The Middle of Love

Chapter 11: You What?

Katie:

"You what!" Axl's father exclaims. "You're engaged?"

"It's complicated." He sighs, I skim my finger over the arcade ring. It may only be worth 500 arcade tickets, but he gave up seeing his favorite band to get it. I had mentioned it the last time we were at the arcade together that I thought it was pretty. "Kate and I aren't getting married any time soon Dad. Don't worry."

"Do you know how serious this is Axl?" His father bellows. I flinch back Axl wraps his arm around me, but I step away from him. I give him a look that he seems to read. "She's on magazines, do you know what a ring will do?" Mr. Heck stands up. "That was quite a stunt you pulled there son." His father continues. "We already know her parents aren't fans of yours, it doesn't matter that Katie's a welcome part of our family. Her family has to accept you."

"I should go," I tell Axl. "I think you and your family have some things to work out." My high from earlier having worn off and I look to each member of the Heck family, the family I hope to someday call my own.

"No, Katherine," Mrs. Heck says, "Stay, we should all sit and just work this out together, all four of us." Mrs. Heck gives her husband a pointed look, he gives her a look back. "Kids, why don't you both go to your rooms and do your homework." Brick ambles off immediately, "Sue."

"I don't have any homework." She says.

"Sue go to your room." Mr. Heck says. She sulks off toward her room and Mr. Heck heads to the informal dining room and sits down. Mrs. Heck following after. Axl looks at me, his fingers skim the ring on my left hand. He kisses my forehead and takes my hand walking with me to the table to sit with his parents. He sits next to his father, and I sit between him and his mother.

"How did this even become a thing?" Mr. Heck asks. "I know I as sure as h-," Mrs. Heck gives him a look.

"My sister's boyfriend has been stalking me and coming onto me. Axl did it to get him to back off a bit."

"And did it work?" Mrs. Heck asks.

"He did leave the restaurant after I said yes," I tell them. "We also got dinner and dessert free."

Hey soul sister, ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo
The way you move ain't fair, you know!
Hey soul sister, I don't want to miss a single thing you do, tonight

"Excuse me." I stand up and accept the call heading outside for privacy. "This is Katie," I answer knowing it's one of my brothers.

"Katie, are you nuts?"

"Is that an actual question because you already know my answer," I answer. I pull the phone away to check caller ID. John. The level head. "What are you on about?" I ask him. Already having a feeling that I know.

"Have you recently checked YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or any media or social webpage?"

"You know I don't like social media." I tell him, "Social media always blows things out of proportion."

"So you're not engaged to your boyfriend of six months?"

"Not officially, it's fake. For Marco." I tell him. "Axl and I are talking to Mr. and Mrs. Heck to smooth things over with them, then we're going to head to Mother and Father's," I explain. "Probably tomorrow since it's almost ten."

"Watch the YouTube video, you've gone viral, I wouldn't be surprised if you made the front page of every tabloid, magazine, and newspaper."

"Just what I wanted, the girl that lives a backstage life loves the limelight." I joke. "Look, John, I'll explain everything at Mom and Dad's tomorrow, Lunchtime, call in."