe I'm overthinking it. Maybe it was his sister, or his cousin, or his best friend. I feel like I  have no right to be upset over this, we aren't even dating. We aren't even a thing, even though I wished we were. God I wish we were. I'm not jealous, I dont have the right to be, I just thought that maybe one day we could get together but if not then fuck it.

"Cozy place you got here." My dad says glancing around the bedroom.

"All thanks to Nat." Emily says and I look over and try to smile at her. I gesture for my parents to sit on my bed or chair but they are too interested in the wall of pictures I have. I sat myself down and exhaled a wobbly breath, closing my eyes for a second then opening them, seeing Emily in the corner of my eye looking at me. She knows something is wrong, I can't hide shit from her. I mouth to her 'later' and she nodded.

My mom turned around to me and smiled, "My little nurse," She played with my hair and squeezed my cheeks repeating praises and compliments that warmed my heart. I smile and blush, well my cheeks are mostly red from the pinching and squeezing my mom is doing. She does one last harsh pinch then clasps her hands together. "Shall we go get dinner?" She suggests and I nod.

"Emily, you wanna come?" I ask her.

"I would love to but I have a lot of work to do." She frowns and my mom frowns.

"Well, next time we'll get dinner together. So nice meeting you Emily." My mom kisses her cheek and walks out the door. My dad gives her a nod and a smile and she waves them goodbye. I sigh and walk out the door waving goodbye to Emily.

We walk down and I rush them to the parking lot to find their car. Trying so hard to hurry up in case Dominic is around. Shit. I see him in the distance and try to hide myself behind my parents without making it too obvious. He looked over at them and spotted me. Fuck. I rushed them even more, pretending like I didn't know Dominic was here. "Calm down honey, we're not young." My mom says and I awkwardly chuckle and take a deep breath. It's fine Natalie, he won't come over, he won't speak to you-

"Hey Natalie." I spin around and freeze up. I look at him and try letting out a smile but nothing comes out.

"Oh who's this?" My mom asks me, I look at her and back at him.

"Um, uh he's my..." I stutter, not knowing what to say. It's so simple to say Natalie. He's your friend, even though you don't want him to be, he's your friend.

"I'm her friend," he puts out his hand to greet my mom and smiles, "I'm Dominic."

"You are a very handsome man, Dominic." I shot my mom a look. "What? He is. Hey Ben isn't this young man such a handsome fella." My dad takes a good look at him and smiles.

"You're not thinking of leaving me are you Bella?" My dad asks my mom, I look away not wanting to be part of this embarrassing interaction. I hear a chuckle from Dom but can't look at him, I just can't.

"Okay, um well we gotta go now guys." I point at their car and try my best to get the fuck out of here.

"Now hold on a minute," my mom says. God mom please don't. "How about, Dominic, you join us?" I freeze up and get filled up with panic. I'm hoping he says no, please say no.

"I would love to." Of course, of fucking course. I don't say anything, I won't say anything, I just keep walking towards the car and they follow behind. I get in the car and see my mom talking to him some more, then they nod and walk towards the car. I'm sitting in the back and Dominic opens the door and sits next to me. I look out the window, not wanting to say anything. Actually, I want to say a lot of things but just can't form any words.