Dust ✔️

Chapter Thirty-Three: Ameliorate

Chapter Thirty-Three: Ameliorate

I stared blankly at her mother in front of the door. She had an empty expression on her face while she eyed me up and down, then proceeded to look at her daughter as if I wasn't existent. But, the judgement was plastered on her face.

Well, at least wait for me to walk inside before insulting me.

"Mom!" She hissed. "This is Eli. He's my boyfriend." Aria looked up at me with begging eyes.

I cleared my throat and suppressed the urge to open my unfiltered mouth. I extended my arm. "It's nice to meet you." Gritted teeth. Play nice, don't fuck up.

Her mother nodded then smiled politely and shook my hand, placing her other hand on top of my hand. "My name is Annabella, it's a delight to meet you," They had similar smiles but her mother's was fake.

Annabella moved out of the way and began walking inside the house. "I wasn't expecting an extra guest to come along, Aria. Your father won't be too pleased when he sees you. Oh, he's been so stressed out with work lately. You know how he feels about surprises."

Aria nudged me to follow her in the house. I restrained the urge to pull away. I held her arm and walked slowly beside her while leaning down to her ear. "You didn't tell them I was coming?" I queried, suspicious.

She gave a sweetened look and bit her bottom lip. "That little detail must've slipped my mind."

I narrowed my eyes. Fuck sakes.

"So, Elijah, is it? What do you do for a living?" Her mother swiftly turned around in the middle of what looked like a living room for tea drinkers and non television watchers. Did she forget my name so quickly? Figures. Odd fancy designs all over the carpets and chairs. Abstract swirls, I'd go insane in this room.

"Just Eli. I'm a mechanic." I cleared my throat again.

Her eyes wavered to Aria. "I see." She turned to me and gave me another smile while walking past the two of us. "I'll go get your father, dear. He will want to hear all about your... Updates."

Once we were alone, I let out a breath of air and stared in the space where her mother disappeared.

"So that's my mom," Aria turned towards me. I could see in my peripherals, her gritty smile. "Eli?"

"Aria, what the hell?" I glowered and finally turned to her. "Why didn't you tell them I was coming?"

Her expression changed to worry. "Because if I did, they wouldn't have allowed it. And I want them to meet you, I want you to meet them."

She touched my arm but I moved away. "You're throwing me into a fire, Aria."

"I just think that... I want you to see every side of me and my life. I have bad in my life too and I want you to see the good and the bad parts of me. I want you to meet my brother. I want you to be here for me-"

"-I am here for you. You should have warned me prior to this. My chances of proving myself worthy to them are already dim enough as it is." I couldn't contain the hollow look on my face. I was furious.

"I'm sorry, Eli. I'm just trying to make everything go smoothly." She pleaded with her eyes.

"So what, you brought me here to piss your parents off? You're with a lowlife guy who fixes up cars and gets into mischief, is that it? You want to use me that way?" I was angry and I couldn't help but feel set up.

She frowned and shook her head. "No- I... We both know they weren't going to accept you Eli. I don't care what they think, I just want you with me. You're not a lowlife."