Cloud nine (Romance)

Chapter 12: Going home pt.1

(Pov Tyler)

My hands quiver as I dial her number into my phone. The ringing echoes through my dimly lit room. As I wait eagerly, and nervously for her to answer. "Hey Ty, what's up?" I hear Naomi say on the other end of the line. "Hey Naomi," I say with a slightly shaky voice. "Remember how you said you wanted to meet my family?"

My nerves slowly fade away as the conversation continues. Her soft voice eases the chaotic aches in my head. "Yeah, I've been wanting to meet your family for years now," Naomi responds after a few moments. "Well, I'm heading out to their house this weekend for a yearly family party. Would you want to come?" I ask shyly into the phone. There is an even longer pause. The silence cuts my ears like daggers. "I would love to," Naomi responds, relieving my anxiety. "What time ya' gonna pick me up? She asks. "Does Saturday morning sound good?" "Yes!"

As a later time arrives, I head over to Naomi's house, arriving there shortly before 9 on a lovely Saturday. I give her a call, dialing her number. "Hey Naomi, I'm outside right now," I say into the phone as she picks up. "Okie, I'm almost ready! She says in a cute tone, before hanging up the call. I nervously wait for her to come outside, wondering if she will make fun of my outfit.

She comes outside shortly after. I think to myself, " My gosh, she is stunning." Naomi gets to my car and I blurted a compliment to her in shock. " Oh my gosh, you are so pretty." I turned red and everything around me seemed to burn my skin slowly. To my surprise, Naomi said," I can say the same thing about you." I get butterflies in my stomach. "Should we get to my family reunion?"

We get on the road. It gets quiet so I make a side conversation. "How have you been, Naomi," I say after a few minutes of driving. "I've been doing great, really have been looking forward to today." She says while staring out the window. The rain pours on the window. The little rain droplets race as I drive. I asked her, " Do you want to go to CM Ronald's? I am getting a little hungry." Naomi says, "Yeah I'm okay with that." I tell her, " I will pay for our food." Naomi looks at me. "You do not have to pay for me." I glance at her. "I know, but I want to." We get our food and Naomi asks me, " Can you feed me?" I look at her, knowing I have butterflies. "Sure that is fine. Just don't make it too awkward. I don't deal with anxiety as well as I used to."

As we eat our food, I start to get nervous. My palms start sweating, as my arms slightly tremble. Naomi looks over, noticing the look on my face. "Something wrong?" She asks, "You don't look too well." I give a nervous smile while thinking of the right words I want to say to her. "I, uh." I stutter. "I'm just kind of nervous for you to meet my family." "You know how they can be," I tell her quietly. I don't remember the last time I was this nervous. The whole thought of her meeting my family has my heart beating out of my chest. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if she could hear it right now.

The silence in the car grows unbearable. My hands chilled, and my body quivering behind the wheel. The few attempts of small talk I try making just fall flat. Naomi looks back over to me, a sympathetic smile on her face. "Tyler." She says, followed by a pause. "If you're scared of what I think of your family, just know that it doesn't matter what they think of me." "What matters is that you trust me enough to show me a part of your life that you are not comfortable in." I turn over to her, my gaze not reaching hers. "Just know that whatever happens today." I pause. "Nothing will change between us." Naomi's face lightens up as my gaze meets her. "I love you."

As I drive, the gas slowly empties in the tank. I tell her, "Sorry, but we have to make a quick stop to refill my car." She says, "Okie that's fine by me." I turn at the nearest gas station, Oyster Gas Company. The bright lights illuminating from the sign nearly burning a hole in my skull. "You wanna come in?" I ask Naomi as we pull into a parking spot. "Yeah, sure." "I really need to stretch my legs." She says while making a cute stretching motion. We both get out of the car, lock the doors, and head into the station. The door chimes as we enter, as the smell of freshly brewed coffee and depression seeps into our noses.