Skinny Love - Newtmas

Chapter Twenty Seven

Thomas squeezes my hand as we walk, the closer we get to the door the more my heart pounds. I try not to let anything show, the last thing Thomas needs is to be worrying about me all week.

We stop in front of the door and Thomas looks sideways at me. "Are you okay?"

"Fine."

"You sure?"

I nod. "Let's go."

Thomas breathes deep and let's go of my hand to open the door. He walks in first and I can already hear his family greeting him happily. Without realizing I've begun to dig my nails into my hand.

Before it becomes too long I step inside the house and my breath gets caught in my throat, everybody turns to look at me. For a good three long seconds nobody says anything; but then all at once everyone breaks into smiles and starts talking to me and Thomas. I quickly shut the door and smile awkwardly.

Thomas turns to look at me and smiles, grabbing my hand again and pulling me forward. "Everybody!" Thomas says. His whole family stops talking and looks to us, causing my cheeks to become bright red. "This is Newt." He smiles and looks at me.

Teresa steps forward and puts he hand on my shoulder. "You're just too cute!" She laughs. My eyes widen and I laugh nervously, causing her to laugh more.

"Newt," Thomas says and I turn to look at him. "This is my older brother Peter, he graduated college last year and now he lives at home and games all day."

"Oh shut up Thomas!" Peter scoffs but they both end up laughing. Peter sticks his hand out to me and after a brief hesitation I shake his hand.

"I hope my brother doesn't annoy you too much, he can be pretty damn hard to put up with sometimes." Thomas rolls his eyes and banters around with his brother for a minute before a younger boy is stepping forward.

"Newt, this is Chuck, my younger brother." Chuck smiles at me and also shakes my hand.

"You're british right?" He asks, a little surprise by the random question I laugh. "Yeah I am."

"That's really cool, I wish I was british." Chuck shrugs and walks off, sitting down on the couch next to Thomas's parents.

We walk over to them and Thomas smiles. "And this is my mom and dad of course." His mother smiles at me. She stands up and pulls Thomas into a hug, breaking his hand away from mine, then moves hugs me. Unsure of what to do I only smile and keep my arms at my sides.

"It's so wonderful to finally meet you!" She smiles. "Thomas has talked about you so much!" Glancing at Thomas for reassurance he smiles and steps closer to me again.

Thomas's mother steps aside, smiling at us the whole time. Then his father stands from the couch and greets Thomas with quiet hello, he eyes me but doesn't say anything. A lump forms in my throat and it feels like I've swallowed a ball of cotton. Pulling my hand out from Thomas's I step back, suddenly very insecure.

I know that Thomas senses my discomfort and he reaches for my hand again but I pull away. Everybody starts talking at once again but Thomas turns to me. "Let's go to my room for a second."

Thomas tells everybody that we're going to put our bags away and he leads me down the hall connected to the left side of the room. The second door on the left is Thomas's room.

He opens the door and we walk in, closing the door behind us Thomas turns to face me. "Newt," he says quietly.

"I'm fine."

Thomas sighs. "Don't worry about my father. Remember when I told you he was never really okay with me? He has a bad relationship with me, it's not you."