I Dare You

10 | Stayover

Their dinner had been full of laughter. Luna had asked her of how Nathan is at school, and ended up with telling stories to how he was as a child. He seemed unimpressed until Adam- his father- have started to talk about his activities in school, such as extracurricular, and potential internships to secure.

"I'm working in real estate, you see. Which is how I meet my wife. She's an interior designer. But Nathan might be taking engineering, and I couldn't be happier that he'd made such an excellent choice." Somehow, out of the corner of her eyes, she could notice his expression hardened.

"What about you?" Luna suddenly asks. "Have you planned where you're going, yet?"

Elena doesn't know why she felt like she has an image to maintain, and she hesitated. "Um, no. You see, the circumstance are... Considerable. Plus, there's a lot of things I'm interested at. It might take a while before I could make my mind up."

Luna waved, telling her how understandable and made sense, that is, and started to tell stories how she could relate. But even so, she couldn't help but noticing the look on Adam's face that seemed calculating. And it'd made her felt uncomfortable.

"Now, now. You two go, and spend the time. It's a big house. I'm sure you could find something to entertain our guest with as she waits for her parents, right Nathan?" Luna asked and Nathan only nodded.

"oh, yes. But um, Mrs- I mean Luna, would you like me to help with the dishes-" she's about to ask but he'd cut her over saying that she has it covered, and shooed her away. She ended up sitting on the living room, and stuck playing game console with Nathan.

"Ha! I win-"

"I let you win. Don't be so proud," Nathan said, rolling his eyes making Elena hits his arms in annoyance.

"That's the third time-"

"That means I'm a gentleman-"

"My ass, Nathan! You just don't like to admit that a newbie just defeated you," Elena retorted, crossing her arms as he shrugged.

"Whatever makes you happy, Mitchell. I won't rub it in your face for losing, if that's what you're worried about," he teased that earned him another hit. He only chuckled while pretending that her hits actually hurts him when it's obviously doesn't.

"Such a big baby," she muttered, annoyed. She turned her head away before suddenly attacking him with the couch pillow that he doesn't realize she'd grabbed as they've been sitting on the carpeted floor instead of the couch.

"Hey!" he complained as the pillow hits his face. He quickly grabbed his own weapon, and from what was virtual fight had turned into a pillow war. Which unsurprisingly had been started by him when he walked away from where she's at, and with the couch covering him, he grabbed the other pillow and thrown it her way, meeting her unexpecting face; he laughed hard at that before the pillow is returned to his face.

After a moment of running around the couch, throwing pillows, and taking covers, they finally sat down on the couch; finally realizing the actual use of the object. As they rest, he realized that it's late, and however fun it is to have her around, he doesn't think she should've stayed so late.

"Would you like to go back to the room? See if your parents have responded now that your phone's been charged," Nathan asks, before suddenly offering to grab her phone for her while leading her to the pool where they both sat there by the edges of the pool.

Nathan noticed how she didn't check her phone though he'd handed it over to her. But she seemed relaxed there, and when she sees the phone, her movement had been weird when she'd accepted it.

"I hope you don't mind, me staying here. But if you do, you could just tell me and I'll leave. It's fine," she suddenly said. He turned to look at her and she gave him her half smile. Hadn't he known better; he'd thought that it's forced.

"If you really need to stay, we had plenty of rooms, you know," he offered and she only nodded, giving him another smile. He sighed, and move to stood up, and walked inside the house. She doesn't know what he's up to, but at the short amount of time she has alone, she'd used to have a quick peek into her phone, before shutting it off at once.

"Come on," Nathan said suddenly from behind, making her head twist so quickly out of shock. He only smirked, pleased that he took her off guard. Elena stood up and followed him where he led her to a guest room. "You could rest here," he points and she thanked him.

"Your parents-"

"-They're fine with it," Nathan cuts. "I told them your parents are uncontactable, must've been out of battery and they're probably still stuck on the road." Elena gave him a thankful nod and she slowly entered the room, while Nathan stayed within the door frame.

"It's a nice room," is the only thing Elena managed to say. Nathan smirked, but the retort she expected didn't come.

"Sleep tight," he said, closing the door behind him. She only watches his retreating figure, not at all prepared for a reply since she'd never expected that he'd say that to her.

A million things seemed to be swirling inside her head. But when she reached the mattress, all thoughts seemed to vaporized, and sleep had come easy. That night, she had the best sleep she'd ever remembered having.

070620  
220720