Trapped in Ophelia's Body

Meeting his family

Song: Best day of my life by American Authors

When I pull up to his house, I can't find the nerve to open the car door. I sit in the driveway what seems like forever. Maybe I should go back home. I mean what am I doing here anyway. My phone dings and I look down and of course it is Kodiak asking me when I'm coming. Does he not realize that I am sitting in his driveway and can't seem to get up the nerve to open the damn door. I don't even bother texting him back because what do I say to him... 'I'm in the driveway', 'sorry don't have it in me to come to the door', 'sorry changed my mind.' Every little thing runs through my head of what I could possibly come up with anything to get me not to get out of my car.

I close my eyes and lean my head back against the seat. I can't do this, I'm going home. I just can't do this. There is a light knock on my window that brings me back to the real world. He is looking back at me smiling. That damn smile of his gets my heart fluttering, not to mention his honey golden brown eyes light up. "Are you getting out or not? Come on."

I shake my head no.

He shakes his and then nods yes. He goes to open the door and holds his hand out for me to grab. "I got you, everything is going to be ok. Come on I promise they will like you." And I know he is not only talking about his parents but the whole family. I have no clue what to expect and inside my head rushes with different  thoughts about them not even liking me.

I shake my head again.

"Ophelia...come on...we can hang out in my room just the two of us." He reaches for my hand and pulls me out of the car. I am trembling and he grips it tighter to calm it down. But he doesn't really say anything. I let him lead me to the front door. He stops and looks at me. "You got this. I'm not letting you go and if it's too much then tell me alright."

I nod my head and attempt to smile back at him. Inside I am not calm...I am screaming. What if they don't like me? What if they take one look at me and realize I am not normal...not like all the other girls that he has brought home? What if I really do panic in front of all of them? And it's like he knows what I am thinking as we go into the house. He whispers in my ear. "Stop worrying so much; they are going to love you."

We get all the way into the house and I hear someone screaming and another voice saying that it's going to be alright. We get into the living room and a young boy is throwing himself into the floor and kicking and having a huge melt down. The woman, I assume their mom is trying to calm him down. When she sees us in the doorway she gets up and holds her hand out to greet me.

"You must be Ophelia...I'm Valeria, Kodiak's mom."

I hold my hand out for her to shake but then let go just as fast. I'm really not into touching others that much. It's taking me weeks to let Kodiak hold my hand. I look down at the floor at the boy who sees me and stops his tantrum or meltdown that he is having. He looks at me as if he knows something is different about me. Valeria looks down at him.

"Come on get up now we are all done with that...stand up and greet Kodiak's friend," she says in a very firm voice.

"She's a girl," he squeals and then smiles as he stands up. He gets in my face even though he comes up to my chest. He smiles and says, "Hi...I'm Kia...my name is Kia."

"Hi Kia...it...it'sss...it's nice to meet...meet you." Great, seriously why do I have to start stuttering now. I have been doing so much better with Kodiak and now it just comes out. This never freaking fails it's like my thoughts disconnects with my mouth muscles, my tongue doesn't  want to work right and it's all related to my anxiety. 

"So Ophelia, I was just getting ready to fix a late lunch. Would you like to join us?" She says with a wide smile and I see Kodiak in that smile of hers. I wonder if he looks more like her or his dad but they do have the same smile.