CHRISTMAS DAY
Cassandra looked into the mirror as she tried to do her eyeliner, but somehow today was not her day.
"You know what." Cassandra says capping the eyeliner and wiping the smudged makeup off her eye.
She was dressed in something simple yet professional for greeting a family. A simple peach body con dressed that stopped at her knees and a black bomber jacket.
Her short hair brushed and curled. And her natural look using minimal makeup. Gold hoops in her ears and gold rings on her fingers.
"You must really like this boy." Aunt Vye said breaking the ends off the fresh green beans.
Cassandra smirked, "He actually invited me to his family dinner. Not the other way around."
Aunt Vye looked up from the pot and held the green bean between her fingers. She smelled Cassandra's bullshit.
"Y'all made a bet about whose gonna fall first. What has this generation come too. I remember in my day when guys used to bring me flowers and we actually talked on the phone not text." Aunt Vye said sighing.
"He wants to take me to prom. I said he got five months to prove to me that he should take me to prom." Cassandra said.
"Mhm. Don't let that boy break ya heart. Y'all might as well be dating for all that." Aunt Vye said hearing the door bell ring.
"I'll get it." Cassandra said running to the door.
She opens the door and meets Aaron's smiling face. She takes in his attire, already smelling his cologne.
Aaron was clad in black jeans, a tee shirt with Biggie Smalls on the front and a black visor. Aaron notices her wearing a dress and clears his throat.
"You look pretty today." Aaron compliments her.
"Thank you." Cassandra says waving to her Aunt and leaving with Aaron.
Cassandra sat nervous in the car as Aaron pulled up to his parents mansion. Her palms sweaty and her legs feeling like jello.
"It's not that bad. It'll be fine." Aaron says opening the passenger door for her.
Aaron reaches out for her hand. He sneakily intertwined their hands. Cassandra didn't even notice because she was staring at the door.
She wouldn't budge so Aaron guided her using his hand that rested on her lower back. Taking small steps they ended up at the door.
Aaron opened the door and the smell of soul food spilled into their nostrils. Little kids ran around the house laughing and playing with toys.
A huge Christmas tree sat in the living room with presents under the tree. Aaron's relatives looked at who was coming in the house. All eyes landed on Cassandra.
Cassandra gulped and timidly smiled. She wasn't ready for everything about to happen.
"Everyone, this is my friend, Cassandra. Cassandra these are my relatives." Aaron says making sure they were nice.
"She single?" Aaron's older cousin, Derrick, asked.
"No, she taken. Mind ya business punk ass." Aaron said leading Cassandra to the kitchen.
"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.
"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.