Meeting her parents

I was becoming increasingly nervous as I got closer to Yuri's house.  I mean sure we've been seeing each other outside of school now for awhile but I mean we've never made our relationship official.  Then out of the blue she asks me to come to dinner at her house with her parents?  I'm starting to second guess everything now; am I wearing something to casual?  Did I remember to take some mints?  Is the oven still on?

Doesn't help that I'm not sure if I'm going in the right direction since I'm so far out of my area now.  As I get closer and closer to her house I notice that the homes are becoming more opulent.  "Yuri's family must be fairly well off then."  I thought to myself.  Which further made me worry that I was dressed much to casually.  Soon I pulled up to a long wall until I noticed a gate with an address next to it.  "Wait... this is...her house!"  I couldn't believe what I was seeing; past the gate was a road that wound up to a huge mansion.  I pulled up to the front gate and rolled my window down for an intercom on a post to the side.

"U-um hello it's me Anon."  Oh Christ I was losing it already.

 "Yes, the young missus has been expecting you."  A man replied through the intercom.

The gate began sliding out of the way and I continued the drive up to the front doors.  I pulled up to the front porch and parked my car; stepping out and gazing up to admire the expanse of her home.  I took one more large breath and walked up to the door and raised my hand to knock.  As I do the door opens and an older gentlemen in a tuxedo stands to greet me.

"Anon, I presume?"  He questions.

"Ah-uh y-yes sir. I'm here to-"

"Anon!  Y-you're here quite early I thought I told you to come at seven?"  I look past the man to see Yuri walking down a large stairway.

"Ah r-right I guess I just thought I'd get here a little early haha, didn't want to keep you or your parents waiting after all haha..."  I glance at my watch and realize it's only six forty.

"Well I-I'm sure we can pass the time till my father comes home."

I stepped through the door and looked around at the extravagant foyer.  At the top of the overlook was a massive painting with what I can only assume is Yuri's father and mother standing next to each other with a young Yuri standing between them.  I then turned my eyes towards Yuri as she came to properly greet me.  My heart tensed up and I blushed slightly at her beauty.  She was wearing a white turtleneck dress which accentuated her beautiful eyes, hair and other assets.  I blushed deeper as my mind wandered lewdly.

"H-hey anon, I'm glad you agreed to have dinner with me, my parents insisted on meeting you also."

"Of course!  I wouldn't miss it for the world and it'll be nice to meet your parents; I just never realized how umm..."

"Ah, yes my parents run a very lucrative business."

"I'm surprised you don't go to some academy in the city."

"My father wanted me to have a normal school life, plus he felt like going to our school would help get me out of my shell."

"Well I for one think your father made a wise decision."  I replied with a smile.
She blushed and fiddled with her hair like she oftens does.

"I-I almost forgot, I wanted to lend you that book I recently finished reading."

"Oh that's right, some book by Lovecraft right?"

"Correct, Mountains of Madness to be precise.  I thought you may enjoy it since you said you enjoyed watching 'The Thing' when I visited last weekend."

"It was a creepy movie despite its age, it's not a movie I'd normally watch but I had a lot of fun watching it with you."  I responded.
She blushed and looked to the side while fiddling with her hair.

"I really enjoyed watching it with you too anon.  H-here follow me let's go get the book."  She replied motioning me towards a hallway to the right.

We walked down the hall and passed through two doors which met my eyes with an impressive library.  Rows of bookshelves filled to the brim with all kinds of differing books with a large bow window.  I felt as if I was in beauty and the beast; she had an entire library at her disposal.  No wonder she was such a bookworm.

"H-how do you even find a book to read with all of these here?"  I exclaimed haphazardly.

"W-well I kind of arranged them all myself."  She said with an embarrassed chuckle.  "It was easier to determine which books I actually would enjoy reading that way!  Y-you think I'm pretty weird don't you..."

"Not at all, I actually find that drive of yours endearing, what you like you put your best foot forward because you know you want it!"
She blushes even deeper than before once again looking away and playing with her hair.

"I-I really appreciate that anon."  She replied before we continued walking towards a bookcase to the side.

"Here you go."  She said as she pulled a book off the shelf.

"Thanks so much, I'll try to read it and get it back to you before the end of the week."

