Playing the Game

Chapter 11: Dope Parents

Chapter 11

"Oh boy." Elizabeth sighed as I pulled into her driveway.

Her mom was outside gardening and her dad was sitting on the porch reading.

"Fuck." She whispered when her mom saw us. "You're gonna have to get out of the car."

"I'm gonna what?"

Her mom waved and Elizabeth plastered a fake smile on her face, waving back.

"My parents don't understand that guys and girls can just be friends and they're about to try and be really fricken cute and adorable and be the 'cool parents'." Elizabeth said through her smile.

I looked at her for a minute.

Why did it rub me the wrong way the way she said 'just be friends'?

"Well then, good thing I'm a doll with parents." I winked before getting out of the truck.

Elizabeth let out a groan, getting out of the truck too.

"Elizabeth, who's this?" Her mom asked, taking off her gardening gloves.

"Oh my God." Elizabeth whispered as her mom wiped back sweaty strands of her hair.

"Charlie McKinley. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Von Batton." I smiled, reaching forwards to shake her hand. "I hope you don't mind, Elizabeth and I were just playing some FIFA for a while."

"FIFA?" Mrs. Von Batton frowned, glancing at her daughter.

"It's a video game, mom, soccer." Elizabeth said quietly. "And it's nothing. Charlie was just leaving."

"No, no stay." Mrs. Von Batton smiled. "And please, call me Jackie."

"Yes ma'am." I grinned, glancing over at Elizabeth.

Her face was red and she looked mortified. "Mom, let him go." Elizabeth said seriously.

"I just made some iced tea! The kind with the good ice cubes. Come on in, the guys will stay out of your hair, they're down in the basement no doubt tearing the place apart anyways." Mrs. Von Batton said happily.

Elizabeth looked at me with a mortified expression, looking smaller than I'd ever seen her appear.

"Come on." I said softly, nudging her hip towards the door. "I love some good iced tea."

She whimpered as I followed her up the steps.

"Mr. Von Batton, nice to meet you." I walked up to her dad to shake his hand.

He peered at me over his glasses before returning to his book, not accepting my handshake.

"Take your shoes off before you walk inside, please." He said simply, turning the page in his book.

"You didn't tell me he was British." I whispered to Elizabeth. "Your family is so fascinating."

"Shush." Elizabeth hissed, despite the fact that I swear I heard her dad chuckle outside.

Elizabeth gave me a look as we took off our shoes. She set them neatly against the wall and then followed me into the kitchen.

"So, Charlie, you go to school with Elizabeth?" Mrs. Von Batton asked as she poured two glasses of iced tea.

"Yes, I do." I nodded.

"And you're on the football team?" She asked, gesturing to my sweatshirt as she handed me a glass.

"Yes ma'am. Quarterback." I said proudly, glancing over at Elizabeth again. She still looked extremely uncomfortable.

"He just played a pick up game with Tommy and the guys over at the field." Elizabeth explained.