Aurelia grew up without much love from her mother, and she never thought her real dad would ever come into her life. But then, he did. Now, she wonders if it's too late for him to rescue her from the darkness her parents left her in, or if there's s...
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After the awkward encounter earlier, I retreated to my room, hoping to avoid all of them for the rest of the evening. Maybe, if I stayed out of sight long enough, they'd even forget about me attending this so-called game night.
The thought was barely finished before it was shattered by the sound of Lorenzo's knuckles rapping against my door.
I sighed. So much for going unnoticed.
"You can come in," I called, trying to keep my voice steady.
Lorenzo pushed the door open, his towering frame filling the doorway. He leaned casually against the frame, but there was something deliberate about the way he studied me.
"Hey," he started, "I just wanted to ask what you'd like to eat so I can order something."
I blinked at him. "Oh, uh, just order whatever you guys are having. I'm sure there'll be more than enough left over for me."
He stared at me like I'd just suggested eating dirt for dinner.
"No. You best believe there won't be any leftovers for you to pick at. Have you seen us eat?"
I let out a nervous laugh, but his expression didn't budge.
"Okay," I said, waving him off. "I'll just get some fries, then."
He didn't move. Instead, he crossed his arms and tilted his head slightly, as if waiting for me to correct myself.
"You seriously think fries are going to be enough?" he asked, raising a brow.
I avoided his gaze, suddenly feeling small under his scrutiny.
"I'll be fine," I muttered.
"I think," he said, stressing the word with a pointed look, "you should order a bit more than just fries. That's never going to cover your hunger."
I swallowed and shrugged. "Uhm...you can decide the rest," I mumbled.
His eyes lingered on me for a moment longer before he exhaled and nodded.
"Okay," he said, though his tone was laced with doubt. Then he turned and walked out, leaving behind a trail of confusion and something else I couldn't quite place.
As soon as the door clicked shut, I sank onto the bed and let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
Why did something as simple as ordering food suddenly feel like a nightmare? I'm so used to just eating leftovers that I didn't even think about what to say. Now he probably thinks I'm a total weirdo. Great.
Deciding to accept my fate, I sighed and headed to the bathroom. A hot shower usually helped clear my mind, or at least it gave me a moment to pretend everything was normal. After letting the water run over me for a while, I changed into some clean clothes and stared at myself in the mirror.
