Chapter 10
When I get to work, Lorene is on the phone arguing with someone. "What's going on?" I ask her once she hangs up the phone. "Oh It's nothing honey. Just some custody stuff."
Late last year Lorene and her husband got a divorce, and since then they've been having a big custody battle over their ten year old son Hayden.
"Oh I'm so sorry you're going through all this right now Lorene."
"Me too Mora. Me too." she sighs out loud then goes into the kitchen.
"Hey kiddo. Y'all have fun last night?" my dad walks inside throwing an old tire down in a pile we keep back behind the front office.
"Yeah. We went and rode go karts with a couple friends from school." I answer. "I can't believe I never went with you when I was younger. I had no idea it could be so much fun." I admit, and he smiles. "It is fun huh?" I nod at him.
I have three texts when I get off work. One from Emily, Ross, and Scarlett.
Emily and Scarlett text were from earlier today asking me if I'm going to the fish fry, and Ross was just a few minutes ago. He's obviously there because he just says
Hey come out to Zachs. Everyone is here.
Before I text any of them back, I text Aiden.
Hey? Is the ride still available?
Yes. What time do I need to come get u?
I'm heading home now to get ready. Is six too late?
No. See u soon.
I text Ross back.
Be there around 6:15. Tell Scar and Emily.
10-4
I decide on a flowy beige tank top, with my ripped skinny jeans, and open toed booties. I curl my hair, and put on a light red lipstick, and shadow my eyes.
I'm waiting outside on the porch swing as Aiden pulls up, and I quickly grab my purse, and slowly start walking to his jeep. He leans over to open his passenger side door from the inside.
"Hey" he smiles big, staring at me. I act like his smile doesn't affect me. "Hey. Thanks for picking me up."
"Welcome."
As we're riding down the road, I can feel his eyes look over at me. I can't help but ask "What?" and he jerks his eyes back to the road.
"Um." he swallows hard "You look really nice tonight." he says
"Oh. Thank you. So do you." I say back. He's in black jeans, with a maroon pocket t-shirt on, and black converse shoes. His hair is fixed really nice too. His eyes are a bright blue when the sunlight hits the windshield.
"Well thank you." he smiles while keeping his eyes on the road.
We're finally at Zachs'. "Have you already been here?" I ask him as we're walking around the side of the house where the fence gate is at.
"Yeah. The fish is mediocre. Just a heads up." We both laugh as he opens the gate.
When we walk out back there's about thirty kids, including Emily, Zoe, Scarlett, Ross, and Sophie.
"Sophie is here?" I can't help but ask Aiden.
"Yeah. Zach invited her." he answers. I just nod.
Ross spots us first, and he just pauses staring at the two of us. Aiden doesn't seem to notice, stopping to say something to Shawn. Josh runs up to me before I make it over to my friends, and picks me up in the air. "Andrews!" he yells.
I laugh "Josh! Put me down." and I pat him on the back to let me down. Scarlett and Emily notice me then.
"It's about time you get here." Scarlett says' and Emily follows "The fish is gone Mora, but there's still a couple burgers and hot dogs left."
"Ah man. I really wanted to try some fish." I lie.
"Did you come here with Aiden?" Ross interrupts us. I look at him confused because he seems annoyed with me. "Yes. Why?" I ask.
He mutters "That's weird." ignoring my question.
"Why is that?"
"It's Aiden Bryant." he snaps at me really quietly, and I just stare at him because I don't know how to respond. Before he turns all the way around to walk away, Sophie walks up and grabs him by the arm.
"Hey Mora."
"Hi Sophie. How are you?" I'm sure everyone can see my face in full shock and confusion.
"I'm doing good."
Before I can ask why she's hanging on to Ross like that, Aiden walks up to me "Mora, do you want me to fix you a drink?"
"Sure. Thanks." I say, and before he walks off, he puts his hand on my lower back and kisses my cheek. "Be right back."
