The Love Pentagon

Chapter 6

Elijah's POV

What am I doing? What am I thinking? I'm inviting a girl to live with me? I must be out of my mind.

"What?" Autumn asks. I'm asking myself the same thing. What? I can't do this. I feel so bad. I got her hopes up for nothing. I am a horrible person But, maybe I can do this.

My mom would allow it if she knew about the terrible things that Autumn has been through. My sister, Riley, is about the same size as Autumn so she can give her some clothes. They are both small for their age. We have a guest room. If Dad were still here, he probably wouldn't allow it. But, he left years ago. He's not coming back. He knows damn well that he's not welcome back.

"Elijah?" Autumn asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah. You can come live with me."

"You don't have go through that trouble," she says.

"It's no trouble at all. I want to help you." We argued for about half an hour. She thinks she's too much trouble. I don't want her going back to her house. She'll get hurt. Even though we don't know each other very well, she still...means something to me.

"What about your parents?" she asks.

"My mom would be happy to help you." She's not going to give up. I don't want to get serious with her but she's giving me no option.

"I just can't..."

"Autumn, do you want to go back to your dad?" Tears start forming in her eyes.

"No but..."

"Do you want to be homeless?"

"Well no but..."

"Do you have any other family that would take you?"

"None that I know of but I'm..."

"Will anybody at school take you in?"

"No probably not. I'm..."

"Autumn, what other option do you have?"

Autumn's POV

I just can't put Elijah through this trouble but he's right. I don't have any other options. He puts his arm around me and we start walking towards his house. Having is arm around me gives me a sense of security. Elijah seems so safe.

When we get to his house, I feel like I could faint. I can't believe this is happening. We walk through the door and I see a girl who must be Elijah's sister. She looks so much like him.

"Who's that, E?" she asks. "Your girlfriend?"

"No. This is Autumn. Where's mom?" Elijah asks.

"Did you guys come here to bang or something? Because..." Elijah runs towards her and she runs up the stairs. I start laughing.

"Sorry about that. That's Riley. My sister," he says. A woman who must be Elijah's mom walks in from the kitchen.

"Hey mom," he says.

"Hi Elijah. Who's this?" she asks.

"This is Autumn. We need to talk," he says. "Autumn, you can watch TV or whatever you want. I would have you hang out with Riley but I'm afraid she'll poison your mind." He walks into the kitchen with his mom. I sit on the couch and I try to listen to their conversation.

"She needs to live with us," Elijah says.

"Why?" 

"She...well...she can't stay at her house."