when i pulled up to his house, i parked in the street in front of the mailbox; i never park in someone's driveway unless i feel extremely welcomed. this was the first time i had ever gone inside the Adams' house and I really didn't feel up to making a rude impression. not that i understand how parking in someone's driveway would lead to a bad impression. However, I digress.

I stepped up to the front door and rang the doorbell. My heart raced a bit as I was curious as to who would answer and what to say. What if his dad's name was evan, and then I sounded like a dufus. This is the same way i feel when i call people's home phone numbers.

A brunette girl of about seventeen answered the door quickly. She opened it all the way, as if she felt no threat from a visitor and was sincerely welcoming. This must've been Genevieve.

"Ev! Your study-buddy is here!" She yelled to the back of the house. I saw Evan walk around from what must have been the kitchen and come towards the door. As he came forward, Genevieve let me in. I stood sheepishly in the foyer as I waited for him to take charge.

"Claire, this is my sister Genevieve. Nevi, this is Claire."
We exchanged pleasantries awkwardly and I followed them toward the kitchen where a dinner table set for six was filling up with food. Evan took a seat across from Genevieve and I took the seat next to him, across from a younger boy who I assumed was his brother Trevor.

Evan put his napkin on his lap as he started addressing the woman who was bringing a plate of cheese, lettuce, avocado, and tomatoes to the table. "Mom, this is Claire. She just moved here from Massachusetts and she's in one of my classes."

"Oh, hi darling. You do like steak tacos, right? Evan was very short notice in telling me we were having a guest; I would have made something else!" She was a tall, thin brunette woman who looked to be in her early 40s. She had a very white smile she didn't move much when she talked. "Sorry, I'm Karen by the way." She motioned as if to show she would offer a handshake but she couldn't right now.

A man who looked slightly older with much less hair was sitting to Evan's left at the head of the table. He was eating corn chips and guacamole while he waited for the rest of the food to be served. He had rough hands with dirty fingernails. With a look up and down I assumed he was a mechanic.

"So why Illinois from Massachusetts?" he asked before popping a chip in his mouth.

"My parents got divorced and my mom wanted a change of scenery. My dad and my brother still live in the house out there so it's not so bad," I said with a shaky voice. I never liked the whole meet-the-parents feel, and this was a whole meet-the-whole-freaking-family ordeal.

"Do you like it out here?" asked Karen as she took the seat next to me.

"Yeah. I mean, I miss my friends back home, but I've gotten closer with my mom since we've moved. I can't wait to see Chicago though. I'm so used to Boston." I kindof wanted the chitchat to stop now. There were tacos to be consumed in front of me and i really wasn't interested in the conversation.

However, Karen was one of those moms that believed that dinner time was a time to talk about your day and not fill up with food. My family never had these dinnertime rituals where we all met and talked. Usually we just ordered Chinese food and you ate when you ate and if you didn't get any, oh well.

"Oh. And what classes did you say you had with Evan?" She was incredible at eye-contact. It blew my mind.

I swallowed the bite of taco in my mouth. "We have pre-calculus together. Nothing else though, really."

"Oh, and do you have any classes with Nevie? I know Trevor is too young."

At this point, Genevieve cut in for me. "No, I told you this earlier, mom." I was grateful for her interruption to continue eating.

Evan and I ate in silence while Trevor talked about the classes he was taking next year.

When dinner was finished, Evan loaded our plates into the dishwasher and I felt ridiculous sitting at their table without him. I was waiting for them to ask some crazy questions but no one really said anything. Karen told Trevor to do the dishes and went outside to smoke a cigarette. Evan's dad sat at the table quietly watching the TV across the kitchen.

Evan motioned for me to follow him, and I realized that Genevieve had already left the kitchen.



This is what you get for now. Glad to pick this up.