That Summer
Sooner Or Later
*Brendan’s POV*
“What if they don’t like me?!” Annabella panicked for the millionth time today. We were in Delta, BC on our way to my parents’ house because they’d been dying to meet her for quite some time now. “Bella calm down, they’re going to love you.” I reassured her and gave her hand a squeeze. “What if it’s too soon?” She asked as we pulled into the driveway of their house. “Bella, we’ve been dating for 7 months and I’ll be coming back here in 2 months for the offseason… and I want you to come back with me. You’re gonna have to meet them sooner or later babe.” I said looking down and not wanting to see her reaction about me wanting her here during the offseason. “Well… fine.” She said as she opened her door and got out of the car. I met her at the front of my SUV and grabbed her hand as we headed inside.
“Mom? Dad?” I asked as we got inside and I didn’t hear anyone. I then heard my mother’s laugh and smiled as I brought Annabella through the house and out to the backyard where the pool was. “Hey mom.” I said smiling at my mom. Her eyes got really wide and she broke out into a smile as she rushed towards me. “Brendan!” She yelled as she hugged me. “Hi mom.” I said as she pulled away. “Oh I’ve missed you so much!” She said pulling me in for another hug as my dad came over and did the same. “Hey dad.” I talked to my parents for another minute before remembering that Annabella was there. I turned around and she was biting the inside of her cheek, something she did when she was nervous. “Mom, dad, this is Annabella Lapierre, my girlfriend. Bella, these are my parents.” I smiled as I put my arm around her and I felt her relax a tiny bit. “Oh Brendan, you didn’t do her justice, she’s gorgeous!” My mom said as she hugged Annabella. Annabella was taken by surprise and it took her a minute, but soon she was relaxing into the hug and I smiled even more knowing she was getting a little more comfortable. “Hello Annabella. It’s nice to finally meet the girl my son is always talking about.” My dad laughed as he gave her a hug and I felt really embarrassed. “Dad…” I said putting my face in my hands. “Oh don’t worry Bren. I expected nothing less.” She said coming over and hugging me and I pulled her in for a kiss which got an awe out of my mom and a smile out of my dad. “They’re so cute together!” My mom gushed looked at my dad and I saw Annabella blushing a little bit as I laughed.
We talked for a few more minutes before heading inside for lunch while my parents got to know Annabella a little better. “So, Lapierre is it?” My dad asked after he’d finished his pasta. “Yup.” She smiled proudly. “Are you related to Jake Lapierre?” He asked. “He’s my older brother and my best friend.” She said smiling sadly. “What’s wrong babe?” I asked concerned. “Nothing, I just miss him a lot. I haven’t seen him since Christmas.” She said before sighing. “He wasn’t at Gally’s birthday?” I asked confused. “No they had a game that night so he didn’t come home.” She said shrugging. “Did they win?” I asked without thinking. “Yes and he got a hat trick and Gally was excited to watch the game so it was all good.” She said smiling again. “So where are you from Annabella?” My mom asked leaning on her hands. “Well I was born in Montreal along with my brother and sister, but we moved to Phoenix when I was about 9 years old and then I moved back to Montreal for boarding school when I was 14, but came back to Phoenix when I was 16 and I lived there until I started college at Concordia University.” She answered. “So are you the baby?” My mom continued. “Yeah, Jake is 4 years older than me and my sister Mel is 6 years older than me.” Annabella answered. “Oh that’s nice. Do you see them a lot?” My mother continued, quizzing my girlfriend. “Well not so much anymore. Jake’s out in Colorado for hockey, but I see him on the holidays and we’ll both be home for at least part of the summer and my sister Mel lives in Florida with her husband because he’s in the NFL down there.” She answered a bit sadly. I knew she missed Mel and Jake, she missed them all the time and whenever they would call they would talk for hours and it made her really happy and I loved seeing that. “Aw that’s no fun.” My mom said sadly. “Yeah well this one keeps me preoccupied when I’m not in class.” She laughed as she pointed to me. “Well when you’re not doing your homework anyways.” I smirked. “Bella is very serious about school.” I said looking at my parents and they smiled. They always wanted me to be with a smart girl so I knew Annabella filled that requirement. “So does everyone call you Bella?” My dad asked. “Well I have a few nicknames. My brother calls me Bells, my parents call me Annabella, my sister calls me Bell, my best friend Katie calls me Anna, and my friend Matt calls me sugar cube.” She answered laughing at the last part as all of us looked confused. “My brother and Matt have been best friends for a really long time and Matt used to come over to our house all the time and when I was little my mom kept sugar cubes on the counter in a little jar for her coffee and I would sneak one and he caught me a few times so he started calling me sugar cube and it’s always stuck.” She explained as the three of us laughed. “Cute story babe, tell it again.” I said as I wrapped my arm around her. “Tell it at parties, make no friends.” She finished as all four of us laughed again. Soon after my mom and Annabella started cleaning up from lunch and my dad brought me outside.