Meet My Rents

Amara took quick strides down the noisy streets her mind racing with thoughts. 'Why do they continue to torment me?' Her thoughts rang in her ears. Perhaps it was the hot weather that emitted the negative vibes that Amara was feeling or maybe it was the demanding call her parents decided to give her while at work. The relationship that was once good she held with her parents went down hill when she hit her teen years.

Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway's interest in their daughter waned and Amara couldn't figure out to why they acted the way they did towards her. More things came into light for her also. Noticing the difference in appearance between her and her parents confused her more. The whispers that went about from her relatives didn't go unnoticed every time she went over to a family member's house for a family gathering.

"That can't be their kid. Look at all that hair and those eyes."

"Switched at the hospital I believe." Two particularly fat aunts gossiped over pumpkin pie. Amara would just sit on the couch oblivious to everybody around her, only focusing on the hurtful conversation.

Her parents would stop coming to her concerts giving the excuse of work and soon Amara cut them from her life altogether. That wasn't the only problem that poked at her stressed mind. How was she to explain Legolas to them? 'They sure wouldn't buy the whole elf from Mirkwood thing.'

Quickly rushing to get out of the afternoon heat wave, she hurried inside her red haired friend's house. The cool air that streamed from the air conditioner froze the sweat that glistened on her skin. Making her way into the kitchen she found Legolas and Brittany huddled over at the kitchen's island over what looked to be multiple sheets of paper, both were speaking in low voices. Amara quietly put her bag down at the table and tie toed to the island. Of course her light steps didn't get passed the susceptible hearing of an elf and Legolas stopped talking.

"Hello Amara we didn't expect you to be here this early," he spoke giving her a cheerful tone. Brittany on the other hand jumped and began scrambling all the papers up. Legolas sensed Amara's anger before she walked through the door and in turning around he could clearly see that he sensed right. Despite her anger, she had a look of child like curiosity written across her brow but her mouth was set in a frown.

"May I ask how your work has gone?" Legolas coolly covered up his discussion he was having with Brittany.

She ignored the question and crossed her arms. "What were you two doing?"

Brittany stammered for an answer while shoving the last paper into a folder.

"As you know Brittany and I have Biology together, there is a test coming up and Brittany wanted my assistance in helping her go over some material she did not understand."

Amara eyed Legolas suspiciously thinking if she held her gaze at him long enough he'd crack and tell her the truth, but she should have known for his blue eyes never wafted from her own. Finally giving up on finding out about whatever they were really doing, she collapsed in a chair somewhat dramatically.

"What's eattin' you?" Brittany asked gladly that Amara didn't look too much into what she was doing with the elf.

"I will never understand the root to where you humans find your speech. Who has ever heard of 'what's eattin you?' What does that mean anyway," Legolas asked taking a seat at the table.

"It means what's the matter and I'll tell you what's the matter." Just thinking about her parents sent her into a wave of fury. They weren't always there for her and now they wanted her to be there for them.

"I was in the middle of looking up books for a customer when my cell rings and guess who it was?" Brittany passed Amara a can of Sprite from the fridge and for the all natural, soda can not be good for you elf a bottle of water and decided to take a stab at who Amara was talking about.

"Your parents?"

"How'd you know?"

"I'm your best friend. I know what makes you mad and it could have only been two things. School or your folks and since I doubt you gave the school your cell phone number it only left one out."

Amara shook her head, 'that was a reasonable explanation.'

"What of your parents?"

Amara turned her attention to Legolas and in a dull dead tone muttered, "They're coming back."

From the sound and looks of things Legolas suspected Amara wasn't too happy about her parents coming back. He already somewhat knew that Amara was not close to them, this now confirmed it.

"They want me to pick them up from the airport. Don't ask me why. They don't like me anyway."

"How can you say that your parents dislike you? You are their daughter; they would like you no matter what." Legolas said trying to understand. Even though he could have his moments with his own father they would always settle their disagreements.

