Just Roll With It: a Just Us novel (13 page)

"Happy birthday, Bug."

I open up the bag, and the first thing I see is a beautiful fall scarf. The material is striped with colors I wear often, so it will match almost everything. He must've been paying attention. I see the tag is from a store I love and shop at often. For only dating a week, he did pretty damn good on the birthday present front.

I go to put the scarf back in the bag when I notice there is something else in there. The scarf itself would have been enough for me. I reach further and grab at the object. At first, I couldn't tell what I was looking at, but after further inspection, I see I'm holding a necklace.

"I made that myself, it matches the one I wear, but I uh … chose pink for you and put on a little charm for you. I don't have a charm, clearly."

The necklace is made from an old bandana that has been twisted and braided to create the necklace chain or band. Hanging in the middle is a charm of a cute ladybug. It is completely adorable, and I can't believe he put so much thought into a gift for me. He himself wears a similar black bandana necklace around his neck at all times. I noticed it before. I think it's unique. Little things like that about him only make him even more sexy in my eyes.

"It's beautiful, thank you. I can't believe you took the time to make a necklace for me," I say in awe.

"As you can see with mine, the bandana part does not have a clasp attached so I have to tie it around your neck. Which means once it's on, it is on. You can't take it off."

I would never want to anyway. To me, the permanence of the necklace acts as a symbol, like as long as the necklace stays tied around my neck, Roman stays tied with me as well. I don't tell him that, though, no sense in freaking him out now.

"That's okay, go ahead tie it on."

I hear a variety of "awwwws" go around the table as he ties my necklace on for me, and I remember were not alone.

"Okay, you two, let me get a picture. Look at me and say
Fucking Gnarly!"
Click.

"How do you feel about coming over to my house and meeting my parents?" Roman leans over his desk to whisper to me.

"What! When?" My eyes slightly bug out from being caught off-guard by the proposition.

I hadn't thought about the fact that since he met my parents he probably expects me to meet his. It's only been three days since my birthday dinner, but fair's fair, I suppose. I'm still pretty sure I'm going to freak out.

"How about Friday? I could meet you somewhere to grab a bite to eat and then you can follow me to my house so you don't get lost. You know, like I did," he jokes.

"Ha ha, funny guy. All right, I suppose I could," I say, knowing how hesitant I sound.

"What wrong? I can hear the reluctance in your voice."

"What if your parents don't like me?" I ask him seriously.

"They'll like you, why wouldn't they?"

"I don't know, I'm nervous."

"Of course you are, that's normal. It will be fine you'll see."

"But what if—"

"Stop. I know what you’re doing."

"Yeah, I know. I'm a worst case scenarioist."

"No, you're just being a girl."

"So true," Martin chimes in from his seat in front of Roman out of nowhere. "Women overthink every little thing, it's hard wired into them or something."

"Thanks, Martin," I say sarcastically, but actually mean it.

"Welcome," he says, and then turns back around to mind his own business again.

Weiss walks back into the room and shuts the door signaling break time is over and we get back to work. Today was the first day Roman and I walked into class together. We purposely made a show of it, walking in holding hands. The look on Jack-Jock's face was priceless. He still doesn't understand why a girl like me wouldn't rather date the star of the high school football team type.
High school is over, Jack-Jock, sorry.

"You have got to be kidding me!"

This kind of thing would only happen to me. Roman failed to mention his driveway happens to be the long winding road to Hell. First off, his driveway has got to be a mile long and only wide enough for one lane. If a car is trying to leave the driveway while you’re trying to come up the driveway … Well, forget about it. Second of all, the driveway is dirt, and it's chock-full of holes and hills. When I say hills, I mean more like mountains.

That's what got me stuck in this mess. My little car didn't quite make it up one of the hills due to the slickness of the first fall snow. There wasn't much, but it was enough to make me slide backward. And if backward wasn't enough, on each side of the driveway there are these deep ditches I can only assume have to do with some sewage architecture. So when my car reversed itself right down the hill and didn't go perfectly straight, my tire went off the dirt enough to catch, sliding back end into the ditch.

Bringing me to now, sitting here waiting for Roman's dad. The man I have yet to meet and have been nervous enough to do so, so he can tow me out of his ditch. He's going to think Roman sure picked a winner, girl can't even make it up the driveway. I'm stuck about halfway down and I'm still too far away to walk, so Roman had to drive up to get the help I needed.

Only a couple of minutes have passed when I catch a glimpse of an old green truck backing down the driveway toward me. The truck stops just short of me when I find not one, but two unfamiliar faces stepping out. The one driving must be Roman’s dad. He's a bit older with a tad of grey on the sides of his head. He's holding some materials he'll need to tow me out.

The other one is a younger guy, about my age, with light-brown hair, nice and blue eyes, and an enormously wicked smile on his face. I would have to guess he is Roman's brother, however, they look nothing alike. I can see the resemblance in his dad. He too has dark hair and eyes and many similar facial features. The brother is either the milk man's bastard or he must totally take after his mom.

I open my door and step out, careful not to fall on the uneven terrain.

