“Which is why you didn’t know until way after the fact,” I sass. “I am alive, you know. I’m fine. He wasn’t a serial killer. And for your information, Jacob. Yes, he and his friend met Chloe and I for dinner for us to meet for the first time… and the second time if you must know.”

“So, you met this joker online. He couldn’t meet a girl in person? Bad social skills?” Jacob asks sarcastically with a scrunch of his nose.

“Yes,” my dad pipes up without taking his eyes away from the screen again.

“Kevin!” my mom exclaims at the same time I say, “Dad!”

“What? Miche, come on. And Whit, don’t act like you don’t know we feel that way. JP, wait till you meet this guy, he’s just so… not like us.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” I ask.

“It is when he’s marrying my princess. He’s just so standoffish. Aloof. The guy barely speaks and he’s been around almost two years. I just don’t think he’s good enough for you, sweetheart. We’ve been back and forth about this so many times, my feelings aren’t going to change.”

“Kevin, enough.” My mother speaks before putting her hand over mine and squeezing. I look up at her. Eyes that match mine. Warm brown eyes that I’m fairly certain knows all of my secrets, even the ones I’ve tried to keep from her. She tucks a hair behind my ear before pulling me closer to her and wrapping her arm around me. “If Whitney is happy, we’re happy.”

I smile but it’s fake. My head is resting on her shoulder, so she can’t see my fake smile but Jacob can. He’s staring right at me like he can read every thought in my head right now.

“Well, I guess I have to meet this guy that has Whitney so happy then. When is he back?”

“Next week,” I answer.

Later that night, like a typical Saturday at my parents’ house, the small gathering of me and my parents, JP and the neighbor from down the street that they are trying to set him up with, grew. There are at least ten people here now. People from around the neighborhood, my brother has gotten here with a woman he sometimes hangs out with from time to time. Chloe and Trey have shown up and my paper has been long forgotten as I indulge in a few more drinks with Chloe. I’m not drunk and I’ve been very cognizant of how much I’m drinking in case I want to do any more work later. I’ve talked to Parker a few times throughout the day and I’ve been able to keep his accusations at bay at the idea of me being at my parents’ all day doing homework. I hadn’t really told him that me hanging out at my parents’ house had turned into this and I was starting to feel guilty especially since Chloe took a few pictures of us that I’m sure she’s already uploaded to her Instagram story. Now, Chloe, Trey, Jacob, and I, much to my reluctance, are outside on the patio watching as the sun sets.