Things are getting interesting, aren't they? Anyway, have fun and enjoy!

Chapter 21

Ask, and You Shall Receive

"Sweetums, time to get up," Mr. Jones gently shook Elizabeth awake. Elizabeth awakened slowly, seeing Takuya behind him already awake.

"I'm up, I'm up already," Elizabeth groggily replied, trying to keep her eyes open. Luckily, her stepfather left and shut the door so that Takuya could open Elizabeth's eyes wider.

"Thank you," Elizabeth rubbed the sleep away from her eyes and Takuya let them go.

"So, what time is it?" Takuya asked, looking for a clock that he couldn't find.

"Probably past eight if Mr. Jones has to wake me up."

"Why eight? Can't you sleep in any longer than that?"

"No, otherwise the Jones family has a fit. By the way, Katrina, my stepsister has work in a few and she's gone. That might explain the wake-up call better," Elizabeth pushed Takuya out and got dressed quickly.

"I get it now. I've got another question-"

"-and I have an answer. What do you need?" Elizabeth giggled and looked at Takuya again.

"Well, do you have any food to spare?" Takuya asked, giving the puppy-dog eyes to Elizabeth.

"For starters, the puppy-dog look doesn't work on me," Takuya stopped the puppy-dog eyes, "second, I do, but what's the magic word?" Elizabeth teased Takuya while walking down the stairs.

"May I please have something to eat?" Takuya politely, but grudgingly, asked, his stomach growling.

"Oh, ok, if you insist," Elizabeth ran the rest of the way down the stairs and headed for the fridge.

"I see, you're hungry, too," Takuya tried teasing. Elizabeth pulled out a plate and gently placed it in the center of the microwave.

"I am, thanks for commenting. My d-I mean, Mr. Jones, makes me pancakes every morning for breakfast unless something came up," Elizabeth caught herself in the act and continued. Takuya raised an eyebrow at Elizabeth and knew she was hiding something from him.

"I know you didn't want to spill last night, but what happened that makes you always call your dad, 'Mr. Jones'?" Takuya firmly asked. The pancake finished heating and Elizabeth pulled it out and walked to the table. She pretended that she never heard him.

"What do you want to eat?" Elizabeth stalled, trying to not talk about what happened at all.

"Elizabeth, I know something's wrong. I felt it when we first met, and I'm concerned. What happened that hurts you so much?" Takuya tried comforting Elizabeth. Now in silent tears, Elizabeth looked at Takuya with puffy, red eyes.

"If you really want to know, wait until breakfast is over, ok?" Elizabeth looked longingly at Takuya, as if she asked him a second time to wait until breakfast was over to speak about it.

"Ok, I'll wait until breakfast is over to talk about what happened, does that work for you?" Takuya responded to Elizabeth.

"I-it works for me," Elizabeth brushed away her tears as she spoke to Takuya. As Elizabeth took the first bite, and it tasted like tears mixed with warm bread and chocolate chips.