"You must be the girlfriend," the younger one says to me, his eyes sparkle with amusement. "When I overheard about the little … uh—" his eyes dart to my car tires and back "—situation you've gotten into, I had to come see for myself." He gives me a swaggering smile, and in it I see the first resemblance to Roman.

His dad is already in the process of hooking my car to the truck.

"Hi, Rigbee. I'm Ben," his dad tells me as he finishes what he's doing. "I'll have you outta here in just a sec."

He climbs back into his truck, and I look back over to, who I am still assuming is the brother, and watch him stifle a chuckle.

"Sorry for laughing, I know better than anyone our driveway can be tricky."

"So people get stuck often then?"

He replies with a quick, "Nope" and continues laughing.

Great. Could this be any more embarrassing? Where is Roman, anyway, and why didn't he come down here with his dad instead of sending Mr. Chuckles over here?

"My name is Thomas, by the way."

Before I get a chance to reply, he has his arms around me and gives a tight squeeze. I stiffen from the start of it, but the tenseness eases and I awkwardly half-hug, half-pat him on the back in return.

He lets go and says, "See ya up at the house."

When I look over, I see my car is back where it's supposed to be, safe and sound and on the ground, and Thomas has already walked away to get back into his dad’s truck.

I follow them the remainder of the way to the house and I spot Roman. He's standing next to their garage door with a woman who must be his mom. He is smoking a cigarette, and they are both smiling like jokers. He thought sending Thomas down to get me instead of himself was hilarious.

"You made it up!" Roman shouts and throws his arms in the air.

"Yeah yeah, haha. Your driveway was incredibly slippery, you know!" I say back at him and give him a dirty look.

"Apparently so." His mom bites on her bottom lip in order hold in her giggles. Even she thinks this is funny.

"My name is Mary, nice to meet you, darling."

"Rigbee, nice to meet you too. You have a beautiful house," I compliment, as I take in the sight.

The house is a cute, country style blue ranch with a wrap-around porch to die for. I can tell from the outside the house must be big.

"Well, thank you. Yes, we are very fortunate. We have ten acres all together. It's calm and peaceful."

I can tell right away his parents are calm and peaceful people in general. The exact opposite of my family.

"It's like having a vacation at your own house," I say to her, impressed with the beauty of the place.

"It really is. We stay home whenever we take vacation time. Why go anywhere else?" Mary has a look of pride on her face, and it's apparent how content she is in her life.

The three of us are still standing in the driveway when Thomas and his dad walk back out of the garage.

"Why don't we all head inside and have a cup of coffee?” Mary brightly suggests as she directs us through the door.

Inside, we sit down around a heavy wood dining table big enough to fit fifteen easy. It is shaped much like a picnic table with bench seating. From over my shoulder, Mary places a coffee in front of me. Black. Exactly how I like it. I take a peek inside of everyone else's mugs to find them thick with cream and sugar.

We all talk and do the normal introductions and short summaries of ourselves. Funny stories are told about Roman and Thomas as kids. It's hard to believe Roman comes from a home like this. Based on his looks and personality, I couldn't help but picture his lifestyle to be a bit rougher. I would never have guessed such a tattooed, punk rock, edging on the line of Emo, Hottie McHandsome, came from such a normal and stable loving family. The cover of his book is misleading.

Roman's brother, Thomas, on the other hand, looks like your typical popular country boy with a side of prep, who may or may not have been a school athlete of some sort. Total opposite of Roman in more ways than looks. I was right—he definitely does get his looks from his mom.

Mary has the same blue eyes and blonde hair her son does. Her cut is short, styled into a pretty, yet still Mom-like, hairstyle. She also has very good taste in wardrobe. I can tell her clothes are either tailored to fit her perfectly or she knows how to dress for her shape. She is pulling off the “I may be older but I can still rock it” look with an open front cardigan and big chunky jewelry which could be costume jewelry you'd get at Claire's, or could very well be real.

I can't tell if I'm making a good impression or not. It's very unnerving. The whole time we've been sitting here chatting, Roman's mom has shown no hint to signal either way. She has been completely kind and pleasant, but I think she is still trying to figure me out. I have a feeling Roman must've brought girls home before who either did not impress her or did something to hurt her son.

Speaking of which, Roman and I have not had the talk yet. The one where we talk about past girlfriends and boyfriends and we ask what's your number. I've been too scared to bring it up because I know he is experienced. Even if Lyle hadn't accidentally told me, I can tell. And I'm not sure I want to know to what extent. I am sure he is the person I want to have my first experience with. I've already decided. I'm nervous as shit, but I'm also relieved. He is the first person I have ever wanted to be with. Every time he so much as glances my way, my body validates my feelings being finally right.
He's
right.

"Don't you think, Rigbee?"
Huh
? I'm jolted back into reality, and I have no idea what has just been asked of me.

"Cou-Could you repeat the question?" I ask abashed, scarlet creeping into my cheeks.

"Roman's hair, sweetheart. Don't you think he should get a haircut? He would look so handsome if he just cut that hair."

I happen to like Roman's hair. I think he would be incredibly handsome no matter what, of course, but he wouldn't look like himself.

"And those holes in his ears, what do you call them? Plugs? Yeah, and if he let those things close up as well."