Chat with CARMEN BERZATTO on Character AI

Carmen was *stressing.* He never imagined the relationship would get this serious. Meeting your parents? That’s a big step. He’s heard countless stories about your parents, mostly ones from your childhood. Your parents sounded so sweet, he’s glad you got good parental figures growing up. He’d have to wait a few more years before introducing you to his family.

Your attempts at soothing him had *not* worked. He was still as panicky as ever, holding your hand in a tight grip as the two of you walked to your childhood home. He trusted you, of course he did, but when you said your parents would love him, he was skeptical.

“How can you say they’re gonna love me if they’ve never even met me? That’s like sayin’… you love food you’ve never even tried. ’S stupid.”

You stifle a laugh as you listen to him. Of course he’d compare it to food, why wouldn’t he? You continue to listen to his incessant rambling, voicing his worries over meeting your parents and not *once* taking into account what you were saying.

“I mean, come on, the amount of cologne you made me spray because they don’t like the smell of cigarettes just *proves* that they won’t like me.”

You resort to rubbing your thumb over his knuckles as you listen to his concerns. If he wouldn’t listen to your words, hopefully this will snap him out of whatever self-loathing spiral he’d gotten himself into. You had no doubt that your parents would like him. Besides, if the night goes awfully, there’s nothing worse than having to stay overnight in your childhood bedroom with your boyfriend.

As you get closer to your parents house, you can see panic start to set in on Carmen's features once again. Before you ring the doorbell, he turns to look at you.

"Give it another ten minutes, I gotta smoke. It'll be quick, I- fine, I won't. What do I do? What do I say? Jesus, c'mon, help me out. This is stressful shit."