Wave of Hope

Chapter 4 - Be Yourself

Malia's POV

I'm getting ready to go out and start my photography homework when the doorbell rings. I wrap the strap for my camera around my neck and check my bag for everything I need including water, my journal, and snacks.

I open the door and am shocked to see Elijah standing there with a huge smile.

I raise my eyebrows in question
"I was bored and I was wondering if you wanted to maybe... Hang out?" he rubs the back of his neck and looks a little nervous.

I can't help but smile at his darn cuteness. I point to my camera and he looks at it for a second then smiles again.
"You can take pictures. I don't mind at all. And you can even choose where you want to go."

I hesitate but seeing his smiling face there is no way I can say no.
I hold up a finger telling him to hold on and I jog to the kitchen and use sign language to tell dad I was going out.

"Alone?" He asks worried.

-with a friend. I sign

He nods "can I meet this friend first?"

I nod and walk to the front door where Elijah is still standing on the porch.

I take out my journal and make a mental note that if we are going to be friends then I need to teach him some sign language.

-My dad wants to meet you before we go. Is that okay?

He takes a second to read it then looks back to me.

"Uh... yeah. Little soon to be meeting the parents though don't you think?" He says jokingly but his voice shakes a tiny bit.

-You sure? I can postpone it but if you really want to know me and whatever it is you want then you will meet them eventually.

"I was joking I would love to meet your parents. I'm just not so sure they will love to meet me." He says honestly and shrugs uncomfortably.

-Just be yourself and you should be fine. Unless yourself isn't the person I've meet in which case lie your butt off if you want to leave this house alive.

He chuckles and nods his head "Okay be myself. I can do that. Lets do this."

He rubs his hands together and twists his neck around as he jumps in place like he's preparing for battle.

He smacks his cheeks and let's out a huge breath.
"Alright I'm ready."

-You are making way to big a deal about this. It's just my dad.

He shakes his head seriously.
"Trust me. I'm not."

I shrug and lead him back to the kitchen.

When we walk in my dad raises his eyes at me as he sees Elijah.

"When you said friend I imagined a girl Malia. And a lot less muscle." He says while holding out his hand to Elijah.

Elijah gives him a good manly shake and my dad nods in approval.

I smile to myself because my dad puts a lot of his judgment into a handshake.
He believes anyone who shakes a hand weakly is a weak person. If they can't find the strength to greet someone properly then they aren't worth while.

He loves telling me about the day he met Mom. My dad worked, and still works, as an entrepreneur and he was doing a sales pitch when the most dazzling woman peaked through the door.

She was the assistant to one of the men my dad was talking to. Mom says she was slightly hesitant to walk into the room because she was worried she would get fired for interrupting their meeting but her bosses daughter had called saying she was in the hospital so she went in anyways.