The fake girlfriend deal. ||BEING HEAVILY EDITED||

Thirteen| A lesson. (edited)

        (RIVEN POV)

                 Yuna's home is cute. I don't mean that in a demeaning way, I mean it's actually really cute. It's a two story, charcoal colored house with yellow window shutters, two small cars out front and a porch swing. It had the stereotypical welcome mat, and tulips painted on the mailbox.

   It's everything I imagined a home should look like, small, warm, inviting. No marble columns and spiral staircases, no cold echoing down the halls.

   I grab my crutches and sling two bags over each shoulder, despite the sweet appearance, my heart feels like I've taken ten shots of adrenaline and some coffee.

   "It'll be fine, they're very welcoming." Yuna brushes her hair back and purses her lips together tightly.
   
I know she's trying to help, but I can tell she's nervous. I wore long sleeves and a jacket to hide any tattoos, I used concealer to hide what's left of my bruising under my eye, I brushed my hair back but skipped the gel so it looked soft, my face is clean, I haven't smoked all day, I look like a great stereotypical product of society.

I just hope it's enough.
     
I crutch up the three steps to the front door that's also painted light yellow, letting Yuna knock. She hasn't told her parents she's coming home, saving it as a surprise.
    
My stomach tightens and I grip the handle of my crutches harder. The door opens and a woman who looks scarily similar to Yuna appears. Her jet black hair is tied back in a jaw clip, brown sharp eyes lined in coal eyeliner.
 
They even dress similar, white cardigan on, with flared leggings.

Her mom looks to Yuna then to me, she hugs Yuna tightly, squeezing her and shaking side to side before stepping back and looking at me once more.

"You've brought ... he is your boyfriend?" Her mom genuinely tries to force a smile but I can tell from her voice that she already doesn't approve.

  "No! He's just a close friend, we actually are in the same class." She lies, she told me in the car she couldn't let them know we were roommates, she said it would make their minds run wild.

  "I'm Anzu." She sticks her hand out and I take it,  shifting my weight with my crutches. She's trying not to look down, trying to pretend she doesn't notice.

"I'm chase." Riven seemed like too... hardcore of a  name to first use with them. Maybe they'd like Chase better.

    "Asahi is her father, he's off at work but he should be home by six." Anzu nods and smiles our way, "please come in."
  
I follow Yuna's example and slide my shoe off at the front door, setting it on the shoe rack lined with sneakers, dress shoes and slippers.
   
The inside is far better than I could have expected. A tiny step led down into the living room, a gray sectional couch and two black recliners, light washed wood flooring and a gray rug, light yellow walls, everything was bright and airy and there's plants in each corner of the room, and hanging baskets lining the floor length windows that show a deck out back.
     
There's photos on the wall of the family, pets, school photos and work photos. Their whole life, just on display. My house had one family portrait with forced smiles and that was it.
  
The moment we step inside Anzu smacks Yuna on the shoulder, "you should've told me you were coming home!" She mutters something in Japanese and continues, "I would've cleaned up and had food waiting!"
   
Yuna feigns hurt but I see her eyes lighting up. She addresses her mom in a mix of Japanese and English, but I can make out some vague excuse of wanting to surprise her.

   "Chase-" Anzu looks at me, her lips pressed tightly together.

"He didn't have anywhere to go on break and I asked him to come with me, I didn't want to come back to town alone." Yuna intercepts for me, setting her hand on my arm. "I wanted to have someone with me, and diamond wanted to stay back."