Page 77 of Oblivious Roommate

I love him so much.

Epilogue

Cassian

My hands sweat. My heart beats too fast. My mind is like a spinning slow globe.

This must be how Matt felt last night, when he visited my family for Christmas Eve. After living together for a couple of months, it was strange to part so we could stay at our respective family homes. Christmas morning didn’t feel complete without his presence, and the constant exchange of messages wasn’t enough.

I shudder from the cold, but with the sun slowly setting while the crisp snow creaks under my weight, I’m feeling joyful.

Matt is close, and I can already see his red brick home farther down the suburban road. I know his parents and brother well, so it’s especially weird that I will be now officially meeting them as Matt’s boyfriend. Even the LED reindeer in the front yard can’t disperse the sense of awkwardness inside me, but I will brave it. For Matt.

Wanting to make a good impression, I brought my mom’s panettone for dessert, but everything else is up in the air.

I knock on the Christmas wreath-adorned door and brace myself.

Matt knows I’m coming so he opens the door moments later with a big smile that makes me melt. “The food isn’t ready yet,” he informs me as if that’s the reason I’ve come.

A wonky reindeer smiles at me from a red sweater that makes his blue eyes stand out. His hair is unusually short, which means his mom must have given him a trim, and his freckled cheeks look rosy.

All I want is to take him in my arms, so I step in and pull him into a hug that soothes my panic a little bit. I can already smell the Christmas ham, and the jolly sound of festive songs makes us both start wiggling from left to right.

“Damn, I missed you!”

“I know, right? It’s been so many… hours!” He laughs and pulls me inside.

I don’t realize it’s an ambush until I’m under the mistletoe in the corridor and he kisses me.

My fingers tremble, but I manage to keep the bag with the panettone from falling when my muscles relax. His touch is perfection, and I hold on to him with my free arm, hoping that time could stand still so that no one could distur—

“Cassian, it’s so nice to see you!”

I flinch, stiff like a piece of wood, because the voice belongs to Matt’s mom, and while she knows about us, I’m still unsure how accepting she is and whether seeing us kiss isn't too much for her at the moment.

She doesn’t seem fazed, but Matt seems a bit sheepish when he backs off. “Sooo… my boyfriend, Cassian.” He makes a wide gesture my way.

“Hello,” I say, annoyed about being so casual. I smile at her and take off my hat. “Mrs. Marshall, the new hair color looks great.”

I know the comment hit the jackpot when her eyes light up. “I know, right? I think it takes away a few years,” she says and adjusts her colorful apron.

I nod, even though I don’t see that much of a difference in that department. “Um, and my mom made this. I glazed it myself,” I say, offering her the panettone.

“Oh, that’s so lovely, did you wish his mom a Merry Christmas from me?”

“I did!” Matt says, and she beams at us, soothing my nerves a little.

She looks as if she just remembered something. “And Spark? Who’s taking care of him?”

“Our friend, Aaron. He’s staying in Springton for Christmas, so he just moved into our apartment for a few days.”

“Oh, that’s nice of him,” Mrs. Marshall says and takes a step back into the corridor filled with colorful seasonal decor. “I need to go back to the kitchen, but you have to introduce your new boyfriend to everyone. Dinner will be served as soon as Adam’s back.”

So Matt’s brother isn’t here yet. I exhale with relief, because knowing him, I’ll be mercilessly teased over the new family development. At least I’ll have the time to adjust before he appears.

Matt squeezes my hand with an overjoyed grin. He’s a bit like a human golden retriever and I love that about him. I want to make him happy all the time.

“I love the sweater by the way,” Matt says when he takes my jacket.