green & town // adam met

three: family dinner, part one

"Elisha," Cam said as she moved around the apartment hallway back and forth. "Are you about ready to head out?"
    I placed my bookmark in my novel and set it on my bedside table.  looked down at my outfit and hesitated my answer.
    "Yeah," I said, lying through my teeth. My bedroom door swung open and she was standing with her toothbrush in her mouth as she clicked her earring.
    "Ooh, cherry pajamas, nice touch for the evening," She laughed as she brushed her teeth.
     "I'm getting there," I laughed and got out of bed and moved towards my wardrobe. "And don't judge, you're still brushing your teeth."
    "Oh, everyday is a rush with Ryan," she laughed as she went back into her room to her bathroom. "He always wants to be super early."
     "The best way to be!" Ryan said from the kitchen table. I could hear them both laugh separately.
     "Well, I'm always super late so get used to that," I laughed as I cracked my door and started to get dressed.
     "I'll be the middle ground in this household then," Cam said as she rinsed her toothbrush off. "When Cam is ready, it's perfect time to leave."
     "Oh, don't put lies into Elisha's head," Ryan laughed. "You always take so long to get ready. That's why I always tell you a fake time to get ready by."
     "He knows me so well," Cam said as she opened my door and flopped onto my bed as I got ready.
"Does this look okay?" I said as I looked into the body mirror on the back of my door. I slid my beloved necklace over behind my neck as I decided if I liked the outfit.
"A red sweater and blue jeans," Camryn said as she analyzed it. "Can't go wrong with that, I mean I'm wearing a turtleneck for God sake, the outfit where youthfulness goes to die. You look great."
"Okay," I said, getting another look. "I just haven't seen Aubrey in a long time and I'm meeting Jack for the first time, and-"
"And you both look great," Ryan said from the hallway. He opened the door and crossed his arms as he leaned on the doorframe. "Elisha, red is your color. Cam, you are not old and stop saying that."
"I'm halfway to fifty," Cam groaned, flopping back on the bed. "I might as well write my will right now."
"Well, you'll be fifty by the time we get to Jack and Aubs," Ryan laughed as he held out his hand. "Cmon, we are going to be late."
I looked down at my watch to see the time.
"Yeah, even the late one here is saying that we are behind time," I laughed. Camryn groaned and got up.
We walked out of my room and out to the front door. We slid on our coats and shoes and we headed out the door.
"Oh my gosh, it's freezing," I said bundling myself up in my own arms as we walked in the garage towards the car. "Why does it have to be this cold?"
"Because the weather is bipolar here," Ryan laughed, opening his car door.
"Yeah I thought Ohio was bad," Cam laughed and buckled her seatbelt. She rubbed her hands together in anticipation for Ryan to turn up the heat.
"I though England was bad," I laughed, remembering the rainy and cold days that always plagued my hometown.
"Yeah, England was pretty bad last time we went," Cam laughed as Ryan left the garage and down the busy street. "I remember when we were all just chilling in that pub and then the lights turned off and then WOOSH the fucking roof just collapsed."
"Sounds wild," Ryan said laughing. "Did it just like happen?"
"Oh yeah," Cam said laughing. "Everyone just kept drinking on."
"We will have to get you over to England sometime, Metzger," I laughed. "See how long you last."
Ryan smiled and looked back in the rear view mirror.
"Actually, we were going to go next summer for a show," He said, holding onto Cam's hand. "Kinda was supposed to be a surprise on your part, but we were doing a string of shows in the U.K."
"Really?" I asked, kinda confused. "Cam said you guys made music, I didn't know you guys were big."
"I wouldn't say big," Ryan suggested, shrugging his shoulders.
"Known, but underground," Cam interluded, turning around to face me. "The guys are actually playing a show here soon if you would want to come. It's in the city."
"Love to," I said. "Get to know an underground band and the small venues."
Ryan and Cam shared a glance and smiled as Ryan turned down an even busier road.
  "I can't remember if Jack was over when we've FaceTimed," Cam said as she thought. "But he is very sweet. I think him and Aubs hit it off around last Christmas."
"I think I've talked to him, at least him being in the room," I said to her.
"Alright good so it won't be that awkward," she laughed.
"If any social event has Elisha in the equation, it'll be at least a little awkward," I said, turning on my phone to check the time again.
"Probably not as awkward and Ryan and I's first thanksgiving," she said, and I looked at her with confusion. "Long story, tell you later."
