When school ended I rushed away before anyone else could find me and the moment I got home, I raced in doors. "Honey? Is everything okay?" Mom called out from the kitchen as I sped past and bolted for the stairs.
"Everything's fine just need a shower!" I yelled back, running all the way to my room and quickly turned on my shower so that I could wash away everyone else's scent except my own. Damn werewolves and their sense of smell. So furious with everything, I scrubbed until my skin was pink and raw, smelling to me of nothing else other than my citrus body wash. I scrubbed my hair as well just for good measure, then once I was finally convinced that I'd cleaned off any scent markings that remained, I exited the shower and dried off.
Aiden had messaged me, giving me the details for tonight's double date so I sighed. After today, I wasn't all too sure if I wanted to go anymore, but then I figured if I cancelled I'd be disappointing Danny, and I wanted him to have a good time. Heading downstairs for a snack, I found mom still in the kitchen reading one of her old recipe books, planning tonight's dinner. "Hey mom? I actually won't be in for dinner tonight."
"Oh? Where are you going?" Looking up with interest, her eyes twinkled prettily as I pulled myself up onto the breakfast bar and rested my chin on my hands.
"On a double date with a couple of friends."
"You're dating?" Knowing me well enough to know my policy on dating, that it didn't happen, I could understand my mom's surprise. What I hadn't expected, however, was for my dad to be able to hear us all the way from the living room and to come in with a gruff voice and puffed up chest of protective paternal instincts. I couldn't help but laugh.
"No, I'm just kind of chaperoning, I guess. Some friends of mine are getting together and they wanted some company on their first date to keep things lively and smooth over the tension. You know Danny?" My parents did know Danny. My dad knew Danny played lacrosse and was gay. Because of this, my dad liked Danny. My mom knew that Danny was good looking, sweet and downright attractive. She also liked Danny. Yeah, I talked to her a lot about Danny way back when. "He's dating one of the new guys at school and he has a twin brother. We're all going to the movies together then for food."
"Will they have vegetarian options for you?" My mom fussed so I assured her I'd already checked out the place and I'd been fine with plenty of options to eat.
"So…you're not dating a boy?"
"No dad, I'm not dating. We're just friends, that's all." Satisfied, my dad gave a firm nod before ruffling my hair, visibly relieved that he still didn't have to deal with any boys in his house just yet. Sure I'd dated a few guys in the past and fooled around a bit, but no one had ever actually stepped over the threshold of my front door and met my parents, so as far as my father knew, I was still his innocent baby girl. Mom knew better, but we kept that between ourselves.
"What time will you be home?" I gave a rough estimate but promised no later than eleven. "Alright then, make sure you let us know if you have any trouble or problems. What are you going to wear?" Grinning, I invited mom up to my room to help me choose an outfit. I wanted to go casual but pretty, not too flirty but enough to be noticed. "So what are these new boys like? You said they were brothers?"
"Twins actually, identical. Ethan and Aiden. Ethan is the one dating Danny, and Aiden kind of has a thing going on with Lydia but she's busy tonight, so he asked me instead. We get along really well, actually. We have similar tastes and sense of humour, they both have kinda darker sides to them but they're also really soft and mushy on the inside. Aiden is way more trouble than his brother, though. More reckless, impulsive, but sweet as sugar once you get past the prickly outside." I listed as mom listened, nodding her head as she neatly laid out several selections of clothing items and switched them around to see what worked best as I did the same.
"Do you think you might develop feelings for this Aiden?"
"Unlikely, as I said, he has a thing with Lydia at the moment and the two seem to be getting along well. I like where we stand because we know exactly where that is. We're friends, nothing more, nothing less. Why? You realise if I ever did bring a guy home, dad would threaten him with his broadsword?" Laughing musically, mom straightened up to push her dark hair back from her face, strands beginning to fall from the knot she kept twisted at the back of her head. Streaks of silver were starting to show, yet she matured beautifully into a soft, graceful woman who retained the spark of life in her magnetic blue eyes.
"I just don't want you to spend your life alone, sweetheart. Before I met your father I was in a very bad place but he helped me through some of the most difficult times of my life. Without him, I wouldn't be who I am today, and I want you to have someone you want to share your life with." Stroking my hair before kissing my face, my mother smiled. "You know, we're the last of Melusine's line. It would be a shame for so much family history to go to waste."
"Hold up mom, you're saying you want grandkids?" She giggled. "Well if you wanted me to get knocked up, you should have said so." Gasping at my vulgarity, mom swatted me on the shoulder before laughing.
