Chapter 23: Meeting Her Parents

"A lot of parents make you feel very awkward when you meet them."

― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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Will Allan Foundre POV

The way to Gwen's home was silent.

This was the first time that Dad is ever angry at me, hell this was the first time I've been scolded in this life. But even though Dad is angry I can still hear from him that he is worried. Both of my parents now had been nothing but supportive to me even if I was not the most normal child in the world.

I can't help being afraid that I will disappoint them...

I want to earn their trust, not just to have the freedom to act outside but it was also for them, I don't want them to be worried about me. I want them to have confidence in me that even without them I can stand perfectly on my own.

That will be hard to do because a child that doesn't even want to leave the house doesn't instill confidence in anybody.

Haahhh... how did I become like this? Sure I was an Introvert in my past life but not to this extent.

"We're here." Dad said and I looked out the window to look at the tall condominium outside.

"I'll guide you up!" Gwen said with forced enthusiasm in her voice.

We all got out of the car and went inside the building. Gwen is leading the way with me following behind her and at our back is Dad guiding Mom while holding her hand.

The wait for the elevator to come down is awkward, Gwen is nervously standing near the elevator buttons and repeatedly looks at us opening and closing her mouth but not saying anything. Dad is at least not angry anymore and I can only hear worry from him. Mom is the only one excited with her trying to take the lead multiple times, I guess she doesn't care much that I got into a fight and is only glad that I wasn't hurt.

*Ding*

"Uhm... w-we need to go up."

"Don't be nervous dear, you can go and have fun with Will here, while we adults talk about the boring stuff. It just so happens that your father saved our lives..." Mom said with a gentle smile on her face trying to calm her down.

"Dad did that?"

"When?" I said shocked, I never knew that.

"What, you already forgot son?"

"Forgot what? I never met Gwen's dad before." I'm pretty sure I'll remember meeting the parents of a heroine like Gwen, because if I forgot it will be like forgetting that I met Aunt May.

"When I was talking to Charles this afternoon I mentioned what happened in the morning, the car accident. I told him how you saved a girl from getting hit by a car and how we got invited by her father to their house. When I told him George's name he said that he was one of the police responders that day and that he is also the one coordinating with him on the investigation of the shooter. He said you wer-"

"Wait! a shooter? Did you guys get robbed? Are you all ok?" Gwen suddenly said interrupting Dad's explanation. She looks worried and is looking back and forth between all of us.

"Oh don't worry about that dear, it already happened and we're fine just know that your father is a good man." Mom said with a smile then she pushed her towards the elevator door that unknowingly arrived without me noticing it. "Why don't you tell me more about yourself hmmm?"

"Oh about myself? Uhmm... I guess I am 13 years old and I'll be 14 this September. Oh! you guys should totally come again on my birthday, you're all invited! There will be cakes, lots of sweets and I'll also sing!" She said excitedly, completely forgetting her nervousness.

"Uhm... Gwen? What floor do we go to?" I said because we are just standing there with the elevator door opened and listening to her talk.

"Ha hahaha I am sorry." She said then pressed the elevator button and we went up.

Throughout the elevator ride Mom just kept on talking to Gwen and both Dad and I are completely forgotten, we're just standing there watching them talk to each other. It is good for Mom I guess, because she doesn't have many friends besides our neighbors. I imagined a totally outgoing person like her to have lots of friends but she doesn't.

*Ding*

"Oh, we're already here? Come on Will I'll show you my instruments and we'll play together!" Gwen suddenly pulled me out of the elevator and run into the hallway towards the front of their door. She then knocked at the door loudly and repeatedly.

"I'm coming!" A woman's voice shouted from the inside and then opened the door. She stopped and looked at the two of us with Gwen still holding onto my hand.

"My... you brought your friend already." She said while wiping her hands in the apron that she was wearing.

I immediately removed Gwen's hand and said, "Sorry if we a-"

I didn't finish talking because she hugged both of us tightly and said,

"Thank you... If it wasn't for you, I don't know what will happen to my baby girl..." She then looked at Gwen from top to bottom checking if she is really ok then continued talking.

"When George told me that you almost got into a car accident I wanted to immediately rush to your school but he said that you were ok and he invited you guys to dinner. So I prepared a feast as thanks but I didn't know that you'll arrive this early, George isn't even home yet. Where are your parents? I want to thank them as well." Then she looked at the hallway towards where we came from and we saw Dad guiding Mom by holding her hand or more like trying to prevent her from running ahead.

"I apologize, if we came a bit early it's just that my wife wanted to meet you and your daughter as soon as possible," Dad said with a smile like a businessman and then reached for a handshake, but she declined it and instead hugged both Mom and Dad then said,

"No need for that and you're welcome to our home anytime. My name is Helen Stacy and you already met my daughter, Gwen."