      "Yeah, that was-" Ryan laughed as he found a parking spot on the side of the road. "Something else, I'll give you that."
      "We have plenty of time to tell you," Camryn laughed as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
      "Oh," Ryan said, turning to me before opening his car door. "Are you allergic to dogs?"
       "I would not be alive if I was," I laughed. "I love them."
       "Good, you'll love Shay then," he smiled and we all got out of the car and walked up the steps to the apartment complex.
     Ryan presses the intercom button at the main door and a man's voice, presumably Jack's, came across the speaker.
     "Cmon up, guys," He said, and with a loud buzzing noise, the door unlocked.
      "Prison-like, much?" I laughed as we walked through the doors and up the flights of stairs to Jack and Aubrey's apartment.
      Ryan knocked on the apartment door and a dog barked on the other side. I could hear Jack saying 'get back, Shay' through the wooden door before opening it.
     Jack's words meant nothing as the big fluffy puppy ran through Jack's legs and out to greet the three of us.
"Hello, Miss Shay," Ryan said as he knelt down to pet the puppy. He was attacked by many kisses.
"Hi, I'm Jack," He has said to me, leaning over his brother to shake my hand. I shook it and smiled at him.
To my surprise, Shay jumped up onto my jeans to get my attention. I knelt down and let her attack me now with kisses.
"Good, she likes you," Cam laughed as the dog licked at my makeup.
"Yeah, we haven't taught her to kill just yet," Jack laughed as he pushed his hands into his back pockets.
"Oh my gosh," I heard a familiar voice say. Aubrey popped her head out to the apartment hallway, her long brown curls bouncing behind her. "Elisha!"
     "Hey, babes!" I said, gathering her into a big hug. She squeezed me in her arms as Shay jumped up on our legs.
"Gosh, I feel likes it's been forever," she pulled the hug apart to get a good look at me. "I'm so glad I'm not seeing you through a screen anymore."
"At least for a few months," I said smiling. "A few months with this cutie."
I bent down to scratch behind Shay's ear, giving her the satisfaction she was begging for.
"No, she's talking about me," Cam said, as she sarcastically flipped her long hair.
"Cmon, lets go inside," Jack laughed, ushering towards the door. "It's about done cooking. Cmon, Shay."
Shay bolted into a sprint towards the door as Jack called to her. We all laughed and headed into the small apartment.
Shay immediately went to her basket of toys in their living room and dumped them on the ground. Jack and Ryan laughed and went to play with her as the girls moved to the kitchen.
"So," Aubrey said as she grabbed five wine glasses down from the cabinets. Camryn opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of white wine. "How was the travel over here?"
"I couldn't tell you, I was out the whole time," I laughed as I took my glass from her. "I'm just glad I've caught up on my jet lag and that I'm staying longer than what I usually do. I could not get off of the plane and then right back on it."
     "Oh I bet," She laughed as Cam poured wine into her glass. "I remember when Cam and I went over there last time and we were out for about a full twelve hours."
     "Yeah, I know," I laughed. "I remember just watching tv while you guys were passed out on the couch."
      "I still have a kink in my neck from passing out on that couch," Cam laughed as she filled my glass.
      "I believe it," I laughed. "I got rid of it after you guys left."
      "Good, so next time we come over there won't be sleeping on wood with some fabric over it," Aubrey laughed.
      "Hey babe," Cam said to the living room. Ryan popped his head up from the ground over the table, making us all laugh. "How much wine do you want?"
      "Fill her up," Ryan laughed and went back down.
      "Same here!" Jack said between the squeaking of the toys. "Also, grab one for-"
A loud buzzing noise coming the intercom by the door interrupted Jack, making us all jump.
"Speak of the devil," Jack said, getting up from the ground. He walked over to the box and pressed the button "Cmon up."
"Who is that?" I asked the group with confusion.
"Oh, that's our older brother," Jack said, unlocking the door again.
"The one Ryan and I were talking about," Cam said, sipping from her glass.
"Oh," I said, my nerves rising again. "Great."
Not moments later, a small knock pounded on the wooden door and Shay started barking up a storm.
"Hey," Jack said as he opened the door. I turned around quickly to hide myself from the new person, feeling embarrassment fill my cheeks.
"Elisha," Ryan said to me. "This is our brother, Adam."
I turned around quickly and saw him. The scruffy beard, the same smile. Those damn eyes from the library the other day.
"Hi," I said, holding out my hand stiffly. "I'm Elisha."
Adam hesitated and held out his hand, giving me a smile.
"I'm Adam," he said to me.