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D I N I N G
Luke agreed.
Luke agreed for the dinner and I was glad. It did not require much hard work . In fact, it required no hard work as such. I asked him once and he agreed right then. Probably mum was right. He might be eagerly waiting for me to come with him to Greece. The very thought of it brought about goosebumps. My heartbeat accelerated. I could feel butterflies in my stomach. Oh my, by shots! I myself couldn't wait to get to Greece.
I ran downstairs to tell my mum about Luke arriving.
"Mum! Mum!" I shouted like a five year old.
"Yes Elle?" My mum asked with the same old patience. I have to salute my mother for living and coping up with my tantrums, shoutings and nagging.
"Luke's coming!" I breathed heavily. I had jumped most of the stairs and ran my way to my mum.
"Someone's excited." My mom giggled.
"Mother!"
"Sorry!"
"So I can go now, right, to Greece?" I asked as I longed to pack my bags and board the next flight to Greece.
"Patience, Elle. Your dad has to approve of him now. If he seems a good guy, then a yes." I shook my head at the stupid thing they were doing. I walked back to my room and sat on my bed thinking about what to do for the rest of the day that is till Luke came. I decided to text Ella.
Ella? Are you free? I need a person to talk to.
I waited for her reply and it came in a jiffy.
No. Can't do. Trent's here with me and he's taking me out to a laser show. Cue fangirl. Isn't that's so sweet? I rolled my eyes.
Looser. Well then, bye.
Bye. I thought about who else to talk to now. Luke. This was the problem of not socializing after bad befalls you. You're left with no person to talk to.
Luke? Are you free? I asked hoping he'd say a yes.
Yeah. Why?
I'm bored.
Oh! And then with a span of few minutes, he called me. I picked it up.
"Luke!" I shouted.
"Whoa. I've got only one eardrum in my left ear. Let it live in peace." I laughed.
"So you're just coming home? Like wearing a piece of cloth and walking into my house and then talk to my parents?" I looked over my table and saw this notebook on it.
"No. I've prepared nearly a speech just to speak to your dad. My very own crush's dad! Wow. Talk about that. It's very necessary to practice what to speak before going in that case." Crush. Crush. Crush. Crush. Crush. Oh my god! He has a crush on me. I started jumping around and smiled so wide.
"You there, Amor?"
"Yes Fletcher."
"What were you thinking about?" I can't tell you that I think I have a crush on you. It's too awkward.
"Nothing. Just that if you do this well, I might be able to go to Greece." He laughed at my sheer answer.
"So I'm like the tie breaker?"
"Metaphorical usage, huh?"
"Yeah." I laughed at his usage. It was quite horrendous.
"How am I to do this well?" He asked.
"Chill. It's going to well. Just make sure: minimal swearing, maximum education, helpful character, not a jerk and talk interesting topics with dad." I speak like I was reading from a guide.
"And you say that this is going to go well?" I could sense that he had his eyebrows cocked up and lips in a thin line. I laughed.
"Calm down, kiddo. You're on in thirty minutes."
"Seriously? Now bye. Let me get ready for somebody so I don't get hung by your dad."
"Alright. Alright."
✖️
It was half past seven.
Luke could come any minute now.
I turned to look at myself. I look fine, I thought. And I did in my books. I was in a superman t-shirt and shorts. I walked downstairs to see if my mother wanted my hand in helping.
"Mum?"
"Yes, Elle?" She turned to look at me.
"Do you want any help?" I asked with sincerity in my voice.
"I don't think I'll be needing your help. Nevertheless, if the doorbell rings, open the door. It would be then, your dad coming out from his room." She requested.
"Okay." I smiled at her. I sat down on the chair at the breakfast table.
"Mum? What if you guys don't like Luke?" I feared that very thought.
"We wouldn't. You chose him so he could not be that bad, right?" I looked at my mother in confusion on the matter of what she said and then realisation dawned on me. My mum was making fun of me; in fact, she was teasing me with him.
"Mum!"
