"I think so?" I replied to their, awfully disturbing, question.

Their smiles curve wider as they hear it. "That's good news." Tara cheered as I close the bedroom door.

Lexie, and Tara are sitting on my bed as Mia is sitting on the white chair by the corner of my room. I take a seat by Tara, and sigh.

I'm going to Gabriel's house for dinner. No matter how many times I think about it, I'd still be going. I don't have to, but I told Gabriel I would. Now, why would I say something like that?

"You're going to Gabriel's house?!" They exclaim, and all stand up.

I said that aloud, whoops? "Yeah." I'm a little cautious about how much they heard, or if that's all.

"Oh my God! What are you doing? You have to pick an outfit!" Lexie started to cheer, and clap her hands.

"I could wear any-" Lexie cuts me off.

"You need to wear something extraordinary. Something pleasing because your meeting his parents."

"I agree, I think that would be a good impression," Tara nods. "What do you think, Mia?"

Mia sighs. "She should wear what she wants. They'll like her for who she is. Don't make a big fuss of this, mates."

I mouth a 'thank you' to Mia, and she nods- smiling. I'd like to think that Mia understands me better than Tara, and Lexie. But what would I know? They're the first friends I've had since first grade.

♪

My friends left around six O'two, leaving me to get ready. I chose a burgundy short sleeved shirt, black skirt, black tights, ankle high boots, and to finish it off, a grey cardigan.

I hopped on the railing of the staircase, and slid down. I hadn't done that since I was twelve.

Vincent greets me with this "I-don't-want-you-to-leave" kind of look. And that's exactly it, he doesn't want me to.

"Do you want me to drive you there? Uh, do you even want to go? You can stay home."

"It's across the street, and yes. I do want to go." I hop off the railing, and stand up.

"Don't you think your outfit is a little too much? Why don't you go out on some sweatpants, and a turtleneck?"

"No, I'm leaving. Tell dad I said bye. And don't worry, I have my pills in my pocket, just in case." I say, as I close the front door once I'm out.

I look both ways, and walk across the street. Gabriel's car is in the driveway, as well as two others. Once I reach their front door, I knock twice.

A happy looking Mrs. Matthews opens the door. "Blake, it's so nice to see you. I'm glad you came! Come in, come in!"

"Thanks for having me, Mrs. Matthews." I step in, and she closes the door.

"Please, dear. You can call me Julie."

"Okay, Julie."

She places her hand on my back, and gestures me to the kitchen. "It'll be done shortly." She smiles, and heads towards the stove. Gabriel is next to her, wearing a red button up, and jeans.

He turns around, and walks to me. He slides his arms around my waist. "You came."

I didn't show any reaction to where his hands were but inside, I want to yell at him for doing it. "Didn't I say I would?"

"Yes but I thought you were kidding."

I place my hand on his cheek, and playfully pat it. "Well now you know I wasn't."

He smiled, and slid one hand off, and held my hand. I smiled, half heartedly, and we were fine like that until Gabriel dragged me into the middle of the living room.

"We're going to dance, you know how to do that, right?" He teased, still smiling.

"Yes, I do actually." I shoved his shoulder, gently.

Gabriel started to chuckle, and he removed his hands from me. He took out his phone from his pocket, and played 'Hymn For the Weekend' by Coldplay.

"Okay, let's do this." Gabriel whispers towards me, and slides his hands around my waist.

"Okay." I placed my hands on his shoulders- which is hard when your way shorter.

We started slowly, like the beat to the song, us going back and forth. But the song got more upbeat, and fast.

He spun me, and I was across from him until I twirled back into his arms. We continued to do so, when a man with the same dark hair- like Gabriel's- walked through the front door. I untangled myself from Gabriel's grasp, and Gabriel turned the music off.

"Hey, Dad. How was work?" He asks his dad.

"Great, it was a success. I see you invited over a girl, do you have a name?" Mr. Matthews directs his vision my way.

"Blake Walker." I say, plucking a strand away from my face.

"Harry Matthews. You live across the street, I remember seeing you."

"Yeah."

"How's your father?"

"He's good, a little busy lately because of my brother."

"It's good seeing you." He smiles, and walks into the kitchen.

"Why didn't he ask about your mom?" Gabriel asks me.

Oh, he didn't know. I didn't think he would but his parents do. Well, shes no longer with us. "My mom is no longer suffering of personhood."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Not your fault, Gabriel. It was a side effect of cancer. She was a side effect of death, but aren't we all?"

"She had cancer? I know it's not my fault but I'm sorry. You lost your mom, and it's just you, your dad, and brother."

"It's fine, Gabriel. I'm okay, it's not surprising now since its been ten years. Let's just not focus on it, okay?"

"Okay."

"Dinner!" Julie called out from the kitchen.

Gabriel and I walk into the kitchen, where his sister was placing plates of salmon with a bowl of salad around the table.

"Maggie, what are you wearing?" Gabriel says as he sits down, and I sit next to him.

His sister- Maggie- was very pretty. She wore a white bow bralette, high wasted denim shorts, and white Converse.

Gabriel didn't like it, and neither did their parents.

"I'm going out with my friends later. They invited me to the beach, too. They're leaving tonight at eight. Can I go?" Maggie explains.

Their mother agrees, and she chatters about Harry's work, and Gabriel's grades. "Second smartest student in twelfth grade. Isn't that exciting?" She reaches her hand across, and holds Gabriel's forearm.

"That is. Who's the first?" Harry asks, directing his question towards Julie or Gabriel.

"Blake, actually." Gabriel states, half smiling at me.

I looked at him, half hoping he didn't actually say that. I mean, it's nothing to be ashamed of but it made me feel uncomfortable somehow. Maybe because my mother was very smart, too. Just a theory. I push away those thoughts, and just half smile too.

"Oh, that's great. You must be pretty happy about it, right?" Julie asks, giving a wide smile.

"Yeah, I am happy." I reply.

The rest of dinner went great, it's the thing that happened after worried me.