What the hell just happened? Scarlett, and Emily are just staring at me in disbelief, and Ross looks really annoyed as his eyes follow Aiden walking away. Sophie just keeps looking at Ross.
So is Ross with Sophie, and Aiden kisses me for the first time in front of Sophie? I'm thinking to myself and I'm starting to get mad. I pull Emily and Scarlett aside before Aiden gets back, and ignoring Sophie and Ross.
"Did Sophie come here with Ross?" I ask.
"Yes." Emily says "They've been dating for about a week now. I thought you knew?"
"No. I had no idea." I'm honestly baffled by the last five minutes.
"Yeah, neither did I. I just found out tonight." Scarlett admits.
"But on another note, Aiden just kissed you? What's going on with that?" Emily tries to change the subject but I can't help but wonder what the ulterior motive is.
"Aiden has never kissed me until just now in front of his ex girlfriend." I'm getting more upset now.
"I'm sure it's not what you are thinking?" Scarlett say's trying to assure me, but I can't help myself from asking when Aiden comes up from behind me to give me my drink.
"Hey, can I talk to you alone for a second?" I ask him, and he stares at me confused, and hesitates before answering "Sure."
"Why did you just kiss me?" I'm direct.
"Oh, I'm sorry." he pauses for a second. "I'm sorry, I must have got the wrong message from you." he draws his hand to wipe the back of his neck.
"No Aiden, you didn't get the wrong message from me. I like you, but you decide to finally kiss me when it's in front of your ex girlfriend?" I can't believe I just admitted to him my feelings, and like this. This is not how I pictured it all going down.
"Mora, I didn't even think about that honestly. I only talked to Sophie for a month, and she wasn't my girlfriend. We just hung out a couple times."
Is he being truthful? I don't know Aiden well enough to tell if he's lying or not.
"You promise you're not using me to make her jealous?" and he grabs my hand "Mora, I promise you. I wasn't even thinking about Sophie when I did that. I'm sorry." He hesitates for a second. "The first time I kissed you shouldn't have been in front of people, but to be honest I did do it to make a point to someone." he stares at me waiting on a response.
"Who?" I spit out.
"Is it not obvious?"
I'm wondering what he is trying to get at.
"No, I guess not." I say.
"Ross."
Ross?
"What?" I ask him, and he just looks at me like he's really confused "Didn't you and Ross used to date?" he asks me.
"What? No!" I say. Why does everyone think that?
"Oh." he looks at me baffled.
"Ross is one of my best friends."
"Oh, Mora. I'm sorry. I thought you two used to date, and..." then he stops talking. I wonder what he's thinking, but then he grabs my hand and asks "Can we just leave?" We just got here, but he's giving me a pleading look, and I can't help but melt into it.
"Why?"
"Because I've only hung out with you for a week, and we're already arguing because we're surrounded by all this drama. I just want to hangout with you, okay?" His statement is more of a pleading question.
"I guess so." I say really slowly. "Let me say bye to the girls." he nods "I'll go ahead and start the jeep, and meet you out front?"
"Okay." I answer quietly.
I go up to Scarlett "Hey, he wants to leave?"
"Really?" she ask
"Yes, but I want to ask you, what do you think about Aiden?"
"I like him. Why?"
"Do you think he likes me Scarlett?" I feel like I need that confirmation because I don't trust him.
"Oh hell yes." she smiles.
"Do you think he still likes Sophie?" I ask her.
"Mora, stop it." she says to me, and my mouth drops open. "What?"
"Mora, I think Sophie was a one or two night stand. I saw the way he looked at you last night. Trust me when I say he likes you Mor, and trust him. You have to let your walls down and trust." she grabs my arms, and gives me a small shake and repeats her last word "Trust Mora".
I lean in and give her a hug goodbye.
"I'm so glad you're my person Scarlett." I smile at her.
"Dido sis." she winks at me as I turn around to walk out the gate.
