Promise

chapter 71

Elijah
Jess was suppose to be here any minute now. I was nervous, I hope they would get along. "Don't be nervous Elijah, I'm sure she will be nice" Avery said trying to convince me. I smile at her grateful for the reassurance.  I didn't mind her calling me Elijah, I knew she was still processing everything and I was just grateful for the few times she called me dad.
The door bell rung. This was it.

Avery
This was it, this was the moment I would meet Jess. Elijah went and opened the door. A blonde woman was stood wearing a black mid length dress. "You look wonderful Jess, please come in" Elijah brought Jess in and I gulped. I hated meeting new people.
"Hi you must be Avery, Elijah talks about you alot. I'm Jess and I know I won't be able to replace your mum but I'm sure we can get along just as well" I hesitated as she mentioned my mum in her introduction but managed to pull a smile, she seemed ok. "Oh god, did I say something wrong, I'm so sorry" Jess must have realised my smile was forced. "You didn't" I reassure not wanting her to worry. "Avery's mother isn't around anymore" Elijah said trying to sound neutral but his tone held hatred especially on the word mother. "Let's go into the living room. I'll order us takeout" Elijah said changing the topic. Thank god.

As we walked into the living room, Elijah stopped me "you ok" he whispers and I nod, we carry on to the living room like nothing happened.

For the rest of the evening we watched a film, talked and ate Chinese. Jess seemed nice, even when Elijah left us alone to get pizza she tried making conversation with me. We had talked about school mostly. I also noticed the conversations we had were all something I could talk about. For example they didn't talk business or were flirty with each other, it was more Jess getting to know me and then we talked about the film.

"So Avery, any boys" She asked when Elijah stepped out to get drinks from the kitchen. I felt my cheeks redden and she smirks "what's his name"  she asks. What was his name? That's a good question. Did I like Nathan or Xander. "Nathan, maybe Xander" I decide to tell her because why not.
Unfortunately Elijah stepped in just as I said his name.
Fuck.
"And who is Xander" he asks already going into protective dad mode.
"Oh he's just a friend from school" I say quietly.
"What happened to Nathan, Beth and Alec" he asks.
"I made a few friends in my extra curriculum stuff" I say not wanting to lie and say he was from track. "That's great" he seemed a mix between happy and 'im gonna run a background check and threaten him'

He never mentioned it again and luckily when Jess left he didn't bring it up. "What do you think of her" he asks as we sit down together once he had shown her out. "She seems nice" I admit and his smile widens. "I'm glad you think so because I really like her but if you don't like her ill end things with her" he confessed,I didn't know how to feel about this. He was willing to give up having a girlfriend to make me happy, I kinda hated it and yet it still made me feel loved. I saw how happy Elijah was and I knew I wouldn't be able to crush his happiness even if I didn't like her. Thank god she was ok though.

After a while of watching TV he turns to me with a serious look "so Xander" he starts. Just great, I was naive to think this wouldn't happen. "Yeah he's cute but we are just friends, you don't need to go threaten him'" I reassure but he doesn't look convinced.

Elijah
So my little girl had a crush on someone called Xander. Who the fuck calls there kid Xander. Poor kid, wouldn't be surprised though if his parents had another son called Xavier.
Even though she told me he was just a friend which I fully believed, I saw the look of disappointed when she said friend, it was obvious she liked him more. Knowing that she did meant I had to find out who this guy was but I didn't want it to seem totally strange since I don't think she's known him long, hopefully she hasn't been hiding friends from me because she feared my response. She can have all the friends she wants just as long as they don't hurt her or are bad influences, by bad influences I meant those who convince her to drink, do drugs and even commit crimes. My daughter was going to stay young for as long as possible. I loved how she had begun to get more social and open up more but I loved our time together even more when we would just cuddle on the sofa with ice-cream, when she would tell me all about school and I would listen to every word she said not wanting to miss a thing.

She really was my world and if some fucker named Xander hurt her I would be going after him. No matter what.