CAUGHT UP

27.

I sit down next to Mrs. Barkley and Eric sits next to me.

"Mr. Barkley will be joining us in just a moment" Mrs. Barkley said.

"Hey" Eric whispers and I look over to him. He leans into me. "When you're ready to go, let me know. This dinner is going to be hell" he says and I smile at him.

"So how did my son ask you?" Mrs. Barkley said and I look over at her.

"Excuse me?"

"How did he ask you out?" she smiles.

"Oh... umm, we were studying in the library and he just asked me" I lie and she smiles. I look over to see a glass of water ahead of me. I go out to grab it and start to drink it.

"Just imagine, you will be telling your kids you guys met by working hard in school" she adds and I spit up my water.

"Mom, come on..." Eric says.

"What? Josephina wants kids, right?" she says and I start to get hot. Not the Dylan type of hot but the hot to where I was uncomfortable.

"I'm actually really focus on my career right now but maybe eventually?" I say. Why are we talking about kids?

"Sorry I'm late, just finishing up a conference call, what'd I miss?" Mr. Barkley says sitting down.

"Talking about future grandchildren, dear" Mrs. Barkley says.

"Already?" Mr. Barkley laughs. "So Josephina, Eric tells me that you're interested in my internship this summer and possibly joining my firm?"

"Yes sir" I smile at him.

"Well, I don't have many women on my team. Actually, I only have about two so you have to work twice as hard as my men to be on my team" he says.

"She's probably better than most of your men father" Eric said and Mr. Barkley shoots his eyes over at Eric.

"I highly doubt it son but it's cute to think so highly of your girlfriend" Mr. Barkley said. I grab my water once again and start to drink it. This was going to be a long night. When dinner was done and I sat through 45 minutes of awkward conversation, I realize why Eric wanted me to pretend to date him. His parents are so hard on him and very judgmental. Eric was driving me back home and the car ride was silent.

"Sorry about my parents" Eric says.

"No, I had fun" I lie and he laughs.

"There's this place in Miami where I put a down payment on an apartment. The money my parents give me, I'm going to take it and move down there and get as far away from my them as I can" he says.

"You're not going to finish school?"

"After graduation this year of course"

"Oh"

"Yup, they will see I'm dating you and got my diploma and my bank account will blow up" he laughs as he pulls into my apartment complex. "I'm sorry I'm putting you through this"

"No, I understand" I say and he pulls in front of my apartment.

"Some advice?"

"Go" I said and Eric looks over at me.

"My dad is an asshole. He believes men are more superior, go figure huh?" Eric says. "You can find a better law firm"

"Thank you Eric, but I think I'll be able to handle your father. His law firm is one of the biggest ones here in Connecticut so..."

"Alright," he laughs. "Should we end this night off right?"

"Meaning?" I ask. Eric leans over to me and places his lips on mine. I wasn't expecting this at all knowing that this is all pretend. Eric pulls back and smiles. "Night Eric" I said opening the door. Once I'm out, I smile at him closing his car door shut. I walk away from the car and up to my apartment. I mean the kiss wasn't bad. Maybe since I know Dylan doesn't like me, I can really try with Eric. But I'm still confused why he hasn't truly asked me out yet. Why does he think we won't work? I unlock my apartment and went to take off my heels in a hurry.

I go and have a seat on my dining room chair and rest my head on the table. I am so exhausted. I have so much homework and the only thing I can focus on is Dylan...why? After my shower, I decide to call it a night. I need to tell my parents how dinner went with Eric's parents but at the same time they don't even know I'm dating Eric.

The following morning, I was up working on my homework in the dining room and I hear a thud and the sound is too familiar. I get up and slowly walk into my bedroom to see Dylan standing there holding it seem like multiple pieces of clothing.

"Hey" he says and I stare at him. I didn't want him here but at the same time I did.

"You ever going to use the front?"

"Probably not" he says walking up to me.

"Why are you here?"

"Umm... listen, I brought over four of my jackets. You can keep one or keep them al.l I just really need my black leather jacket back" he says putting the other jackets on my bed. I roll my eyes and walk into the dining room to grab his leather jacket. I go back in my bedroom and he's there waiting for me. I hand Dylan his jacket back and he stares at me. "Thank you"

"You can take your other jackets too, I don't want them" I say and he stares at me.

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't give my favorite black leather jacket to anyone"

"Cool"

"Jo, what did I do?"

"What did you do? Dylan, you've been using me!"

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