The Moment

Chapter Thirty-Three

It wasn't exactly how I pictured. My boyfriend meeting my parents. I didn't picture it like this. Noah gripping onto his shirt as water droplets slid down his skin. His pants were half-done up as well...as I didn't exactly give him time to properly put those on either and I just kept thinking to myself...

"Maybe going to Tayler's party wasn't such a bad idea after all."

"You think?" Noah whispered back to me. Watching my dad raise his eyebrows at the fact that he was still staring at a shirtless Noah, I couldn't help but look towards the boy also. "Yeah, I'm gonna go." He said, pointing towards the door. "Call me." Looking towards my dad, who looked less than impressed, Noah quickly changed his mind. "Or don't...that's...that's fine...okay...I'll go." Taking a step towards the door, Noah stood in front of my dad who refused to move a muscle, even after Noah said, "Excuse me..." The silence. I couldn't bare the silence. "I'll just...squeeze; it's fine." Watching Noah squeeze between my parents, I finally felt as if I could breathe again. Sure, I was probably in the most trouble I've ever been in but at least I was breathing.

"Well I guess I'll make some tea then." My mom said, placing her purse down before making her way to the kitchen. The headlights from Noah's car shined through the windows and I just knew I'd never be able to look at him the same.

"Phone." Holding out his hand, I wanted to protest. I wanted to put up a fight but I knew, at the end of the day, I had no leg to stand on. Placing my phone in his hand, he shoved it in his pocket before following my mom into the kitchen.

"God help me." I whispered, rolling my eyes and heading into the kitchen as well.

"Our flight was just horrendous, Reg-"

"Anna." I knew my mom was just trying to lighten the mood a little bit but there was no way in hell my dad was going to let this go.

"Oh Tim-"

"We are not brushing this under the rug like we do everything else. It's time we parent."

"Okay, dad, if I could just-"

"I don't want to hear it. I don't need to hear it. I know exactly what you've been doing."

Here's the thing with my parents; before they had me, they had a dream of a life with kids and family time...all the time. But after they had me...they realized it wasn't their dream after all. Don't get me wrong, they love me to the moon and back and I'm incredibly blessed for everything they've done for me but staying in one place...isn't exactly what they're known for. They try their best when they're away to be as "parental" as possible but they know they can't exactly monitor what I'm doing so on the odd occasion they come back...they try to make up for it. But they've never seen me do anything...like this before.

"How long has this been going on? Boys? In this house?"

"Okay, I'm really not a fan of where this is going."

"I don't care, Regan. I'm not a fan of walking into my house and seeing a shirtless boy sneaking out."

"I get that-"

"Do you? Regan, we leave you alone because we trust you. We believe you can take care of yourself, make the right decisions but this past month has been atrocious for you. Videos of you with boys, parties, more boys! What the hell!?"

"Dad, it's really not how it's been made to look, I promise! I took care of everything-"

"Go to bed, Regan." Watching my dad leave the kitchen, I knew he wouldn't listen to anything else I said. Taking the mug from my mom's hand, she brushed the hair from my face before following my dad upstairs.

"Welcome home." I whispered.