Once Momma Asian insisted on showing us her bedroom and Lillian's, we finally went back downstairs. As we made our way down the steps, the front door was pushed open and a body came walked in wearing washed ripped jeans, a red fitting tank top under a sleeveless jean button front and leather laced boots. Her hair was down in natural loose curls. She had a beautiful face that had in a annoying scowl on it.
"That's Grace." I almost jumped out my skin when a voice hush spoke in my ear. I looked over my shoulder to see Titania a step behind me. She had a friendly smile on her face and her brown eyes were soft. "And that's Mira. She's so," She stuck her tongue out. "like the co-manager." We giggled and I swirled my head back ahead to see another body crowding inside. She was wearing a printed long sleeve shirt under a short legged overall and walking on Chanel sandals. Her hair was in a lazy bun. "And Caden."
I was not going to say Finally when a guy walked in tailing gating right behind Mira, I almost exaggerated it. She nudged him to get him off her back. Get off of me, she demanded. My, I will say that he was cute. He had jet black hair, a tall body frame and was wearing a gray sweater with jeans and Nikes.
As soon as the three saw Momma Asian, they all started talking at once crowding us on the stairs. I squeezed myself behind Gloria. I didn't want to be seen. Yet.
"Mom, can you please tell Caden to stop demonstrating what a soda volcano looks like?"
"What?! It's amazing, plus it makes the soda more fuzzy."
"By the time all the foam blows out, the can is half empty." Grace rolled her eyes. Caden shrugged.
"Less for you. More for me."
"How does that even make sense?" Mira tauted.
"It doesn't." Grace grated and pushed passed Caden to get in front of him. She rolled her eyes again and looked up at Momma Asian. "I'm hungry."
"Yeah, me, too," Mira said. "Can we have pizza?"
"Who said "pizza"," Deewa's voice screeched from upstairs. She came running down the stairs, making it more compacted. I was starting to feel like I couldn't breath. I was starting to feel like those movies where to much was happening for that one person and world started to spin. "I WANT PIZZA!"
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHOUT," Mira announced to Deewa shouting herself. I cringed.
"YOU'RE SCREAMING, THOUGH."
"I'M NOT SCREAMING, I'M SHOUTING. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE THERE."
"NOT IN MY DICTIONARY."
"Children, stop!" Momma Asain yelled. "We aren't having pizza."
"About time," Grace muttered. Mira and Deewa gawked at her.
"I-I can't even look at you right now." said Mira dramatically.
"I'm satisfied with that." Once again, voices started to overlap indistinctly. It was just Mira, Grace, Deewa and Beer. Soon came Aunt Lillian and Titania. I closed my eyes shut, pressing myself closer against Gloria. Thank God she was here and standing here with me. I felt like I was suffocating. I don't think I could stay here. Not like this.
"...and I want you all to meet her. Wh-where...Oh! There she is. Still on the stairs. Bella, sweetie..." I blinked my eyes open to see I was now alone on the stairs. I then realized the voices had faded. Even Gloria left my side. Oh, how that made my heart sink. She had left me here all alone while I was in distress.
I patted down my forehead with my sleeve and made my way to where Beer wanted me. I went into her arm that she had extended out from me. "This is Bella and she'll be staying with us for quite some time. Bella, this is Caden, Mira and Grace." She pointed to each of them. As I did with Titania and Deewa, I studied each and everyone of them.
Caden was nodding, his gray eyes darting as if he was seeing multiples of me. Mira had a huge approving grin, her brown eyes sparkling with excitement and Grace, well she had an appealing look on her face with her arms crossed, but not as close Aunt Lillian has hers. I cleared my throat and downcasted at the floor.
"Say 'Hey'."
"Hi!" squawked Mira with a lightening wave.
"What's up?" greeted Grace causally.
Caden pursed his lips and waved a brief hand.
A hip nudged me. I rose my neck. Gloria had joined my side with her arm wrapped around my other shoulder. I was sandwiched. Her eyebrows were bouncing and she was budging her head toward the three telling me to Say something. But what do I say? 'Hi, I'm sorry for having your mom announced that a stranger would be staying at your house for a while?' 'This isn't something you shouldn't come home to.' What? How do I introduce myself when someone already did it for me? I do thank her, though. Like I was really going to do it myself after all the families I've been with. I preferred if they didn't know me at all. It would make things more easier.
"Um...hi..." was all I could manage. A speechless clog was jammed in my throat and no way in hell was I was clearing it out just yet. I needn't to say anthing. I shuffled my hair behind my ear and let the other side curtain half my face. Beer rubbed my shoulders, liking how this was playing out. Gloria rubbed my back for comfort. Needn't to say it's what I needed at the moment.
