Rory's pov :
I looked at myself in the mirror. I was wearing a white crop top with a white bodycon skirt that ended about mid thigh.
It's been a day since Darren brought up Mom and Dad, well 22 hours and 37 minutes to be exact. So here I am, almost a day later, getting ready to visit them.
"Hurry up Auri! You're just seeing Mom and Dad, not the freaking Queen of England." Darren shouted from downstairs.
"Excuse me for being nervous, not like I haven't seen them in a couple years or anything." I said, as I walked downstairs, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Do you always dress like a stripper when you're nervous?" Darren asked as I stepped into the living room.
"Nah. I figure why limit myself to only when I'm nervous." I smirked at my fuming brother.
"Well then, I'm limiting it. So get your butt upstairs and change before I call Jase."
"Why would Jase care?" I cocked my eyebrow, and Darren faltered beneath my gaze, but he kept his mouth shut.
"How would I know? Stop pestering me! Let's go, don't want to keep Mom and Dad waiting, do we?" Darren rambled nervously.
"Darren..."
He let out a nervous chuckle, "I-I just meant that h-he has k-known you for a while, and h-he k-kind of likes you. But as a friend! Friends, gotta love them. You have friends! Tell me about them!"
"Oh my Lord, you've officially lost it."
"Yup! I'm crazy!" Darren grabbed ahold of my wrist and dragged me into his car, my outfit long forgotten.
"You know I'm not an idiot right?"
Darren sighed, "I know."
"But if you don't want to tell me whatever it is that you're hiding, I won't push. Just know that you can tell me."
Darren visibly relaxed, "I know I can, and I will. Soon."
"How soon?" I asked, cheekily.
"So much for 'not pushing,' huh?"
I put my hands up in surrender, "Fine, fine. I won't push."
Darren chuckled at me, "You're still the same little kid that left, huh? Just in an older body."
"A hotter body." I winked at my brother, who cringed at me.
"So these friends of yours, tell me about them."
"Well there's four of them, and they're all smoking," I joked. "First there's Jake. He eats more than anyone I've ever met, and I grew up with you. Then there's Jer, he's a sarcastic asshole, but I love him. Pete is the prankster. No one's safe around him. Then lastly, there's Ali. She's something. What? The world may never know. All I know is, she's my best friend."
"Let me get this right, you have four friends and three of them are boys?" Darren's protective side beginning to show.
"Don't make me sound like a loner. I have more than four friends."
"Are any of them girls?"
"Of course! But most of them are not." I giggled, at my brother's angry expression and hopped out of the now parked car and walked into the diner that we would be meeting our parents in.
"We're not done yet!" Darren said as he marched into the restaurant.
I rolled my eyes at him, "Oh hush, and don't make a scene."
"Oh hush and don't make a scene." He mocked in a high pitched voice, and flipped his imaginary hair over his shoulder.
I scowled at him, "I do not sound like that!"
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
"Yes."
"No."
The receptionist began to look at the two of us as if we had three heads and butterfly wings popping out of our shoes, but that didn't stop either of us.
"Uh huh."
"Nuh uh."
"Never going to change are you?" I snapped my head towards the familiar voice.
"Daddy!" I squealed and hugged my dad, mine and Darren's argument out of mind.
"Hey pumpkin, I missed you." He kissed the top of my head.
"I missed you too."
"When I got home from the academy, all I got was 'is a break too much to ask for?' from you." I giggled at the pouting Darren.
My dad broke away from our embrace and patted Darren on the back. "Do you need a tissue princess?" He teased.
"All I want is attention." Darren said dramatically.
"Excuse me, uh sir, do you still want a table?" The waiter who had been watching the entire exchange asked.
My dad chuckled at the nervous human boy, "Lead the way."
"Y-yes sir." The waiter ducked his head and led the three of us to a booth made for four people, "Here you are. Your waiter will be with you shortly."
I giggled, "Relax, we don't bite."
The boy took his eyes off of the carpet and gave me a wary look, as if analyzing whether or not I would I hurt him. He seemed to decide that I wouldn't hurt him because he said, "Hi, my name is Chase and I'll be your waiter," he shot me a boyish grin.
"Hi Chase, I'm Rory and I'll be your customer."
"It's nice to meet you Rory, will I be seeing more of you?"
I chuckled, "Eager, are we?"
Chase shrugged, "Could you blame me?"
Darren cleared his throat, "I can. And I do."
Chase's eyes widened as they rested on Darren, but he covered it up and put on a friendly smile and scurried away.
"You didn't need to be rude, you know." I scolded Darren.
"I wouldn't of had to, if he hadn't flirted with you."
I scoffed, "He was being nice. That's it."
"You're so blind. You may not know when someone's flirting, but I do. I also know what goes through a guy's head, and it's not pretty, trust me."
My dad sighed, "Both of you drop it. And Darren quit being mean to your sister. And Auri, you know how your brother gets, is it necessary to be so nice?"
Darren and I both slumped in our seats, and my dad laughed, "Still the same, both of you."
"What are we laughing at?" All of our heads turned to the warm, loving voice that was so familiar.
"Mom!" I jumped into her embrace.
"I missed you baby."
"I know mom, I missed you too."
She let go of me and turned to Darren, "How's my other baby doing?"
"Mom! We're in public!" Darren whined, as we all laughed.
My mom and I sat on one side of the booth, while the boys occupied the other side. To anyone walking by, we would appear to be a happy family, but I didn't miss the pained glances my mom gave to my dad, or the guilty expression my dad sported.
After a moment of complete silence at the table, my dad spoke, "How are you, Evelyn?"
My mom cleared her throat, "Good, you Brent?"
The tension was thick, and both, me and Darren, could feel it. I saw the way that Dad's face fell when mom spoke in a monotone voice, all emotions gone, and the way Mom's eyes lost the inkling of hope they had sported before Dad referred to her as 'Evelyn.' Despite the awkward atmosphere, that they both were aware of, they continued to pretend as if nothing was wrong, and for that I was grateful Even though I know that there are problems, it's nice to pretend that everything is okay, even if it's just for one day.
"You okay, sweetheart?" My mom's voice, now gentle and caring, interrupted my thoughts.
I smiled, a real, genuine smile, "I'm great."
"Good, I always want you to be happy pumpkin." My dad's eyes twinkled with sincerity.
"And you can achieve happiness by staying away from boys." Darren added.
My mom's eyes widened, "Oh dear! You're almost seventeen! That means you'll find your mate!"
I shook my head at her, "Human, remember? I probably don't even have a mate."
My mom smiled at me, almost smirking at me, as if she knows something I don't, "Call it a mother's intuition, but I know you'll find your soulmate soon."
•••
Sorry it's been so long since I've updated! It's been super stressful lately with all my classes, midterms coming up, games and life in general.

Thanks to everyone who has read and voted on this story, it means so much to me! Love you all!

xo Meghan