"Hello! I am Elizabeth but you can just call me Elise and this is my husband Byron, sorry if he is a bit stiff I keep telling him to relax but he is just so ugh..."

"I know right? My husband is the same he is always so uptight and strict then he is always at work and comes home late, I swear if I don't know any better he has a mistress behind my back but it is-"

"Like he is married to his work!" Mom finished her sentence and then they both laughed.

"Hmm... what is that I am smelling? it smells delicious..."

"Oh right! come in, come in I was still preparing the meal. It is in the oven but it should be done in about 30 minutes or so. In the meantime why don't we talk in the living room first, It's the first time Gwen had someone over."

We then all came inside their home, It is a nice place and definitely big for a family of three. There are portraits of their family on the walls and I can even see a photo of Gwen when she was a baby... It's so cute! Before I can appreciate more of her cuteness a hand covered the photo and I can see a pouting Gwen in front of me.

"Come on! don't stare. If I knew I would invite someone over I would have hidden all of it. Let's go into my room instead!" Then she pulled me away towards the hallway and in front of a door.

"Mom! We are going into my room! Call us when food is ready!"

Inside I can see a messy bed with lots of stuffed animals and in the corner, there is a guitar an electric and an acoustic one, and also a drum set, then there are various posters of bands and singers that I don't recognize and also a desk with lots of CDs.

"Ta-da! welcome to my room. It is the first time other people came here so uhm... sorry for the mess and oh! here is the guitar I have two! which would you like to play?" She then grabbed both of the guitars and sat on her bed.

'I used to play an acoustic guitar before but that was a long time ago its been years since I last held a guitar, I was just carried away by our conversation earlier... what do I do?'

"Why are you just standing there come on let me hear you play, this will be your audition then we will create a band together!" She said excitedly while gesturing for me to come closer.

"H-how about you go first and I'll follow after?"

"If your sure but what do I play? Hmm... any requests?"

"How about Perfect?" I said because that is all I can play on a guitar it was a simple enough song with only four chords so it was easy.

"Perfect? What song is that? I've never heard of it before." She looked at me with a confused expression on her face.

"What you never heard of Perfect? you know by Ed Sheeran."

"By who? I never heard of that singer before."

'Oh shit, I remembered that Ed Sheeran doesn't exist here or maybe not famous yet. I don't know which because he wasn't there when I searched for his name.'

"Oh hahaha it's nothing forget what I said I was just hahaha... you can play anything you like!" I laughed awkwardly.

"Well, how about 'You're beautiful' I heard this on the radio and I was just practicing it before."

She then sang and played the guitar and all I can say is that she has a beautiful voice... I never noticed it before that I can hear each intonation clearly, I was more focused on the 'extra' stuff that is impossible to hear with just enhanced hearing.

"Well, how is it? is it good? hmm... Will?"

"Oh... ah! yes it is good no it's great! H-how about one more?"

"Really? Hahaha thanks. Now it's your turn!"

"W-what? How about you play one more song? You are so good that I want to hear more."

"Now you are just distracting me, is it because you don't know how to play? Were you lying before hmm? If you don't know how to play, don't worry I'll teach you... Hehe." She said with a teasing tone.

"No I can do it! just give me the guitar I'll show you."

"Then why are you still standing there come on sit beside me." She said while tapping the bed and urging me to sit.

"I-it's fine I can play while standing up." Is she really urging me to sit on her bed? Does she not know what that could lead to? No no we are still young, I am not even in puberty yet but now that I think about it... alone in a room with a beautiful girl, the door closed behind me... Aghh what the hell am I thinking.

Gwen put down the guitar and then pulled me towards her bed and sat beside me then handed me the guitar.

"Why are you just standing, if you were sitting I can teach you the cords... because it looks like you don't know how to play. Let us start with the simple cords first the G major..." She held my hand and guide my fingers to the strings while I just sat there thinking how close we were sitting together and how I can feel her breath beside my ear.

"N-no no stop! I know how to play no need to teach me!" I quickly moved away and slid to the edge of the bed. Does she not know what a personal space is? ...I can feel my face getting hot.

"Well then let's see it." She said while crossing her arms in her chest with a disappointed tone of voice. Why the hell is she disappointed? Am I getting taken advantage of here? Will my purity be safe? Ughh... stop thinking weird thoughts, It's probably because she likes teaching others that's all.

"Well... when are you going to start? Do you really know how to play?"

"R-right just let me think of what to play..." Because I mentioned the song Perfect to her now it is stuck in my head... Ugh... should I really play it? I looked at Gwen and she is waiting expectedly at me to start.

Fine I'll play the song perfect ok here goes... Uhm... what chords is it again G, D, Em, and C right?

I first tested the chords to make sure it is correct and damn... thank you Zenitsu.

"I found a love for me..."