"Aww, don't be shy." Mira was walking over to me. "Don't you worry, sugarcube." She scooped her arm around my shoulder bring me out the sandwich. I found myself trying to hold my ground, but she wasn't having it. Without anyone noticing, she was tugging me ahead. "By the end of the night, you'll be one of us and have nothing to fear. We just take some time getting used to. Ooh! Maybe later we could play Have I Did to get to know each other!"
"It's Have I Ever," Grace corrected and unfolded her arms. She dropped her backpack on the livingroom floor and stalked her way into the kitchen, Caden looking at me with pursed lips then soon following her. Deewa followed Caden.
"Hey, Grace..." she called rising her hand to get her attention. "I lost my phone at school..."
"Yes," Mira piped up mumbling. "Well, does anyone know why we aren't having pizza?" She lead us into the kitchen. The grown ups stayed in the livingroom to chat.
"No way," Grace was saying grabbing something from the fridge. "I am not buying you another phone."
"Not a phone. A iPhone." Grace froze and just stared at her. Deewa huffed and turned to Mira.
"Nope, don't even think about it. Ask Caden." Deewa opened to mouth to say something to him, but he shook his head before she could even ask.
"Titania..."
"You have to work for it," Titania commented and swirled herself on the bar stool. I was getting a headache just watching her spin on that thing.
"Great!" Deewa agreed. "What do I do, Your Highness?"
"You're really gonna slave just for another phone?" Grace enunciated heavily, squinting her eyes. "And Titania, you're really gonna let her..." Titania shrugged nonchalantly. Caden was munching on chips he had found. Mira and I were just standing while she whispered stuff into my ear. I was barely listening; not to be rude, but just...
"Do you like pizza?" Mira's voice popping my distract bubble. All eyes were on me from brown to gray. I stuttered and fiddles with my jean pocket.
"Sure." I scratched my thigh. She listed all the things that could ever go on pizza. "Um...uh!" She bounced me against her side before I could take back pepperonis. It's not like I didn't like them, it's just I didn't eat pork. Pigs were nasty animals so imagine what they carry. Yuck. She gave my chest a pat.
"Welcome to the family!" She twisted me into a hug. I timidly wrapped my arms around her back and laid my chin into her shoulder. I tried to beam, but it just seemed strange. When I thought I was ready to pull back it turns out I wasn't. More bodies and arms clasped around us to where I was smushed against Mira now. Shit.
I held my breath and tried to hold back the anxiety attack that wanted to kill and bury me for life. Why did I have to hate myself so much?
"Alright," she announced gruffly from being so squeezed up against me. Yup, I know how you feel. I can't breathe either but for so many other reasons. "Everybody get off." Nobody seemed to move. Arms seemed to tug closer. "Get off!"
They finally bounced off after her bark. Mira and I exhaled in relief. Finally. We could both breathe again. I chuckled and pulled my hair behind my ear.
"Who's gonna tell Mom we want to have pizza instead of a home cooked meal?" Caden pointed out. Seconds of thoughtful silence. Thenㅡ
"I have homework." Deewa dismissed herself.
"I hear my phone ringing. I think Jessica's calling me." Mira scattered out the kitchen.
"Huh?" Titania perked up. "What did you say, Dee? You need my help? Coming!" She hopped off the bar stool almost tumbling over her own feet. I yelped with my eyebrows, flinching. It would've been bad for her to trip and slip on her socked feet on this marble floor. Could they get her to hospital on time if there was one...or...maybe even a small clinic. She caught her foot, smiled and marched on in a hurry.
"Oh, for crying out loud." Grace rolled her eyes. She walked out the kitchen, but not out the exit that lead to Momma Asain. Ah, so neither was she going to announce the change of plans. I had watched everyone leave the kitchen like rats. The only one left was Caden and me standing awkwardly in the kitchen. He was balling up the empty chip bag and tossing it back and forth in his hands. I meekly watched him, fiddling with the end of my leather sleeve.
"I guess you will be the one telling Mom about that pizza," he muttered, unfolding his balled up chip bag. Finishing, he looked up at me. "Because I just found this sweepstake printed on this bag." He laughed. "Awesome!" He waved the bag in my face (I bet there wasn't any sweepstakes on that thing) and went in the same direction everyone else did.
Away from Momma.
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AND CUt! Sorry for just updating one chapter when usually I do more than one, but I didn't get to manufacturer the work... 😬 I didn't get to write enough words in one chapter to cut the chapter in billions of pieces so.
Since it's me, expect weekly or monthly updates. 😒 This isn't my BESTest chapter, but please do enjoy.
Secondly; comment and vote on your way out! 💘 Thanks so much.