Visiting her cousin in London was always a hassle for Aaliyah, yet the bond they shared was too strong to let the crime-ridden streets come between them.
Today was no different small boys dashed through the crowds, snatching bags from unsuspecting civilians who had yet to learn the art of being street-smart. Women in scanty clothing waved down cars, hoping for a quick buck and a quick thrill.
Aaliyah kept her head down, headphones on, but stayed alert just like her cousin had always told her. With hurried steps, she slipped into the apartment building where her cousin lived with her parents.
"Why don't you ever wait for Andi to come back from uni so you can go on your walks together, Aaliyah?" Mama Andi asked, eyes fixed on the steaming pot of oxtail. "You're always running around like you're still in the gated property of your father's home back in America."
"Mama, Andi comes home late, tired and hungry. Then she eats and sleeps, while I just stay here with you and Papa. Even then, you two don't do anything exciting it's work, work, work. And Sammy? For a small child, he does nothing fun."
She ended with a pout.
"Always running your mouth, Aaliyah. You talk too much," Andi's voice called from the doorway as she stepped in, giving her mum a quick kiss on the cheek before reaching over to pinch Aaliyah's lips shut.
"I could hear you before I even reached the apartment."
Andi bounced off to her room, dropped her bag, and flopped onto the living room sofa. "Oya Andi come help me plate these dishes," Mama Andi called in her thick Nigerian accent.
"But Mama, Aaliyah is right there," Andi said with a pout, pointing at her cousin, who leaned against the kitchen counter.
"This one? Very lazy. All she does is walk, eat, talk, and sleep. I don't even trust her to help me dish."
Aaliyah gasped in mock offense while Andi dragged herself to the kitchen to help. By the time they were done, Papa Andi was already home from work. The five of them sat down to eat, with five-year-old Sammy spilling half his rice before taking his first bite.
Later that night, as they lay in bed, Andi poked Aaliyah.
"Hey, tomorrow me and my girls are hitting the downtown club."
"Really? What about your folks?" Aaliyah asked, curious about how her cousin always managed to slip past her strict, watchful parents.
"Told them I've got a late-night study session."
Aaliyah squealed, and then her excitement faded. "What about me?" she asked, turning over to face Andi.
"We'll tell them you're coming to help me study," Andi said with a shrug.
"That won't work, Andi. You're in uni for psychology, and I'm for me law."
"Then we'll just tell them you're studying ahead for your semester when your uni reopens," Andi replied, still unfazed.
Though she had spent twenty years of her life sheltered, Aaliyah still knew a thing or two about staying out late, perhaps more than her cousin ever would.
YOU ARE READING
When They Align
FanfictionHe knew the moment he laid eyes on her she had to be his. Balancing the streets, his crew, and his brothers was one thing, but making her his would be another battle entirely. She, on the other hand, wasn't looking for love. Just fun, freedom, and a...
