SWITCHED ✔️

CHAPTER 22

I turned following the direction of the voice.

"ELENA!' I cheered as I ran towards her hugging her tightly. Slightly cutting off both our oxygen supplies.

"Oh my god, babe I've missed you so much," She cried as we let go.

Elena and I quickly catch up before remembering we shouldn't show so much love for one another here.

"Wait, let me introduce you to my family," I told Elena pulling on her arm.

I watched the colour bleed from her face, and I stopped.

What was wrong? Hopefully it's just the nerves from meeting a mafia family higher than hers.

Hopefully

"Maybe late-" I cut Elena off, hoping if she doesn't say something else it won't be true.

Kinda dumb maybe, but I'm 16 so I'm going to do it anyway.

I tugged on her arm slightly harder and pushed her towards my parents and brothers.

As we made our way there, I watched as my family gaze differed from me to Elena, all of them were in shock other than Elijah. He looked like he was holding down a laugh as if his life depended on it.

Dom, Ivan, and my mum looked hella fucking worried. Like a fight was about to break out. I would have thought they were scared of Elena when I saw Dad's face.

He couldn't care less.

Jax, Alexei, Dmitri, and Denis stared at Nikolai, confused watching him with anticipation. Nikolai's eyes were fixed on Elena.

He stared at her as if he was her first love.

I looked back at Elena expecting her to be equally as confused as I am.

No she seemed...blank.

I started feeling like how my brothers must feel every day. Confused.

She gave away nothing in her eyes, her posture, and her smile. It was polite but noticeably forced.

To me more than anything this was a reminder of how I should be acting. I'm smart and I need to remember that. Strength is nothing without intelligence.

Although I feel safe with my family, they are deadly and I need to accept it or leave. It's just a constant reminder of what I am, and what I tried to hide from my entire life.

Come on Aria, do it for yourself. Nobody but yourself. That's enough.

"Um, guys this is Elena, Elena this is my family," I said rubbing my hand on the back of Elena's palm.

when we were younger I used to get really bad panic attacks and having Elenas give me small signs of support in public gave me the encouragement I needed. Now when we want to discreetly check up on each other or gather attention small movements are the way we do it.

I did realise as Elena's body shifted closer to mine and further away from my family, that it may maybe the first time I addressed them all as a unit, that I belong to.

"Aria, how the fuck do you know this woman?" Hayden barked at me, taking me by surprise. It's usually more reserved, unless somebody messed with a person he cares about.

Elena doesn't have any immediate connection to this family.. so why is he being such a dick right now?

"Did she kill your firstborn child or something?" I asked making the irritation in my voice clear as day.

Although I do doubt that even if there are elephants trying to reproduce they wouldn't notice.

"Arias my best friend," Elena spoke regaining her familiar confidence.