Sweet Nothings

Chapter 1

"I can't believe we've officially made it through our first year of college." Reid cheered.
I stayed looking down at my phone, waiting for the grades to be posted.
"Lacey. Did you hear me?" He called again.
"Huh? Oh yeah. It's pretty great." I didn't really know exactly what we were talking about.
"Are we going to your house or my parents house first?" Reid asked.
"My house. I feel like I need to break the news to them now. It's better than them finding out on their own." I replied nervously.
"You still haven't told your parents that we're living together yet?"
"Hell no. My mother will actually lose her shit and my dad doesn't even want to think about me living with a guy." I thought for months about how I was going to break the news to them.
"We've been dating for practically 6 years, Lacey. Shouldn't they be over the whole 'He's a bad influence' thing by now?" He questioned.
"I guess. But if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have a tattoo covering the entire left side of my ribcage or any of the other tattoos that I have yet to tell them about." I couldn't help but let out a giggle.
"A little bad influence never killed anybody."
We stopped at his truck as he fumbled around to open my door.
"I can beg to differ." I said as I stretched up to kiss him.
"Just get in the truck. I want to beat the traffic on I-96." He said, lifting me up into the seat.
"Cole knows." I mumbled.
"What do you mean Cole knows? He knows we're living together?" Reid asked confused and possibly upset. I could never really tell with him.
"Yeah. Someone had to know. He can keep a secret better than you think."
"You told your 17 year old brother, but you still can't tell your parents. Logical." He groaned.
"Babe. It's really not a big deal that Cole knows. If there was some emergency and my parents needed to get to me, at least he would know where I really was." I tried not to argue, but this was unavoidable.
"Please don't tell me that Kyra knows." He glared at me for a long while.
"No, Reid. I didn't tell my 4 year old sister."
"You just never know. Your parents would totally flip even more if they heard it from anyone else but you." He continued on.
"I get it. But we're telling them today so none of the rest really matters." I pouted.
"Whatever. Let's just get there and get this over with so we can live together in peace."
• • • • •
Reid pulled his truck up the long driveway and put it in park.
"You sure about this?" Reid confirmed.
I took a deep breath and reached for the handle.
"It's now or never, honestly. They have to know today."
I continued to gather all my belongings and head towards the front door.
"Lacey. You really want to tell them now? Like this with me here and all?" Reid questioned.
"Yes. You're the one that argued with me that I waited so long to tell them. Now grow up and let's go in."
I stepped up to the light brick porch and rang the doorbell.
"It's your house. Why are you ringing the doorbell?" Reid chuckled.
"I don't want to startle them by just walking in." I replied.
My mom and Kyra walked up towards the glass paned front door.
"Hi sweetheart. Glad to have you back home."My mom said as Kyra reached up for a hug.
"Hi Ky Ky. How are you baby girl?"
"I miss you, sissy" Kyra called out.
"I missed you too love bug!"
Mom jumped right into conversation before we were even in the door.
"So. When exactly were you going to tell your father and I that you two are shacking up together?" A look of shock spread across my face.
"Mrs. Porter. Before we jump to any conclusions, I just wanted to point out that I love your daughter very much." Reid tried to cover for me, but mom wasn't buying it.
"First of all, I am not jumping to any conclusions. I saw the lease agreement from the old apartment. I know that you aren't living there anymore. Second of all, answer my damn question." My mom rarely cursed around my younger sister, so this was my indication that she was at her wits end.
"Clearly you know when I moved out then so there's really no point in me telling you." I argued.
"You're right, so now I want you to tell me why you waited a whole 6 months to tell us." My mom still continued to argue.
"Because I knew y'all would react like this. I'm a big girl now, mom. I can handle this."
"Lacey, your attitude needs to stop right now. And as for you Reid, go see your parents. We need to have a word alone with our irresponsible daughter." My dad was practically shoving Reid out the door at this point.
"Are you pregnant Lacey? Is that why you two are living together?" My dad yelled.
"No, dad. I'm not pregnant."
"Then why are you living together? Nineteen is much too young to be living in an apartment together with no adults." He asked.
"If you recall, when you were my age you already had me and you two were fucking married." 
"Hey, watch your mouth young lady." My dad glared over and gave me stern, warning eyes.
"I'm going to Reid's house. I'll see you guys later."
• • • • •
"If it makes you feel any better, my parents reacted the same way when I told them." Reid shrugged.
"I find that a little hard to believe. Your parents are the most relaxed parents on the planet." I exclaimed.
"Eh. Not so much when it comes to where i'm living and who i'm living with. They also changed a lot when they discovered the monstrous tattoo across my shoulder." He sighed.
"If my parents ever saw that I had four tattoos, they might actually never speak to me again. They've made it quite known that I am never to get any kind of piercing or tattoo on my body other than the two piercings i have in my earlobe." I rolled my eyes at the ceiling.
"Well, I sure as hell hope you're not going to the beach anytime during your trip to florida in 2 weeks." He questioned.
"Oh shit. I didn't even think about that. I guess it was nice knowing you, Reid." I said, only half-joking.
"Your parents need to lighten up a little bit. They're too tough on you." He said.
"My dad asked if I was pregnant. That was his reasoning for us living together. I can assure you he's never going to let up." I ranted.
"You're not pregnant, are you?" Reid asked, startled by my comment.
"No, Reid. I'm not pregnant." I huffed.
"Well, in that case, how about we practice not getting pregnant?" He asked with a sly smirk.
"I think I could do that." I agreed.
I took his hand, followed him up the stairs, and the rest of that night was history.