MARIANA

I stirred awake as I felt the warm rays of sunlight on my face. Reluctantly, I peeled my eyes open and tried to get out of bed. I rolled to the edge of my queen-sized bed, sat up, swung my legs to the side, and slid my feet into my pink flip-flops.

I made my way to the bathroom and got ready for the day. Once I was done, I came out, dressed in my school uniform, and put on a pair of black shoes. After that, I made my way down the stairs, grabbing my backpack as I went.

“Good morning, Mum,” I called out as I spotted her at the dining table, eating breakfast.

“Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?” she asked, her voice warm as I sat down in one of the chairs.

“Yes, Mum, I slept well. What about you?”

“I slept like a baby,” she replied, and I smiled.

“What’s for breakfast?” I asked, glancing at her plate.

“Toast, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Should I ask Susan to make you a plate?”

“Yes, please,” I responded eagerly.

“Susan, darling! Please make a plate for Mariana. And get her a glass of chocolate milk too,” Mum called out loudly, so Susan could hear from the kitchen.

“Alright, ma’am,” Susan responded in an equally loud voice.

Susan was the house helper Brianna had hired to help around the house after she moved in with Mr. Adrian. She took care of the cleaning, cooking, and other little tasks, and Brianna was paying her very well for it since she was doing an excellent job.

After a few minutes, Susan appeared in the dining room with my plate and chocolate milk. I smiled at her as she set it in front of me.

“Here’s your breakfast,” she said after placing it down.

“Thank you, Susan,” I said gratefully before diving into the delicious-looking meal.

“Slow down, Mari. The food isn’t going anywhere,” Mum chuckled as she watched me eat.

“I have to eat fast because Tyler will be here any minute, and I don’t want to keep him waiting,” I replied, my mouth full, but she seemed to understand what I was trying to say.

“Oh. Tyler’s picking you up today?”

“Yeah. We’ll also be picking up Vanessa,” I answered.

“Nice. Let me see Tyler when he arrives. You’ve been talking about him a lot, but I haven’t had the chance to meet him yet,” Mum said, and I nodded.

Just as she finished speaking, my phone rang, and the screen lit up with the song “Mi Querido (My Darling)” accompanied by a string of heart emojis. A bright smile spread across my face as I recognized Tyler’s name.

I wasted no time answering the call, placing the phone to my ear.

“Hey, boo!” I said excitedly, causing Mum to glance at me with a slightly puzzled expression.

“Hey, babe. I’m at the gate. Are you ready?” Tyler asked, and I quickly glanced at my nearly empty plate and cup.

“Yeah, I’m almost done. But there’s something else I need to tell you.”

“Oh, what’s that?” he asked, his voice calm.

“My mum wants to meet you. She wants to see the guy I’ve been talking about and who makes her daughter giggle nonstop,” I said with a grin.

“Does she want to see me, like, right now?” he asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

“Yeah, right now.”

“Oh my goodness. I wasn’t prepared for this. Do you think she’ll like me? I don’t want to make a bad first impression,” he said, panicking slightly.

“She’ll like you. Don’t overthink it, and come in. Or should I come to fetch you to boost your confidence?” I teased.

“There’s no need for that. I’ve got plenty of confidence,” he replied, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Okay, if you say so. Just come on in,” I said, my voice lighthearted.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” he said before hanging up.

“Was that Tyler?” Mum asked after I hung up.

“Yeah, it was. He’ll be here in a minute,” I answered.

A few moments later, there was a knock on the door, and I quickly jumped up from my chair. I sprinted to the door, twisted the doorknob, and flung the door open.

There he stood, upright with his hands stuffed into his pockets, a broad smile plastered across his face—though I could tell it was completely fake. He was a nervous wreck.

“What’s wrong with you?” I laughed.

“Me? Nothing’s wrong with me,” he responded, still wearing that fake smile.

“You don’t have to act all stiff. Just be yourself. She’ll love you,” I reassured him.

“Are you sure? I really want to make a good first impression,” he said, his voice uncertain.

“I’m sure. Just be yourself.”

“Okay, if you say so.” He sighed deeply. “I think I’m ready now.”

“Alright, let’s do it,” I said, stepping aside to let him enter the house. I closed the door behind me and led him to the dining room, where Mum was.

“Good morning, Mrs. Jackson,” Tyler greeted politely, bowing slightly when he saw Mum. She looked up and gave him a faint smile.

“Mrs. Jackson? That’s the name of my ex-husband’s wife. Call me Caroline,” Mum said, causing Tyler to fluster.

“I had no idea. I’m sorry, Caroline,” Tyler immediately apologized, and Mum chuckled softly.

“It’s fine. Have a seat,” she said, motioning to one of the chairs. Tyler sat down, and I followed, sitting beside him.

“So… you’re my daughter’s boyfriend, right?” Mum asked, leaning back in her chair, studying him.