"Don't you even dare." I laughed as well, promising she didn't have to worry about any surprises anytime soon before we returned to choosing my outfit. We decided on a cute navy blue circle skirt, opaque black tights with heeled ankle boots, a long sleeved black top and a denim jacket to go over the top. With the added accessories of a rope chain necklace, earrings and a loop scarf to keep my neck warm, I looked myself over in the mirror and deemed it a very suitable outfit. My mom brushed my hair for me, standing behind me at my vanity table as I applied makeup. "I've never understood half the stuff you put on your face. When I was your age, we were lucky to have more than two shades of lipstick and maybe a little rouge."
"But its so much fun playing with this stuff! Here mom, sit down and I'll give you a makeover." Squealing with excitement I jumped up and sat my mom down, ignoring her protests and got to work. Thankfully our skin tones and palettes were very similar so a lot of my stuff suited her face, allowing me to highlight her features. I kept her back facing the mirror so she couldn't see, wanting her to view only the finished canvas.
I brightened her cheekbones and accented her jawline, lined her lips then added a coral lipstick to her cupid bowed lips. After that I worked on the eyes, adding a primer before selecting copper and bronze to cover her lid and the outer crease, blending the two together before adding a slim line of black pencil to make her blue eyes really pop. After that it was mascara, a little tweak of her eyebrow shape then boom. My mom was transformed from an everyday scholar to a secret babe. "And voila." Turning my chair around so that she could see her reflection, my mother gasped as she saw her face now enhanced with my magic. "Yes, it's obvious. My looks obviously come from your side of the family." I praised myself, nodding happily as my mom smiled brilliantly, turning her face and touching her cheek to feel the skin.
"I can't even feel any of that cream stuff you put on!"
"Your skin is so good you didn't really need any. How about we go downstairs and show dad?" Agreeing instantly, mom jumped up and practically flew towards the stairs but I pulled her arm and drove her into her bedroom first, making her change out of her old school blouse and jeans into something a little more…well, more. I selected a blue dress and jacket duo along with a pair of her smart heels she usually wore for conference before quickly letting her hair fall loose around her shoulders. "Now let's go show dad."
When my mother had walked into my father's study, he actually spluttered into his coffee and almost spilled it everywhere before taking to just staring at her. "Well honey, what do you think?" Mom questions, lifting her hands and turning a circle so that he could get the perfect view. That dress did wonders for mom's figure, and I think my dad noticed.
"You guys should go out tonight." I suggested, folding my arms as I leaned against the doorframe. "When was the last time you two actually went on a date? It wouldn't hurt to take a night off every once in a while and just be a couple, you know."
"Agreed. Sweetheart? We love you very much, but I think you might want to stay at a friend's house tonight." Dad informed me suddenly, causing me to pause before it clicked what he meant. Oh my god, oh god no that is gross! I can't think about my parents doing that!
"Dad! Seriously? Ugh, you couldn't have put it more discreetly?" Lifting my hands in surrender I promised that I would make sure to give them the whole house for the entire night. "Just don't go in my room, please? If you desecrate my space of sanctity, then I might actually die." Leaving them to it, I pulled the door to then walked away, grossed out by dad's overload of information, but when I heard mom giggle I stopped. Creeping back, I took a small peek through the door to see my dad holding mom in his arms, one hand raised as he started to dance with her slowly, leaning in close and both of them wearing the most in love smiles I had ever seen.
Seeing them so happy was enough for me and only reaffirmed my strong belief that I would only ever get serious with a guy if he ever made me feel the same way my dad made my mom feel when they were together. They were so cute, but honestly, it shouldn't be up to the daughter to give them relationship advice. It'll be good for them to go out, have a meal together then do…adult stuff. Yeah, still not over that. Thoroughly grossed out, I hurried back to my room to finish getting ready before leaving the house to find Aiden waiting for me outside, leaning against his bike.
"You ready?" I was seriously reconsidering the skirt. "Don't worry, you won't fall off. It's perfectly safe."
"You seem to be under the illusion that I trust you Aiden. What if I'm still not too sure about this bad boy persona you got going on?" I suggested as I crossed the driveway to come stand in front of him. "You might be trying to lure me into a false sense of security for all I know."
"Oh I'm definitely trying to lure you into a false sense of security." He vowed, offering me a helmet for me to put on before mounting the bike and taking it off the kickstand.
"Promises, promises." Securing the clasp under my throat, I swung my leg over the back then found the footrests for the pillion passenger, getting myself comfortable before sliding my arms around Aiden's waist. The bike roared to life and I immediately felt the vibrations rising through me with every rev he made on the throttle, dipping into first before opening the clutch, starting off slow before all at once he opened the throttle and we shot forwards with so much speed and force that I let out a scream and clung onto him tighter. Hearing his laughter, I hit him in the stomach to admonish him before settling, enjoying the feeling of the thrilling freedom and the reverberations rippling through my body as the motorcycle charged forwards into the night.