“Well, do you think we should leave soon? Won’t your parents be suspicious?”
“No, I went back to the house to shower and change early this morning. They didn’t even ask me any questions,” he replied.
AJ’s relationship with his parents was puzzling to me. He had so much freedom. My parents barely let me breathe, and his didn’t seem to bat an eye when he didn’t come home until morning. I couldn’t fathom it.
I unhooked my arms from around his neck and set my feet back down on the floor, staring at him curiously. “Do your parents even know about me? Like, have you even mentioned my name to them?”
He looked at me for a minute while he deliberated on how to answer my question. “No, I haven’t told them anything yet.”
Initially, I wasn’t sure whether or not that should upset me, but then it sunk in. I’d been through so much to be with him. There was ending my relationship with Antonio, losing my friends, lying to my parents, sneaking out, the drama with Leila, and he hadn’t even mentioned my name. I didn’t have anything else to say. I turned and walked away from him without saying another word. From behind, I heard him shut the front door before following me. I yanked my jeans off the dresser and threw them on while AJ stood there with is arms folded, leaning against the door frame.
“Are you gonna tell me what I did?”
I glared at him. “AJ I’ve been through so much to be with you and you haven’t even told your parents that I exist? How do you think that makes me feel?”
He sighed. “Sam, my family’s not like yours. My parents and I don’t talk about stuff like that. They just let me live my life and that’s the way it’s always been. They don’t ask many questions and I don’t offer up any unnecessary information.”
I chuckled even though nothing was funny. “Unnecessary information. That’s a nice way to put it.” I was now more furious than before. AJ reached for my arm as I brushed past him and walked back down the stairs. I sat on the bottom step and wrestled with my shoelaces.
AJ sat beside me. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Yeah, maybe not, but that sure is how you said it. I don’t think you get it! I lost my virginity to you. Do you understand that? That meant something to me! I’ve been through soooooo much already and your life hasn’t even skipped a beat!” I yelled.
He didn’t seem to lose his cool at all as he spoke. “Sam, that meant something to me too. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. If you want me to tell them, then that’s what I’ll do. I guess I didn’t look at it the way you do.”
“Of course you don’t look at it how I look at it. My whole life has been flipped upside down for you. I don’t even know who I am anymore! I’ve lied, I’ve cheated, I slapped Leila, I slept with you! None of that is me, AJ. I love being with you, but it just feels like I’m the only one making any sacrifices.”
We both sat there silent for about a minute and then I rose to my feet and walked out to the car, feeling the deepest sort of disrespect I’d ever experienced. What possible excuse could he have for not thinking I was important enough to even breathe a syllable of my name to his mother and father? The only thing I could come up with was the he didn’t think I was important enough. I sat there in my seat feeling hurt, but too proud to show him that I was. I waited as AJ locked up the house and then sat beside me, driving in silence the entire ride to the auto repair shop. When he pulled up next to my car, I climbed out quickly and avoided even making eye contact with him.
“Thanks for fixing my car,” was all I said before slamming his passenger side door and walking to my car. My keys were on the driver’s seat, so I grabbed them and started the car, pulling out of the parking lot without looking back in his direction.