"This place is so nice, Jackson," I gushed as I took in the fancy restaurant with the fabric table cloths and napkins. I had rarely ever been to a restaurant this formal before. I was nervous for a repeat of Watergate.

What I was mostly hoping for from this date was a level of comfort that I hadn't reached with Jackson yet. The conversation hadn't flown like I had anticipated. Our texts were just as awkward as our in person interactions and I hated that formality. I even tried googling how to fake casual talk while in a relationship but I got conflicting advice.

"Just for you," He grinned at me.

We ordered steaks and as they arrived, I tucked my napkin into the top of dress so that I could leave the restaurant in the same condition that I entered it. Jackson gave me an odd look. "It goes on your lap," He gestured to the napkin, laying his on his lap gently.

I blushed and removed it before mimicking his actions.

"So, what are your plans for Christmas?" I asked as I struggled to cut my steak with my knife.

Jackson's eyes were very focused on my steak cutting (or lack thereof). "I'm probably going to spend it at home. I miss my family and they usually throw a huge party when we all come home."

I smiled, "That sounds so fun. I think I'll do the same with my parents. It's the first year I'm not working for the holidays since I started college."

"Don't you miss them?" Jackson asked as he gracefully took a bite of his steak. I was still currently sawing a tree trunk with a butter knife.

I took a swig of my water before getting back to the physical labour that was my steak. "I guess. I find it kind of nice to get a break from them sometimes, honestly."

"Oh," He murmured. "Honestly, I can't get enough of my family. I talk to them constantly."

"That's really sweet," I stated.

Silence.

My fork scraping against the ceramic plate.

Sweat dripping down my neck as I panicked.

Jackson's phone rang and I jumped at the intrusion. He gave me an apologetic smile. "It's my mom. Do you mind if I answer?"

I nodded, "Please do! Tell her I said hi! Or I guess she probably doesn't know anything about me. In which case, don't mention me at all. Please just answer," I babbled.

He gave me a flustered smile before answering. "Hi mom... I had no idea. I'm actually on a date... yes I'll see. Love you too, bye."

He hung up the phone just as I had finally sawed off a bite of steak. Jackson used his napkin to pat his mouth clean (I thought it looked spectacularly clean to begin with but to each their own).

"So, no pressure, but my mom decided to throw an impromptu 'you're halfway through med school' party for my sister and forgot to tell me about it," Jackson laughed.

I nodded, chewing my unusually chewy bite before swallowing it with an audible gulp. "Did you want to cut our date short? I can grab a cab from here."

He shook his head, "No, I wouldn't want you to do that. How do you feel about coming with me?"

"Coming with you," I gaped at him, "To meet your entire family?"

He shrugged, "Only if you want to. They're pretty sweet."

I nodded slowly, "Sure." Though what I really wanted to scream out was are you insane?! I can barely keep my mouth shut enough to talk to you much less your entire clan, but figured I should keep my mouth shut and thank the lucky stars he liked me enough to keep me around for now.

So we finished eating and got back in his car, driving to his parents' place.

"So, I just want to give you a heads up that my parents can be a little... involved in my life."

He tells me this now. "Involved in what way?"

"They mean well. But they'll probably want to know everything about you. And I mean everything," He stated nonchalantly.

"Everything? And what if I don't tell them?"

"You might want to tell your friends to file a missing persons report tomorrow," He teased.

I laughed, "My friends have a very particular set of skills they've acquired over a very long career. They will look for me. They will find me. And they will kill you." I deepened my voice mimicking Liam Neeson as best as I could.

"Huh?" Jackson asked in confusion, looking at me as though I were mentally deranged. I mean, I could have been, but he didn't know that.

Ah shit. He didn't get my reference. "It's from the movie Taken?"

"I've never seen it," Jackson stated. "But seriously, they will ask a lot of questions."

Keep it together, Mabel. Don't slip up again. "Of course. I understand."

He nodded. And silence ensued. I wanted to die.

Eventually (I'm talking several minutes of crystal silence here with only the rumblings of my stomach to be heard - my arm got tired from sawing at my steak for so long), we arrived at his parents' house.

I opened the door and gazed at the largest mansion I'd ever seen in my life. "This is where you live?" I gaped at the swooping roof, the endless amounts of lanterns dangling from the porch, and the pond (was that a koi?!) in the front yard.

"Yeah, this is home," Jackson murmured as he knocked on the front door, opening it quietly. "Mom?"

"Jackson!" A feminine voice called from somewhere inside this house. It could have been the kitchen or maybe a secret lair. I briefly wondered if the house had any secret passageways. A blonde haired, blue eyed, Barbie looking woman emerged in all white, literally looking like a floating angel. "I'm so glad you made it, darling!"

She pulled Jackson in for a hug and eyed me up and down. "Oh, you brought a friend. Hello," She smiled at me, reaching a hand forward to shake mine.