"Oh th-that's not necessary, you can take your time anon.  Besides I've been coming over to your house pretty often as it is."   She said with a slight blush.

"Why don't we go to my room it'll be more comfortable reading there.  Plus we still have some time before my parents will be home after all.  W-wait not like t-that I just meant..."  She tried to assert before her face turned tomato red realizing what she just implied.

"Ahah no no I understand, that sounds nice!"

She barely looked at me hiding away her embarrassment as she once again motioned me to follow.  We walked back down the hall and then up the stairway at the entrance.  As we continued I admired all the beautiful finery and paintings adorning her home.  It was incredible that Yuri lived such a lavish lifestyle; all things considered she was very humble about everything except maybe literature taste.  After a short walk she showed me into her room, it was as expected spacious but surprisingly much more down to earth in comparison to the opulence of the mansion.  A large dresser with a mirror, then to the side a desk with a computer and what appeared to be recent poems she's been writing.

"Ahh so this is your collection then?"  I said looking at a couple rows of different knives behind glass.  She had quite a few too, some practical others fantasy styled,  others with elegant designs and a few military styled.

"Ahh, y-yes I forgot I had told you about my collection."  She said blushing.

"They're really cool actually you have so many different kinds."  I replied.

"Y-you don't think it's weird?"

"What?  No of course not I mean I collect stuff some people might find odd too."  I looked back and noticed her rubbing her arm.  She quickly stopped and looked away before quietly replying "Thanks, anon it means a lot from you."

I knew why she was fidgeting, back when she first came over to my house to prepare for the school festival.  I had walked out of my room to get some hot water to wash some paint off of Yuri's face.  When I had come back I noticed her quickly roll up her sleeve as if she was hiding something.  At the time I thought nothing of it, then one time I helped her up when we were sitting on the ground reading together and I felt the bump of a scar along her wrist.  She quickly pulled away with a look of fear on her face.  I played dumb and asked her what was wrong instead of confronting it.  Then another time her sleeve got bunched up and I finally saw one of her fresh cuts before she once again adjusted to hide it away.

"Anon why don't we sit on my bed and we can read the book for a little while."   Yuri said rousing me from my thoughts.

"Hey Yuri..."

"Hmm?  Is something the matter anon?"

"You know how you said I could talk to you about anything right?"

"Of course, I lo-care about you a lot you're a good friend."  She replied with a smile.

"Would you ever tell me if you were in pain?"  I said rather solemnly.

"I...Anon are you alright?"

"Yuri, please answer me."

"I...o-of course Anon."  She said looking away.

"Yuri..."  I said as I walked up to her and put my hand in hers.

"You've been in pain for so long and you haven't told me.  Perhaps it's not my place to pry but I can't go on without letting you know that I care and that I don't want to see you hurt."

"A-Anon, I.."  She began as some tears rolled down her cheek.

I gently wrapped my arms around her as some tears formed in my eyes also; we stood there together for a moment crying.  As I pulled away I gave her my hand again to hold.

"Yuri I don't know how to help you through this, but I'll do anything and everything I can."

"Anon..."  She said with a smile.  "It's not polite to make a girl cry just before meeting her parents."  She said with a cute laugh.
I laughed and held her again; she was right it was almost time that her parents should be home.  We just held each other standing there for a minute before easing up. I heard a knock on her door and stepped to the side as a woman in a maid uniform walked in letting us know her parents had arrived.  She gave me another smile and my hand one more squeeze before we began walking to the front door.

"Yuri, we're home!  I've been made aware that your friend is here as well!"  Her father's voice called as we walked out onto the balcony in front of the foyer.

"And there he is!  Come now you two dinner's ready!"
We both walked down to them and Yuri hugged her mom and dad before introducing me.

"Mother, Father, this is my friend from school, Anon, we actually met in the literature club I've told you about!"

"Thank you both so much for having me tonight."  I said

"Nothing to thank, it's good to finally meet the boy my daughter's been talking about so much."

"D-dad!"  Yuri stammered.

"You don't know how happy it makes me to see she's making friends, for awhile her books and that club were really the only things she talked about!"

Yuri was blushing deeply again and fiddling with her hair.

"Father please."

"Ah but we haven't exchanged formalities, apologies I seem to be forgetting my manners with my age."  He said extending his hand for a shake.  I reached forward and shook his hand as he sternly but kindly looked me in the eyes.