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” He said taking in the view of the city that we had from our backyard. “Yeah… it is.” I said admiring it. I was happy in Montreal, but I felt really relaxed and at ease whenever I was at home so I enjoyed it for everything it was worth when I got the chance. “So Brendan, you’ve got my permission.” My dad said as I got really confused. “What?” I asked. “I can see the way you look at her Brendan- you want her forever and you’ve got mine and you mother’s approval.” He said smiling at me and I smiled back. “Thanks dad… she’s just so… different. I knew the minute I met her that she was different and when I ran into her again in October at the grocery store I got this feeling and I knew… I knew being her friend was my choice, but falling for her was completely out of my control.” I said leaning back against the railing of the deck. “Well I can tell you love her Brendan.” He said patting my shoulder. “I really do. I mean I know I’ve only been dating her for 7 months and I’m only 21, but I really don’t want anyone else and I don’t think I ever will.” I said looking out into the distance. “Well, then don’t let her go and don’t screw up… you’ll regret it a lot.” He said looking at me seriously. “I don’t plan on it.” I said as we headed back inside. “Well you made a great choice Brendan; she’s an amazing girl… Good French Canadian girl.” He said as we both laughed and walked into the living room to see my mom and Annabella laughing at something and I smiled even more.
-That night-
“So, you still worried they don’t like you?” I joked as she got into bed next to me and I wrapped my arms around her waist and she placed her chin on my chest. “Nah, they love me.” She said before giggling. “Yeah I think my mom loves you more than she loves me.” I joked and we both laughed. “Well can you blame her? I mean, I’m amazing.” She said smiling. “Very true Bella.” I said before giving her a kiss. The kiss deepened, but she pulled away. “Brendan, you’re parents are home… this isn’t happening.” She said as I dropped my head so it was on her chest. “Curse my parents.” I said putting a fist in the air and she laughed. I rolled back over onto my side of the bed and rewrapped my arms around her. “Goodnight Brendan.” “Goodnight Annabella, I love you.” “I love you too.” And with that I let sleep and my dreams take over and when I woke up in the morning I knew what I was gonna do.
“What if they don’t like me?!” Annabella panicked for the millionth time today. We were in Delta, BC on our way to my parents’ house because they’d been dying to meet her for quite some time now. “Bella calm down, they’re going to love you.” I reassured her and gave her hand a squeeze. “What if it’s too soon?” She asked as we pulled into the driveway of their house. “Bella, we’ve been dating for 7 months and I’ll be coming back here in 2 months for the offseason… and I want you to come back with me. You’re gonna have to meet them sooner or later babe.” I said looking down and not wanting to see her reaction about me wanting her here during the offseason. “Well… fine.” She said as she opened her door and got out of the car. I met her at the front of my SUV and grabbed her hand as we headed inside.
“Mom? Dad?” I asked as we got inside and I didn’t hear anyone. I then heard my mother’s laugh and smiled as I brought Annabella through the house and out to the backyard where the pool was. “Hey mom.” I said smiling at my mom. Her eyes got really wide and she broke out into a smile as she rushed towards me. “Brendan!” She yelled as she hugged me. “Hi mom.” I said as she pulled away. “Oh I’ve missed you so much!” She said pulling me in for another hug as my dad came over and did the same. “Hey dad.” I talked to my parents for another minute before remembering that Annabella was there. I turned around and she was biting the inside of her cheek, something she did when she was nervous. “Mom, dad, this is Annabella Lapierre, my girlfriend. Bella, these are my parents.” I smiled as I put my arm around her and I felt her relax a tiny bit. “Oh Brendan, you didn’t do her justice, she’s gorgeous!” My mom said as she hugged Annabella. Annabella was taken by surprise and it took her a minute, but soon she was relaxing into the hug and I smiled even more knowing she was getting a little more comfortable. “Hello Annabella. It’s nice to finally meet the girl my son is always talking about.” My dad laughed as he gave her a hug and I felt really embarrassed. “Dad…” I said putting my face in my hands. “Oh don’t worry Bren. I expected nothing less.” She said coming over and hugging me and I pulled her in for a kiss which got an awe out of my mom and a smile out of my dad. “They’re so cute together!” My mom gushed looked at my dad and I saw Annabella blushing a little bit as I laughed.
