Being Ashlyn

Chapter 34

   "Mum?" Ashlyn croaked, realising that she had just called her boyfriend's mother an old lady. She was definitely going to win the worst girlfriend of the year award.

"Yeah. Ashlyn, this is my mother, Clair." Levi winced, looking like he rather be anywhere else but there. "Mum, this is Ashlyn, my...errmm...girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" Clair said incredulously and looked at Ashlyn like she was a piece of dirt on the sidewalk.

Levi wrapped his arm around Ashlyn defensively. "Yes, Mum. She's my girlfriend. We've been going out for four months already. Do you have a problem?" He sighed.

Clair's mouth twitched. Ashlyn could tell she was trying her hardest not to scream. "Can I talk to you for a moment, Levi? Alone." She said, pulling Levi to a corner.

Ashlyn watched as they exchange words. Though she couldn't hear anything but she knew they were having an argument because Levi's hands flew in frustration every once in a while and Clair kept looking in her direction with an angry frowned.

After ten minutes or so, Clair walked away and Levi returned back to her, looking worn out. "So let me guess. She told you to break up with me, didn't she?" Ashlyn asked.

Levi shook his head. "Quite the opposite actually. She told me to bring you over for dinner tomorrow."

Ashlyn snorted. "You're joking."

"I wished I am. Dinner with my parents is equivalent to a complete disaster." He groaned.

"I don't want to go."

"You have to. I already told her you'll go." He said apologetically.

"Why should I go? Your mum obviously hates me." She crossed her arms.

"That's because she doesn't know you yet. Maybe if you let her get to know you, she'll realise what a wonderful person you are and she won't hate you anymore." Levi said, rubbing his palms on Ashlyn's forearms soothingly.

"I don't know..." She trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Come on. You're the one who wanted to meet my family right?"

"Yeah but that was before I met your mum." Ashlyn gave him an annoyed look.

"True." Levi nodded. "But I'll be there with you. I won't let any of my family members hurt you, okay?" He peered at Ashlyn from underneath his eyelashes.

Ashlyn bit her lips and sighed. "Fine. But your butt better feel special because I'm only doing this for you!" She said and stomped off, trying to find another basket to put her tomatoes.

*************

"Wow, so I guess things are pretty serious now huh?" Freda teased, poking Ashlyn on her shoulder. "You're even meeting his parents!"

Ashlyn groaned and buried her face in her hands. They were in the school's cafeteria where she had told her friends about the incident that happened yesterday with Levi's mum and now her friends could not stop making fun of her. "Shut up guys! This is not funny. His mum seemed like a pain in the ass so how am I supposed to have dinner with her around?"

Becky nodded. "This is totally a disaster. We all know how you can't keep your mouth shut whenever someone pisses you off. I bet you'll be kicked out the minute you opened your mouth."

Ashlyn removed her hands from her face and shot Becky an offended face. "Gee...thanks Becky." She said sarcastically.

"Come on, how bad can a middle-aged woman be?" Wilma chuckled, not understanding Ashlyn's distress.