"Sorry." She apologised. "Anyways, calm down. Even if your dad doesn't like Luke, I love that kid. He brought about a smile on my daughter's face." She then, walked up to me and pulled my cheeks.
"Oh God! I just hope it goes all well." I prayed out loud.
"It's too late for God to hear your prayer now. I can hear footsteps." I clearly tried listening and I could hear it. Within the span of the next few minutes, the door bell rang. I ran from the chair and opened the door as I tripped on myself and fell.
"I...Oh God!" He looked upon me as I was flat on the floor. He quickly helped me to standing my two feet. "Still a Klutz? Still yourself." I laughed.
"Is that Luke, Elle?" My mother shouted.
"Yes, mum." I shouted back.
"Bring him inside." Luke laughed on hearing our mother to daughter conversation. His eyes sparkled. I got him inside and saw my father present in the hall.
"Good evening, Mr. Calingham." Luke spoke in a very polite manner. In fact, he spoke so polite that I'd never imagined to see such a Luke.
"Good evening, Luke. Take a seat." My dad gestured to the sofa aligned to the right of the couch he was seating on. I stood next to the kitchen, leaning on the wall.
"Do you want something? Water? Juice?" My dad asked as he sat down. The Calinghams were known for their hospitality. They knew how to treat their guests just right.
"No, thank you, Mr. Calingham." Luke sat down too.
"Call me Stuart, son." Son. That's a good start. I laughed. Both of them turned to look at me and I covered my mouth in reflex. Luke smiled at me as my dad gave me the stern look. I gave an apologetic look in return.
"So I hope you know why we called you for dinner at our home." My dad started.
"Yes sir." My mum exited the kitchen and stood beside me.
"Well then, we can start off with the basic intention. Why do you want my daughter to come with you to Greece?" My dad asked grimly.
"Your daughter is my closest friend." He looked at me and smiled. "Since it's Greece and it would be a great opportunity for us to share a bonding, I wanted her to come with me. It's just a plus point that she's helping me solve the problem."
"That answered half of my question, son. Now why do you want to go to Greece?" He tensed. I could sense it. His hands trying to find a steady pace in fidgeting. His legs trying not to stretch (which is totally not Luke.) and his eyes losing their sparkle. "Son?" My dad asked once again. I looked at him and staring at him so that he turns back once he could sense my stare. And fortunately, he did.
I mouthed, "You don't have to." My mum, though didn't know the story, understood the depression he faced in the problem he had been facing.
"If it helps in the idea of taking you to Greece, then yeah, I'm telling." He mouthed back. My eyes nearly bulged out to his reply. My mum, who was standing next to me, giggled knowing that she had won.
"Sir, apparently, I'm in a pursuit to search my late sister's fiancé." He replied keeping his cool.
"Late sister?"
"She died a year back." He replied.
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." He replied sternly. My eyes were still wide and I was wonder struck.
"On the scale of 1 to 10, how safe is my daughter with you?"
"Sir, the question should have been on how safe I will be with your daughter. Nevertheless, I guarantee a 99% that she's be safe with me." My dad smiled for the first time in the entire conversation with Luke. I glared at Luke as he laughed too. In fact, everyone laughed at his reply except me. I shook my head in hopelessness.
"99%? Why not guarantee a 100%?" My dad asked, confused.
"Things might just not go right with what we feel and that's a strong hunch." He smirked. My dad was shocked. My eyes widened this time too but this time, the widening of eyes were accompanied with the fluttering of butterflies in my stomach and my heart pumping the blood into the arteries a bit too fast. My mum smiled and gave Luke a thumbs up. I playfully hit my mother at the very moment.
My dad recovering from the minor shock, "I hope you do know my daughter has cancer."
"And I don't think cancer or any such terrible disease can stop a person." My dad was just blown by every word he said.
"Well son, you've proven to be worthy. I just might allow my daughter to go with you prior she gets permission from Dr. Falcon."
"Might?"
"Might. We've got the entire evening, don't we? Now Vanessa," he turned to look at my mum. "Is dinner ready yet?"
