Chapter Eight
AN: Thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing. I love reading what you have to say. I'm hoping you like this chapter, and I will try my best to keep updating fairly quickly.
We had kept drinking in Emily's room, and I drank way too much.
"Wake up sleepy head." I felt her hand on my chest. I struggled to open my eyes. I realized that I had slept over.
"Did we?" I had no shirt on. I suddenly panicked; I knew that she wasn't ready and I wanted to remember the first time.
"No. You threw up on your shirt." She laughed.
"So where are my clothes?"
"Your grandma is washing them." She laughed again.
"Oh my god." I was not ready for what I was going to hear from her.
"Don't worry I blamed Logan, which she believed. I assured her your purity is still intact."
"She knows that's long gone." I laughed. There was a knock on the door.
"Miss Emily I have breakfast." My grandmother called from the other side of the door.
"Come in Mrs. Navarro." She walked in. I felt nervous for my grandmother to see me after drinking.
"Mijo I have told you to be more responsible. Thank you Miss Emily for not letting him drive home."
"It was not a problem."
"Eli said you were coming to our party today Miss Emily. I can't wait for you to finally meet everyone."
"I am very excited Mrs. Navarro."
"Mijo your clothes are almost done; make sure you're there on time." She said sternly.
"I will." I hated being talked to like a child, especially in front of Emily.
After a few hours of nursing Eli back to health I decided to get ready. I was trying way too hard to find clothes that let me fit in, but still look good. I finally settled on jeans and a tank top.
"You should wear that more often." Eli said behind me as I applied my makeup.
"Why?"
"I love when I can see your tattoo." I smiled at him in the mirror.
"So how awkward will this party be?"
"What do you mean?"
"Am I going to be like a zoo animal?"
"No more than I was."
"You had fun eventually." I pretended to be shocked.
"You will too. My grandma loves you already, and my family is pretty relaxed. The boys will be there too."
"'Cause I'm their favorite person."
"They just need to get to know you."
"I hope you're right." I was finally ready. "Are we taking my car?"
"Yeah I'll give you a ride home after."
"You just want to show my car off."
"You caught me," he laughed, "my uncle doesn't believe that you actually own the car, let alone let me drive it." We got in my car and drove to his house. I squeezed his hand. "Don't be nervous. You'll have fun." His niece came running out of the house.
"Uncle Eli you're home!" She screamed.
"Hey Ophelia." He squatted down and gave her a hug.
"Who's this?"
"This is Emily."
"Hi." I said.
"Are you my uncle's girlfriend?"
"Yes she is." Eli said.
"You're pretty." She said to me.
"Thank you. So are you." She smiled and took my hand.
"Abuela says dinner's ready and you're late again Eli."
"We better go in then." He said. We walked into his small house, and obviously it wasn't as nice as my house, but it felt like love. My house never felt like home.
"Miss Emily I'm so glad you could make it." Mrs. Navarro gave me a hug. "I see you've met Ophelia. She was very excited to meet Eli's new girlfriend."
"Thank you for letting me come over. You have a nice home."
"It's modest."
"But it's very nice." I said again.
"Thank you, you've always been so kind. I made mole. I know how much you like it."
"That's my favorite." I smiled at her.
"Take her in the back yard to meet the others Eli."
"Si, Abuelita." He led me to the back yard.
"There he is." A few men said loudly. He led me to a patio table and started introducing me to his family.
"These are my uncles."
"It's nice to meet you." I said.
"Is it true you have a Cobra?" One of them spoke up after we sat down.
"Yes. It's out front."
"Can I look at it?"
"Excuse my uncle he can never give up the chance to talk about cars."
"It's fine." I smiled. "Let's go." We walked out to the front.
"It's beautiful. Can I look under the hood?"
"Sure." I opened the hood of the car.
"Who did you have restore it?"
"My brother and I did."
"Impressive. It's done very well."
"Thank you."
"I never took your bother for the mechanic type." His uncle responded.
