The last real chapter before the epilogue! I'm so sorry for the long wait, I'm just so buse with life in general right now. To be honest, I always had this story in the back of my mind and I always put pressure on myself to finish it. I appreciate all the love this story has gotten over the years, even if it's not a good story :D I started it so many years ago and I never thought it would get this many reads. Thank you all so so much! 

I was woken up by the sunlight shining directly at my eyes. I blinked a couple times and it took my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the brightness. Judging by the amount of light shining through my window, it was probably already noon. I lowered my gaze onto my bed. Marc was still fast asleep next to, his arm loosely around my waist.

I could look at him all day. I loved everything about him. How his hair falls onto his forehead. His full, pink lips. The sound of his breathing.

Carefully, I crawled out of bed and tip-toed into the bathroom. After a quick shower, I made my hair. I did not bother to put on make-up, though. When I came back into my room, Marc was still sleeping. I would've loved to crawl back into bed with him, but my stomach was already growling, telling me to go downstairs and grab something to eat. I could already hear my family's voices in the kitchen.

When I walked in, they all turned their heads and looked at me. "Morning Mae!" Lilly exclaims, her mouth covered in jelly.

"Morning to you too, little one."

"I'm not little!"

"Whatever you say." I smile and give her a quick kiss on the head.

"I didn't hear you come in last night. Did you have fun at the dance?" my dad asks, before looking back at the newspaper in his hands.

Oh, if they would only know how much fun I had last night...

"Uhm, yah I did get in quite late, but yes, the dance was a success, I think the students loved it." I took a seat next to Lilly and grabbed a bun out of the bowl that was sitting in the middle of the table.

What should I do? Tell them that Marc was upstairs? Run upstairs and tell Marc to sneak out? Maybe jump out of the window?

No, I did not want that. I did not want to hide him from my family. The school, yes. But not the people I love the most.

After a couple of minutes, I finally decided to speak up. "So.., uhm... there's something I need to-"

I was interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the stairs. Oh no.

My mum turned her head in the direction of the doorway, a confused look on her face. Then she looks back at me and raises one of her eyebrows.

Before I can say anything else, Marc appears in the doorway. Fortunately, he did not come downstairs in just his boxers. That would've been even more awkward. He was wearing the hoodie he gave me last night. His hair was all over the place, and he still looked half asleep. His cheeks were flustered and I'm sure he didn't know what to say while my whole family was just staring at him.

"Marcy!" Lilly happily yells, almost falling off her chair and running towards him. "What are you doing here?"

Meanwhile, my mom's questioning look had turned into a knowing smirk.

"I-uh" Marc starts, but it is clear that he doesn't know what to say. Lilly is still attached to his leg and it seems as if he is slightly overwhelmed by the whole situation.

"So mum" I say, trying to get the attention off of Marc "do you still want me to drive Emma to the Brown's house after breakfast?

"Ugh, yeah, that would be great, Giselle and I planned this play date a couple days ago."

"I can take you guys with me." My family's heads turn towards Marc, as well as mine. "I mean, I need to go back soon, I'm meeting a friend later."

"Yes, Mae, let's drive with Marc!" Lilly exclaims. "I'm going to pack my swimsuit and my toys!" And she was off towards the stairs.

"Marc, sit down and grab some breakfast before you guys go." My mom says.

He walks over to the table and sits down next to me. My mom gets up and gets another plate for him. "Here you go. Feel free to grab anything you want."

We spent a couple minutes in silence, occasionally hearing Lilly rumbling around upstairs, trying to find everything she wants to bring with her.

"Oh, look at the time David! You have to leave or you'll be late for work." My mom exclaims. My dad looks up from the newspaper and his eyes fall on the clock on the kitchen wall. "Oh, you're right, I better go."

He gets up and puts away the newspaper. Before leaving the kitchen, he turns towards Marc. "Take good care of my girl, son."

"I will, sir." Marc replies. My dad pats him on the shoulder and walks out of the room.

I know it doesn't seem much, but my dad isn't a man of many words. This was his way of approving of him.

I look up to see my mom smiling before she gets up, too, and starts cleaning the kitchen.

"Let me help you." Marc says. He collects the dirty plates from the table and walks towards my mom.

"Don't worry about him, Marc. He isn't a very emotional man, but he likes you." My mom says.

I watch them for a minute before getting up myself. "I'm gonna see if Lilly's ready" I say.

Upstairs, I find my little sister sitting in the middle of her room, surrounded by toys, swimsuits and other clothes. "You about ready, Lills?" I ask and sit down next to her.

"Yes."

It doesn't look like it, which makes me laugh.

"I just have to put everything in my pink bag." She says before standing up and picking up said bag. I watch her put everything inside, a concentrated look on her face. When she is done, she turns around and looks at me with a big smile on her face. "All done!"

"Great, let's go downstairs." I get up and hold out my hand. Lilly takes my hand, her bag in the other hand.

While we were making our way downstairs, Lilly suddenly stops and looks up at me. "Mae?" she whispers.

I crouch down next to her. "What's wrong?"

"Is Marc your boyfriend now?" she asks.

"Yes." I whisper. "You happy about that?"

"Yes. I really like him, he's funny."

"I'm glad you like him." I smile at her before standing up straight again.

We make our way down the stairs and once we reach the kitchen, Lilly let's go of my hand and runs towards Marc again, who was chatting to my mom.

"I'm ready, we can go now!" Lilly exclaims and takes his hand, trying to pull him with her. "Come on, Emma is waiting!"

My mom tries to suppress a laugh. "Lilly, stop pulling Marc's hand!"

Marc and I just laugh and start to make our way out of the kitchen towards the front door. My mom helps Lilly while she puts on her shoes. "Have fun at Emma's sweetie, I love you." She gives her a kiss on the forehead and waves her off.

We make our way towards Marc's car and get in. During the short drive to the Browns' house, we listen to music and sing along to the lyrics. Well, Lilly is singing what she thinks the lyrics are, which makes Marc and I laugh out many times.

The day at Marc's house is spent with talking, laughing and many water fights with the girls. Turns out Marc didn't have plans with a friend. That afternoon he admits this to me, saying he wasn't sure about how my parents would react to him. I told him not to worry and that my parents seem to really like him. When it starts to get dark, Marc and Emma's dad starts a bonfire and Marc gets a sweater from his room, because I was getting pretty cold, despite sitting close to the fire. The girls roast marshmallows, while Marc and I talk to his parents about random things.

When Marc gets up to get more candy for the girls inside, his mom Giselle sits down next to me.

"So...is it official now?" she asks, the same smirk on her lips that my mom had this morning.

"Uhm, I guess so, yeah..." I say, feeling a bit shy.

"You know what I told my husband after the first time I saw you and Marc together?" Giselle asks. I shake my head no.

"I told him that I can see how much he likes you. And look at you now. I just want you to know that we are okay with this. I know it's not appropriate, but if oyu guys truly love each other, we don't want to stand in your way. Actually, I just told Marc yesterday that I would love to invite your parents for dinner next week."

"That would be great." I smile at her.

The trutz was, I love this. Sitting here with Marc's family, just chilling and talking about random things. I know that we were lucky that our parents are so supportive of our relationship.