he’d been worried about bringing me home to his parents, especially since we hadn’t been dating for very long. But this level of intense worry seemed above and beyond what would be normal. Of course, who was I to judge what was normal?
“Come, meet Avalon,” Julian leaned down and planted a kiss on my forehead before he tugged me just a few feet closer to his family. Loretta stepped aside allowing me to see the girl standing behind her.
I took a few seconds to really look at Avalon because while, yes I had seen her at school I had never actually taken the time to really look at her. She looked young, like 14 or 15, but her eyes looked old, almost as if she had seen a lot of the world.
Avalon’s hair was long, thick, wavy and dark brown, kind of frizzy but pretty at the same time and I knew if Mel were to get a hold of her all that hair would soon be trimmed, thinned and product laced. I bit my lip; I really hadn’t hung out with Mel of late, preferring Julian’s company. I would have to remedy that.
Her eyes, hidden behind large thick glasses, were round and the blue gray color of storm clouds. She wore a very modest blue blouse and jeans, like she was trying to hide all of her lovely golden brown skin. She was quite petite, at least two inches shorter than myself and was built like she looked, as if time had stopped for her around the age of 14.
“Hi, Avalon, I’ve seen you around school, but it’s nice to finally meet you,” I said.
Avalon studied me for enough time that I didn’t know if she was actually going to respond, I barely saw the slightly annoyed look Loretta gave her. When she opened her mouth I truly expected an immature voice that matched the youth and timidness radiating from the girl.
“Purple eyes are quite rare, are yours medically or cosmetically enhanced?” she asked, and the voice that came from her sweet coral mouth sounded old and far more knowledgeable than I would have expected.
Loretta turned to her, eyes flashing with irritation; Avalon took a step back from her mother, a look of apology on her face.
I felt, rather than saw Julian stiffen, suddenly the room was full of a tension I didn’t understand, my chest began to ache as my heart rate sped up, loud and hard and I could feel it thumping in my chest. And then it stilled as three pairs of eyes, simultaneously turned to stare at me. Julian drew me into his embrace, quickly and what felt like protectively.
With my nose buried in his neck and his arms tightly around me, I felt laughter well up from inside me and began to giggle. Julian relaxed a bit and mimicked my own laughter, yet still maintaining a firm hold on me, one hand reached up and began to play with a strand of my hair. His touch and scent acting better than any medication my mother had ever given me.
“Avalon, what a thing to say, not the best conversation starter, maybe we should work on that.” The humor in his voice seemed to kill whatever negative feelings had begun to fill the house.
I heard Loretta chuckle, “Yes, well, that’s our Avalon.”
At those words it was as if a vice was released and suddenly the atmosphere in the place returned to normal. Julian released me and turned me to face his family, but kept both arms around my waist, my back resting against his chest. Today he was very still, the faintest heartbeat and barest hint of his chest moving as he breathed. It was almost as if he had to make the effort to look like he was breathing. In the back of my mind that thought scared me, that I wasn't really sure if Julian needed to breathe or not.
I smiled, again and decided to answer Avalon’s
“Come, meet Avalon,” Julian leaned down and planted a kiss on my forehead before he tugged me just a few feet closer to his family. Loretta stepped aside allowing me to see the girl standing behind her.
I took a few seconds to really look at Avalon because while, yes I had seen her at school I had never actually taken the time to really look at her. She looked young, like 14 or 15, but her eyes looked old, almost as if she had seen a lot of the world.
Avalon’s hair was long, thick, wavy and dark brown, kind of frizzy but pretty at the same time and I knew if Mel were to get a hold of her all that hair would soon be trimmed, thinned and product laced. I bit my lip; I really hadn’t hung out with Mel of late, preferring Julian’s company. I would have to remedy that.
Her eyes, hidden behind large thick glasses, were round and the blue gray color of storm clouds. She wore a very modest blue blouse and jeans, like she was trying to hide all of her lovely golden brown skin. She was quite petite, at least two inches shorter than myself and was built like she looked, as if time had stopped for her around the age of 14.
“Hi, Avalon, I’ve seen you around school, but it’s nice to finally meet you,” I said.
Avalon studied me for enough time that I didn’t know if she was actually going to respond, I barely saw the slightly annoyed look Loretta gave her. When she opened her mouth I truly expected an immature voice that matched the youth and timidness radiating from the girl.
“Purple eyes are quite rare, are yours medically or cosmetically enhanced?” she asked, and the voice that came from her sweet coral mouth sounded old and far more knowledgeable than I would have expected.
Loretta turned to her, eyes flashing with irritation; Avalon took a step back from her mother, a look of apology on her face.
I felt, rather than saw Julian stiffen, suddenly the room was full of a tension I didn’t understand, my chest began to ache as my heart rate sped up, loud and hard and I could feel it thumping in my chest. And then it stilled as three pairs of eyes, simultaneously turned to stare at me. Julian drew me into his embrace, quickly and what felt like protectively.
With my nose buried in his neck and his arms tightly around me, I felt laughter well up from inside me and began to giggle. Julian relaxed a bit and mimicked my own laughter, yet still maintaining a firm hold on me, one hand reached up and began to play with a strand of my hair. His touch and scent acting better than any medication my mother had ever given me.
“Avalon, what a thing to say, not the best conversation starter, maybe we should work on that.” The humor in his voice seemed to kill whatever negative feelings had begun to fill the house.
I heard Loretta chuckle, “Yes, well, that’s our Avalon.”
At those words it was as if a vice was released and suddenly the atmosphere in the place returned to normal. Julian released me and turned me to face his family, but kept both arms around my waist, my back resting against his chest. Today he was very still, the faintest heartbeat and barest hint of his chest moving as he breathed. It was almost as if he had to make the effort to look like he was breathing. In the back of my mind that thought scared me, that I wasn't really sure if Julian needed to breathe or not.
I smiled, again and decided to answer Avalon’s
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