On The Run

Chapter Eleven

AJ follows me into the dining room, and sits down next to me.

My parents are in the kitchen, preparing the food, and I am in no hurry to start.

I glance over at AJ who is already looking at me, and raise an eyebrow as a little color rushes to his cheeks.

Did he just blush?

"You look beautiful tonight." He mutters, before shaking his head and turning away.

I think I just got a compliment from the bad boy.

At that moment my mother walks in, carrying a dish of mashed potatoes.

She gives AJ a once over and looks at me with a smile, to give her approval.

One parent down, one more to go.

Than she goes back to the kitchen to get more food, and my dad comes out with the pasta.

He isn't so easy to please.

Glancing at AJ with a stern look, he follows my mother back into the kitchen.

Hopefully, AJ will be able to charm my parents.

I am counting on him.

Finally my parents reappear with the sides, before sitting down and looking at me expectantly.

"Uh..." I turn to AJ. "We pray?" I say it more like a question, and he gives me a quizzical look before offering me his hand.

I reach across the table and take my father's hand, and he does the same with my mother.

"Come Lord Jesus, be our guest. To all of us, this food be blessed."

I watch as everyone says Amen'. My parents don't seem to notice that AJ doesn't.

I shoot him a questioning look and he turns to me, mouthing the words, "I don't pray."

I frown as he turns back to face my parents, but do the same.

"So AJ," my mother starts, piling a plate with food and handing it to him.

He gives her a small smile - a real one, may I add - and glances over at me quickly.

"You slept with our daughter?"

He coughs a little at the straight forward question, and there is a silence before he answers.

"Well, yes. But we didn't, like... do anything." He clarifies, and I take a small bite of my food, watching this unfold.

"Then why was she in your shirt?" My father grills, glaring. AJ puts on a convincing face. "She was cold in just a tank top and didn't want to get out of bed to get a sweatshirt."

Wow. My parents seem to buy it.

I watch my parents closely as they relax a little, and the questions die down.

For the rest of the dinner we basically eat in silence, except for my parent's occasional questions directed at AJ.

They were mostly things like, "How is school?" (Good, I'm a straight A student) and "What do you like to do?" (I like astronomy)

Both of these facts surprise me.

When we are finished, my parents dismiss us, but not before shaking AJ's hand. They both seem to like him.

Even my dad.

I walk him to the door, and stare up at him.

"Thanks," I breathe out, sighing in relief.

He smiles at me. "I've never prayed in my life. I've never really had anything to pray for. But if it keeps you out of trouble, I'd do it a million times."

With that, he leans down and places a quick kiss on my cheek, before striding out the door.