Chapter 14

Marcel's POV

While we were in the car, heading off to a restaurant, Tiana received a text  message from someone which made her look at me.

"Marcel?" she said as I raised my eyebrows.

"Yes, Tiana?" I said as she showed me her phone.

"I don't think I can go to dinner with you," she said "My parents just got home."

"Oh," Gemma said "We'll take you home then."

"Oh, no, really, I don't want to bother--"

"Please honey," Mum said "We insist." she added smiling.

"So, where to?" I said as she smiled at me.

"Just a few blocks away from here," she said as mum smiled and nodded.

We drove off to the direction Tiana said and while we were on the road, I watched Tiana staring at the window.

She's so beautiful-- she doesn't even know it.

And that's what makes her beautiful.

After a few minutes of driving, we then stopped in front of a huge gate. Tiana then called someone on the phone, assuming their security guard, telling him to open the gate so we can get in.

"Uhm, it's okay though if we'll stay outside.." I said as she chuckled.

"No, I insist," she said. "I want you to meet my family-- together with your family." she added smiling as I gulped.

"Oh, but honey, do they know we are here?" Mum said as Tiana smiled and nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am, in fact, they messaged me if you would like to join us for dinner?" she said as mum and Gemma looked at each other and to me, signaling me if we should go or not.

So I nodded-- without even thinking!

Mum and Gemma then smiled at Tiana and nodded as Tiana grinned.

"Great!" she exclaimed.

Then after a few moments, the huge gate opened automatically and revealed a huge beautiful mansion.

A mansion.

And it's literally huge! (image above)

"This is your home?!" Gemma exclaimed as Tiana smiled shyly and nodded.

"It's my parents'.." she said as my jaw dropped while looking around.

Her house is amazing! The architectural plot is amazing and the house's appearance is luxurious and sophisticated. While I was busy staring in awe at her house, Tiana must have noticed me.

"Something wrong?" she asked as I looked at her in amazement.

"Does the president live here??" I said as she chuckled and slapped my shoulder.

"Don't be silly," she laughed.

"Uhm, honey? Where am I parking?" Mum asked Tiana.

"Oh, we can stop here," Tiana said "I'll just call someone to park it for you." she added, smiling.

"Wow," Gemma said "I didn't know you owned a hotel!" she joked as Tiana blushed and smiled, looking down.

After a few moments, a man wearing a dark uniform asked for my mum's car keys and parked it himself as we went inside Tiana's mansion--- even their front door is huge!

I'm kind of getting nervous right now though. I'm actually going to meet a very wealthy family. And I've been thinking to myself... What if they're perfectionists?

Calm down, Marcel. Calm down.

Tiana's POV

As we were walking towards our front door, I kind of felt the tense Marcel's feeling and I just told him to relax.

I knocked on our door thrice and after a few moments, my dad, namely Joe, opened the door with a big smile wearing his white shirt and faded blue pajama pants.

"Darling!" he said opening his arms for a hug which I went into.

"Daddy!" I exclaimed and hug him tight then pulled away to introduce the Styles'. "Daddy, I would like you to meet Gemma, their mum, Anne, and Marcel Styles." I said as he smiled at them and shook their hands individually.

"Good evening," he said to Gemma, smiling and shaking her hand as Gemma smiled back.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Carter," Gemma said.

"Good evening, Miss Styles," Dad said, smiling and shaking Anne's hand as well.

"As to you, Mr. Carter," Anne said smiling.

"Please, call me Joe," he said as Anne smiled and nodded.

"Okay, Joe," she said.

And now, it's Marcel's turn. He wiped his hands on the pocket of his jeans which made me, Gemma and Anne chuckle.

"Sir," he said reaching out his hand to shake dad's hand.

"Ah, you must be the Marcel Styles," Dad said chuckling as he shook Marcel's hand "Pleasure to meet you, son,"

"Pleasure's mine," Marcel said and showed off his best smile showing off his dimples.

"Please, do come in. Make yourself feel at home. Mi casa es tu casa," Dad said saying "My house is your house" in Spanish. "My wife's inside preparing dinner." he added, smiling as we went inside.

Yes, my dad's a very smiley person, that's why I love him sooo much. Anyway, as we entered, I led the Styles' to our living room.

"Wow," Marcel said looking around.

"What?" I said as he looked at me.

"I mean, I knew you were wealthy but I never knew you were this wealthy." he said as I blushed hard.

"My mom's an architect and my dad's an engineer so..." I said shyly as they sat on the sofa.

"That explains the great architectural plot," Gemma said looking around "Don't you think, mom?"

"Absolutely," Anne said "So, what course are you planning to take in college, Tiana?" she added as Penny, our maid, came in serving cookies and tea.

"I'm taking neuroscience, Ma'am," I said as they raised their eyebrows and nodded.

"That's great, honey," Anne said "And by the way, stop calling me "Ma'am." Call me Anne." she added, smiling at me as I smiled back.

"Okay, Anne," I said, grinning.

Then silence filled the air aside from the R&B slash soul music dad played on the stereos until Gemma spoke up to again, break the silence between us.

"Hey, Marcel's taking up Law, right Marcel?" Gemma said nudging Marcel's elbow.

"I think.." Marcel said "Law or sociology.. maybe business, not sure yet." he added, shyly.

"Well," I started "Either ways, you're gonna get it anyway," I added smiling at him as he looked at me and returned the smile.

After a few minutes, dad came in with mom who was wearing a white long sleeved night dress.

"Everyone, this is my wife, Karen," Dad said as I went to my mom and hugged her.

"Mommyyy," I said while hugging her.

"Sweetie, I'm glad you're home safe," she said as I pulled away.

"Thanks to them, mom," I said "Meet Gemma, Marcel, and their mum, Anne Styles."

"Pleasure to meet you," she said smiling, shaking their hands individually.

After the meet the family session that took for like, forever, Mom finally finished the introduction.

"So, dinner?" she said smiling.

"Yeah!" Dad exclaimed as we laughed and nodded.

"What's for dinner, mom?" I said as we all headed towards the dining table.

"Your mom's specialty, of course," dad said "The best Salisbury steak ever." he added as he wrapped his arm around mom and kissed her head.

"Mom, Dad, PDA much," I said as they laughed.

Marcel's POV

When we arrived at the dining table, I saw a perfectly arranged fine dining table as two maidens came in serving us corn soup, chicken fillet, Tiana's mom's Salisbury steak and glasses of eggnog to drink with low alcohol content, according to Tiana.

"Eat as much as you can. We have a strict rule of no diet here, as you can see." Tiana's dad said, rubbing his stomach, joking as we laughed.

"Is there an occasion?" I whispered to Tiana who was sitting beside me.

"No," she whispered back, smiling "We usually do this when we have visitors especially when mom and dad just came home," she added as I nodded.

I then felt a bit nervous though I mean, knowing that my crush's family is this wealthy and a close to the perfect kind of family and I might not be fit their standards. I rubbed my hands on my lap and I guess Tiana noticed me so she touched my hand, caressing it with her thumb.

She held my hand.

I then looked at her seeing her looking at me straight in the eye and smiled, mouthing the words "Relax." so I smiled back and nodded.

Okay so this is awkward. I mean not awkward not like they're awkward it's just that I'm-- awkward.

Anyway, I hope this night's going to end well. I can't afford to lose the opportunity of having Tiana in my life.

If I even have the chance to.

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This chapter's sooooo long. I hope you didn't get bored reading it x. LOVEYOU!

Cara xx.