"It's nice to meet you sir and madam."  I said after shaking his hand.

"The pleasure is ours."  Yuri's mother replied.

"Now, how about we have some dinner?"  He said walking towards the hall on the left.  We continued down the hall and through two large doors again this time my eyes were greeted by a long dining hall.  At the head was a large fireplace with the fire blazing and all.  I followed Yuri and sat down next to her as her father sat at the head of the table with her mother across from her.  Once we were seated multiple staff members came out with platters containing plates of food.  They placed one down in front of me containing a giant steak with assorted vegetables.  Then they poured me and Yuri some water while her father looked at three bottles of wine held by three separate waiters.  I've never seen some one contemplate something as hard as he was contemplating the wine.  He ended up deciding on the bottle in the middle some type of red wine and the waiter began pouring him and his wife a glass.  He swirled the wine around in the glass before smelling and then taking a sip.

"What's wrong son?  Don't like the meal?"  He said noticing I hadn't started eating.

"Ah n-no it's just, this is such an expensive meal I almost feel rude not at least waiting for you to start."

"I think he feels we've poisoned his meal honey."

"It wouldn't be the first time you have dear."

"Ah that is true!  Here how about I take a bite of mine to show you it's all come from the same cow?"  He said with a chuckle while cutting a piece and eating it. "See?  Nothing to it."  He said with a smile.

We both began laughing and started eating.  We continued eating together for awhile before Yuri's father started asking me more questions about myself.

"So tell me Anon, what made you join the literature club?  What kind of literature interests you?"

"Well actually I wasn't much into books much before joining, it was actually an old friend of mine that convinced me.  However since then I've really come to enjoy reading and writing.  I've gotten to read a lot of great books all because of Yuri, plus she's really helped me improve my writing!"

"Is that so Yuri?"

"Yes, Anon is actually quite the natural writer when he puts his mind to it!"

"I'd love to read some of your work some time then Anon, I always love reading Yuri's so it'd only be fair to read her boyfriend's sometime!"

Both me and Yuri's faces lit up like Christmas trees; I quickly stammered to try and make it clear we weren't dating.

"N-no sir, Yuri and I aren't-"

"Dating?  Really, you seem close after all, plus I bet you two would make a fine couple."

"Dad!"

He just smiled mischievously teasing us both with his words.  For awhile things settled until we had all finished eating.  He took a final sip from his wine glass and let out a sigh of contentment.

"Now that was a good glass of champagne, wouldn't you agree my love?"

"I'm surprised you un-corked that vintage it's a rare one dear." Yuri's mother responded.

"True I guess it just felt fitting to have it at this time to remember the date.  If only you and my daughter were of age I would have let you have a glass too."  He said turning his gaze back towards Yuri and I.

"I appreciate the gesture sir."

"Well of course there will be a chance for you to taste it again after all!  I think it'd make an excellent drink at your wedding."
I nearly did a spit take from my water glass after he said that.

"Dear please stop teasing the poor boy."

"Ahah I'm sorry it was just to great of an opportunity to pass up; and you know I can't pass up one of those!"

After that we all soon had finished our meals while the staff came and took our used plates and glasses.  I noticed Yuri's father whisper something to his wife before speaking to me.

"Well I hope you enjoyed your meal, Anon."  Yuri's father asked me.

"Of course sir!  It was an excellent meal!"

"Yuri dear, do you think you could help me decide an outfit for your Father and my's meeting tomorrow?"

"Umm of course Mother."  Yuri said with a confused look.

"Don't worry Anon we'll be back soon."  Yuri's Mom said to me as they walked out leaving just me and her father in the room.
I felt his stare piercing the back of my head as I turned back around to face him.

"So Anon, tell me a bit more about yourself; you said you met Yuri in the Literature club correct? However you said you weren't much into literature until sometime afterward so what do you like to do?  Do you have any plans for after school?"

"That's right sir, Yuri really got me into reading and writing again.  Other than those I'm well, I'm a pretty average guy I enjoy playing games and going on the internet."  I cringed a little that I didn't really have any substantive hobbies.  However I felt it only right to be honest, I cared about Yuri and wanted to help her get over her insecurities.
"As for after school well I plan on going to University but I'm not entirely sure what I want to be sir."

