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— 𝐌𝐘 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐑𝐔𝐆𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐄; the bright sun beaming from outside, to across the screen. As much as I wanted to close the blinds and shadow the intense light, I was too lazy to remove myself from the silken mattress to do so. I felt like I was being enveloped by clouds and plushness of the mattress, almost as if I was floating in the sky. Numerous thoughts crossed my mind of stealing Elijah's bed and never giving it back. I couldn't even understand how Elijah could sleep in my bed knowing he had this to come home to.
My thoughts were cut short by the muffled ringing of my cell phone lost in the mass of sheets. My hands roamed the silk sheets until I felt a cool surface. The familiar name flashed across my screen causing me to roll my eyes.
"Yes." I answered in a stern voice, sounding more like a statement then a question as I put the phone up to my ear. Hopefully with my tone, he'll get the idea that I was feeling bothered at the moment with a phone call.
"Lose the attitude." Carter spat causing me to shake my head.
"What do you want? I'll have you know you ruined my romantic afternoon with this bed." I spoke drowning the back of my head into the delicate pillows.
"I'm just trying to make sure you haven't forgotten about Thursday. Have you even called your mom to tell her you're still going?" He asked with concern clearly evident in his voice.
I sighed not wanting to even talk on the subject. I was finally starting to forget about the dreaded day, but of course, it's the first thing Carter brings up when I talk to him.
"I'll call her today. I just can't believe it's really in two days." I groaned closing my eyes. Why couldn't I just disappear until Friday when everything will be over.
"Good; you don't even have to stay the whole night. Just make up some work excuse or something." Carter reasoned, temporarily sympathizing with my melancholy.
Surprise flooded my face when Carter mentioned the idea. He was absolutely right. I could make up some dumb, work excuse to leave before anything crazy could conspire.
"That's brilliant, why didn't I think of that? Carter - you genius." I said, lifting my head from the pillows and sitting upright.
"That's what they call me. All I hear when I walk down the street is 'there go that nigga Carter; The genius.'" Carter mocked in a cocky manner. I could practically see his head blown up to a balloon right now, his ego apparent and huge.
"Shut up and get off of my phone." I spoke after letting out a small laugh.
"Whatever, I'll talk to you later." He replied before the phone went dead. My face fell instantly processing Carter's words. A loud groan escaped my mouth as I threw my head into my hands.
A light chuckle came from across the room causing me to groan once more, even louder and more annoyed than before.
"My stress isn't funny." I proclaimed jokingly. My eyes traveled over to the tall broad man standing by the door. The sun glistened against his olive skin making him look ethereal while his viridescent eyes twinkled in my direction.
"What's to be stressed about?" He asked puzzled by my sudden change in mood.
I signed and started twisting the ring-that my father gave me around my pointer finger. "With Thanksgiving just around the corner, that means I have to go to my parents house. It's not quite your average holiday with them either." I advised watching Elijah walk closer to the bed. He raised his eyebrow in confusion clearly wanting me to elaborate.
"I love my parents; I truly do - I mean I have to! It's just my whole family comes over and they don't really accept my lifestyle." I shrugged looking over at him. He was now sitting on the edge of the bed with confusion still written all over his face. I took a deep sigh, wondering why I decided to beat around the bush until I blatantly admitted it. The smartest man I know, but it must be written in literal black and white for him to even briefly comprehend what you're trying to say or come across as.
"The fact that I'm black and don't act 'black'." I quoted with my fingers. I honestly hated how my family thought of me, let alone treated me. The fact that I would have to endure all of their harsh comments this week was killing me on the inside because there was nothing I could do about it besides sit there and hear it all.
"They can't expect you to act a color. I'm sorry but that's fucked up. And you still go there?" Elijah asked.
"I can't not go. Aren't you going to your parents for thanksgiving?"
Elijah scoffed leaning his back against the headboard. "No." He replied flatly.
"Then where are you going?"
"Nowhere. I'm staying home and doing what I do best, love. Work." He smirked snatching the remote off the bed sheets.
"What? Elijah you can't work on thanksgiving. I won't allow you to." I pressed trying to take the remote back from him but he was quicker than me and pulled the remote out from my reach.
"Amelia, I'm going to try to say this in the nicest way possible. There is nothing you can fucking do. I would rather be hooked to an anchor and pulled underwater, then in the same proximity as them." He mumbled paying close attention to the television screen. I could tell he didn't care for where this conversation was going but I didn't want to just end it.
I didn't want Elijah to left alone nor did I want him to be somewhere he didn't want to be. As much as I wanted to stay home cuddled in his arms on that day, I knew I couldn't miss out on our family dinner. They would kill me if I didn't show and probably drag me for the rest of my life.
The room grew quiet allowing the low voices from the actors on TV to only be heard. I started to question if I should bring Elijah along with me. I would feel a little better if he was beside me throughout the long, painful night.
