Meeting Katherine’s parents.

Katherine’s house is huge. Two floors, red tiled roof, a small archway at the entrance and a balcony just above it. It has a complex and elegant design with slight Victorian inspiration that speaks clearly of a rich family. Not a big surprise, considering Katherine has said before she has a maid, an indoor pool and she’s attending a prestigious and expensive private academy.

“Just how on earth do you stand hanging out at my place?” you ask her, looking up at the immense house from the porch area.

“I’m usually cooped up in my room,” she laughs shyly.

Katherine leads you to the entrance, and the moment you’re through the door, a young woman in a black dress uniform and a white waist apron greets you.

“Welcome back, Ms. Katherine.” She says with a polite smile.

“Hey, Chloe,” Katherine greets back. “David, this is our maid, Chloe. I told you about her, remember?”

“Of course,” you nod. She said she was like a sister to her.

“Chloe, this is David,” Katherine takes a deep breath, “my boyfriend.”

“I’m so happy to finally meet you!” Chloe says with a wider smile. “Please follow me. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are waiting for you in the living room.”

Chloe leads you through the house to the living room. The place is spacious and decorated with big potted plants and landscape painting on the walls. Katherine’s parents are waiting by the coffee table, sitting next to each other on a sofa.

“H-Hey mom, hey dad,” Katherine greets with some uneasiness in her voice. “W-We’re here.”

Her father stands up first and walks up to you. He’s just a bit taller than you, has short brown hair and a neatly trimmed beard.

“You’re David Walker, correct?” With the way the man extends his hand to you, you almost feel like you’re in a business meeting or job interview. Still, you shake his hand. “I’m Robert Brown, Katherine’s father.”

“And I’m Isabella Brown, her mother,” the woman introduces herself, also walking up to you to shake your hand. “It’s good to finally meet you, David.” It’s almost like looking at an older Katherine, if only with shoulder length hair.

“Likewise,” You nod with a polite smile. “I apologize for not making an appearance sooner.”

“It’s alright,” Mrs. Brown says. “we understand that Hayes Academy is very demanding. Please, have a seat.”

You sit across from Katherine’s parents with your girlfriend next to you, yet at a proper distance away. Chloe puts a cup of porcelain cups in front of everyone, offering tea and coffee. She pours the drinks while Mr. Brown starts talking again.

“We understand that you’ve been dating our daughter for a while now,” he says, sounding professionally distant. “She’s also been avoiding the topic as much as she can, so we are truly in the dark about you, David.”

“It’s just really embarrassing to talk about it!” Katherine argues.

“I didn’t expect that you’d be embarrassed to talk about me,” you say, scratching the back of your head. “I’m a little hurt.”

“Y-You know that’s not what I meant!”

“I know, I know!” you laugh softly. “Sorry.”

You see a small smile appear in Mr. and Mrs. Brown’s faces before they return to business mode. In a way, your first impression of these people is that they remind you of your own father. They have this cold, scrutinizing approach to meeting you that’s very similar to how your dad treats everything. Yet they don’t give off as nearly an oppressing vibe as he does.

With a small, wry smile, you turn to address Katherine’s parents again.

“I can only imagine how worried you must be to know your daughter is seeing someone you don’t know anything about,” you say, turning to Katherine again. “You could’ve at least told them a little bit about me.”

“There is one thing we got out of her,” Mr. Brown says. “We know she’s not the only girl you’re dating.”

A slight chill runs down your back, but being in the same mindset you are in front of you dad, you avoid showing it.

“Yes, that’s true,” you nod. “It’s never been my intention to hide that.”

“Can you guess our worries, then?”

“I can think of a thousand and one worries you may have, Mr. Brown,” you say. “They’re the same worries I’d have if I was in your place. So ask me whatever you need to ask.”

“Words are cheap, David,” Mrs. Brown says.

“That they are,” you sigh with a wry smile.

“Then how about this,” Katherine says, with her face burning red yet resolute eyes. “He’s the reason I got my confidence back and why I’m not getting harassed at school anymore.”

“W-What!?” Mrs. Brown flinches, her face twisting in horror.

“You were being harassed!?” Mr. Brown asks, his expression mirroring his wife’s.

The maid, Chloe, keeps quiet and her eyes closed. It seems that, while Katherine’s parents didn’t know, Chloe did.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Mrs. Brown asks.

“You sent me to that academy because you said I wasn’t mature enough to go to university yet,” Katherine answers, biting her lip in frustration. “I tried to fix things on my own… but couldn’t.”

“And you helped her?” Mr. Brown asks, turning to you.

“It’s a little complicated,” you say. “Her bullies started focusing on me. It took several months, but Katherine and I started to get along when I helped her with some debate-related stuff. Then, since I managed to fix things with those three girls, they went and apologized to Katherine as well.”

“Actually…” Katherine swallows. “David is dating them, too. And we’re starting to become really good friends now,” she admits with a small smile. “Lilian’s been really excited to talk to me about the shows I like.”

“Wait. So it was the same girls as the ones in high school!?” Mrs. Brown asks her daughter, who replies with a silent nod. “My God…” Her body seems to lose some strength and she sinks in her seat.

“And you’re going out with them, too?” Mr. Brown asks you with narrowed eyes.

“I am,” you nod unabashedly. “Turns out they’re people, too. They have their issues and insecurities, just like Katherine and I. It took time and effort, but we managed to understand each other and realized that we wanted to be together. Of course, I asked Katherine and my other girlfriends if they were okay with it, first.”

Man, talking to parents about “your other girlfriends” never gets any less weird.

“If I may, Mr. Robert,” Chloe interjects. “Have you not noticed how Katherine has changed since she started dating this young man? She’s far more cheerful, talkative and high spirited. Surely you’ve noticed.”

“…I thought it was because things were going well in school.” The man sighs. The cold air around him completely vanishes. He looks at his daughter with apologetic eyes. “I’m sorry, Katherine. We didn’t notice.”

“Well… I WAS trying to hide it,” your girlfriend says with a sheepish chuckle. “But it doesn’t matter. Because I’m fine now. No, more than fine. I’m happy.”

“Katherine…” her mother mutters.

“Not only did I find David, who I’m seriously in love with, but a huge group of friends that care about me just as much as my old ones do. Nothing but good things have happened since I met him.”

Katherine speaks with sincerity, pushing away her embarrassment with the intent of getting her feelings across to her parents. And watching her it’s like you’re falling for her all over again.

“She gives me too much credit, but I can vouch for her having good friends in the group. We’re all really different, but I think that helps us expand our views,” you tell them.

Mrs. Brown straightens up and her husband lets out a heavy sigh. He looks at you with a small smile. “I think we have a lot to talk about.”

“I like conversation,” you tell him, nodding.

“You’ll be staying for dinner, then?” Mrs. Brown asks.

“Only if it’s no trouble,” you say, sheepishly.

“Not at all. Isn’t that right, Chloe?” Mrs. Brown asks the maid.

“Of course not,” the maid chuckles. “I’ll have dinner ready in an hour.”

You stay the rest of the evening, conversing with Katherine and her family about everything and anything. School, hobbies and little tidbits about your relationships. And when talks turn to future plans, you have to subtly hint to her parents that you’re looking for a future with Katherine while also avoiding letting your near-future plans slip.