He watched the girl down her can of pop and let out a deafening belch. Brittany cheered and announced it an eight on a scale of one to ten. Legolas admitted that these girls were far from the ladies that he knew who would have cringed at just the thought of what happened.

"Any who," Amara brushed of the burp like it was nothing. "You haven't meant my parents and wait till you do. You'll be begging to be sent back to Middle Earth with all your little elfy friends." With that Amara just stared at Legolas in an evil sort of way until Brittany piped up.

"And if you get to go back take me with you. I wanna meet more hot elves." It was her turn to get the evil stare, this time from the both of them.

Amara sat as neat as can be for a teenager like her in torn jeans and a shirt. Her frizzed locks were away from her face today in a tight pony tail. Her hands were clenched onto the steering wheel even though her car was already parked in the airport's lot. Legolas sat next to her in holeless jeans and a shirt himself, always as clean as ever. He had spent at least twenty minutes trying to persuade Amara from the car.

"Amara you must not leave your parents waiting."

Amara was paler than usual but shook her head not ready to face them. "I don't think I'm ready to deal with my screwed up folks yet." She sighed shaking her head. Their trip had not been long enough for her liking.

A pair of soft hands covered her own. Legolas placed his hands over Amara's in a reassuring manner. Not at all did he believe her parents could be as horrible as Amara made them out to be, after all they did raise her.

"Amara do you think you can sit in this car forever? You will eventually have to face them." Amara could only stare at Legolas' hands on top of her own.

"Besides." He took his hands back leaving her to look at her blue chipped fingernails. "I am with you, what could go wrong?" This lightened her mood a bit and she nodded with determination. She got out of the car and walked side by side with the elf.

'My parents aren't going to get me down especially since I'm happier now than I was before.'

"Aren't you nervous?"

Legolas looked to his dark haired friend. "Any why should I be nervous?" The two maneuvered through crowds of adults and crying children.

"You're gonna meet my rents. You can't tell me you're the least bit nervous."

"I'm more curious to find out what they are like."

Amara shook her head, "Good luck." The two of them sat down waiting for her parents. Amara couldn't help but watch as families reunited in happiness, while thinking hers would reunite in horror. "Legolas do you get along with your father?"

Legolas focused his attention to Amara and her question. He thought about the type of relationship he had with his father and smiled. Amara bought her knees to her chest hugging them and waiting for an answer.

"There are times, many times, when we both have our differences but we always know that we both care about each other. The bond between a parent and their child stays strong no matter what." He nudged her shoulder with his own to get a smile out of her. Amara grinned a bit but that grin quickly faded away as she looked up catching sight of her two parents who were walking from the baggage claim. Jabbing Legolas, the two quickly stood.

Amara hastily reminded Legolas about their little lie from the corner of her mouth. It took her much debating with the elf to convince him to stick to their exchange student story. He didn't think she should lie to her parents and they could possibly help to find him a way home. She thought there was no way her parents would believe that a real life elf was staying with her and that they were as dumb as a bag of dirt and couldn't possibly figure out a way to get him back home.

Amara tried her best to smile as her parents eyed her up and down. "We've only been gone a few weeks and you're already reduced to wearing rags," Mrs. Hathaway raved over her ripped jeans.

"And when are you going to grow. Still as shrimpy as ever." Her father poked at her skinny arms with amusement. Amara rolled her eyes annoyingly at her father who always poked fun of her weight.

Her parents' attention switched from her to the elf behind her. "And who might this be?" Mrs. Hathaway studied Legolas with her hawk like light brown eyes.

Amara cleared her throat. "This is a new exchange student at my school, Adam. He's kinda staying with us," she mumbled the last part. The group stood silent while others pushed noisily passed them.

Finally her father broke their silence by grabbing Legolas' hand and giving it a firm shake. "Nice to meet you Adam. It should be a nice change having you in our home."

