Chapter 6 -Theo
1071 Words
I felt her big brown eyes upon me, I felt unsure where to look, but I think I liked it. I tried hard to fight back the smile that was teasing at my lips. I had no clue who this was, but I was about to be spending the holidays with her, I would assume.
“Sit yourself down.” Finley’s voice boomed, his hand on my shoulder, snapping me out of my almost trance. And I did just that, a few seats down from the goddess with the dark curls. Goddess? Did I really just think that? Although...
“Zara, Leo, Theo, you obviously remember Elodie and her husband Taylor, they have been here most years.” Annabel said, her voice interrupting my suddenly wandering thoughts, as she gave a brief wave to the couple I had been struggling to place. This was Elodie? Wow… she had changed… I swear she was beginning to morph into her mother… and I did not think that was a good thing at all. I would imagine the Elodie of yesteryear would be truly ashamed too! “And this here, you may not recognize, as she does not keep herself quite so well maintained, is Autumn.”
I watched as the brows of the girl I had believed I didn’t know furrowed a little, before she quickly straightened her expression out, like she was trying hard to compose herself. I was shocked by her mother’s words. Imagine insulting her own daughter... Although what surprised me more, was that this was Autumn! She looked nothing like the girl I remember growing up… her hair had always been in a neat braid. In a simple dress. She had sure blossomed…
What was this about not keeping herself quite so well maintained?! She looked f*****g good to me. I heard the polite exchanges between everyone as they greeted one another, while I sat there awkwardly, unsure what to say. My eyes kept falling to the girl I had spent many hours with growing up... she would not look out of place in the studios I did my photoshoots... truly stunning. I saw color rushing to her cheeks. Was that because I kept looking at her? I quickly looked away, trying my hardest to focus on my feet.
I was truly struggling to believe the girls I sat at the table with were the girls I had spent so much time with growing up. Not to mention shocked at the way in which Annabel had spoken of her own daughter… I knew she was always very loud. Blunt at times. But had she always been so cruel? Yet Autumn seemed unphased by it, and she sat calmly, albeit quietly, as the conversation around her began to flow.
“So, Theo, your mother told us you had been traveling?” Annabel’s voice turned on me now, and I noted the tone of criticism there. Do I assume she did not approve of the traveling?
I smiled politely. I had promised my parents to be on my best behavior, so I had best do exactly that, despite the overwhelming urge to bite back with a sarcastic comment. But the man sitting next to Elodie, overdressed, and far too preened for a normal guy, spoke first. “Must be great being able to go on an extended holiday.” He grinned at me.
I raised my brows at him. I knew who this guy was. Everyone in the area knew who he was. He’d know all about taking extended holidays. That was pretty much what his life was…
“Not so much a holiday, really. I was working as well as traveling. I am a photographer.” I explained.
Taylor snorted derisively. “Not really a job, is it?”
It took all my strength now to hold back on retorting some scathing words to this d**k. I do not think spending time here was going to work all that well. These people may be friends of my parents, but they were truly obnoxious.
“Wow, really?” Autumn suddenly spoke, and when I looked up at her, her eyes were lit up with curiosity. “That must be so interesting!”
I smiled in appreciation at her, while I heard a tut from both her mother and her sister, as if they both disapproved of Autumn's interest in my work. Was she not allowed to speak? “Are you not making our guests coffee Autumn?” Annabel said, and I saw the light fade from Autumn’s eyes in an instant, as she nodded, moving away from the table to the kitchen work surface.
“Let me help with that.” I offered, quickly following her. “I know how they like their drinks.” I offered, referring to my parents, using the opportunity to get away from the people at the table who were already getting under my skin. And this time it was Autumn's turn to smile appreciatively at me. And that smile sent a warm tingle over my body...
As our parents and her sister began to chatter behind us, Autumn began to gather the things for making coffee. “Nice to see you again.” I said with a slight chuckle. “Not that I would have ever recognized you.”
I watched her as she glanced up at me almost shyly, a slight smile upon her lips. “Likewise. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
I chuckled at her honesty. “Only here because my parents forced me.” I admitted.
Autumn giggled, and I swear my whole heart felt light momentarily. “Tell me about it.”
Seemed the two of us had both been forced here. Although watching the way her face lit up when she smiled at me, and the sound of her giggling, I was beginning to question if that was such a bad thing after all, my mind already beginning to wander to the things I would like to do to her…
“So what do you want?” she asked softly.
“Huh?” I asked, her question taking me by surprise. Had she read my mind?
“Your coffees?” she motioned to the mugs laid out in front of the coffee machine, and I felt heat spreading across my cheeks. Seems my overactive imagination was getting a little carried away with itself because of this girl…
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