"It's so nice to meet you. Your house is amazing. And boy, do you look exactly like Jackson." You're doing great, Mabel. You're such a natural at first impressions. "It's no wonder he's such a looker." I cringed as that flew out of my mouth.

Jackson's mom glanced at Jackson who in turn glanced at me. I simmered in the awkwardness. I belonged there forever. I was terrible at first impressions and would never introduce myself to anyone ever again, this I solemnly swear.

"Ah. Well... thank you. You can call me Suzy."

I nodded, "I'm Mabel." I clamped my lips together tightly before anything else could escape.

"Well come in, come in. Everyone's waiting for you," Suzy clapped her hands together enthusiastically and led us into a hallway, which was really the width of my apartment and into a dining room which was the width of much more than my entire apartment building.

There sat a room of the most beautiful individuals I'd ever met. Was there a modelling campaign going on that I was unaware of? A roomful of blonde haired, blue eyed wonders surrounded me. I tucked my red hair subconsciously behind my ears. Just blend in with the blonde.

"Jackson!" Everyone in the room greeted, making me jump a little.

"Hey!" He responded, leading me by the elbow to an empty couch. We sat down and I fumbled with my fingers, so far beyond the scope of my comfort it wasn't even funny.

"Who is this? A girl asked taking in my appearance.

"I'm Mabel," I smiled at her. She gave me a half smile back and turned to whisper something to Suzy.

"That's my sister Jasmine who's in med school," Jackson whispered to me and I nodded in confirmation. He pointed to another woman sitting on another couch, "That's my eldest sister, Lilac. She's married to that guy," he gestured to a man in a sweater vest, "and that's my dad over there." He pointed to a Jackson look-a-like who was talking with sweater vest man.

"So, Mabel," Jackson's eldest sister called and I sat alert and ready to shut myself up. "What are you planning on doing when you graduate?"

"Oh," I frowned, "Well, I'm still unsure."

She waited for me to keep on going. We stared uncomfortably.

"If only I knew," I laughed nervously. No one said anything.

"Jackson's going into professional football," Suzy proclaimed proudly.

"Maybe," Jackson murmured and I turned to him in confusion. I thought he loved football. He sent me a subtle shake of his head and I knew not to push it anymore.

Suddenly, a screaming "Ms. Mabel!" disrupted everyone's confused looks. "You came to my party!" I looked around Suzy's figure to see Theo.

"Theo?" I questioned looking at his bright smile.

"Who is this?" Lilac asked Theo.

"She's my favourite teacher, mom!" Theo boasted. Yes. Brownie points. Keep talking Theo. "She's the one who's always saying she's going to eat my lunch if I don't finish it!" Shut. Up. Theo.

I chuckled nervously. "Erm. It's a popular teaching tactic. You know, healthy kids. There's nothing better than a little nudge to get them to eat. Not that I would ever actually do that. It's a recommended method. I read an article once. I'm not sure if it's still published though so don't take my word for it."

"Do you actually eat the food?" Suzy asked, perplexed.

"She loves chicken nuggets!" Theo laughed maniacally and I shot him a glare. He was going to pay after Christmas break.

"No! I'm a vegetarian actually. Hate meat. Can't stand it." I stuttered.

Jackson gasped, "Oh my God. I'm so sorry, Mabel. I had no idea."

I gave him a confused look before remembering I literally ate a tree trunk of a steak an hour earlier. "Oh! It's fine. I sometimes have cheat days. But never with chicken nuggets," I confirmed.

Let's digest the current situation: I am in a room full of blondes who look exactly the same. They're all eyeing me down like I'm a piranha while I'm sweating buckets. And I can't stop talking about chicken nuggets. This could be worse I reasoned. At least I haven't dropped any water all over the place (re: Watergate. It's still in the process of being repressed).

Who was I kidding? I needed to get out of here. "Do you think I could have some water?" I squeaked out as the room continued to stare.

Jackson jumped up, "Oh sure. It's right around the corner. I'll show you."

"No, no! You sit with your family, I'll find my way." I shoved his shoulder and he sat down with a grunt.

"I'll take you!" Theo grinned, with the most evil glint in his eyes. He was a corrupt soul, I was convinced.

"Oh, you're so sweet," I smiled back. I'd take the little devil on by myself if I had to.

Theo skipped his way ahead of me and into an enormous kitchen. "The cups are there," Theo nodded to one of the fifty cupboards before prancing away.

"Which one?" I hissed at him but he had already fled the room. Lucky bastard.

I opened three cupboards before I gave up and washed my hands instead. I took a deep breath before making my way back into the living room.

"You can't be serious, Jackson. This family has expectations," Suzy stated just as I rounded the corner.

Jackson's guilty gaze shot to mine but I merely smiled and sat next to him again, pretending to not have overheard a thing.

One thing was for sure: Suzy couldn't have possibly thought any less of me than I currently did about myself.