Together: Sequel To Alone

Chapter 20| Speaking Together|

Everyone just sort of sat there, blinking, for a few minutes before Lynn let out a low whistle.

" You two managed to go to the same collage after not seeing each other for years? Damn."

" Really?" Tobias asked " That's what you got from that?"

" What did you want us to say" Lynn asked

" I don't know, I didn't think that far ahead." Tobias snorted. I was happy that he could talk about this to everyone.

" That's all great, " Lynn said, apparently the least stunned by his story " but I'm starving, so let's get food"

"So," Chris said, ignoring Lynn entirely " Ava's your sister, your dad's an asshole, your mom is to blame for you leaving and your other sisters a mild bitch?"

" Basically" Tobias confirms

" Sure," mutters Marlene, " okay."

" Food, now " Lynn, being impatient as she is, pulls her sister off the seat and towards the car. The rest followed silently, likely still stunned. I grabbed Tobias's hand, holding him back momentarily. With sure movements, I planted my lips on his, a soft sweet kiss that still managed to set my nerves on fire.

" I'm proud of you" I murmured around his lips, causing him to catch my again and kiss me much more roughly. Only Lynns call of impatience broke us apart, both of us heading to the parking lot.

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Tobias and I were, to say the least, happy to get rid of the others that night. There was an air of stunned silence throughout the day, with all conversations muted and muffled. Tobias didn't seem to mind much, though I think he got sick of the sidelong glances. Knowing my friends, they'd be back to normal in the morning.

So we went to sleep, Ava snuggled up on one bed with Tobias and I cuddled in the other. The TV was on, tuned to the local news channel, a soft voice in the silence.

" Tobias," I murmured, " I think I'm going to go see my parents tomorrow"

" Are you sure?" He asked

" I think I need to, " I confirmed " I don't like how we left it"

" I understand, do you want me to come?"

" I don't think they'd take that to well, but why not?" I consented

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Tobias and I dropped Ava off with Christina that morning, heading to my parents house in the chill of the early hours. The roads were empty, save for a few cars that puttered along the blacktop. We reached their house in record time, pulling into the white driveway slowly . We gazed at the enormous house, the outside still trimmed immaculately, bushes pristine, grass cropped short.

The doorbell could be heard from outside the porch, a loud ringing chime that was followed by footsteps and the sound of a door unlocking.Saying that my mother was stunned would be an understatement. She stood in the doorway for a moment, her mouth hanging open, before engulfing not only me but, to my surprise, Tobias as well. We were both ushered inside and offered water before my father walked in. His eyes hardened at the sight of Tobias and I's locked hands. But he stayed silent, glaring slightly, hugging me anyways.

" I didn't know you were in town!" My mother exclaimed

" We just got in yesterday," I explained " I wanted to see you guys"

" Of course, come on, sit, let's talk."

So we did, we sat around the table with cups of water in our hands and hesitant words in our mouths. My mother did most of the talking, my father staring with an air of anger. I only realized to late that I should've removed my ring.

" What is that?" Snapped my dad, grabbing my hand in his and gazing, stunned, at the ring on my finger. While my mother reacted with shrieks, my father looked ready to kill both Tobias and I. I huriedly explained that we weren't engaged, only together. Tobias, to my surprise, explained to them about Marcus and his mother, his sisters as well. He had no reservations about telling them, it seemed, from his calm demeanor and sure sentences. Both my parents jaws were on the floor as he finished.

" That," My dad said eventually " clarifies things."

My mother agreed, smiling at the pair of us.

" Well, I think we have to apologise" My dad said begrudgingly " I'm sorry, Tobias, for assuming you'd be a bad influence on my daughter."

" Honestly, sir" Tobias replied " I probably would've been a horrible influince if she hadn't been the one to change me. Your daughter has done so much for me, including being patiant when I was difficult, I don't even know how to begin thanking her."

I kissed him. I shouldn't have, I suppose, as my parents were two feet away. But sometimes he was simply to sweet not to kiss. By the time we pulled apart, my parents looked like someone had just punched them in the face.

" The kissing, " Said my dad " stops now"

Tobias gave a sharp nod before running his palm over my thigh under the table. It took everything in me no refrain from either kissing him or strangling him or both. We sat and had civil conversation, though the tension was lurking behind the calm words. We spoke about Caleb, and how he had visited the day prior, we talked about Tobias and I choosing the same collage. We also talked breifly about Tobias's sisters, who my parents seemed interested in.

By the time we had finished, it was well past eleven O'clock. My parents offered for us to stay the night since it was so late, but we declined, walking out to the car and hopping in. We waved at my patents until they were out of sight. I released a sigh as they left my sight, leaning towards Tobias.

" That went surpisingly well" I muttered " I though my dad was going to burst a vein there for a minute."

We both laughed at that, Tobias's smile lighting up the dark road.

When we pulled into the hotel, there were few people up and about, only a few men chatting in the parking lot with cigarettes dangling from their fingers. Tobias's hand stayed wrapped my waist as we stepped into the elevator. As it moved, Tobias glued his eyes to me, staring at me so intensely I had to elbow him.

"What?" I asked

" you're beautiful" is all he said.

"So are you" I commented offhandedly, distracted by what he said. "Wait, wait no"

He had to lean against the side of the elevator to keep from falling over as he laughed.  But soon enough, his lips were over mine, pressing against me with so much passion that something inside of me burst. We stayed locked together until the elevator stopped, a couple of older people looking at us funny as the doors slid open.

We jumped out and headed to our room, deciding to keep Ava with the others. The moment the door closed, I was pushed against a wall with Tobias's lips right back on mine. He rested his hand on my hip,

"Jump" he murmured against my lips. And I did. He grabbed my thighs in his large hands and backed us towards the bathroom counter. I was at his hight now, and I didnt have to strain to reach his lips. We kissed passionately for seconds, minutes, decades, before we retired to bed, limbs so wrapped together that we were almost one person.

-/-/-/-

Was that bad? I'm still all freaked out because of the anesthetic form earlier. I only had a bit left to write of this chapter, so I wrote it right after I got out of surgery. Which, in hindsight, was an awful idea, but I wanted to give you all a chapter. I'm publishing this  like, thee days later, but I'm still all spacey and I can't concentrate long enough to edit this. And just typing this makes me want to throw up, so I'm going to stop now. So grammar Nazis, have at it.

Last chapter before the epilogue. GET EXCITED!

I love you guys :)