"Hmm, that's understandable I hadn't figured out where I wanted to go with my career either until I was twenty one.  Enough with the small talk though, I assume you have an idea why I had my wife take Yuri out of the room."

I gulped and knew this was coming; I figured he was going to ask me what my intentions truly were with his daughter.

"I know I teased you a bit to much earlier but I am curious, as to what your relationship with my daughter is?"

"W-well we're really good friends and she means a lot to me and I'm glad we-"

"Let me stop you right there son; I understand why you're sidestepping my question. I was the same way when I met my wife's parents.  Anon, do you understand why I enrolled my daughter at your school?  It's because ever since she was young she'd coop herself up with her books.  As she grew up it got worse, she wouldn't make any friends she preferred her stories.  I loved her enthusiasm for reading but I knew it wasn't healthy.  I enrolled her to your school because I not only wanted her to have a "normal" school life but because I hoped that by going to your school she'd make some friends.  Funnily enough I had always been worrying about her bringing home a boyfriend.  I'm not naive enough to not know that my daughter is very beautiful, the thing is with her shyness I worried someone would take advantage.  I'll be honest with you I fully expected to bar Yuri from seeing you again outside of school.  However one of my staff informed me of what you said before my wife and I arrived.  I...I knew about Yuri's self harm but I never knew how to deal with it.  I felt if I confronted her it'd make things worse, that she'd bottle herself up even further and cut even more.  So I kept quiet and pretended like I didn't know, I was powerless to help my little girl in her suffering.  But you?  You knew, and you did something about it.  If it'd been from anyone else I think she would have closed herself off and continued further down that path.  She's cares about you, the fact that you care so much about her that you put your feelings out there for her to see.  I definitely believe it struck a chord within her, she wants to make you happy because she loves you."  He said walking up and putting his hand on my shoulder.
"Look I see something in you, I suppose I see what Yuri sees.  I know you're a good kid and I know damn well that you make her happier than I've seen her in quite some time. So please keep up the good work, you're stronger than you think, you're worth more than you may realize especially to Yuri."  He finished with a smile just as Yuri and her mother came back into the room.

"Hey there hon, Anon and I had a good conversation while you two were out!"

"He didn't tease you more did he Anon?"

"No ma'am it was a good talk!"

"Well Yuri, your Mother and I are going to turn in for the night soon, why don't you and Anon spend a little more time together and then we'll see him off?"  Her father said as they walked out of the room.

"Hey Anon...would you like to take a walk with me in the rose garden out back?  It's really pretty at night especially with the moon and starlight."

"Of course, that sounds really relaxing."  I replied with a smile.

I followed her back to the front entrance and then beneath the stair and out the two French doors onto a backyard patio.  I looked out and saw a large rose garden leading some ways out.  Yuri was right, the way the moonlight lit up the roses at night really made the garden beautiful.  However there was an even prettier flower in front of me.
I continued following Yuri down through the rose garden until she stopped and sighed.

"I really like coming out here Anon...it helps calm me down when I can't...well you know...just looking out at the lightly illuminated roses and the bright blue moon helps me think clearly.  When I'm out here I can find the words within my heart that much easier and manage to put them from pen to paper."  She said holding both of her hands up to her chest.

"You know you're right Yuri, it really does help give you a feeling of peace.  I'm glad you invited me to your home tonight Yuri.  Your parents are really nice, and your Dad gave me a lot to think about."

"Really?  What was it?"

"He helped me realize that I shouldn't hold back my feelings in fear of some imaginary silly repercussions.  So I say now is as best as I could ask for."  I said taking a step towards Yuri placing her hands in mine.

"A-Anon?"

"Yuri...I love you, I have for awhile now.  I've wanted to tell you but I wasn't sure if it was right or if you felt the same.  I know now that either way I can't keep my feelings bottled up inside.  I want to make you happy, because you already make me so happy.  I thank the stars up above us every day that I met you in the Literature Club.  Yuri, will you be my girlfriend?"

Tears began to well up in her eyes before she wiped them away and a smile formed on her face.

"Anon, I love you too.  You don't know how happy I am to hear you feel the same!"

I placed my hand on her cheek, leaned in and kissed her before embracing her with both of my arms.  As I felt her arms hold me tight I knew everything was going to be alright.