The Crossroads couple

Chapter 7

The rest of the week passed by in a blur. I've been avoiding Jonah, since 'the incident' as Aethin put it (Yes, I'm not the confrontational type!).

I don't know what happened but me and Aethin have become some sort of best buds over the week.

It all started when I was helping him put up some picture frames in his room, "Hey kiddo (Yes, that's what he's taken to calling me!), don't you have anything to do, like hanging out with your friends or maybe your boyfriend friend on a Thursday nights rather than help an old man hang pictures?!", I almost dropped the picture I was holding and turned around to gape at him.

What sort of cruel joke is this?!

"You th-th-think that I'd h-have fr-friends? Hell a boy-boyfriend!", I stuttered still unable to comprehend the fact that he thought that I'd have a social life.

"Of course! Why not? Why wouldn't a lovely girl like you not have friends?!", he asked, his expression puzzled.

That's all it took for me to burst into tears and tell him everything. I mean not everything, he only knows bits and pieces of my past, something even Aunt Cress doesn't.

But he was smart enough to put the pieces together, and then he became livid. Both at my parents and Jonah. I now fear for Jonah's life, that is if he ever came in Aethin's way.

Since then, which is practically two days, he has adopted an overprotective father attitude towards me. It amuses Aunt Cress to no end, and while most kids would be annoyed at this sort of behavior, I however was oddly pleased, never having experienced it from my own father.

So, today is Saturday and I'm getting dressed for dinner. Remember the one my aunt and I were invited to by her colleague?! Yes, I was getting ready for that, okay, okay more like coming up with an excuse to escape it...

A knock on the door, brought me back to reality. "Come in", I yelled.

Aethin came in and closed the door behind him. He sat next to me on the bed while I laid my head on his broad shoulders. He wrapped his arms around me and placed a gentle kiss into my hair.

"Having second thoughts?", he asked. I nodded.

Taking a deep breath he lifted my chin, making me face him. "Listen kiddo, I know it's hard for you. I know that you're still grieving, but you need to push those thoughts aside, cause it's not going to help you get anywhere. What's happened, has happened, so you need to move on. Anyways you know how excited your aunt has been about today, and if I heard correctly you told me that you feel "indebted to her for life"!", he says raising an eyebrow.

Groaning I punch his muscled arm, earning a deep chuckle from him.

"I don't know what to wear.", I mumble. But he heard it and said,"Come, I'll help you find a dress, then I'll help you with your hair and stuff."

A raised an eyebrow and gave him a sly look. He just shook his head and said, "My wife was a hair stylist and make up artist, so I know a couple of stuff.", and cleared his throat.

I stood there in shock, he had a wife?! But I didn't see a single picture of her in his room!

Before I could interrogate him, he disappeared into my walk in wardrobe and appeared a few minutes later with a red cropped blouse and high waist shimmering black palazzos, with a pair of black wedges with a red bow.

Before I could object he pushed them into my hands and pushed me into bathroom.

Wtf?!

I never wore clothes like this, though Aunt Cress bought tons of such fashionable clothes for me. It wasn't because of my figure, I mean it was a part of it, but I didn't have the confidence to wear something like that and I also didn't enjoy attention.

Sighing, I changed into them. At least they weren't a pair of black skinny jeans or worse ... stilettos!

I observed my reflection in the full length mirror, not bad I thought to myself. It didn't show much skin, as the sleeve of the crop top was elbow length, also the palazzos along with my wedges made me appear taller than my 5 foot 6.

I slowly made my way outside, where Aethin gave a warm, reassuring smile, which I returned with a weak one of my own.

Thirty minutes later, my make up was done. Just minimal along with my hairstyle, wete my hair was curled up and the lower part of my hair cascaded around my face while the rest was held back by a clip.

Aethin somehow managed to find me a necklace with a diamond pendant and matching drop earrings, along with a diamond bracelet. Looking at it made my throat close up, it was... Shaking my head and not wanting to destroy a good moment I put it on.

I observed my reflection, and in that moment I felt beautiful, elegant and... Confident. I know that appearances don't matter in the grand scheme of things but this, made me think other wise...

"Sweetheart are you ready? It's time to leave! Oh and have you-", my aunt came to a halt as she took in my appearance at the head of the staircase. She opened her mouth and closed it several times. Seeing her like this made me want to giggle.

"Darling you look absolutely stunning. Wait right here, let me grab my phone, I want to take some pictures!", saying this she went to take her phone.

Aethin winked at me, and I felt myself blushing. Blushing!? Well that's new.

***

Finally dozens of pictures later and a twenty minute ride later, here we were in front of a mansion, if you could even call it that! I was used to seeing mansions, but something about this house had a rustic, welcome feel to it, compared to the cold, unwelcoming atmosphere of most rich people's homes. Okay, I'm being a hypocrite but what can I say?!

As soon as we rang the door bell, a butler ushered us instead. Wow, I thought as soon as I saw the interior of the mansion, it had this rustic, old vibe and it was positively the most beautiful house I had ever laid eyes on! It looked more like a castle than anything else...

"Hello, Cressenta, how are you? And you must be Ayesha. Both you ladies look stunning.", I turned around to face the source of the voice, a beautiful lady in her early forties with stunning caramel colored hair and a burgundy dress. She looked like a queen.

I smiled and return her complement. "Darling my son goes to Whitethorn High too-", she gets abruptly cut off at the sound of footsteps behind me.

"Ah! There he is.", she says smiling, while I turn to face the man in question.

As soon as I get one look at him, all I can think is, DAYMNNN! Now I understand why girls add the y and the extra n's. Because he is totally drool worthy.

He descends the stairs like a prince meeting his subjects, and once he does he flashes a smile that is so beautiful, that I was afraid I was going to faint. Because-

Okay, I'll cut to the chase and describe him. Standing there in (most likely designer) black slacks and a crisp white button down shirt with curly caramel colored locks and a fit, toned and tall and lean frame, he looked like and angel.

His face- god that face! With steel gray eyes framed by thick lashes and eyebrows and plush lips and high cheekbones, he was the best dream come true, besides chocolate, of course!

Wait... I did not just say that now, did I!? What is wrong with me? When did I think such stuff about guys?!

And that's when I realized that it was going to be a looooong night...