SAFE & SOUND | THE ORIGINALS

thirteen

The small bell above the door rang loudly as he pushed the diner's glass door open, signalling that someone had entered.

The father-daughter duo slipped into a booth next to the window. Elijah slid one of the several menus across to Alana whose eyes scanned across it eagerly.

"It all looks so good," she mumbled to herself. "But I really shouldn't."

"What're you talking about?"

"It's all so... unhealthy," Alana looked up, electric blue eyes locking with her father's deep brown ones. "I – I shouldn't."

He reached out, placing a large hand atop of hers, "If it's your figure you're worried about I can assure you, one unhealthy meal won't hurt."

"Hi! Are you guys ready to order?" The waitress, a young woman with short red hair, interrupted.

"Yes," Elijah moved his hand away and picked up his menu, "I will have a cheeseburger and a chocolate milkshake, please."

"And you?"

Suddenly all eyes were on Alana as she bit her lip, unsure of what to order.

"And I'll have the same, please."

"Coming right up," the young woman smiled before walking away and leaving them alone once more.

A large grin appeared on his lips as he looked over at her. It was still so crazy to him that he had helped make something as perfect as her.

"You know," he began, catching her attention almost instantly, "we never really got to know each other."

"That was mostly my fault, I'm sorry."

"Not entirely. I'm also to blame. I should've made more time for you," his hand stretched out atop of hers like he had a few minutes before. "Will you forgive me?"

"Yeah, obviously." Alana gave him a tight lipped smile, only unlike the other times she had done this, she wasn't being sarcastic. "But only if you forgive me too."

"Of course."

It was silent between them for a few moments as the waitress came back and placed their food on the table. The father-daughter duo both have her kind smiles which she returned before retreating back into the kitchen.

"So how have the dance classes been?"

"Yeah, good. They've been really good." Alana nervously bit her lip, looking up at him with her big blue eyes. "Actually I, um, I have a, uh, recital – next week – do you, uh, want to come?"

She nervously played with a fry on her plate as she awaited an answer, afraid he might say no.

"I would love to," Elijah beamed, unable to wipe the smile off of his face.

Much like her father, a large grin was spread across her lips, "I'm doing the Red Shoes. I was meant to do it last year, but then my mom got sick and I quit ballet."

"I'm sure you will be magnificent," he reassured.

The pair sat in the diner for hours, talking about everything and nothing. They got to know each other, something they should have done a while ago but were just as happy to do so now instead.

Elijah and Alana sat in the booth in the retro themed diner and laughed until their sides hurt, and for the first time since moving to New Orleans, Alana felt genuinely happy.