January 17, 2015
A S P E N
From Unknown Number:
Hey Aspen?
I just stare at my phone while sitting on the counter, not knowing whether to answer it or not. It could be a stalker, it could be a pedophile watching me right now. Nah, I'm going to answer it.
To Unknown Number:
Yeah who's this?
From Unknown Number:
Cakum Hood.
From Unknown Number:
No, Calum.
To Cakum:
Hi Cakum. Jesus, took you long enough to text me.
I giggle at my cell phone, probably looking like an idiot, but no one's here anyways.
From Cakum:
You're not going to stop calling me Cakum are you...
To Cakum:
No, Cakum, I'm not. :)
From Cakum:
Jesus Christ.
I feel two arms wrap around me from behind and I almost scream. My breathing increases, and it gets worse when the person rests their head on my shoulder.
"Hey, calm down, love. It's just Raff." Raff laughs into my ear. A chill runs down my spine, his warm breath fanning down my bare neck.
Rob and I have been on six dates in the past two weeks. I like him and he likes me, at least I hope so. Darcey can't stop bragging that he hooked me up with my "future husband", but I just ignore her every time she says it. It was up to Raff and I to like each other, it doesn't matter if she hooked us up or not. But, I'm glad she did. I've laughed more this past week than I have in a while. That's the truth.
"Shit, you scared me." I sigh and put my hand over my heart.
"Sorry. I thought I'd visit since I'm off work." He asks, unwrapping his arms from around me so I can hop off the counter and face him.
We've hung out so much the past couple weeks. People may say it's clinginess, but I love how he wants to spend time with me. I like it when anyone spends time with me, let alone a model worthy dude with a sparkling personality.
"How sweet." I chuckle. The door to Grandma's office opens from behind me and I cringe. Grandma's so embarrassing. I just hope she doesn't ask the usual question she asks my new boyfriends- or date in this case.
"Hello. Who's this, Aspen?" She asks, wrapping one of her frail arms around my waist.
"Um, Grandma, this is Raff. Raff, Grandma Lil." I say nervously. If she asks that stupid question, I'll kill myself.
"Raff, huh? Is that short for something?" She asks.
"Yeah. Raphael." He nods and actually walks around the counter to give my little grandma a greeting hug. I think he's a keeper. She lets out an old lady laugh that fills my heart up with warmness and makes my stomach feel all fuzzy.
"Raff, I have a question for you." She says.
"Grandma, please don't. I'm begging you." I gently wrap my fingers around her arm that's still around Raff.
"Oh, you know I ask all your new boyfriends this question." She smacks my hand off. Raff looks over at me, a cute smile pressed into his closed lips that I have yet to kiss for the first time.
"But he's not my boyfriend. We've been on a few dates." I say. Raff slips his bottom lip in between his teeth, probably to hold in his laughter at my patheticness.
"Six is not just a few, love." He laughs.
"Oh, that's plenty of enough dates for you two to go steady." She laughs.
Steady... Since when did I get thrown into the fifties...
"Yeah. Listen to your grandma, Aspen." Raff laughs and gives my grandma a little squeeze.
"Oh ho, he's a keeper, Aspen. I still need to ask you this question, Raff." She says.
"Grandma, please." I mutter, but she's already started talking.
"Raff, do you ever pass gass in public?" She asks. My face gets really hot, and it's probably beet red. I cover my face with my hands, not being able to look at either of them.
"Um, sometimes." Laughter is clear in his voice.
No shame. He said that completely honestly.
"Oh, Aspen, he's a keeper. He doesn't lie." She says and I make a gap between two fingers to peak at them.
"Raff, if you said no, you'd be a liar." Grandma laughs. She's one crazy old lady, I'll tell you that. Raff laughs out loud, making me smile in ease and drop my hands back to my body.
"Grandma Lil, do you mind of I take Aspen off your hands twenty minutes early?" He asks.
"No, of course not. I was going to close up soon up soon anyways." Grandma tells him.
I know she's fibbing, she hasn't ever closed early. Ever.
"Thanks Grandma." I smile at her and then Raff.
"Come on, love." He says.
I grab my purse from the counter and give my grandmother a squeeze before leaving with Raff. When I pick up my ohone, I see that I got a few unread texts from Cakum but I decide to ignore them for now. I can't even believe that happened in there, I'm still so embarrassed even if Raff was cool about everything. Raff wraps an arm around my shoulder and I keep my arms to myself.
"I'm so sorry about her. She's so weird." I laugh.
"Its all good, don't worry about it." He says, humor in his voice.
C A K U M
"ONE TWO THREE FOUR!" Five Seconds Of Summer's drummer yells and then we start playing. There's no better feeling than being on stage with your best mates, even if you're only performing in front of twenty or so people. It feels great that people have heard you do what you do best and for me, that's making music.
"She's droppin' out of school cause she don't need the grades-" Five Seconds Of Summer's lead singer sings into the microphone. I look over at Michael and we both smile. He knows what I'm feeling. He knows the rush I'm getting.
"It's obvious she's so out of reach! And I'm finding it hard cause she makes me feel, makes me feel. Like I try like I try-" We all sing together, but I stop mid sentence. Walking through the door, I see someone I've never seen here in this club before.
My childhood friend Aspen. I'm happy at first, but then I see she's with a guy.
[an]
My grandma seriously asks my sister's and my new (future) boyfriends if they fart in public. And if they say no then she looks down on them forever because they are liars.
