meant to be | j. parker¹

FIVE

"What's up?" Aaliyah said looking up from her phone and seeing Jordan plop down on the stool next to hers. He gave her a small nod towards Liv and Spencer standing together at the steps. "What do you think they're talking about?"

"Hopefully not a date," she whispered, looking at Spencer who walked through the kitchen with wide eyes. "Hey, something wrong with Olivia?"

"What did she tell you?" Jordan asked. Spencer gave him a small shrug. "Nothing she just acting strange, looking at me like..." he said eyeing the way the other Baker sister looked at him. "—Like she looking at me right now." Jordan gave his sister a small nudge in the ribs making her look back down at her phone.

"Morning. Did you get some pancakes, Spencer?" Laura asked strolling through the kitchen. "No, ma'am. I already ate. Mom's homemade corn muffins," he said pointing at the Tupperware.

"Ooh, share," Liyah said reaching her hand over to him and earning a small slap on the back of her hand from him. "Hey, hey. You two can share this half," Spencer said giving her and Jordan a half.

"A half of a half? Is he serious?" she scoffed. "Talk about stingy," Jordan whispered back.

"I can hear y'all," Spencer said making them laugh softly under their breath. "Look, moms only makes these once a year. I can't be giving them away." After hearing what Spencer just said, Laura quickly turned around in shock. "Wait, Spencer is today?"

"It's not a big deal. Really," Spencer said quickly shutting her down.

"We have to celebrate!" Laura exclaimed.

"Celebrate what?" Jordan asked cluelessly.

"It's a good thing you're pretty," Aaliyah mumbled shaking her head at her brother. "It's Spencer's birthday, obviously!"

"You know calling me pretty isn't much of a compliment. We're triplets...you're basically calling yourself pretty," Jordan said turning his head.

"Whatever, I need to turn some things in. See you! And happy birthday, Spencer!" she yelled running out of the house and straight to her car.

"Hey, did you get that evite from your mom?" JJ asked approaching the girl at her locker and making her furrow her eyebrows in confusion. "It's at my house. I don't really need an invite for it," she said craning her neck up at the blonde.

"That didn't cross my mind," he mumbled pressing a kiss against her lips before pulling away. "Hey, do you want to go on a date after school? Like, a real one."

"A date?"

"A date," he confirmed. "As much as I love making out with you in the backseat of my car and at my house. Like, I really love it. I think it's time we go on a real date."

She grinned in response. "Of course, I'll go on a real date with you. Where exactly are we going and should I change?" she asked looking down at her crop top and sweatpants.

"Just to the cafe. Nothing too special, yet. Wear that, you look beautiful," he said wrapping his arms around her waist. "I'll save the fancy dates until after we're official."

"Alright, I will meet you at the cafe after school."

✯ ✯ ✯

Arriving at the cafe, Aaliyah quickly spotted the blonde leaning against the pool table and waiting for her with two pool sticks in his hand. "Hey, J," she said walking over to him.

"Hello, beautiful," JJ said pulling her in for a kiss. "We're playing pool. Do you still suck?" he asked handing her a pool stick.

"First of all, thank you," she said kissing his cheek. "Second of all, I do not suck at pool, I simply am just not good at it," she said watching him line the balls up. JJ rolled his eyes playfully. "Sure, babe. It's okay, maybe, I'll let you win."