The Stranger / Chris Evans x OC

Chapter 91: Freeze

AMELIA

I take my mother's hand as I guide her back outside to the terrace. 

"Please just be normal," I whisper as I look at her, "Just treat him like you would any other boyfriend, okay?"

"You've never had a real boyfriend before," she replies when we're almost at the terrace door, "So I don't know how to act." 

I chuckle, shaking my head as we walk outside towards the table, "Okay, then just do what you did when you first met Laura, alright? Ask questions, but don't snoop, and just be nice. Get to know him. I promise, you'll fucking love him once today is over." 

My words make her glance at me, stopping before we reach the table as she asks, "Do you love him?" 

"Yes," I answer honestly, "I do." 

"Does he love you?" 

I nod, "Yes, he loves me, too. Not only does he tell me all the time, but he also shows me - he proves it to me with the way he treats me." 

She scans my face, staying silent as she processes my words before she says, "Okay, then I guess that's all that matters." 

I smile and give her a short hug before we make our way back to our seats, and I offer Chris a small smile as I sit down. 

"Everything alright?" He leans in and whispers, placing his hand on my thigh, his thumb rubbing it comfortingly. 

"Yeah, I think so," I whisper back, my smile growing at the concerned look on his face, "My mom is just being overprotective, I think. I told her that once she gets to know you, she'll see for herself why there's nothing to be worried about." 

He smiles warmly, making me lean in to place a quick kiss on his lips. 

His hand squeezes my thigh shortly before he removes it as we both turn our attention back to the table. 

I smile at my mom when we make eye contact, and she reciprocates before looking over at Chris, smiling at him as well. 

When I look down at my plate, I'm surprised to see it filled with food from the different dishes, and I chuckle as I pick up my fork, "Did you choose for me again?" 

Chris chuckles as well, nodding as he quietly replies, "Yeah, I know you like it when I do that. Besides, you were gone for a while. I wanted to make sure you got something to eat." 

I smile widely as I look at him, "Thank you. You're the best." 

He winks at me as he chuckles, picking up his own fork before we both start eating. 

"So," I say after chewing my bite, "What did you guys talk about while we were gone?" 

"Football," my dad immediately replies, "I was very disappointed to learn that your boyfriend is a Patriots fan." 

Chris laughs, shaking his head, "Hey, I stand by what I said. Pats are the best." 

My dad scoffs, but he mirrors Chris' smile when he says, "Yeah, yeah, you kids these days. You don't know what you're talking about." 

I laugh, nudging Chris with my elbow as I grin, "Look, finally someone who doesn't think you're old." 

Chris puts his hands up in exasperation, laughing, "I'm not old!" 

"You are!" I say through laughs, "Ancient!" 

"You know what?" He says, turning to look at me with a raised brow, "If you call me old one more time, I am never telling you what I said to Olivia." 

I gasp dramatically, slapping his arm jokingly, "That's not fair!" 

Chris just shrugs and chuckles, taking another bite of his food, "Well, that's how it is, so suck it." 

I scoff and turn back towards my food, hearing both of my parents chuckling lightly before my mother quietly says, "You two are very cute together." 

I grin at her, glancing over at Chris who mirrors my smile, before looking back at my mom, "Thank's mom. We've heard that before." 

"From who?" She asks curiously. 

"Taylor," Chris quickly responds, "Although, I think he actually said disgustingly cute. He didn't like it as much." 

I laugh and shake my head, "No, he was probably jealous that you were stealing all of my time." 

Chris nods, "Oh yeah, definitely."

"So, Taylor knows about you two?" My mom asks hesitantly, looking between the both of us.  

"Yeah," I say with a smile, "Of course he does." 

"Oh," she says, looking down at her plate as she nods, "Okay, good.. Who else knows?" 

"Pierre," I reply casually, and then Chris quickly interjects with a chuckle when he says, "My publicist does too." 

"Right," I smile, "Yeah, Megan knows too. And now, all of you guys, too, I guess." 

"Oh, and my mom knows as well," Chris says absentmindedly as he takes another bite of food. 

That makes my mom look up at him, "Your mother knows about Amelia?" 

Chris nods, swallowing his food before he replies, "Yeah, she does." 

"Chris had to tell her when there were some pictures leaked," I say with a smile, "But I haven't met her." 

"I've told her more than that, though," he says casually, "Showed her some pictures, too. She also knows your instagram handle." 

My brows raise in surprise as I turn to look at him, chuckling in disbelief, "What? She does?" 

He shrugs, grinning, "Well, yeah. She wanted to know more about my girlfriend, I had to give her some info to keep her at bay until she gets to meet you." 

I give him an impressed smile, turning back towards my plate as I mumble, "Alrighty then." 

"Oh wow," my mom says, her smile widening, "That's great. I'm glad to hear that." 

Chris smiles at her warmly, and she nods shortly in approval. I hear her asking him a question about his mother, and their relationship, which he happily replies to as I bring my focus back to the food in front of me. 

I take a bite of chicken before I start searching on the table for the salt. 

I spot it next to my father, directing my words at him as I say, "Daddy, could you pass me the salt?" 

Everything that happens next is practically in slow motion. 

I see my father immediately reaching over to pass me the salt, just as I asked, but then I also see Chris' hand move as he continues speaking to my mother, most likely not even aware he's doing it. 

It's like watching a horror movie; I instantly tense up when I see them both reaching for it, their hands touching slightly when they both grab for the salt. 

And then I feel my blood running cold when I watch my father's piercing gaze lift, staring directly at Chris as he says, "What are you doing, son?" 

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A/N: Special credit goes to @eburdette for the inspiration for this one LMAO ♡