The Strangers (TheWriteAwards2014)

Chapter 6: Dinner with the family (edited)

Mikal's POV

"How bad could it be?" Skylar asked, an innocent smile on her face.

"You have no idea." I whispered low enough that she couldn't hear. Heading down stairs, the smell of the dinner I had just prepared, met my nose.

"It smells really good." Skylar commented just as her stomach growled, a slightly embarassed look on her face.

"She does, doesn't she." Anastasia said from behind us. A predatory look on her face as she eyed Skylar. I took Skylar’s arms, dragging her behind me and out of site of Anastasia.

"Back off, Anastasia." I hissed. Skylar looked a little confused, but shook it off. Anastasia, taking the hint, walked down the curving stairs, swaying her hips as she descended out of sight.

"I don't even want to know." Skylar whispered, turning to descend as well. I chuckled, not knowing where this new Skylar came from, but loving her new spit fire attitude. Or maybe she had always been this way and I just never noticed...

"No, you really don't." Anastasia remarked from below. She was going to be the death of me if she stayed here any longer, I grumbled.

Dinner>>>

Skylar's POV

"Oh, hello son.” A beautiful woman remarked to Mikal upon our entrance. “My, aren't you a pretty thing. My name is katherine, and this here is my husband, Nikolas." The gorgeous women who had to of been Mikal's mother said. She looked incredibly young and beautiful, no older than 35. It was hard to believe that this woman was the mother of Mikal. She looked exactly the same as the woman painted in the portrait, as if she hadn't aged a day.

"Hello Katherine, my name is Skylar, Skylar Riches." I introduced politely. Katherine looked taken aback for a moment but quickly regained her composure. Nikolas, noticing his wifes hesitation, went on.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss. Ric- Miss Skylar." I smiled politely and took his outstretched hand in mine, giving it a tight squeeze, to show that I wasn’t intimidated by his indifferent arora. Mikal tensed next to me. Does he really hate his parents that much? I asked myself. Not that I could judge, I had my very own ‘daddy issues’.

"Shall we eat now?" I asked, trying to deviate from the awkward silence that had begun to fill the room like thick poison, slowly choking the breath from my lungs.

"Of course." Mikal said tersely. "Skylar, will you please aid me for a moment?" I nodded, following him into the kitchen as his parents went to join Anastasia in the dining room. Mikal was tense, eyes quickly darting around to assess our surroundings.

"Is everything okay, Mikal?" He looked pained and started to pace the room. I stepped up to him, stopping him by gently resting my hand on his forearm. "Mikal, you need to relax. They are only here for a few days. Can it be that bad where you can't even be in their presence?" I asked, challenging him to go against me. He smiled and pulled me into a hug. I heard him inhale deeply, before slightly pulling away.

"No Sky, it's okay. I'm just- I'm just weary with all of them here... around you." I bursted out laughing and Mikal looked at me if I were insane, maybe I had lost it? I felt... different. The whole situation was ridiculous! I run away with Mikal, Anastasia, his family, our kiss. I was deinitely over my head. "Would you enlighten me as to why you are laughing?" Mikal said, confusion written across his face.

"Mikal," I said when I finally found my voice. "They seem like nice people, maybe not people I would spend all of my days with, and not people I would feel able to be completely open with, but they seem nice and genuine. I have a good sense of being able to read people. I can tell when one is lying, telling the truth, or dancing around the truth. I keep my friends close, and my enemies even closer. How long have you known me? And now you find the need to question my judgement of character?" I said, slightly out of breath, but still smiling slightly, being completely honest and straightforward with him, as he stared at me, looking thoughtful.