As the night went on, we talked about different things and stuff that weighed on Aiden's mind. I gave him reassurance about his dad and his worries about college, assuring him that everything would work out in the end.
It was then that I saw a side of Aiden that he had never shown anybody else—a side that was private and vulnerable that he had never even shown with his mother or his closest friends.
He told me that he wanted to study engineering, and he applied to Princeton, Harvard, and Yale. He specifically wanted to be a neuroengineer or a biomedical engineer, which is something I never thought he would be interested in.
It felt like our relationship deepened, and with each passing moment, my affection for him grew stronger. It was as if our bond had transformed to a new level, and I found myself falling even more deeply in love.
—
"You spent what at his house?" Khelani gasped, her eyes going wide with shock.
I laughed tensely as a blush started to appear on my cheeks. "The night," I answered back.
With her eyebrows raised, Ciara exited the changing room. She chastised me, asking, "And it's now that you tell us?" I approached her and smiled shyly as I adjusted her dress. "It happened like two days ago; I just didn't get the chance to say it."
Khelani leaned closer, her interest peaked, and her smile got bigger. "Did you guys..." she began, hinting at something in her tone.
My face flushed even more, and I shook my head to cut her off. "No way!" I cried out, trying not to look embarrassed. It hasn't even been a month since we started dating; how could she think that?
I doubt Aiden was contemplating sex at all, and I wasn't even thinking about it. Whatever, it was way too early for that.
Ciara laughed out loud and nudged me. "Our Zhera here was thinking something else, huh?" she quipped.
"Guys," I murmured while attempting to hide my embarrassment.
They both laughed and apologized, realizing they had taken the conversation in a whole other direction. We continued shopping, their laughter echoing through the store.
As we strolled through the stores, I realized that Christmas was just around the corner. I still hadn't found the perfect gifts for my parents and friends, but I decided to worry about Khelani and Ciara's presents another day. My main focus was finding something special for Aiden, but I was completely clueless about what to get him.
Once Ciara found the dress she needed for the Christmas party her parents had planned, or the banquet, as she liked to call it, which was later tonight, we continued strolling around. As we walked, I couldn't help but voice my concern to them.
"I'm completely stuck, guys. I have no clue what to get him."
Ciara chimed in, suggesting, "Just get him something expensive, like a watch."
I hesitated, realizing that Aiden wasn't really into lavish or pricey things. I noticed that he appreciated more thoughtful gestures, like giving something related to his interests.
I pondered about Aiden's daily activities. He plays football, but it wasn't practical to give him another football since he probably had plenty. He wears glasses, but that doesn't seem right either. Ah! I remembered seeing him with a book in hand, and his room had a massive bookshelf.
And then it hit me—a bookmark! It seemed like the perfect idea, don't you think? He likes books, so I got him a bookmark.
"Guys, what about a bookmark?"
They stopped in their tracks, seemingly surprised. "Wait, you're serious? A bookmark?" Ciara questioned.
"Yes, I am."
Kehlani interrupted, understanding the situation. "Hold on, he's your boyfriend, right? If you believe a bookmark is something he'll appreciate, then go for it, Z."
Ciara looked at the both of us and simply smiled, shaking her head. I know that look; she did not agree with my choice, but I don't care; I think he'll like it. Even though I was always told that I was horrible at gifting good gifts to people, I'm confident about this one.
"Anyways, guys, can we hit up this store? My mom told me to give gifts to each of my teachers, including Mr.Robert." Khelani said, stopping in front of a store.
"Not, mister Robert, Kehlani don't." Ciara said it with a look of disgust.
If you're curious, Mr.Robert is that weird teacher that every school has; he looks at the girls weirdly and makes backhanded comments, even though he has a whole wife and kids. Weird and disgusting, I know.
"Don't worry, I won't; he doesn't deserve shit."
"You should gift him shit."
—
"So, Ciara, how many people are going to be at this party?" Khelani asked while unloading her shopping bags.
Ciara was taken aback when she mentioned the word "party" and interrupted her with a stoic look.
"banquet"
"Yeah, banquet. How many people are going to be there?" Khelani asked
When she casually mentioned around sixty people, I couldn't help but snap my head towards her in surprise. "Sixty? Really, how many people do your parents know?"
Ciara giggled at my reaction and turned towards me. "A lot. Anyway, you know the Millers are coming?" she said, reminding me of Aiden's presence. It almost slipped my mind that Aiden, whose parents are business partners with Ciara's dad, would be coming too.
"Yeah, he told me," I replied with a smile, feeling excited about spending more time with Aiden. But it would also be the first time I would meet his dad.
Ciara chimed in with a mischievous smirk, "If you guys need some alone time, you can go to the third door on the second floor; no one goes there."
I groaned, "Ciara, please, we're going to be here with everyone else; there's no need for that."
"Yeah, sure," Khelani said while emerging from the closet, revealing her stunning red velvet dress. The fabric looked so soft and luxurious, and the sweetheart neckline accentuated her figure perfectly. The flared skirt added a playful touch, and the length falling just above her knees gave it a flirty vibe.
I couldn't help but exclaim, "Ahh, you look so cute!" as I made my way towards her. Ciara clapped her hands with a huge smile, mentioning that Alejandro would love it.
Khelani blushed. "I hope he does."
Oh yeah, speaking of Khelani and Alejandro, they were now dating, or at least it seemed that way. It was likely that he would ask her out today. I'm so happy my ship sailed.
"Hey girls, the guests are arriving; hurry up." Ciara's mom yelled from down the hall. We all started getting ready faster and made our way out of the room, but not before I admired my dress in the mirror. It was a simple white dress with a pretty fitted silhouette that hugged all the right curves.
The fabric was soft and had a slight sheen to it, adding an extra touch of allure. The dress had an off-the shoulder neckline, and the back had a low cut with crisscrossing straps. The length was just below my knee. It was the perfect combination of sexy and cute. I felt very confident in it.
I stopped in my tracks when I spotted Aiden entering the door. A smile spread on my face.
—
only about two chapters left, then the story is done. Stop i'm going to cry ;(
Wordcount: 1251