“Spencer”, she exhaled breathlessly. “We’ve gotta go.” My body was still pressed against hers, my eyes still on her neck. I sighed, turning and pressing my cheek to her chest and resting there a moment. The thirst still existed, but it was quieter now; quieted to a growl from a roar. The rational part of my mind began to seep back in through the cracks. Why was I so intense? Not that Avery wasn’t hot, she was. But usually I was the gentle one. “Not that this isn’t great… it is” She laughed, probably as surprised as I was at my passion. “And I want to pick up where we left off, but I told your mom that we’d meet her and your dad for dinner tonight”  

            All thought and feeling was arrested momentarily.

            “What?” I replied incredulously, still trying to catch my breath. My mind slowly processed this. My parents. Paula and Arthur Carlin. Dinner. My Girlfriend. “I thought we talked about this. The less they know –“ She interrupted me.

            “The happier they are. I know, Spence. But we’ve been dating for almost 6 months, and I’d really like for them to know me better. I know they like me Spencer.” She pleaded.

            “Yes, and I’d like to keep it that way!” I replied. So far Paula and Arthur had taken a liking to Avery. Arthur came as no surprise, but Paula was still acclimating herself to the idea that her daughter was gay; in her defense, she was trying very hard. I knew that the best way to keep her happy was to keep my relationships out of her face. In addition to this rational thought process, a sharp memory poked violently in the back of my mind: a certain brunette being ripped from my arms by her hair then shoved out the door. The hateful leer that shot from my mom’s tear filled eyes. The dysfunctional relationship that had existed between her and Ashley ever since.

            I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to banish the thoughts from my mind. Back to the present, I thought. I opened my eyes and took in the girl standing before me. Her face was nearly blank except for the eyes. They were waiting. They even looked… the littlest bit hurt. “I’m sorry, Avery.” I said quietly. “I’m just so used to having to hide everything. The thought of sitting there with them at dinner caught me a little off guard. How did you go about planning this?” Her eyes lit up again, to my relief.