"It's about them being stupid," Amber insisted, tone strong. It'd become about him, once everyone got past their initial shock that a black man was sitting at their table, holding her hand. If he went in there with his rigorously ironed clothes and politeness-- her mom would eat up his chivalry-- then that'd do away with most of their fears of a loud guy with a boom box and incomprehensible English. By the time the conversation got past the first few stilted false starts and they realized Eric could handle safe topics like sports and the news (at least, Amber assumed he could; he did say that's what he liked watching), then it'd be easy going. He'd probably become a favorite, in fact, making them feel good about how open-minded they were. "It's got nothing to do with you."
It was hard not to bristle at how offended Eric was getting. "I didn't think you were going to be," Amber defended, feeling attacked from all sides. First her mom stuck her foot in her life; then the ghosts of girlfriends past came to taunt her; and now Eric was blaming her for things she'd never done. "I'm not any happier with this than you are." It was her family humiliating her, did he think she liked that?
But Eric softened, seeming to see her again, and Amber found herself unwinding slightly, her shoulders relaxing so that she wasn't sitting up so rigidly tall. It was good to hear him say sorry; it diffused her anger, somehow. She remembered a few nights ago when they were deciding whether or not to give being a couple another shot, and how her apology had made all the difference. More proof that they were a good thing. "Me too," she said. "Sorry my family are idiots."
Just when she'd let her guard down, he said I know it's the first time you've brought a guy home. Amber smiled tight-lipped, the way she learned when a hit landed too close to home. Her mom had tattled, had she. So on top of everything else, his multiple successes with girls' parents was being compared to her record of zero. Still refusing to acknowledge the hurt, Amber only shrugged. "You're the first guy I wanted to."
She shook her head and ran her free hand through her hair. Tangled, of course; she'd gone straight from bed to here. "I need coffee. And food," she said. If she waited any longer her body would shut down in rebellion-- but more than that, Amber wanted a break from being torn apart from all sides.
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It was hard not to bristle at how offended Eric was getting. "I didn't think you were going to be," Amber defended, feeling attacked from all sides. First her mom stuck her foot in her life; then the ghosts of girlfriends past came to taunt her; and now Eric was blaming her for things she'd never done. "I'm not any happier with this than you are." It was her family humiliating her, did he think she liked that?
But Eric softened, seeming to see her again, and Amber found herself unwinding slightly, her shoulders relaxing so that she wasn't sitting up so rigidly tall. It was good to hear him say sorry; it diffused her anger, somehow. She remembered a few nights ago when they were deciding whether or not to give being a couple another shot, and how her apology had made all the difference. More proof that they were a good thing. "Me too," she said. "Sorry my family are idiots."
Just when she'd let her guard down, he said I know it's the first time you've brought a guy home. Amber smiled tight-lipped, the way she learned when a hit landed too close to home. Her mom had tattled, had she. So on top of everything else, his multiple successes with girls' parents was being compared to her record of zero. Still refusing to acknowledge the hurt, Amber only shrugged. "You're the first guy I wanted to."
She shook her head and ran her free hand through her hair. Tangled, of course; she'd gone straight from bed to here. "I need coffee. And food," she said. If she waited any longer her body would shut down in rebellion-- but more than that, Amber wanted a break from being torn apart from all sides.