Legolas nodded. Mr. Hathaway walked forward. Mrs. Hathaway did the same but not before dumping a boat load of luggage in Amara's arms. She staggered back under all the weight. Seeing this, Legolas looked to her parents but they took no care and kept walking.

He took some of the luggage from Amara so that she could walk. Legolas gave her a look of sympathy before following her parents. Amara let out a sigh of relief just being glad that they had allowed Legolas to stay.

Mrs. Hathaway insisted the four of them have dinner so that they could get to know 'Adam' better. Amara knew this was code for 'Grill Adam'. She spent thirty minutes nervously setting the table. In all her random thoughts she managed to drop a glass or two earning her insults from her mother. Legolas stood at the top of the stairs watching Amara get frustrated at the table on the account of her mother calling her an ignorant clumsy fool.

He was beginning to see why Amara disliked her parents. 'Not at all since they have arrived had they said anything kind to her.' Legolas thought. He still didn't change his notion that they cared for her. They had to, they were her parents and she was a wonderful girl. He started down the stairs in hopes of helping Amara.

"Amara."

Amara looked up from her task at hand.

"You seem distressed," Legolas whispered. Just as Amara shook her head and was about to speak her mother bustled in carrying what she claimed was dinner. Amara took her seat next to Legolas preparing herself for the dinner from hell. Talk started off casual by Mrs. Hathaway asking Legolas where he transferred from.

Amara dragged her fork through her dinner uninterested at all in eating anything on her plate.

"I transferred from New York." Legolas hoped not to be asked anymore on that subject since he had never been nor heard of New York.

"Really which part of New York are you from?"

Legolas' blue eyes darted to Amara who looked at him with her own deeper colored ones. She stumbled and searched her brain for a quick answer. "Q- Queens. He's from Queens, New York. Isn't that right...Legolas?" She kicked him from beneath the table. "Yes Queens. A lovely place."

To Amara's dread all the attention shifted to her. She felt like a white hot spotlight had shifted to her. "Why don't you eat what's on your plate instead of playing with it." Her father commented on her dragging a fork through her food. "There is the reason why you're so scrawny you don't eat!"

Anger bubbled inside dying to be released like she usually did but she wanted to be on her best behavior for Legolas.

"So since you've transferred here have you made any friends?"

Legolas turned his attention from a reddening Amara to her mother. "I have managed to make a few."

Mrs. Hathaway nodded her approval. "You wouldn't be taking a love interest in Amara here would you?"

Both Amara and Legolas turned red with embarrassment. "No, Amara and I are just friends."

Mrs. Hathaway nodded, "I figured that since no one ever does. I'm surprised you're her friend even. No one likes to be around her since all she does is stick her nose in books. I never wondered why she didn't have many friends; I always knew she was an abnormal child."

Amara dug her finger nails into the sides of her chair. Her anger almost reaching its breech she began to count in her head thinking that would keep her from exploding. 'One, two, three, four, five...' Legolas couldn't believe Amara's parents were speaking this way about her and it made him angry himself. Apparently they failed to see what a wonderful daughter they had.

"Isn't that right Amara or have you made more friends since the last time I checked?"

That was it. 'Screw counting.' She felt a rush of anger surge through her whole body until she it began to take over her mouth. "For your information mother, I have friends and they don't include a pack of cigs. Even if I didn't have any friends why would you care? It's my life not yours." Her wave of rage wasn't finished as she arrived at her father. "You're so quick to talk about my weight, why don't you check a mirror every now and then. You just wish you were as skinny as I am."

Legolas stared at Amara with raised brows, never since the short period he had been here had he seen her loose her temper before. He never thought the girl would have it in her to say such things. He watched as she stormed from the table and heard the front door slam. He excused himself from the table to follow her outside. There she was her back leaning against the walls of her home.

He leaned against the wall next to her. Amara knew sooner or later Legolas would come out; probably to tell her what she did was not necessary. Of course her parents would do something like that. They would try their very best to humiliate her in front of Legolas. She sighed wanting to run away like she had planned when she was younger.

