What You Don't See On The Outside

Chapter 5

We all walk into the dining room and sit down, Rene and Celine on the ends of the table with RC and I on the one side and the twins on the other side. I am also seated next to Celine and across from Eddy. The food was already set out on the table. "Let's dig in, bon apettit," Rene speaks.

I take a taco off of the tray and grab a little bit of salad and I take my first bite. "How is it?" Celine asks smiling at me.

"This is amazing! Thank you so much for having me." 

"No, problem dear. I can already tell you and I will get along well." She laughs.

"Yes, I think so also," I smile. 

Eddy and Nelson are so cute. Celine is helping Eddy while Rene is helping Nelson. Rene looks at me and speaks, so how old are you?" 

"14," I replying smiling.

"Ok, what sports do you play?"

"I play beach volleyball."

"Do you play for a team then?"

"Yes sir."

Rene looks at me and smiles, "Just call me Rene, I mean I might become your father-in-law. He says smirking at Celine. I laugh and reply with, "Maybe," I shrug and look at RC then laugh. 

RC says, "Dad, remember we just met today."

"So? Your mother and I met a long time ago and look where we are at today, your mother had only ever dated me and now we are married with three amazing kids." Rene and Celine look at each other and smile. Oh god, they are so cute together. No wonder they love each other so much. 

RC looks at me then asks, "Want to go hang out in the basement? We can sit and chat and get to know each other more?"

"Sure!"

RC and I walk down to the basement and then we hear Celine yell, "Behave down there!" We laugh and reply in unison(fandom joke if you didn't notice), "We know!"

We walk over to the living room and sit down, "Your house is so nice." I say.

"Yeah it is." RC replies. "So, what's your life like. Tell me your story."

"Um, where to start. When I was four my parents divorced and my dad wanted nothing to do with me so he ran away and no one knows where he went off to. So I went with my mother, we moved away since she wasn't able to afford our house anymore so we found our own. It was an apartment in the rundown part of our neighborhood. There were a lot of gangs around there and my mother was slowly falling into a depression because she couldn't find a job to support us. She become so ill with depression that she began to stay in bed all day just staring at the ceiling and crying. She never believed in killing yourself when things didn't go right but she started to cut. I would walk in to the bathroom and see her slung over the counter with blood oozing down her arm, I would scream and yell for her to wake up but one day she didn't. That was the day I lost my mom. I had just turned 5 when that happened. I had no where to go so my aunt decided to take me in, which means I moved here. I love it here but I miss having someone that's my mother. I miss that. A lot. Some people say well isn't your aunt like your mother but no, she's not. She takes care of me as much as she has to but doesn't go overboard to make me feel as though she is my "mother". All I've wanted is to have someone I can tell that "hey I have a boyfriend, hey i got asked to prom." But no, I haven't had that and it's hard." 

I feel arms wrap around me and I realize I am crying. I look up slowly feeling like a fool and see RC holding me. "I'm sorry, you barely even know me and I just told you all of that and I bet you don't want me anymore." 

I slowly stand up getting ready to walk out, what a fool I am. "NO!" RC yells. He grabs more arm and pulls me into a hug. "I want you more than anything, I know we just met today but I have feelings for you. I think we could go somewhere together with our future. I now know you've been through a lot in life and I'm so sorry but I'm here for you and so are my parents. I already know they accept you as family."

I start to sob, it makes me feel good to know someone cares this much about me. I fall into his arms even more than I already was, "I can't thank you enough for understanding me, I've talked to my aunt but not even she understands me, I doubt she even tries. When I moved in with her she did the least amount of what she had to do. I almost gave up a few times but I knew I could find someone in my future to save me and that someone might just be you."

RC starts to talk, "and if it is, I'll love you all the way. I'll be happy to be near you and when you need someone to cheer you." I start to smile then I start to laugh. I look at him and say, "please don't hold being a fan of your mother against me, she's amazing and has helped me through all the times I almost didn't make it. She means a lot to me and don't worry, I don't like you just because of your mom, I like you for you." 

He smiles, "but I do know all of her songs so if I make a fandom joke don't get upset. It wont' be the first time and it won't be the last." he laughs. 

"Want to go upstairs?" he asks. 

"I look like crap." I burst out laughing.

"No you don't, you are gorgeous just the way you are." Awe, isn't he charming. 

"Ok fine." I smile, happy with who I'm dating.