"Hi, Mrs. Vicky." Cassandra says peeking into the kitchen waving.
Aaron's aunts stopped cooking to look at the girl in the kitchen. Mrs. Vicky smiled and went to hug Cassandra.
She liked Cassandra for Aaron. Cassandra had her head on straight and a bright future ahead of her. She would lead Aaron the right way.
"Merry Christmas! These are my sisters, Keyshawn and Janay. Why don't you help us with the food."
"Ma! I was gonna hang out with her with the fam." Aaron says trying to take Cassandra.
"Boy I will hit you upside the head with this bowl." Mrs. Vicky said making Aaron quickly leave.
"I'll be back." Aaron says unexpectedly kissing Cassandra on the cheek.
Cassandra starts peeling the potatoes for the yams. She was already good at cooking.
"So you his girlfriend or something?" Ms. Janay asks mixing the yoke for the deviled eggs.
"Oh no, well it's complicated." Cassandra says.
"So you do like him, right?" Mrs. Vicky asks putting the macaroni and cheese in the oven.
"I mean, I don't know, he has lots of female partners. I don't wanna be that." Cassandra admits.
"Mhm." Ms. Janay says twisting her mouth to the side.
It was obvious that Aaron liked her. But it was just the barrier of Aaron's old past.
Cassandra heard the running of little kids and peeked outside the kitchen to see Aaron giving each one of his little cousins a rocket ship leap in the air.
They laughed and giggled wanting to go again. They crowded around his legs pulling on his pants. Cassandra smiled watching him interact with the youngins. It was cute and Cassandra couldn't lie and say she didn't like him. Well kinda.
Aaron could feel someone staring at him, he turns his head and sees Cassandra. She freezes and steps aside back into the kitchen. Mrs. Vicky and her friends were silently watching.
"And you say you don't like him."
Now, Aaron and Cassandra sat next to each other at the dinner table. Aaron's father begins to say grace and that means everyone is holding hands to pray over the food and the family. Cassandra slides her hand into Aaron's, the warmth comforting both of them.
Passing multiple plates around and stacking plates, the family start to talk. Cassandra eats her food and saves some space for desert.
"Ma, who made the potato salad?" Ashanti asks scooping more onto her plate.
"Cassandra worked her magic because someone fucked it up." Mrs. Vicky stares at Keyshawn in disgust.
"This shit good." Mr. Darrin says making the whole family agree.
"I mean, I uh, it wasn't all me. I just helped in the kitchen." Cassandra says moving her mashed potatoes around on her plate.
"Girl stop trippin." Ashanti assures her smiling.
"Anyway, Cassandra how'd you meet Aaron?" Aaron's grandmother asks flipping her gray hair over her shoulder.
Cassandra was about to speak but Aaron's hand slithered it's way onto her thigh. But he keeps eating his food like nothings happening. She smiles and flicks his hand off her thigh.
"We met at school. He's was annoying at first but then he kinda grew on me." Cassandra says feeling his hand right back where it was.
This time he moves his hand closer to cookie jar. Cassandra grits her teeth and tries to close her legs even tighter. They ask more questions the rest of the night. Cassandra and Aaron help clean up and join everyone in the big living room to start opening presents.
The little ones were the first to open their gifts. They were excited and less selfish than some of the teenagers wanting something that they didn't get. Cassandra reaches into her bag and pulls out Aaron's gift.
"Open mine first." Aaron says as his family watches.
Cassandra playfully rolls her eyes and grabs the thin box badly wrapped in newspaper. They laugh seeing Cassandra trying to pull off the paper. A pandora box now sits in her hands. She's shocked because the gift seemed expensive.
"Open it already girl!" Someone yells making everyone laugh.
She quickly opens the box and sees a small gold chain necklace. A small gold jordan shoe is hangs from the chain. All of the teenage girl cousins say a series of 'awws'.
"You ain't have to get me this." She speaks softly, her shy shell coming back to engulf her.
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"Yes I did. That way when we go our separate ways after prom you'll always have something that reminds me of you." Aaron says helping her put the necklace on.
"Now open mine." Cassandra says handing him the neatly wrapped gift box.
It's a big gift and Aaron shakes the box trying to figure out what's in it. He rips the paper and sees a basketball. But it wasn't just any ball. There were signatures of all of the major basketball player out there ranging from Steph Curry to Shaq. Aaron jumps excitedly and starts dancing.
"How the fuck did you get this!" Aaron yells ignoring the death stare his mother is giving him.
"Don't ask just enjoy the present." Cassandra says secretly winking at Aaron's parents.
Cassandra and Aaron sit in his car. It was the next day and both of them were tired. After opening presents they spent time with the cousins his age. Surprisingly, they all like Cassandra and treated her as their new cousin in law.
"Thank you for everything. Tonight was fun." Cassandra says replaying the day in her head.
"You're welcome, I had fun too. We should do this again soon. Really soon." Aaron says.
They stare at each other before leaning in. Their eyes close and they wait to see who's going to kiss first. But they kiss each other at the same time. It was a simple genuine kiss. But they both liked it.
Authors Note:
For some reason this is my favorite chapter so far. Vote and comment please.
