E L L I O T ' S P O V :
My mom had spent her entire afternoon cooking for us, creating a feast fit for a king. It wasn't even Christmas Eve yet and there would already be leftovers. She pass the stuffing to Shane and he passed it along to my sister, Annie.
Shane was unnaturally silent and it was beginning to worry me. "Are you okay?" I whispered under the conversation Greg was having with my mom.
Shane nodded slowly as he shoveled mashed potatoes onto his plate. "I just hope I'm not intruding. Everyone seems so close, even Greg, and I'm an outsider." He paused. "How is it that Greg was welcomed with the same huge hug as you?"
"That's because Greg has met my family a thousand times since I moved out, literally. There is nothing for you to be worried about," I assured him.
Greg nudged me to hurry up when I had been passed the green bean casserole. "How is Shane holding up?" He asked quietly.
"Why do you ask?"
"It isn't exactly any secret that he feels out of place, Ell. Your family hasn't exactly praised him."
I rolled my eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"For starters, your sister hasn't made a move yet and he's been here for hours. Your step-dad shook his hand then quickly went back to watching football and your mom didn't even ask him to help with chores. This is very unusual behavior for them. Just imagine how your brothers would react if either of them were here. Do you really think they would have taken him outside to play ball? Hell no."
"Just because my family fell in love with you, doesn't mean they can't grow to love him too."
As everyone ate, my mom stood for a toast. "I would like to take this moment to thank God for letting my baby come home for Christmas along with Elliot and her handsome boyfriend, Shane," She joked.
"Thanks, mom," I said sarcastically.
"Thank you, Val." Greg with a smirk and a small laugh.
My sister Annie snorted. "It isn't like I'm right here or anything. Why are you glad Greg is here with them?"
"I was only joking about Greg, Ann. You raid my pantry daily, I don't see my Ellie nearly as often." My mom looked at her sternly.
"Maybe if Elliot wasn't such a bitch for moving away..." Annie stopped once she caught a glance of my mom's glare. Had my older brothers been here, they would have shut her up long ago. I suppose being a doctor and lawyer isn't exactly easy.
We finished our meals in silence while Shane and I gained many looks from family members. I didn't understand why they hadn't treated Greg like that when they had met him all those years ago. I suppose it was the first time I was bringing home a boy since the last one.
After dinner, my mom showed us our rooms and assured us that the boys would be sharing a room like Annie and I. Despite being twenty six, she still had the same rules she did when I was fifteen: in bed at nine thirty and no sneaking around after lights out.
"I don't see why you get to drag two boys home but I can't kiss Jessie on the porch," Annie mumbled angrily as she climbed into bed.
I sighed in annoyance. "Perhaps that's because he's a homeless drug deals that stays at a bar all night and reeks of desperation and whiskey," I said, shedding light on what everyone thought of her off-and-on boyfriend. "I also don't have two boys, one is a friend and the other is my boyfriend."
"Oh, please. A very close friend that you're in love with," She rolled her eyes, snatching the sheets from my grip.
This was hell. When I die, I am going to be forced to share a room with my sister for eternity.
G R E G ' S P O V :
Shane and I laid as far away from each other, awkwardly staring at the ceiling in silence. "Greg, are you awake?" He asked.
"No, Shane," I sighed. "I'm skydiving."
He exhaled loudly. "You're really close to Ell. You know her better than anyone, right? If someone, her sister perhaps, were to come onto me, would she be pissed?"
Sitting up, I flicked on the bedside lamp. "What happened?"
"After dinner when Ell's mom asked Annie to show me the bathroom, she pushed me into a closet down the hall. I almost smacked her into the coat rack after she came onto me just to push her away," He confessed.
"She did the same thing to me," I replied honestly. "Don't worry about it."
"What?"
I stood up and stretched. "She. Did. The. Same. Thing. To. Me."
"Does Elliot know?" He asked, sitting.
Shaking my head, I laughed. "Nope. I told Annie to leave alone or I would be sure to tell her mother about the line of business her 'boyfriend' is in. There wasn't any need to tell her."
Shane processed what I had said before jumping up and running out.
E L L I O T ' S P O V :
Suddenly, the thudding of feet came down the hall followed by the bedroom door being forced open by Shane. Before he could say anything, Greg tugged on his shirt collar and quickly mustered, "He's high, it's nothing."
Shane managed to fight off Greg and walked towards me before being yanked back out. "Elliot! Annie - came - onto - both - of - us!" He shouted between being forced back by Greg and trying to walk forwards. Greg successfully pulled him out the door and shut it, being able to be heard shouting curse words from the hallway.
YOU ARE READING
If Only You Could Tell
Romantizm"I've spent too many years letting myself be unhappy when the answer was right there in front of me," I shook my head, remembering all the lonely or heartbroken nights that had happened in the years I had known Greg. "I love you. You don't have to f...