"He was more of the hand me the tools type, and lift this type." Eli and his uncle laughed.
Mrs. Navarro stuck her head out of the front door. "Come in and wash your hands it's time to eat."
"Forty years old and she still talks to me like I'm Ophelia's age." Eli and I hung back a little.
"I thought you said the guys were going to be here."
"They're coming after dinner." We got in and sat at the table. Everyone passed the dishes heaping with Mexican dishes around. Eli told me what they were, and which ones would be too spicy for me. We made small talk. Then the questions started.
"Why would a girl like you want to date my nephew?"
"I feel safe with him." I said simply. Eli put his hand on my thigh. His family was much more welcoming than mine, but that made me feel pressured to impress them. I knew they didn't trust me; except Mrs. Navarro she knew me better than even Eli did, because she has been in my life since I was a baby.
"From what I hear you can defend yourself." His uncle said. I looked at Eli who looked at me sheepishly. I knew he probably told them about me a little bit, and Mrs. Navarro knew already, but asking me about it took me by surprise.
"That's a long story."
"You don't have to worry about us judging you. None of us are strangers to the law. I just wanted to know if it was true."
"It is."
"Let's talk about something good at the dinner table." Eli's grandmother said. She knew a lot of the specifics about what had happened, and how much it had affected me. "What do you plan on doing after school?" She asked me hoping to bring the conversation to something happier.
"I'm not sure. I'll go to college probably, but I'm not sure where or for what."
"You're very smart I'm sure you'll figure it out." She replied. Just then the PCHers came in. "There's food on the stove if you boys are hungry." Mrs. Navarro said kindly.
"Are you done eating? I'll take your plate." Eli said to me.
"I can I'm not crippled."
"I'm being a gentleman." He said sarcastically. I stood up and followed him into the kitchen. I put my plate into the sink. "Are you having a good time?"
"I am now." I said in a sexy voice and gave him a tight hug and kiss.
"Sorry for interrupting." Felix said as he walked into the kitchen.
"It's fine." Eli said as we separated quickly.
"My tio brought tequila from Mexico. I took a few bottles." Felix said excitedly.
"I'm good man. I'm gonna skip tonight."
"Weevil you have to."
"He had a bad night last night but I'll beat you to the worm Felix." I said.
"Are you serious?" Eli said. "How can you drink again?"
"It's a talent babe."
"I can out drink you." Felix said accepting my challenge.
"Don't bet on it. She out drank me last night." Eli said warningly. I grabbed a bottle from Felix.
"Here's the game. Drink for drink, and the first to pussy out loses."
"Loses what?" He asked ready for a competition.
"Whatever you're ready to lose."
"She talks big Weevil. Alright Princess a hundred bucks."
"Don't bet what you're not ready to lose Felix." Weevil warned.
"Look how tiny she is."
"Sweetie pie don't underestimate me." I said as I took a large swig of tequila. "Your turn." He drank and I drank and so did the other PCHers. I honestly had no idea what was being celebrated but I was actually having a lot of fun with them. Everyone seemed to be getting along except Thumper.
"Don't worry he's never much fun." Eli said when I had a moment alone with him. "Everyone likes you, which is all I wanted." Then I got a text from Logan. You need to come home now it's an emergency. I showed it to Eli.
"We have to go. Something's wrong."
"Ok let's go." I said good-bye to everyone and thanked his grandmother for dinner. Felix reminded me that I owed him at school. He drove as fast as he could without being pulled over. My mind was racing with the possibilities. Did dad use the belt on him again? Is one of Dick's tarts threatening to burn the house down again? I was wringing my hands with worry. "Don't worry cupcake I'm sure it's nothing we can't fix." We pulled into the driveway and Logan was waiting for us.
He ran up to me and gently grabbed my shoulders. "He's awake Em." I collapsed to my knees and just started crying. "He's still in the hospital. You don't have to worry that he'll come here."
"Yet." I managed to get out between sobs."
"Ever." Eli said with so much malice I almost didn't recognize his voice.