The VLC - Adelaide

Soap Scented

"Are you serious!" Ashleigh shouted when I met up with her outside of class the next day. "Wow, I am in shock."

"Yeah, me too."

"They really want to meet him huh? I never would have guessed your super strict parents would finally see the light!" She shook her head in surprise. "What did Gavin have to say about it?"

"Well, you know Gavin, always level headed and calm... Actually, he seemed a little nervous, but he was glad that I hadn't gotten in trouble. He said he will be on his best behavior and wear his most parent friendly clothing." We both laughed at that. The image of Gavin in preppy clothes with his messy hair, lip ring, and eyebrow ring, was too much and we couldn't help ourselves.

"Actually, he would look pretty good in a suit."

I elbowed her. "That is my boyfriend you are talking about. Keep your inappropriate thoughts to yourself."

Liz and Marley were surprised too, though they both said it was smart of my parents. After all, I was going to keep seeing him whether they approved or not. I knew they would set boundaries, and watch our every move, but I felt strangely liberated. It was only two months until my birthday so that might have something to do with it, but really, even if I was fifteen, they could have chosen to keep me from dating Gavin. They had other rules about which boys were acceptable.

His arms circled around me from behind. "Hey, are you nervous about today?" I turned and faced him. It was lunch, but I had told Gavin we could meet away from the girls to talk.

I responded, "Yeah, aren't you?"

"Of course," he said, "but only because there is a lot to lose. If I don't convince them I am an okay guy despite my appearance, they will really work hard to separate us." He kissed my forehead. "You only agreed to be my girl a month and a half ago. There is a lot more time to be spent together." I smiled up at the reminder of our first kiss, my first kiss.

The end of the day came quickly. I was shaking by the time P.E. let out. Gavin was waiting for me by the track. He reassured me again, and told me he would be at my house about an hour after track practice (when my dad got home). I had almost forgotten about the track tryout results. The coaches had all of us gather on the bleachers, and began reading off names. The j.v. list included the girls who would not be involved in any running as well as those that would. My understanding was that there would be thirty spots. As an individual blessed to be at the beginning of the alphabet, I would know right away, and nearly shouted with glee when they did read my name. After all of the names had been read, they told those of us that made the cut to get dressed for our first official day of practice. I felt horrible for the girls who had tried and failed to make the team. It was just such a competitive school because of the sheer number of students. If those girls had gone to my smaller school back home, they would have made it on, no problem. Practice was particularly challenging. I think they wanted to drive the point home that we had made it while others hadn't. We were told to expect to spend the next week attempting the different runs in order to get placed into more specialized groups.

The moment I left the track, my anxiety returned. I had still not recovered from the shock at the decision my parents made. My mom acted pretty normal on the drive home, and didn't ask too many questions, just stuff about my day, and my classes. She dropped Brody off at a friend's house (I was certain it was to keep him out of the way). It was as though she wasn't about to meet my boyfriend. The boyfriend I wasn't allowed to have. I wasn't sure what they were going to do and the uncertainty made it worse.

At six o'clock, the doorbell rang. I had been waiting in the living room, but had stepped out for just a moment. My dad got to the door before I did. Gavin hadn't come dressed in a suit and tie or anything, but he did look different. I took a moment to look at him to figure out what it was. The eyebrow and lip ring were still there (thankfully). He was wearing jeans, and his normal Converse, but, he had styled his hair so it wasn't messy and falling in his face the way I liked it, and he wasn't wearing his everyday studded jacket. It was amazing how a couple of small things could make a person look so different. And yet, I could tell immediately that my dad didn't particularly care for Gavin's appearance.