LOVE ME HARDER PROFESSOR | ROSALIE HALE

CHAPTER 9 - DINNER AND PRAYERS

She didn't mean to eavesdrop.

She didn't mean to overhear the conversation going on with the Professor and her friend but it's kinda hard not to.

As if her enhanced hearing was hard enough to control, it didn't help either that she's curious of who was the Professor talking to because as her mate, her jealousy was kicking in.

Mate.

She heard it clearly as a day.

Rosalie knew that her mate was no ordinary human but she didn't expect Elara to know exactly what they are for each other.

She didn't know how to react.

And besides, the Professor was so nonchalant to begin with.

From the way that Elara answered her friend, Rosalie felt as though the news doesn't even phased the professor, that Rosalie's entrance didn't even gave Elara the excitement.

Or maybe she was just overthinking things too much.

She was so busy pitying herself that she didn't see the worried frown plastered on the children's faces because of the pained expression that she's making.

Aurora inch forward with a pout on her face until she's fully sitting on the woman's lap making the blonde glance at her in concern. "Why are you upset, Roselie?" Rory cutely asked, pronouncing the Blondie's name wrong.

Rosalie's mood lightened up as she chuckled at her cuteness. "It was nothing, pretty girl. I just remembered something really bad."

Teddy being the inquisitive one, asked further. "What something?"

"Yeah, what something?" Aurora pressed even more.

Rosalie sighed. She cannot fathom how Elara lasts being with her children and Rosalie might need a training from her in the future in parenting 101 when they work things out.

Speaking of Elara, the Professor popped her head on the door with a beaming smile on her face, her children sensing her presence stood up excitedly. "Dinner is ready, my little boogers. I made your favorite pasta. Wash your hands now so we can eat, chop chop!"

Her children excitedly squealed and paddled towards the kitchen to do what their mother said leaving Elara and Rosalie alone together.

"So.." Elara started, her eyes trained on the blondie bombshell who for some reason can't look at her in the eyes. "I heard my children were being inquisitive. I'm sorry about them. They can be a little too much when they like the presence of a person."

Rosalie waved her off respectfully and smiled. "It's okay. I'm thankful that you trust me enough to leave me with them."

There was a moment of silence after, both of them have so much to ask each other but can't find any words to start.

Rosalie wanted so much to ask her what's the Professor's thoughts about them being mates but being the prideful being that she was, she couldn't find it in herself to show more vulnerability like she did in the cafeteria.

"The dinner." Elara snapped her out of her thoughts making Rosalie avert her gaze towards her. "Shall we?"

Together, they walk towards the dining room where the children were both occupying the chairs behavely, surprising Rosalie. Clearly, the professor is more than an ever-dotting mother.

Elara being the woman with manners, pulled a chair that's right beside her sit and offered it to Rosalie making her children giggled at how their mom was trying so hard to impress the pretty woman.

"Thank you, kind ma'am." The blonde took a sit gracefully causing Rory to giggle even more when Rosalie cast a playful wink to the little girl's way.

"So Rory, you're in charge for the prayers tonight. " Elara gently reminded her daughter as she took a sit. Rory beams up at her mom and excitedly bow her, closing her eyes.

"Goddy, thank you for the foods." Rory started, she discreetly opened her eyes to look at the table and close her eyes again like nothing happened. "Thank you for the chocolate cake and thank you for the pasta. I also saw mushed potatoes and I don't know all of it, sorry. Um and thank you for giving my mama a girlfriend."

Elara abruptly opened her eyes when she heard her daughter's last sentence but her daughter was not quite done with praying. Her eyebrows furrowed together, concentrating on what was she about to say. "Mama never had a girlfriend. She said they have cooties and ewwies and mama don't like it when ewwies get near me and Teddy. But Roselie don't have ewwies so I guess it's fine. I can have another mama that will give me lollies when mama don't want to."

Elara wanted to bang her head on the table through the whole length of her daughter's prayers. She should've expected that. Rory never shy away from any mischief and she extremely enjoy it when she embarrassed the life out of her mom but as Elara saw the glow on her daughter's face when she utter the word 'girlfriend', she can't find it in herself to correct her. So instead of giving her a scolding, Elara just glance apologetically to Rosalie whose gaze was fix on her already.

Rosalie's gaze hold such warmth that Elara only ever seen from her dad.

Her gaze held a deeper meaning that she can't wait to uncover.

They held each others eyes when a cute voice cut in their moment.

"Amen." Rory concluded, opening her eyes to smile widely at her mom, proud of her accomplishment and Elara can only smile back just as widely.

Rosalie never had dinner that enjoyable her whole immortal life and even when she was still human.

Even when she didn't enjoy the food that was on the table but the company of the cute family that was composed of three made her feel contented just by being with their presence and it was so hard for her to leave for the night as she didn't want to extend her welcome.

So as Elara excused herself to take Rory to bed, she took it as a cue to leave the house.

It was an idiotic move, even her mind told her so, but she didn't want to face the music yet. Elara might even confront her and she was not ready at all for any of that.

She sighed for the nth time that night and was about to turn her car around and back to Elara's place but a police car along with her adopted father's car got her attention. She speed towards it until she was near their location.

"What happened, Carlisle?" Rosalie asked as soon as she reach to where her foster dad and the chief of police were.

Carlisle give her a subtle look that held a message that they can only understand before answering. "Another animal attack. The victim is a boy around your year. Perhaps you know him. Kevin McCarthy."

Rosalie sighed. They really should've catch those worse-than-animals who attacks innocent humans. She can't imagine how hard will Kevin's love ones will take the news.

"Perhaps you should go home now Ms. Hale. It's not at all safe wondering around at night." Chief Swan adviced politely before he excuse himself to investigate more on the crime scene.

"We must end this." Carlisle mumbled, his gaze fixated on the cadaver, Rosalie from inside of her car, doing the same.