I played and the song just kept coming until I was entirely focused on it and forgot my nervousness about being alone with Gwen.

"...you look perfect tonight..."

After I finished the song It was like I momentarily forgot my problems it feels like when I played video games, I was in a semi-meditative state.

*clap-clap**clap-clap* "That was amazing! is that an original song? I never heard of it before, you were just in the zone it so cool!" She said like a kid in a candy store while clapping her hands.

"Uhm... I heard it in my d-dream, yeah a dream!" I lied, sorry Ed Sheeran I am not trying to plagiarize you.

"That's cool! Are you like one of those geniuses that have dreams of their inspirations? Hmm?"

She asked excitedly while moving closer and closer to me, I continue to back up until...

*Bam*

We both fell off the bed, I quickly caught her and now she is on my chest on top of me while my back is on the floor and the guitar crashed loudly on the floor.

We just stared at each other's eyes both shocked and then the door opened.

"Gwen? What happened are yo-" Her mom said then saw us on the floor.

"I apologize if I am interrupting something." Then she closed the door and from the outside, I can hear Mom and Dad coming.

"What was it?" Mom asked worriedly

"It looks like we need to talk more about the future of our children Elise."

Then both me and Gwen got out of our shock and quickly stood up.

"Moommm! It's not like that!" She then opened the door with a red face.

"I didn't know that you were so aggressive Gwen. How did I raise such a daughter haahh..."

"What happened?" Dad asked concerned and is looking at me and Gwen with a questioning gaze.

But the one who answered is Helen, Gwen's mother.

"Well, It looks like that my daughter has your son pinned to the flo-"

"Mom! that is not what happened! We just fell... and Will caught me in his a-arms again..." Gwen was shouting at the beginning but towards the end, her voice became fainter and fainter and her face redder and redder.

Helen just laughed like this was the funniest situation she saw,

'Come on she was your daughter don't you have at least a bit of concern?'

Dad gave me a thumbs up.

'What is that supposed to mean!'

Then Mom has a doting smile while looking at the two of us and looks like she is already planning for our wedding.

'Come on what is wrong with you people! We are still young why the hell are you shipping us so hard.'

Whatever was happening was interrupted because the door opened and, "I'm home!" Gwen's Dad shouted.

"Hmm... that smells good Helen what wer-"

He stopped talking because he noticed us in front of Gwen's room. Gwen has a red face, Helen, Mom, and Dad is surrounding her and I am standing inside Gwen's room. He looked at Gwen's red face and then immediately focused his attention on me.

"What is happening here Helen..." He said still looking at me like I am a criminal.

"Oh, George you're finally home you already met Byron, Will's father and this is Elise Will's mother."

"Hmm... I can see that but what I am asking is why is he in Gwen's room." He then pointed at me.

"Well Gwen invited her to come in her room and they wer-"

"You agreed to HIM going to our DAUGHTER'S room?" He said with an extra emphasis on me and Gwen.

"Don't be so strict, they're still young nothing will happen and Will is a good kid."

"I don't care how young they are, both of them are a man and a woman. What do you think will happen if you leave them alone by themselves?"

"You are just over exaggerating George."

We all just stood there watching them argue, Gwen is at least back to normal now.

"Hush I don't want to hear it, George. You are so strict with our daughter, you don't like her playing music and now you don't want her making friends? Can you at least be a bit more supportive?"

"She should be focusing on studying, she's smart and gifted she can easily pass and go to high school now maybe even college instead you are holding her back and encouraging her hobby. Now all she does is play music all day."

"Enough George! We have visitors and if you don't want to sleep on the sofa tonight you will shut up."

George then looked at us standing there awkwardly and then at Gwen who has her head down.

"Ahem... I apologize."

"No-no there is no need to apologize, we are the ones intruding here." Dad said while smiling professionally.

"I will go and change, please feel at home and relax."

We then watched as he went to a door in the hallway and shut it.

"I am so sorry that you had to see that, It's just he is so strict with Gwen sometimes. Gwen wants to do this he then says she can't then he'll tell her to focus on school so that she can have a great future and do whatever she wants in her life. All I want is for my daughter to be happy you know? haaahh... why can't he get that."

They then went to the living room and continued their talk while waiting for the food. Me and Gwen are left standing in front of her room, I looked at her and she still has her head down.

"Is it wrong of me to play music? To dream and become a singer? Should I just put everything away and focus on studying? Maybe go to college early?"

"...I don't know. I've been standing still my whole life afraid to take a step. But you, you're different from me. You want something and you chase for it, heck you even want a complete stranger to join you in your dream, and for what it's worth I like your singing."

"Thanks... and you're not a stranger, you're my f-friend." She then smiled brightly at me, she was like a sun radiating warmth.

"Come on let's go to the living room, Dad is not going to be happy if he sees us in my room."