Chapter 4: Awkward Conversation

"Sure," I smiled nervously. Meeting Brandon's parents wasn't my wildest dream, but it seemed important to him.

We start walking towards the front of the ballroom, through the crowd of quiet laughter and chatter. Brandon laced his fingers through mine as we approached the main table. I wish he wouldn't do that because it would surely give his parents the wrong impression, but I couldn't bring myself to pull away.

"Brandon, darling," a woman with dark hair pulled back into a tight bun said. She smiled at Brandon with fond brown eyes. This has to be his mother.

"Hey, Mom. I wanted to introduce you to my…" Brandon hesitated in answering. I can understand this. We aren't dating so he can't call me his girlfriend, but he obviously wants more than friendship so he wouldn't want to call me his friend. "My date. Stella."

I smiled at his mother. "Hi. Nice to meet you." I held out my hand for her to shake, but she dismissed it and pulled me into a short hug.

"It's nice to see that Brandon actually brought someone this year. Call me Nora." She pulled back and gave me a brilliant smile. I was still kind of shocked by her warm welcome, but I quickly recovered.

"Well, I'm happy to be here." Suddenly, a man comes up behind Nora and wraps one arm around her waist.

"Brandon! You told me you were bringing a date but you didn't say what a beauty she was!" I blushed as Brandon rolled his eyes.

"Keep your eyes on your wife, Dad."

Nora said teasingly, "He better or I'll throw all the casserole away." Mr. Woods blanched.

"Okay, okay. No more flirting. But it is nice to meet you…"

"Stella," I filled in. "It's nice to meet you as well." It was silent for a few beats.

"Well how about you two sit down here. I'd love to know all about you, Stella." She left no room for argument as she led me to the other side of the table, Brandon right behind us.

"Don't scare her away, Ma. I like this one," Brandon smiles down at me as I take my seat next to Nora.

We talk and laugh about benign things for a while. Brandon is simply glowing at me, knowing that I am getting along so well with his parents. They really do seem like great people. All was going really well until that one question popped back up for the second time this night.

"So, what is it that you work as, Stella?" Nora asked. I tensed slightly knowing she might not like the answer. I opened my mouth to speak, but Brandon said, "Why does that matter, Mother? We don't need to discuss that here of all places." Brandon's voice has hardened. Why is he acting like that? Is he ashamed of my job too?

Nora narrowed her eyes slightly in confusion at her son. "No need to get so defensive Brandon. I was simply curious is all. And I do believe Stella has a voice of her own," Nora snapped and looked back to me. Man, these people can turn from one attitude to another like it's nothing.

Brandon was about to retort when I laid my hand on his knee. "It's okay," I whispered to him. He looked into my eyes and nodded slightly. I turned back to his parents and said, "I'm a waitress down at the local diner."

Mr. Woods was taking a drink of water when I said this and practically started choking on it. Nora was just looking at me with widened eyes and a gapping mouth.

"A… waitress? That's," Nora's eyes flickered over to Brandon quickly then to the other side of the room, avoiding my gaze as if she was uncomfortable. "That very…nice. And how long have you had this job?"

"Just a few weeks now. It's not much, but I get by."

Nora wrinkled her nose. "I'm sure it's not."

"Mom," Brandon snapped. Gosh. I knew this was going to happen. Why did Brandon even invite me when he knew I would be this much of an embarrassment?

"I think I'll just turn in for the night Brandon. It was nice meeting you Mr. Woods, Nora," I politely smiled to hold my last shred of dignity.

Nora looked up at me. "Please, just call me Mrs. Woods. It was nice to meet you as well." She and her husband stood up. "Have a good night. Brandon, I expect to talk to you later." With that, she walked off with her husband at her heels.

I stood with my back to Brandon. "I'll just…yeah." I tried to quickly walk away, but he caught onto my wrist and turned me around gently. "Can we talk alone for a minute? Please?"

All I wanted to do was go home and practically crawl up in a ball, but the pleading edge in his voice made me stop. I swallowed hard before nodding.

Brandon led me through a door outside and down a spiral staircase into some alleyway. "If I didn't know any better, I would think you brought me out her to kill me or something," I joked nervously.

Brandon just shook his head. "Never. I just wanted to talk to you away from everyone's prying ears."

"Okay…talk." It was a little chilly out here but nothing I couldn't stand. I really didn't like the smell of the garbage, though.

"You know that your job isn't a problem to me right?" Brandon asked. I averted my eyes from his.

"Look, if you just brought me out here to tell me we can't see each other anymore then whatever. Just get it over with," I mumble, trying not to let my tears of shame escape. Brandon comes closer to me and tilts my chin up.

"Why would you think that?" He asked it as if he was truly surprised. I'm suddenly surged with anger and snatch my chin away from his hand.

"You really don't think I don't understand what everyone is saying about me? I'm just a dumb waitress who got lucky that a you actually took interest in me. They probably think I'm some gold digging slut!" I am pacing back and forth in anger. Brandon just looks at me with an intense stare.

"I know exactly what they all are thinking. 'Why would Brandon Woods pick up some waitress?' or 'I bet she doesn't even like him'. It's infuriating! I mean, why did you ask me to come if I was just going to be this huge embarrassment for you?" I stopped now and looked at him.

"Are you finished?" I just narrow my eyes at him and he steps forward to place his hands on my upper arms. "Stella, you are no where near an embarrassment for me. Just because everyone else here is about as shallow as a kiddy pool doesn't mean that I am too. I know that you aren't some 'gold digging slut'. Isn't that what matters?"

I sighed. "It should be but if everyone around you hates me then what position is that putting you in?"

He shrugged. "If they have a problem with you, they'll have to get over it. If they don't then they just won't have a position in my life at all."

"How could you say that?" My mouth was gapping like a fish. He practically just said that if people didn't like me then they could go jump off a bridge. Okay, not in so many words, but that's what it sounded like to me. "You would disown people for me?"

"I'm saying that the past month with you has been the best in my life and I plan on us spending a lot more together…if that's what you want." He said with those smoldering brown eyes. I was hypnotized by their power, but quickly shook myself.

"Brandon, I told you that I'm not ready for-"

"Is it really because of him or is it because of me?" My head snapped back up to him and I could see the hint of wounded pride and rejection in his eyes. I did this. I am causing him unnecessary pain.

"Of course not! I just got out of a long relationship. Like really long, you know that. He just kicked me out when he got bored of me. I thought he really cared but he didn't." I sniffled from the memories onslaught me from my last relationship. "How am I suppose to know you won't do the same?"

Brandon face softened and he brushed some of my hair away from the side of my face, grazing my cheek. "I'll prove to you that I am nothing like he was."

He drop one of his hands to my hip and dragged me closer. I laid my hands on his chest, intending to push him away but not seeming to have the will power to do it. I look up at his face as he drops his forehead onto mine.

"Starting now," He whispered. Then he did it.

He kissed me.

A/N: Thanks soooooooo much for reading and reviewing! I know you guys want more sooner but school is getting pretty difficult so bear with me. Education comes first!

Sorry this is so short, but I felt bad for not updating so long. Hope you like it anyway.

I know I said Brandon would loosen up more, but I'm going to make it next chapter. When he is going to show Stella that he is way better than Steven!

So…Review!