“So then Henleigh, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself,” says Devlin with a typical Elijah smile.
“There isn’t really a lot to say, I’ll be eighteen in a couple of months, and I have no idea what I want to do when I leave school. Although, Elijah introduced me to photography and I love it. Maybe I’ll do something with that,” I reply back, I am feeling so damn awkward right now.
Everyone looks at one another, it feels like I’ve failed some kind of test. What was I supposed to say? I feel so out of my depth here, maybe I should go to Bella’s a little earlier.
“It’s okay love, Dev just asked the wrong question. What we really want to know is how you met our boy here. He never tells us anything,” comes from Dimitri with an exaggerated sigh.
“He sat down at my table and refused to go away, oh that sounds really bad doesn’t it.”
“The same thing happened with Benjamin, he just kept trying with Elisa until she eventually gave in. It’s such a shame when they don’t have the natural charisma like me,” he looks so smug as he says this, crossing his arms across his chest and holding his chin high in the air. Is he putting this on?
“Devlin, you were trying to make me yours since we were five years old, I think it took you the longest darling,” says Elisa and I don’t really know what to say.
“Come on everyone, you’re going to scare her off. Just be normal for a little while, please.”
Eli looks as though this really worries him, that I may not want to come back. His eyes are wide and he’s almost pleading with them to calm down, and his smile is nowhere to be found.
“Elijah I’m insulted, I am always normal. It’s the rest of these imbeciles who aren’t. But you must remember son, this is the way we are, if your friend can’t handle that then I guess she won’t be coming back.”
“Oscar, that’s enough,” Elisa is raising her voice but unfortunately I’m hard-wired to respond to arseholes. Looks like I won’t be getting another invite in the future anyway.
“For your information ‘sir’ I can more than handle the lot of you. If I didn’t come back, it would be because you’re a dick.” I can feel my eyes narrowing to slits as I glare at him, my nostrils are more than likely flaring and I guess it’s only normal that I won’t like all of his parents. I’m trying to rein in the rest, but I guess I can’t be stopped. “Sorry to everyone else but I won’t give you an ounce of respect when you won't be able to afford the same to me. Don’t want me to come back fine, I’ll leave now. But let me just stress, that I’m leaving this house not Eli.”
I really shouldn’t slam my hands down on the table as I stand, but I am and Elijah is staring up at me in shock, awe I don’t know.
“Ooo we like her son, don’t let this one get away,” Dimitri says holding out a fist for his son to bump.
“You’re not going anywhere sweetheart, now please excuse me as I talk some sense into the fool I call husband.”
Elisa grabs Oscar’s wrist and drags him from the room while everyone else drops into an easy conversation, I just feel like I’m stuck on the outside. Of my own making, but it doesn’t feel as comfortable as it used to.
“Don’t mind Oscar, he’s protective of all of us. He just shows it in the wrong way. So we know you have a few questions for Elisa, but is there anything you’d like to ask us?” Yeah, I like Benjamin, he reminds me of Noah.
“I guess I just wondered how you guys deal with it all, don’t you ever get jealous?”
“Of course we do or at least we used to. I was a lot like Elijah is now, the idea of sharing Elisa was fine as long as I got to have her too. Dimitri was fine with sharing until he fell for her and then he wanted more. Benjamin even fought his feelings and dated someone else, it didn’t last long. But the thing is, we all accept one another, and we talk about anything that bothers us. We know Elisa loves us all, and she doesn’t have favourites, but our bonds are different.”
Devlin sounds sincere and everyone is nodding along with him and suddenly Elisa is coming into the room and dropping into his lap.
No one bats an eye as they kiss, they really don’t care. Could it be the same for me or will I be destined to have to choose and break my heart in the process?
Elijah and I sit in the film room and it’s nice just being the two of us, I miss Noah and I hate that I miss Amias. But I’ve spent the least amount of time with Eli and it’s nice to have the chance to rectify it.
“I’m sorry about my Dad, he really doesn’t mean anything by it. It’s just, he’s the last person to join my Mum’s harem, and he got a lot of stick from his family. He thinks he has to defend us to everyone, even those who haven’t done anything wrong. In a way, we are all he has now,” his eyes are downcast and I hate seeing him look so vulnerable.
“It’s fine big guy, I get it and I’m sorry for the way I reacted. I want your family to like me but I’m a hot head,” I say and he’s taking my hand in his and presses a kiss against each of my knuckles.
“My family will love you and if they don’t, screw them. Besides, I love that you’re a hot head, it is sexy as fuck,” he leans in closer to me, his eyes burning into mine as his tongue flicks out to wet his lips.
I’m laughing yet again but I’m soon cut off when his mouth connects with mine and his hands travel down my spine. I’m sitting up onto my knees and pressing closer to him, I love the feel of his fingers trailing down my back and the way my own tangle with his soft hair.
I don’t care that we’re missing the film or that his parents could walk in any minute, I do not want this kiss to ever end. Which is why as he pulls away, I follow.
The smile he’s giving me this time is different from all the others, it’s soft and sweet and it screams emotions that I don’t want to try and figure out. Out of all of his smiles, this is my favourite by far.
“I know you need to talk to my Mum and this might not be for you, but I hope you’ll at least consider being mine, eventually.”
This is the most serious I’ve known him to be, how do I handle this? Oh well looks like I don’t need to as he gets his roguish smile going and his fingers are suddenly dancing across my ribs. I despise being tickled but it’s impossible not to laugh while it's happening. I’m kicking my legs and throwing my arms out and I can’t believe I just kicked him in the face.