About half way to Aiden's jeep I can hear Ross yell "Mora, wait up a minute." and I pause as he jogs up from behind me.
"What?" I snap at him, but suddenly regret it because for as long as I can remember I've never spoken to him like that, nor has he ever spoken to me that way.
He turns me around to look at him. "Listen Mor, I'm sorry for jumping on you like that. I wasn't prepared to see you come with a date." I start to feel a little queasy while he's talking. I was not prepared for what he was about to say so I interrupt him before he says more.
"It's okay Ross." I lightly smile at him. "I'm sorry for jumping on you too, but listen I have to go. Can we just talk later?" I ask, and when I do he just drops his head staring at the ground for a minute then looks back up at me. "When will you be home tonight?" Now he's sounding like my dad.
"I don't know. Why?" I sigh at him.
"Can I come over and talk after he drops you off?"
At this point I don't even pretend like I have no idea what's going on with him. He's never wanted to come talk to me late at night. I know he likes me now, and I'm not ready to deal with that.
"Ross, I don't know what time I'm getting in. Can I just text you tomorrow?" his eyes feel with sorrow, and irritation at the same time.
"Sure Mora." and he just turns around and stomps off.
I don't understand why he's so upset when he's talking to Sophie. If he likes me or not, he had to know that one day I would meet someone. He hasn't given me any kind of warning that he had feelings for me until I brought another guy around.
When I finally turn around and start walking to the jeep, I look up and Aiden is just staring out the windshield acting like he didn't see Ross and I talking.
"I'm ready." I say as I crawl up into the seat, while my body is turned around to put on the seat belt, I feel his hand sway over mine, and I quickly look over at him and he's staring at me intently. I take my right hand and brush my hair behind my ear, but leave my left hand in place.
"Let's get out of here." he says and I just sit there with my breaths getting deeper as he drives.
I don't even think to ask where he's taking us. My mind is just flooding with everything that happened at Zach's.
We finally pull up to the Conroe lake where we hung out for the first time, when he finally breaks our silence.
"Mora, remember when they let us dress up for Halloween in middle school?"
"Yes?" I stare at him.
"That year I had the biggest crush on you. I went home and bragged about your costume to my parent's and my big brother until I was blue in the face and my brother teased me for months about it." his face looks like he's somewhere else.
"Really?" I whisper at him. Aiden Bryant had a crush on me. All these years I looked at him in the hallway but he never looked at me. I just thought he was an asshole.
"Back then I was shy, but yes I had the biggest crush on you, and it really never went away, so I need you to trust me when I say that I didn't bring you to the party to make anyone jealous." he squeezes my hand, and without thinking I lean over and kiss him back on the cheek.
My nerves are on fire, and I can't even start to believe that Aiden Bryant liked me... likes me still. "Aiden, I have the biggest crush on you right now." I'm surprised at how comfortable I am with him, and before I can say another word, he turns his head into mine and kisses me with quick determination, and I lean into it, and kiss him back. He's so intense, and it makes my entire body flush in heat. His hand pulls my waste softly into his stomach, and his hand makes it way up to the back of my neck and he holds me there. After a minute or so I finally break away from the softest lips I've ever kissed and he leans his forehead on mine. When I finally catch my breath I ask "So, what was I dressed up as?" and he gives me a colossal smile, and pulls his head away a little. "Wolverine."
I remember that costume. I had big spray painted cardboard cones on my hands, and a big t-shirt my dad helped me make that had a big X on it, and a jean vest was sported on top. That costume was so bad.
"I can't believe you remember that." I laugh loudly.
"Are you kidding! Mora, all the other girls were in princess dresses, and lame decade costumes, but you came as Wolverine! You were such a bad ass!"
I blush "Ugh. Thanks."
He finally lets me go to get out of the jeep, and before I get out I just sit for a few seconds so happy. I can't believe Aiden Bryant just confessed his feelings for me. I could stay in this moment forever.'