"Elijah."
"Amelia." He smartly retorted.
Elijah glanced over at me for a second before returning his eyes to the movie playing.
"I know this is a longshot and might seem too soon for you but how about coming with me?" I questioned nervous for his response. I didn't want him to feel like we were moving too fast with our relationship. On the other hand I didn't want him to be alone either.
Shock took over Elijah's face as he turned to face me again. "Wait, you want me to go to your parents house on thanksgiving?"
I took a deep breath before nodding slowly. "I mean I understand if you don't want to be-" I gasped getting cut off by Elijah gripping my bare thigh and pulling me closer to his body.
"I wouldn't mind that." I was taken back by his response, not expecting him to say yes.
"You wouldn't?" I asked trying to figure out why he agreed to go to my dysfunctional families thanksgiving dinner and not his own.
"Yeah. I can be there for you since you have to go."
I rolled my eyes prying his hand from my thigh and grabbing my phone off the bed.
"Well then, let me just call my mother to warn her." I said waving my phone up as I stood from the bed. Elijah hummed in response focusing back on the comedy before him.
I made my way down stairs to his kitchen, dialing my mother's number while I searched for a bottle of water.
"Well, well, if it isn't the child that forgot about me?" I heard my mother's voice crack through the phone.
"Ma, I didn't forget about you. I've been really busy with work lately." I half lied. Of course I was always busy when it came to my job but I always had free time on my hands due to Elijah not wanting me to overwork myself. I just never felt the need to really talk to her when I knew all she would talk about already.
"Oh yes! How has work been baby?" She pondered.
"It's been going great, I enjoy it. It's stressful of course but all jobs are right?" I questioned with a small laugh.
"You know they are. I just wish you had more time to come and visit. I hope you're not working on Thanksgiving...are you?" Worry was clear in her voice as she spoke.
"No, I don't have to work but that's why I called, um, to ask you a quick question." I started tapping my nails against the counter. My nerves were starting to get to me and I didn't know why.
"Well shoot, come on girl, spit it out."
"I just wanted to ask if it's okay that I bring someone with me? An extra plate?" I asked not sure of what her response would be.
I could hear her grunt on the other end of the phone. "Who? Another one of your white boyfriends?"
I tried my hardest not to press the end button as soon as those words escaped her mouth. I knew she would say something like that but I did my best to ignore it.
I wanted to tell her that I was secretly seeing Elijah and that we had grown very fond of each other within these past few months. I even wanted to tell her how much I was starting to fall for him everyday I saw him. On the other hand, I didn't want her to be right. I didn't want to bring Elijah around them while they shit on the both of us for wanting to date each other. For once I wanted them to be respectful to the company I bring over whether I'm dating them or not.
"Actually, it's my boss." I gritted through my teeth trying to contain my irritation.
"The Elijah Alexopoulos is coming with you? You tell me this two days before and my house isn't even cleaned yet!" She yelled in my ear causing me to flinch.
"I'm sorry Ma. I just talked to him today and I felt bad that all he was going to do was work all Thanksgiving, so I thought why not invite him?" I justified my actions. It was hard to tell if my mother was really mad that I invited Elijah or if she was just nervous to meet the billionaire devil.
"Well that's very nice of you. I just have to warn the family and bring out my good plates instead of paper ones." Our laughs flowed together in the perfect harmony. It was very rare when my mother and I shared a laugh; this was one of them. Even the small things she said could lighten up situations if she desired to.
"Yeah, I guess. Just please don't act weird or be rude to him. Mr. Alexopoulos is a very pleasant man around most people; and by most people I mean people who don't talk business to him." I explained to her.
"Chile I'll be the judge of that. Let me go in here and make yo daddy clean up this house now since you want to drop this news on us." I could hear her slamming pots and pans around the counter as we spoke.
"Alright mom, see you soon. Love you."
"I love you too baby." She called out before the phone went dead and beeping filled my ears.
I slowly brought the phone down from my ear frowning at the screen. How the hell was I going to tell Elijah that my parents only knew him as my boss and nothing more? Elijah would probably burn up the streets if he knew and I couldn't bare to see him in that state.
The thought alone that this would be his first time meeting my parents in the short span of time that we've been dating scared the hell out of me. My family making of fool out of me plus Elijah's reaction also put more stress on my back. As much as I wanted for this to be okay and everything to work out fine I knew something would go wrong. I just pray it doesn't blow up in my face.
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Hey guys! I know this chapter was crazy boring but I promise next chapter will be 10x better and filled with so much. I hope to get this next chapter out very soon and be able to update more frequently.
Thank you guys for all the love and support!
Don't forget to Vote and Comment on this chapter !! XoXo
Any ideas on why Elijah doesn't want to go to his parents? Or why he doesn't get along with them?