"Yes, honey. I was just waiting for you all to complete your conversation with Luke." My mother smiled. She went into the kitchen and I followed her to help her put out the chicken and rice and a bread for Luke if he liked it more than rice.
We stood near the table and said our prayers before eating. We then, sat down.
"Help yourself to anything you want." My mom smiled. She then whispered to me in my ears, "Toast. To Elle having a new boyfriend."
"Mum! He is not my boyfriend." I shouted grabbing the attention of Luke and Dad. They laughed as my mother laughed.
"Now eat." My mum scolded me. I complied.
"Sir, would you mind sharing few childhood experiences of Amo-Danielle?" Narrow miss. My eyes widened again after processing his request.
"No!" I shouted as I stood up nearly from my chair.
"No screaming at the dining table, Elle." I shrugged and sat back properly on my chair.
"Oh yes!" My dad smiled. "Elle was very clumsy but sadly, you can't blame her for that. Nevertheless, oh my god! She used to trip on anything she saw, in fact the stitch she has on her chin is because she tripped on the doorstep and fell, hitting the walls."
"I am haemophobic. So I couldn't stand the sight of blood. Stuart rushed her to the nearest hospital and got her stitched." Luke smiled.
"So you were Clumsy while you took your very first step, Klutz, huh?" He smirked at me and I frowned at him.
"Luke, I'm going to kill you!" I shouted once again.
"That is not the way you speak to a guest." My mum shouted as she glared at me. I put my head down. My dad laughed at me.
"It's alright, Ms. Calingham. She's my friend after all." Luke have his cheeky grin.
"It's Vanessa, dear. And he's just a cheesecake, Elle." My mum awed. My dad laughed once again.
I hit my head on the dining table in frustration and spoke softly, "Ew. Cheesecake?" My mom glared at me. Luke smirked. I was annoyed by all the happenings at the table.
We finished dinner and we all ate heartily. My mum sat on the couch next to my dad. I entered the kitchen to wash the dishes.
"Want any help?" Luke asked me as he entered the kitchen while I was washing the plates.
"No, thank you, cheesecake." I was pissed at Luke since I was never laughed at so much by my dad. Luke understood this. He took a wet plate from the side and dried it.
"Didn't I tell you not to help me, cheesecake? So don't." He ignored my command and took another plate to dry.
I was extremely annoyed by his actions and tried snatching the plate from him. He didn't budge and I pulled the plate from his hand harder, leaning on him slightly. It slipped from his hand and mine, fell and I fell on him due to no support. He caught me efficiently and pulled me into his chest. I looked up at him.
We were extremely close. I could see the very specks of indigo in his blue eyes and they had a spark in them. His skin was nearly flawless. His lips didn't fail to impress me again. The pinkness of his lips made it so kissable. He moved his face a little forward making the distance between us very little. I could feel his hot breath on my face and my breathing hitched.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I just came to check if everything's alright." I pushed myself backwards away from Luke. My cheeks attained a redness from all the embarrassment. I shifted my balance from one leg to another.
"Everything's alright. The plate just fell." Luke replied to my mum. I looked up at Luke and saw him smirking.
"Alright? If you have finished the plates, come into the hall." My mum suggested and left. Luke smirked at me once again and I looked down at my feet.
"You're pretty, you know that?" I looked at Luke and blushed at his compliment. We then, remained in silence till we finished the plates. We went to the hall and my dad was watching basketball.
9:45. He looked at his watch.
"I'll have to leave. Mum's going to be waiting for me. She is after all, alone at home."
"Okay." My dad said.
"Thank you, Vanessa for the delicious, mouthwatering dinner and thank you, Sir for giving me an opportunity. I'll see you again some time soon." He thanked my parents and farewelled. He left the house and I followed him.
"I'm sure you're going to be coming with me, Amor. Guaranteed." I smiled at him.
"Thank you, Luke." He looked at me confused. "For coming today and persuading my parents to allow me to go to Greece." He smiled.
"Good night, Ellie." He kissed my forehead suddenly and I was stunned. The kiss left sparks all over my body. Great was the effect he had on me.
I looked at him in shock, "Good Night, Cheesecake."