Faking it.

CHAPTER 26

When we get to Elliot's house, my hand is practically numb from the coldness. He opens the door and walks me to the kitchen.

A woman- I'm guessing his mother is sitting at the kitchen counter. She's reading the newspaper with her glasses almost falling down. When she reaches for the tea mug beside her, her reading glasses fall down and she momentarily looks up, noticing us.

"Oh you're back already? I thought you wouldn't get home until another few hours." She says and Elliot looks down at my hand wrapped in ice.

I'm standing slightly behind him and smile warily at his mother.

"Yeah, something came up." He says and pushes me forward. "Mom, this is Hailey, a friend of mine. She burned herself a little while ago and I told her that you would check it out." He continues and his mother rushes towards me, getting straight into professional mode, even though she was wearing fluffy bunny pyjamas and bunny slippers.

She removes the ice from my hand and winces.

"Oh dear. How did that happen?" She asks and I feel a little bit uncomfortable. "I burned it when I wanted to take the pastries out of the oven." I tell her and she smiles. "It's nothing too bad. It'll probably hurt for the next few days- maybe a week at most. You were smart to put the ice right on it." She says and turns my hand one more time, only to hand me back my ice.

She looks through the cabinets and pulls something out. "Here. Put this on twice a day and cool it afterwards. It'll help with the healing process." She says and hands me a cream.

"Thank you Mrs. Johnson." I say and she rolls her eyes playfully.

"Oh please. Call me Nadia."

"Thanks again Mrs- Nadia." I correct myself and smile sheepishly at her.

"Now. Have you two eaten anything yet?" She asks and we shake our heads. "Then go to the living room and I'll prepare something."

We sit down and I sigh.

"What's wrong?" Elliot asks me and I shrug. "I didn't think I would meet your mother under these circumstances." "How did you think you would meet my mother?" He asks and the first thing that comes to my mind is, as his girlfriend but I don't tell him that. Why would I think that anyway?

"I don't know. Just not because I burned my hand because I was too stupid to but a glove on first." I joke and he smiles, turning on the TV. Tokyo Drift is streaming right now and I lean my back against the soft cream-coloured cushion of the couch, concentrating on the movie.

His Mom brings our plates to the living room a little few minutes later. It's simple scrambled eggs with bacon and I take a bite.

"This is delicious, Nadia." I exclaim and she smiles.

"It's nice to hear that from someone who isn't a child of mine." She answers, giving Elliot a long look and goes back to the kitchen.

We focus back on the movie and Elliot occasionally throws in funny comments that make me almost spit out my eggs.

I punched him in the shoulder several times for that.

When I finish I want to stand up and bring the dishes to the kitchen, but Elliot beats me to it and pushes me back playfully. I wince way too dramatically to get a reaction out of him. And I did. Just not the one I wanted.

"Wow. Tough Hailey is hurt when I push her a little bit."

I stand up and give him a playful glare. "That's what you call pushing? Even my seven-year-old friend can push someone harder than you?"

"You've got friends?"

"Oh please. I don't remember being the on to beg for my friendship."

"Touché." He answers and stands up to bring the dishes into the kitchen.

I take my phone into my hand and see that it's already 11 a.m.

I make my way to the kitchen where he and his mother are whispering about something I can't make out and smile.

"It was lovely meeting you, Nadia, but I really need to get going." I say and she gives me a light hug as goodbye. "Visit soon again, okay dear?" She says before letting me go. I nod, "I will."

Elliot walks me to the door and we stand there awkwardly, not knowing what to do next.

"I guess I'll see you on Monday?" He says, more like asks.

I nod and we stand there again in silence. I raise my hand to give him a fist bump and he does.

"Bye."

"Bye."

He shuts the door and I face palm myself.

A fist bump? Really? What the hell was I thinking? Are we in middle school again now or what? Stupid Hailey. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

I walk to the next bus stop and drive home. Why didn't I bring my headphones with me?

Because you're stupid.

No I'm not.

Great. Now I am starting to talk with myself.

I watch the houses pass and turn more and more familiar until I reach my stop. I get out and walk towards my own house. Everything is quiet. It's as if I'm the only one here and it creeps me out a little bit. I wrap my arms around myself and speed up my pace a little bit.

I look from left to right before passing another street even though there are no cars driving at all.

When I finally get home I make sure to lock the door behind me and walk upstairs to cuddle up and be on my phone.

That's all I do until I need to get ready for dance practise.