The Delinquent's Daughter {An Outsiders Fanfiction - Sequel to Hope}

20

After finding out that mom knows what I do after school every day, I decided I should probably come straight home for once. I told Eli and Faith that when we met by my locker after classes were over.

"Not going to Faith's?" Eli asked. I shook my head. It's not like Mom seemed to mind, but I didn't want to push my luck, especially with everything that's been going on.

"I'll walk you two home still," he decided. I smiled as he put his arm around me.

We walked home slowly, talking about classes and homework, trying not to bring anything up that would bring us down. Nothing about Faith's mom, nothing about my parents. Until the end. We let Faith go first, and I told her I'd see her on Momday, and then Eli held my hand as we crossed the street to my house.

"Are you going to be okay?" He asked me. I nodded, wrapping my arms around him.

"Thank you," I said. He hugged me back, tightly. Like he wouldn't let go. I liked it.

"For what?" He asked, kissing my forehead. I blushed.

"Everything." We stayed like that for a few more seconds, neither of us saying anything.

"So I'll see you Monday?" He asked. I nodded.

"Yep. And I'm ungrounded as of next week," I decided to remind him. He smiled.

"I forgot about that."

"Got anything planned?" I questioned. He shrugged and I giggled in response.

"I better go in," I said. He kissed my cheek before he left.

When I walked in, my mom was sitting on the couch.

"Hi, honey," she said. I waved, still smiling.

"He's cute," she said, referring to Eli. My cheeks heated up.

"Were you... spying on us?" I asked. She shook her head, laughing to herself.

"No, but I saw him. You should invite him over for dinner tonight," she suggested.

"You want to meet him?" I asked. She nodded.

"I do. And wasn't that your father's condition, you couldn't go out with him unless they met?" I nodded, sitting down next to her on the couch. I had forgotten about that.

"So go call him!" She exclaimed, like a little girl. When I decided to wait a few minutes, thinking he wouldn't be home yet, and mom started asking me questions.

"How long have you guys known each other?" She started with.

"Just a few weeks," I responded. "It'll be a month next Saturday, but he asked me out a little before that." I didn't tell her that we had kissed for the first time at a party, that he gave me his number at the drag race before that, and he was basically mystery boy before that.

"Do you like him?" She asked. I nodded, of course I did.

"What's he like?" She asked. I pictured him in my head. Eli was handsome tan, with chocolatey brown eyes, and hair that fell into his eyes so you could barely see them. He was tall, probably almost 6", with a killer smile. But that wasn't what she was asking, she had seen him.

"He's amazing," I said. "He's the sweetest, most caring guy I've ever met. He's a good actor, and a great kisser and-" I stopped suddenly, blushing like mad. I couldn't believe I had said that out loud. My mom was laughing quietly to herself.

"What's so funny?" I asked, but I already knew. 

"You seem very fond of him... Has he asked you to prom yet?" She asked, change g the subject once her laughter subsided. I shook my head. 

"Maybe he'll do it tonight. Go call your boyfriend, honey. I'll be in my room." I smiled, silently thanking her for the privacy as I dialed his number, which I now knew by heart, even if I had only actually called him twice.

"Hello?" He was the one that answered the phone, I would know that voice anywhere. He sounded out of breath.

"Hey," I said. "Did you just get home?"

"Hope?" He responded. "I thought you weren't allowed on the phone until next week."

"Yeah, but my mom had an idea... Fo you wanna meet my parents?" I asked, thinking about his chocolate brown eyes and how they shine when he smiles.

"Sure, Hope. I'd love to... You think we're ready for that, though?" He asked. I put my head down, frowning. I thought he'd be more excited.

"I... I thought so. And my parents really want to meet you. And your parents, for some reason, I guess. Do you wanna have dinner with us on tonight and meet them... Or are you not ready?" I pictured him flipping his shaggy hair out of his face while he ponders a response.

"Yeah. I like that idea," he said. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"You do?" I asked him. He chuckled.

"Yeah," he said, but I wasn't sure how sure he sounded.

"My parents are nice, don't worry," I tried to reassure him. He laughed.

"I'm not worried about whether they're nice or not, I'm worried about making the wrong impression, or if they don't like me," he explained. It was my turn to laugh then, because my parents had liked every guy I had ever brought him, and Eli's the only one I've ever been even sort of serious with. The only one I've ever called a "boyfriend", or went on more than one date with.

"They'll love you, Eli. You have nothing to worry about." I could hear him sigh in relief from the other end of the phone. I giggled.

"So we'll see you tonight then? 6:00?" I asked.

"Sounds good," he responded. "Love you." My heart stopped beating, then started again a million times too fast. He hung up before I could respond, and I stared at the phone in my hands for a minute, wondering if I should call back.

"I love you too." I said, even though I knew he wouldn't hear.

A/N: Filler, filler, filler I'm so sorry. Finals week is final(s)ly over, and I had a huge party on Thursday night (my parents were left with the mess because I went to the beach with some friends and they were not happy, to say the least...).  But things are good now and I'm finally on Summer Vacation, which means I have lots more time to write this story, The Best Thing AND the new story that I recently published, Love Among the Stars! If you like Soda and can picture him with someone other than Emily (I can't oops) then check this summer fic out!