WALLFLOWER // B.E

forty-one

juniper

"are you sure we're going to have time to finish washing it?" billie asked.

"yeah, i'm sure," i nodded. "unless they get here early."

her face paled as she looked up at me. "junie, don't jinx it! i don't want to be washing your bed sheets when your grandma gets here!"

"you think i want her to get here while we're washing them?! she's my grandma!" i huffed. "you know, if you would've just listened to me and did what i said, we wouldn't have to be doing this right now."

her face started to flush. "i told you i couldn't," she mumbled as her face started to flush even brighter. she crossed her arms over her chest, and she avoided my eyes.

"yeah, you could've," i argued. "i know you—"

i was interrupted by billie's phone starting to ring. i watched as she pulled it out of her pocket. she showed me that her mom was calling her before she stepped out of the room. i turned back to the washing machine, and i took my bed sheets out of it, then put them in the dryer. i put my comforter in the washing machine.

once i had finished in there, i walked out of the laundry room. billie was just putting her phone back into her pocket, so i walked up behind her, and i wrapped my arms around her waist. she leaned back into my embrace, and i leaned down some to kiss her temple.

"my parents want me to stay at the house tonight," she pouted. "they miss me."

"well, you've been staying here for over a week now, so that's understandable," i laughed a bit. "do you need to leave now, or..?"

"no, i'ma wait until archer gets here! he was promised he'd get to see me when he got home," she gave a nod.

we were silent for a moment as i swayed us from side to side. her face then lit up, and she quickly turned in my arms. she took my hands in her's, and she held them between us as she looked up at me.

"i want you to meet my parents."

my eyes widened, and i let out a nervous laugh. "huh? why would— i don't know how to even— are you sure?!" i started to panic a bit.

even though i've been to billie's house plenty of times by now, i've never formally met her parents. during the week, they get home from work late. the only time i've really ever seen them, is either when i'm leaving billie's house, or when i just get there; even then though, me and billie go straight to her room and really don't leave it.

i guess now that me and billie are dating, i have to meet her parents. that's what girlfriends do, right?

even just thinking about it makes me nervous. i can barely talk to her brother, so how the fuck am i supposed to talk to her parents?!

"woah, hey, calm down, baby," her brows furrowed a bit. she stood up on her tiptoes to press a quick kiss to my lips. "it's not going to be some formal, dinner type meeting thing. i know you would hate that, and honestly, they would too. it'll be super laidback, i promise. they are huggers though, so i could ask them to tone that down some."

"are you sure you want me to meet them?" i asked quietly. "i'm really not— i don't think they'd like me, and i don't wanna—"

"are you kidding me? they'll love you, junie! don't even worry," she gave my hands a comforting squeeze. "you're perfect, lovey, i promise. of course i want you to meet them."

"are you sure?" i frowned a bit. "i'm gonna get nervous, and i'm not going to be able to talk to them, and i'll—"

"baby," she cut me off again. "you'll be okay. i can introduce you to each other, you can talk for a few minutes, and then i'll make up an excuse for us to leave. it'll be okay. plus, they talk so much, that you'll be lucky if you could even get a word in."