1x1 with Aato

[wannabehippie]

"Ive never met someones parents before, everything that we do is new to me." She admitted and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. When he put his hand on her thigh she held it tight and twined their fingers together. She really liked him and she wanted to make a good impression on his parents. Copeland looked out of the window and thought

[Aato]

He smiled lightly at her words and gave her hand a little squeeze when she twined their fingers. Soon, he angled the car into the driveway to park. He got out then went around to open her door before leading her to the house. He pulled out his keys and unlocked the door to let them inside.

"A-pah, it's just me!" He called to his father. He knew he was very attentive to the door. He heard water running in the kitchen and assumed it was him. Brice then gingerly closed the door behind them. "If you want, you can sit on the sofa or tag along to my room... Just, no promises that you won't see something you don't want to." He laughed.

"Your father's doing work in the garage again. Thanks for doing those--" Eileen, Brice's mother, spoke as she rounded the corner from the kitchen, but she paused upon seeing Copeland. Eileen was a short-ish woman with a figure a little more on the chubby side due to age. Her moderate length hair was strawberry blonde and near-curly wavy. She had large green eyes and ivory skin dotted with a few freckles across her cheeks and tan moles elsewhere. "Another party tonight, Brice? ...Where's Miranda?"

Brice cleared his throat. "I'm, uh, not going with Miranda..." He knew he was going to get a number of questions from Copeland now... "This is Copeland...or, as I like to say, Sunshine -- 'cause she just has the brightest little personality." He joked inwardly and moved a hand to ruffle her hair.

Eileen nodded slowly then turned to the girl at Brice's side. "Well, hello, Copeland." Her eyes went back to Brice for the moment. "Let me get your father from the garage.

"Chaojian!" She called as she made her way past them toward the garage door.

"See. Great so far." Brice murmured to Copeland once his mother was out of earshot.

[wannabehippie]

When they entered the house Cope looked around. She pulled the front of her dress down when she heard someone coming. When his mom came out sge smiled brightly, ready to make a good impression. Copeland tilted her head when she said the name Miranda. Well then. she thought and tried to shake it off. When she called for his dad and left she glared at Brice and rolled her eyes at him "Maybe you should have brought Miranda to meet her." She mumbled and crossed her arms over her chest

[Aato]

Brice nodded his head slowly -- not in agreement with her, but in knowing that fact that he was right about getting some backlash. "Miranda's just a girl that I usually go to these sorts of things with... It's just been that way for years. When we first got to high school and the 'popular circle' got established, I asked her to the first party. At the time, I had a thing for her... That faded a long time ago after I realized who she was. Just, us being seen together became a staple somehow so it's been something we just go with. ...She's probably going to be surprised I'm not her date too..." He murmured under his breath as he looked away.

"Why don't you take a seat?" He moved a hand to the small of her back to encourage her on as he gestured toward the sofa. "My parents should be back any minute."

[wannabehippie]

Copeland sat on the couch and crossed one leg over the other. She scratched the back of her head and chewed the inside of her cheek. She sat and waited for his parents to come back. Copeland thought about what she just heard, what if this girl usually goes with talks to her? What if she took Brice away? That last question brought a tear to her eye but she blinked it away "Well i guess so far so good." She said and smiled up at Brice softly. She rubbed her hands together then locked them putting them on her knee

[Aato]

When she moved, Brice followed, stopping behind the sofa and halfway resting his rump along the back, a leg dangling. "See. Told you there was nothing to--" He stopped short when his parents entered.

"Ahhh..." Chaojian was wiping his hands off on a damp rag, covering it with streaks of dirt. "So this is the girl who's kinda amazing?"

Brice blushed. "A-pah..." he grumbled, but his father only carried on, quite delighted.

"I'd go with American tradition and shake your hand, but I'd hate to dirty you up, so I'll just bow." With that, he gave a bob of his head to show courtesy.

Brice leaned down to Copeland's ear and swiftly whispered, "In Taiwan, it's customary to stand and bow a little lower when meeting someone older. ...I mean, you don't have to do it -- he wouldn't expect you to know..." He shrugged lightly.

He then noticed his mother getting ready to sit before something seemed to spark in her head and she was headed to the kitchen. He spoke quietly as she passed. "Mama, you don't have--"

"Your father would insist. Don't be rude." She whisper-yelled back.

A hand moved to cover his face. Let the embarrassment persist...

[wannabehippie]

Copeland smiled at his father, he was an adorable man. She blushed softly when he repeated what Brice said "Hi im Copeland." She stood and bowed back but a little lower then carefully sat down so she wouldnt fall in her wedges "Youre son is amazing." She said then smiled up at Brice then back at his parents. "You have a beautiful home by the way." She said to his father looking around a bit more.

[Aato]

Chaojian looked taken aback by Copeland's gesture, then looked from her to Brice. "You got a pretty one, Brice, and such a respectful girl too."

Brice chuckled uneasily and rubbed a hand along the back of his neck. "...Thanks..."

His father's attention then turned back to Copeland. "Thank you, dear." There was a moment of pause in his speech, though he hummed to fill the silence as he thought on what he'd say next. Then, it struck him. "Did you enjoy your outing with Brice the other morning? He was very flustered with trying to figure out what to do to keep your interest. I had to help him out a bit."

Brice's arms folded over his chest. "I was not. You just offered me some tips after you stopped and questioned about where I was going."

"...And did you not use them?"

"Well, uh..."

"Exactly. It's a father's intuition. I know these things. Now, stop interrupting; I'm talking to Copeland here." He then looked back to her, awaiting her response.

[wannabehippie]

Copeland chuckled at there conversation looking between the two. Then she tried to think of an answer "Yes sir, it was very fun and im glad you suggested it, i liked it a lot." She said and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You should listen to your father Brice, he knows what to do to keep a girl interested." She teased and poked his leg. Copeland hoped she was giving a good impression, this was her first time and she was nervous but she stayed calm.

[Aato]

Brice just sort of blushed and nodded when Copeland spoke, siding with his father.

Chaojian chuckled until they faded into his next words. "And the sleepover? ...I should hope there are no little Brices running around any time soon."

"A-pah! I told you--"

"It's just a joke. Relax."

Just then Eileen returned to the room with a tray of fruit and cookies and placed it down on the coffee table. "Anything I can get you to drink, Copeland?" She offered, oblivious to everyone's conversations.