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Chapter 22 ~ Can't Help Falling in Love

Running. Running off the steam that seemed to be billowing out his ears. He didn't stop until he found himself on Brokenfold's main road, and somehow right in front of Ana's house. How did that happen? He wondered slightly angered that he had auto piloted straight to her house. Then again, it wasn't like he had anywhere else to go or anyone else to turn to, and if he was honest with himself, she was the only person he really wanted to see. 

Taking a deep breath to slow down his breathing, he jumped up the steps to her front door and knocked. He listened as he heard footsteps getting closer and closer from inside, until the door creaked open slightly. A woman who looked to be in her mid fifties peered out from behind the door. She scowled at the stranger standing in her doorway.

 A certain nervous feeling settled in the bottom of his stomach as he looked down at who he imagined was Ana's mother opening the door. Elvis stuttered. "Um, Hi there," he managed in his unfamiliar northern tone. "Is—uh. Is Ana here?" 

 The woman frowned, but nodded. "Yeah, she lives here. What's your business?" 

 "Well, I-I'd like to —" Elvis was cut off by Ana's voice from inside. 

"Mother? Who is that at the door?" She pulled the door back further and away from her mother's grasp. 

 Elvis' heart skipped a beat and he smiled automatically when he saw her, "Hey there, honey." 

"Who do you think you are calling 'honey'?" Ana's mother questioned. "I certainly hope you were not referring to my daughter. I will not stand for this sort of—" 

 "Mother!" Ana interrupted embarrassed. "Aaron! My goodness, what a surprise." 

 "Anastasia, do you know this man?" Her mother questioned. 

"Um, yes," Ana began uneasily. "Mother, this is my friend Aaron. Aaron this is my mother." She motioned between the two. 

 "It is a pleasure to meet you, m'am," Elvis greeted politely. 

 "Uh-huh," Ana's mother huffed sarcastically. "Yeahh." She turned and went back inside the house. 

Elvis was a little shocked by Ana's mother's blunt response. To say he was not used to this kind of treatment was an understatement. 

 Ana gave Elvis an apologetic look. "I'm really sorry, Aaron. I told you she isn't the nicest person you'll ever meet." 

"She just doesn't know me is all," he shrugged.Ana nodded. 

"So what're you here for?" She asked curiously. "Oh, I'm such a horrible person, come on inside! I don't mean to make you stand out on the porch all day." She stepped aside and motioned for him to come in.

"I—uh, thanks," he followed her inside. "Honestly, I don't really know why I'm here. I just haven't had the greatest day and I needed run off some steam and wound up here." 

 Ana smiled, "Well, I'm glad you showed up. I was having so much fun cleaning the kitchen." 

 Elvis laughed lightly, "I mean, don't let me keep you from your cleaning." 

"Are you kidding me?" Ana grabbed his arm and pulled him in the house. "Get in here before I die of boredom!"

 ===================

 The next few hours flew by quicker than either of the two realized. Elvis' loved the way it seemed that just the sound of her laugh could take anything off of his mind. Her smile alone could bring any man to his knees. They had pulled out a deck of cards and had gone through every game they could think of, even making up their own. Ana's mother had kept a close eye on them while they sat on the floor in the living room, peeking her head in every little while and sizing him up skeptically.