Take Me Home | ✔

Chapter Forty-Eight

VIENNA'S POV 

"CAN I COME IN?" Eli asked.

It took me longer than I realized how I was just standing there, letting him slowly freeze outside the door.

"Uh, yeah." I stepped aside and let him through. "You can just put your bag next to the coat rack."

He did as he was told, and he pried apart his jacket from himself, he whistled long and low, tilting his head at the high ceilings, antique chandeliers and monster fireplace that you could see from the foyer.

"Elliot sure is loaded," he muttered.

"No, it's just this side of his mom's family," I recited, copying Elliot's exact words without even knowing it.

I quickly shut the door to not let any cold air seep out. The foyer seemed so small of a sudden and Eli so tall. He hadn't lost his trademark jacket, but he did get a new scent. It was really strong, and enveloped me like fog.

"You look great," he said, his eyes rolling over me from top to bottom. I suddenly felt self-conscious, even more so.

"Thanks. You look great too," I droned automatically without even looking at him.

"How long has it been?"

"Since June." When we slept with each other.

"Too long," he shook his head.

His bag caught my eye. "Are you...are you staying long?" I asked, trying to make as polite as possible. It wasn't that I wanted him to get out, it was just for future facts.

"Actually, that's kind of what I wanted to tell you in person. I—"

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, one of Elliot's relatives came through the backdoor and immediately recognized me; how or why, I didn't know, but she suddenly gestured to have me go out back and witness the vows before it was over. Save for her, Eli and I were the only two left in the house. That looked awfully suspicious and completely rude.

"Come on, they probably already started," I said quickly, walking to the backdoor and urging Eli to follow. We both came out of the backdoor into the spacious backyard. I marveled at the sight of all the fairy lights strung over the trees, all lit up and sparkling under the darkening afternoon sky. The clouds looked ominously full, but no raindrop had fallen yet. They had set up a myriad of white chairs all pointing straight to a central point in the front, where Angie and Terrence were holding hands and saying words.

I quickly grabbed a seat near the back, regretful I was late. Eli plopped down next to me, closely. From where I sat, I couldn't see Elliot or Tess or Payton, considering that all the people in front of me were ridiculously tall people with larger than normal head sizes.

I barely heard a word of their vows because of the rumbling thunder up ahead. Most of the guests looked up to the sky worriedly. But still, no raindrops. Anyways, I'm sure they were beautiful vows because everyone clapped almost as loud as the neverending thunder and a chorus of 'aws' and 'ooh's rang from everyone's mouth.  

Even though Angie had her share of misfortune today, not even a rainstorm could've broken up her and Terrence when they kissed. Everyone gave big deep hollers of celebration and I noticed a small group of fancily dressed ladies all golf-clapping daintily but smiling deeply.

And right as they kissed, gravity started to work, as raindrops started to come as a faint rumor before exploding into full-on pellets of water.

The snooty fancily dressed ladies screeched, fearful of getting wet, and they scrambled back to the house. Everyone else followed suit, but not as frantically. Angie and Terrence were holding hands and looking, as I expected, like nothing could ruin this day.