We talked for a few more minutes before heading inside for lunch while my parents got to know Annabella a little better. “So, Lapierre is it?” My dad asked after he’d finished his pasta. “Yup.” She smiled proudly. “Are you related to Jake Lapierre?” He asked. “He’s my older brother and my best friend.” She said smiling sadly. “What’s wrong babe?” I asked concerned. “Nothing, I just miss him a lot. I haven’t seen him since Christmas.” She said before sighing. “He wasn’t at Gally’s birthday?” I asked confused. “No they had a game that night so he didn’t come home.” She said shrugging. “Did they win?” I asked without thinking. “Yes and he got a hat trick and Gally was excited to watch the game so it was all good.” She said smiling again. “So where are you from Annabella?” My mom asked leaning on her hands. “Well I was born in Montreal along with my brother and sister, but we moved to Phoenix when I was about 9 years old and then I moved back to Montreal for boarding school when I was 14, but came back to Phoenix when I was 16 and I lived there until I started college at Concordia University.” She answered. “So are you the baby?” My mom continued. “Yeah, Jake is 4 years older than me and my sister Mel is 6 years older than me.” Annabella answered. “Oh that’s nice. Do you see them a lot?” My mother continued, quizzing my girlfriend. “Well not so much anymore. Jake’s out in Colorado for hockey, but I see him on the holidays and we’ll both be home for at least part of the summer and my sister Mel lives in Florida with her husband because he’s in the NFL down there.” She answered a bit sadly. I knew she missed Mel and Jake, she missed them all the time and whenever they would call they would talk for hours and it made her really happy and I loved seeing that. “Aw that’s no fun.” My mom said sadly. “Yeah well this one keeps me preoccupied when I’m not in class.” She laughed as she pointed to me. “Well when you’re not doing your homework anyways.” I smirked. “Bella is very serious about school.” I said looking at my parents and they smiled. They always wanted me to be with a smart girl so I knew Annabella filled that requirement. “So does everyone call you Bella?” My dad asked. “Well I have a few nicknames. My brother calls me Bells, my parents call me Annabella, my sister calls me Bell, my best friend Katie calls me Anna, and my friend Matt calls me sugar cube.” She answered laughing at the last part as all of us looked confused. “My brother and Matt have been best friends for a really long time and Matt used to come over to our house all the time and when I was little my mom kept sugar cubes on the counter in a little jar for her coffee and I would sneak one and he caught me a few times so he started calling me sugar cube and it’s always stuck.” She explained as the three of us laughed. “Cute story babe, tell it again.” I said as I wrapped my arm around her. “Tell it at parties, make no friends.” She finished as all four of us laughed again. Soon after my mom and Annabella started cleaning up from lunch and my dad brought me outside.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” He said taking in the view of the city that we had from our backyard. “Yeah… it is.” I said admiring it. I was happy in Montreal, but I felt really relaxed and at ease whenever I was at home so I enjoyed it for everything it was worth when I got the chance. “So Brendan, you’ve got my permission.” My dad said as I got really confused. “What?” I asked. “I can see the way you look at her Brendan- you want her forever and you’ve got mine and you mother’s approval.” He said smiling at me and I smiled back. “Thanks dad… she’s just so… different. I knew the minute I met her that she was different and when I ran into her again in October at the grocery store I got this feeling and I knew… I knew being her friend was my choice, but falling for her was completely out of my control.” I said leaning back against the railing of the deck. “Well I can tell you love her Brendan.” He said patting my shoulder. “I really do. I mean I know I’ve only been dating her for 7 months and I’m only 21, but I really don’t want anyone else and I don’t think I ever will.” I said looking out into the distance. “Well, then don’t let her go and don’t screw up… you’ll regret it a lot.” He said looking at me seriously. “I don’t plan on it.” I said as we headed back inside. “Well you made a great choice Brendan; she’s an amazing girl… Good French Canadian girl.” He said as we both laughed and walked into the living room to see my mom and Annabella laughing at something and I smiled even more.
-That night-
“So, you still worried they don’t like you?” I joked as she got into bed next to me and I wrapped my arms around her waist and she placed her chin on my chest. “Nah, they love me.” She said before giggling. “Yeah I think my mom loves you more than she loves me.” I joked and we both laughed. “Well can you blame her? I mean, I’m amazing.” She said smiling. “Very true Bella.” I said before giving her a kiss. The kiss deepened, but she pulled away. “Brendan, you’re parents are home… this isn’t happening.” She said as I dropped my head so it was on her chest. “Curse my parents.” I said putting a fist in the air and she laughed. I rolled back over onto my side of the bed and rewrapped my arms around her. “Goodnight Brendan.” “Goodnight Annabella, I love you.” “I love you too.” And with that I let sleep and my dreams take over and when I woke up in the morning I knew what I was gonna do.
@TazerKaner ok, I kinda know the feel (exams are coming up for me too) that's awesome though, I'm excited! :D
5/13/14