Nomads

Chapter 16

After a somewhat tense ride back to Clara's house in Luca's black Dodge Challenger (which was a surprisingly cheap car for a rich kid) they found themselves sitting in the car just outside the house.

"Is she gonna kill me, do you think?"

Mara smirked, glancing over at him. "Well, at least you know where you're going when you die."

He scoffed, looking horrified. "You don't really think she'll try to hurt me..?"

Mara shook her head, laughing. "She's gonna love you. Just apologize really sincerely and then be yourself." She opened the door and left him there to scramble after her.

"Do I look presentable?" He mumbled as he stood in the middle of the yard, smoothing out with his wrinkled blue polo. 

"You look great, Luca. Now come on," She beckoned him up the creaky porch steps before continuing to fumble with her keys. "Why are you so nervous, anyway?"

"Because," he pressed, "I've never had to meet a girl's parents before."

"Luca," Mara drawled, stopping in the middle of putting the key in the door to look back at him. "Am I your first girlfriend?"

He blushed, shrugging. "Maybe..."

Mara grinned. "Well if it makes you feel any better, it's my first time bringing a boy home to meet my parents." She wrinkled her nose. "Except this is my aunt. Guardian," she rectified.

Luca smiled at that, relaxing slightly. "Naomi," he drawled in the same incredulous tone she gave him, "Am I your first boyfriend?"

She nodded, laughing as she pushed the key into the lock and opened the door. "Why as a matter of fact, Luca, yes you are."

Their amusement was cut short at the sound of Clara shrieking and tackling Mara into a bear hug.

"Naomi Mara Joy Henderson with your way too long name, you scared the living daylights out of me!"

"I'm sorry aunt Clara, I really didn't mean to lose track of time..." Mara choked out before gently prying the woman off her. Once the older woman released her iron grip, Mara gestured to Luca. "Aunt Clara, this is my boyfriend, Luca Callahan. Luca, this is my aunt Clara."

"B-boyfriend?"Clara stuttered, moving her eyes over to Luca who held his hand out with a nervous smile.

"It's nice to see you, Ms. Henderson," he said confidently, albeit with a nervous smile.

Clara's eyes narrowed suspiciously and she slowly reached her hand out to shake his. "Boyfriend..." She muttered under her breath in blatant disbelief.

"Yep," Mara popped the P. "Boyfriend."

After an awkward pause that consisted of Clara shaking Luca's hand for far too long, the woman snapped out of her stupor and ushered them into the living room.

Mara tugged Luca over to the loveseat and the two sat down, with aunt Clara taking a cautious seat on the couch.

"So what were you two doing that had you lose track of time, hm?" Clara eyed them suspiciously, causing Mara to bury face in her hands and Luca to blush at the insinuation.

"Well," Luca said, clearing his throat, "I wanted to show her around the school grounds since she's new, and we stopped in a clearing that used to be a training ground for all the sports teams. We sat there to enjoy the weather and we both fell asleep."

"And I forgot to tell him I needed to be home by six, so that's what happened." Mara added.

"I'm really sorry for keeping your niece out, Ms. Henderson, I didn't mean for us to stay out so late."