“Yes, ma’am, I am,” Tyler replied, his tone respectful.

“How long have you two been dating?”

“About three months now. I must admit, they’ve been the best three months of my life,” Tyler said, his eyes meeting mine, and I blushed.

“Do you love her? Think carefully before answering,” Mum asked, her gaze unwavering. Tyler didn’t hesitate to respond.

“Love is an understatement for how I feel toward her. But since there’s no word greater than love, I’ll say yes, I love her. I love her a lot.”

“Good answer. What about your parents? Do they know about your relationship with my daughter? And did they approve?” Mum asked, her voice gentle but probing.

“Yes, they know. And yes, they approve of our relationship,” Tyler responded confidently.

“That’s good. Based on your answers, I see nothing wrong with you two being together. There’s just one thing I need to make clear…”

“What’s that, ma’am?” Tyler asked, sounding a bit apprehensive.

“If you break my daughter’s heart or make her cry, I will make you regret it. Do you understand?” she stated firmly.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, his voice serious.

“Good, good,” Mum said with a nod, a satisfied look on her face.

“Would you like some breakfast? I’ll ask Susan to make you a plate,” Mum offered, but Tyler shook his head.

“No, ma’am. We’ll be late if I stay to eat. Maybe I can come over for dinner another time?”

“That’s a lovely idea. I’ll be expecting you. And please, stop calling me ‘ma’am.’ I’m Caroline,” Mum insisted.

“All right, ma’am… I mean, Caroline,” Tyler said with a slight grin.

“Okay, you two can go now. We don’t want you to be late for school,” Mum said. Tyler stood up, and I did the same, grabbing my backpack.

“It was nice meeting you, Caroline,” Tyler said with a genuine smile.

“Likewise, Tyler. See you next time,” Mum said with a small wave.

“Bye, Mum! See you later!” I called out as I walked out of the house with Tyler.

“See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?” I teased once we were outside.

“No, it wasn’t. Your mum is so nice,” he said, clearly relieved.

“I know. She’s the nicest person ever,” I giggled.

“Alright, let’s go pick up Vanessa and hit the road. We’re already running late,” Tyler said, opening the passenger door for me.

“Thanks,” I muttered as he closed the door and rounded the car to the driver’s seat. He started the car and zoomed off down the road, while I leaned back in the seat like the passenger princess that I was.

As I closed my eyes, letting the cool air rush through the open window, I couldn’t help but think about how we got here. After that incident in the cafeteria where Tyler and I started a food fight, he stopped being rude to me, and we became cordial. When his ex-girlfriend, Delilah, saw that he was nice to me, she began bullying me, making school unbearable. I had rather stayed at home than face her at school.

To make a long story short, Tyler witnessed how she treated me, and he stood up for me. He warned Delilah and told her that he would make her regret it if she ever bullied me again, and he broke up with her. Delilah backed down and stayed in her lane after she lost her famous boyfriend. After that, things slowly started to change between us. We spent more time together, studying and talking, and eventually, he asked me out. At first, I hesitated, unsure of where this would lead, but now I couldn’t be happier with my decision.

We reached Vanessa’s house, and Tyler honked the horn to get her attention. A moment later, the front door opened, and Vanessa emerged, her hair bouncing as she walked toward the car.

“Hey, Vanessa!” I greeted her as she slid into the backseat.

“Hey, girl! Hey, Tyler!” she replied with a wide smile.

“Hey, V,” Tyler said with a wave, focusing on the road as he started driving again.

We spent the rest of the drive to school talking about the latest gossip and catching up on the weekend. It felt good to be with my two best friends—Tyler and Vanessa—both of whom had become such an important part of my life. I still couldn’t believe how much my life had changed in such a short time. From the girl who was invisible in the cafeteria to this—being driven to school by the guy I was falling for.

When we arrived at school, Tyler parked the car, and we all stepped out. The hustle and bustle of the school grounds hit me immediately, the chatter of students and the clinking of lockers filling the air.

“We’ll meet up later for lunch?” I asked, turning to Vanessa.

“You know it,” she replied, flashing me a wink.

“I’ll see you two around,” Tyler said, pulling me into a quick hug before heading off in the opposite direction.

I stood there for a moment, watching him go. There was something about seeing him walk away that made me feel a little tug at my heart. Was I falling for him more than I’d realized? Maybe it was just the way he’d looked at me when we were talking to my mum. There was so much honesty in his eyes, and I knew he wasn’t just saying he loved me for the sake of it. I had no idea where this relationship was going, but it felt right.

With a sigh, I turned back to Vanessa, who was already looking at me with a mischievous grin.

“What?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, nothing,” she said, her smile widening. “It’s just that you two are so cute together.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at my lips.

“Come on, let’s get to class before we’re late,” I said, nudging her toward the entrance.

As we walked toward the building, my thoughts drifted back to Tyler. I had a feeling that whatever happened next between us would be worth it.