V a p o r ▶ J. HALE (COMPLETED.)

5.

Eliza smiled. "I know. And I trust them... I trust him. He's a gentleman, and I think he might be good enough for you. But, it's my job as a mother to worry, alright?"

Dema nodded. "As long as my relationship doesn't turn into a Romeo and Juliet kind-of scenario, you can worry as much as you like."

For a second, Eliza gave her a look as if saying a quite pitiful, 'oh, honey'. But then, she smiled and nodded at her, before turning back to her book.

What was that about? Dema thought as she panicked silently. Does she honestly believe I'm in a forbidden love kind-of scenario?

And just before Dema could overthink it, even more, someone knocked on their door. She stood up, breathing in his scent of green tea and cinnamon. She turned to Eliza with a small wave.

"That's him," Dema announced. "I'll see you later-"

"Hold on," Eliza cut her off, as she stood up from the armchair and walked towards her.

"What are you doing?" Dema asked with a terrified look on her face.

"Don't give me that look. I just want to say hello-"

"Didn't you humiliate me enough the other day?" Dema's expression of horror turned into a frown. "I'll tell him you said hello-"

"Don't be a child, Dema." Eliza waved her off and headed to the door. "You should be grateful you have a caring mother, who'd go as far as to greet her daughter's vampire boyfriend-"

"Jeez, mom!" Dema's eyes widened in horror. "He can hear you!"

Eliza simply ignored her daughter and swung the door open with ease. Dema stood behind the opened door, cringing silently.

"Oh, Jasper! What a surprise!" Eliza greeted him with a tinge of humor.

Jasper chuckled lightly before nodding at her once.

"It's nice to see you, Eliza," Jasper said, before grinning.  "How are you, today? I assume you've had a quite busy day, as always." He asked in the most strikingly dashing way possible.

"Oh, you know," Eliza smiled. "Humiliating my daughter is a full-time job."

Jasper laughed. "I see that."

Dema groaned, poking her head out with a frown on her face. "You're the worst. Both of you."

"Yeah, we know and we're proud," Eliza said.

Ever since their lovely chat after the wedding, Eliza has been purposefully embarrassing Dema whenever Jasper's around. Jasper follows along, happy to playfully mock his girlfriend and bond with Eliza in the process.

"Let's just leave," Dema said as she gripped onto his jacket and rushed out of her house, pulling him away.

"Hold on!" Eliza called after her, and Dema turned around with a scowl. "I might be somewhat of a hippie, but I'd still like to know what are your plans, young lady."

Dema was about to reply when Jasper placed a hand on her lower back and turned to Eliza.

"I won't keep Dema out late tonight." Jasper smiled reassuringly. "We're just going to play baseball with my family." Dema turned to him, surprised.

Eliza looked taken aback for a second. "Baseball? With Dema?"

"That's the plan." Jasper nodded.

Eliza's eyes widened, and she snorted softly before covering her mouth with her hands. Dema was too surprised to acknowledge her mother's reaction. Jasper turned towards her with a nonchalant grin.