"Well that was a very interesting dinner wouldn't you say?"

Amara didn't dare look at Legolas but his voice sounded amused. "Sorry about all that. Do you understand now why I hate my parents?" Amara waited for a reply while she hung her head in shame.

"I can not say that your parents did not deserve what you said to them but now I see your point."

Amara got an idea. Wanting to forget what just happened she grabbed Legolas' hand and ordered him to follow her. Interest formed within him as he let himself be dragged by Amara who had changed from being angry to excited in a matter of minutes.

"Where are we going," he asked. Amara wouldn't answer him at all.

Amara and Legolas passed by restaurants, office buildings until they came to a secluded park. Trees were everywhere and flowers ran through some of the grass. Legolas marveled at the sight. Ever since he had arrived it was rare to see anything remotely green. It reminded him of his home. Amara just watched Legolas' look with a smile.

"Nobody ever comes here. I think cause not many know it's here. Anyway, it's where I come to think. Do you like it?"

Legolas nodded, his eyes still roaming over the scenery. "It is marvelous. How did you come across it in such a chaotic city?"

"I went walking one day and stumbled across it. I guess you could say I was drawn to it."

Legolas sat under a tree and beckoned Amara to join him. She did and looked up at the darkened clouds. "I take it your parents will not be worried that we are gone." Amara shook her head. Legolas picked a flower from the ground and twirled it with his nimble fingers.

"You should apologize." He finally said breaking the brief silence.

Amara shook her head. "No way! Why should I apologize after the things they said to me?" Legolas faced Amara's shadowy blue eyes.

He could tell she was angry with them and probably wouldn't listen to reasoning but surprisingly she did. "To make peace with them." Amara turned away from him not even thinking of apologizing to her parents. He took a hand and put it kindly under Amara's chin to make her face him. She did and sat quietly waiting for him to speak.

"I'm not saying what you did was wrong Amara but letting them get to you is letting them win. If you apologize it shows that they are not." Legolas hoped that she would understand what he spoke of and take his advice to heart. A

Amara nodded understanding. 'Geez , are elves always this wise?' "Alright, alright I'll apologize but I'm not doing this on regular bases."

Legolas smiled, "Good then. I am glad you will take my advice."

Amara laughed. "Don't think I always will." She laid back putting her hands behind her head, watching the clouds float by readying the sky for the moon. "That one looks like a donkey." Legolas looked at the girl with a smile. Amara switched her gaze from the sky to the elf. "Take a look for yourself."

Legolas laid down beside Amara to see the clouds whirl by. The two both got lost in their own imaginations pointing out what cloud looked like what to each other. "This place is magical," the elf whispered. Amara looked confused. She turned toward Legolas so that she was now on her side, her hand resting on her cheek. "How is this place magical?"

"Its aura. Can you not sense it?" Legolas sat up.

Amara shook her head no. Legolas stared at Amara's face in somewhat of a daze. Amara felt creeped out. "What?" The elf still kept his eyes on Amara and ever so slowly reached out to touch her hair. It felt feather soft beneath his long fingers.

Amara dared not to move in case she scared him or something. Heat surged through her entire being this time not from anger. She tried to shake it off but Legolas was making her feel weird. Legolas studied all the features Amara had. 'She reminds me of him especially her hair.' Amara finally found her voice and asked him what was wrong.

Legolas seemed to snap out of it and quickly withdrew his hand. "Nothing, it is just that you remind me of a ranger I know. Forget it." Legolas could not help but think she had the same features of his friend except her eyes. Amara continued to look at the sky still feeling weird. She gave Legolas a sideways glance.

After what seemed like hours of silence Amara spoke. "You can come here when ever you want."

Legolas smiled. "Thank you Amara." Legolas resumed looking up at the sky which once consumed clouds now held dim glittering stars.