Hannah's Fate |COMPLETED| 18+

Chapter Six

Butterflies danced in my belly as I waited for Brian to pick me up. Besides the day before, I had not spent any time with him in 18 months. I wasn't sure what to do and found it hard to be myself around him. I tried to call Blair. I needed to tell her what was going on and could have really used advice from her, my oldest friend. Or at least just a conversation. She didn't answer. I hadn't talked to her for a few days. I already missed being able to drive over to her house and talk to her when I really needed to.

Every time in my life that required clear, concise thinking, Blair had been there to help guide me in the right direction. She was the one that would help open my eyes to things that I was missing.

I still wasn't sure about how all of this made Brian feel. I wondered if he was just messing with me and then I saw his truck driving down the street toward the hotel from the window. I held my breath at the sight. It seemed so much like the last time we had spoken in L.A. The dinner that t

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I was so nervous I could puke. I'd told my parents plenty about Brian, but they still hadn't met him yet. I'd tried my hardest over the previous 18 months to keep him as far from them as possible.

He was perfect for me, but something told me my parents wouldn't feel the same way. Being in college, him working a full-time job and my parents running their companies, had made it easy for me to keep the two worlds separate.

My parents - specifically my mom – were concerned with appearances. While Brian came from a blue collar, middle-class family and had been working since he was 12. Something deep down told me they'd never approve of him. But their approval wasn't what I was after.

Brian had been feeling like I was ashamed of him since he hadn't met my parents yet. He knew what they were like. Focused on appearances and wealth. Constantly concerned with how the media portrayed them or anyone they were associated with. I explained that I wasn't ashamed of him. I was ashamed of them. Brian was convinced he could get them to accept him. That our love was enough.

Brian arrived five minutes early which seemed to delight my dad. He was the most easy-going. Despite being the CEO of one of the most successful production companies in the United States, he was also quite mousy. He allowed my mom to walk all over him and he backed up everything she said and did.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Adler. Thank you for having me over for dinner. Your house is beautiful." He said after shaking their hands.

My mom gave him a once over. "Yes. Well. Dinner is ready." She said and walked away with her glass of gin in hand.

"Pleasure." My dad said before following my mom like a lost dog.

"We can still leave. Go eat dinner by ourselves, just say the word." I whispered as we walked toward the kitchen.

Brian stopped me and kissed me.

"It's all going to be okay. I promise. It won't be as bad as you think." He said.

But he didn't know them. He didn't know that in middle school my mom made me stop talking to a good friend of mine when her dad fired for bankruptcy during the recession of 2008. It was a subtle "don't talk to her anymore" sort of thing either. It was total public humiliation.

I loved Brian for his optimistic attitude.

We sat down at the table. My mom ordered my dad's favorite surf and turf dish from an expensive and exclusive restaurant in Beverly Hills. Lobster Tails, cooked-to-perfection steaks with truffle butter, two different salads, bread, and the most delectable vanilla and chocolate macaroons. It was the best food L.A. had to offer, but I was too nervous to enjoy it.