September passed and my first month of school went by without further incident. The Munroes started picking me up and taking me home with them after school. Elle and I would do homework at her kitchen table, something her mother loved the thought of and made me feel like a small part of my normal routine from Dallas had followed me here.
Ari would go up to his room and play video games mostly. I wondered how he found the time to actually do his homework. Once Jake took me home for the evening, I would do chores around the house between texting Ari and Elle. Some of our messages were in a group chat with the two of them and Aaron while others stayed private. Mostly the ones where Ari would say something sweet that he didn't want the rest of the world to see or ones where I would text Elle about what to wear for school the next day.
Jordan, Elyse, Patrick, and I had weekly Zoom meetings where I would catch them up on my life here and they would tell me about the stuff I was missing in Dallas. Elyse and I were already planning on me coming back to Dallas for my Christmas Break. Tim had agreed to it as long as I was staying with Elyse and not Jordan. I had no clue why that mattered other than it gave him a sick sense of power. He and I were on thin speaking terms at best. I found it easier to find reasons not to be home on the days he didn't work late; which weren't many. Aunt Claire still insisted on inviting us over for Sunday lunch after they went to Mass. Every week she would invite us to come with them for that too but Tim found an excuse every time as to why he wasn't available until after noon. That part I didn't mind. Not that I was against going to a service but I was not about to go and sit through a Catholic Mass.
I started watching a podcast with Elyse and Jordan from a place over in Rockwall, Texas that had a satellite campus. It was more of a way for me to have something to talk to them about but I did find it comforting to hear a sermon on Sundays. I wasn't sure how much I believed in it past the basics but I liked the lessons the preacher was going through so I kept tuning in with them for now.
The second week in October I found out that we had a three day weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving. First of all, who has Thanksgiving on a Monday? In October? And then makes the kids go back to school on Tuesday? Canada.
I had an all-out argument about this with my cousins because I thought it was unnatural to have Thanksgiving before Halloween. It was just so Un-American. Then I had to remember that in fact, they were all not American.
'Canadians, they said, celebrated it in October'.
I wanted to refuse to participate in fake Thanksgiving but Tim said we still had to go over to my aunt and uncle's. They were having a huge dinner with all five of the families over.
With all twenty-one of the kids, their parents and even some of their parents over, over thirty people were going to be in one house.
Luckily all the families brought over enough food for their respective family plus some so my Aunt Claire didn't die cooking for everyone.
When I looked at table options I saw that there was the kitchen table, the dining room table, and then a kid's area set up down stairs in the basement. All of the kids were basically having their own night down there once dinner started. I watched as Reese and then Ryan headed down to the basement. I hoped they could find a spot far enough away from Ryan's father to be safe. Aaron was already down there watching a movie with Elle. I knew and there was no hope in finding Miri without Danny so I was pretty much on my own until Ari decided to show up.
My eyes lit up when I finally saw him coming through the door. I looked down at myself. I was wearing a long sleeved, deep blue dress that came down to my mid-thigh. My hair was curled and I was also wearing a pair of Laura's high heeled boots. I was sure that it was an improvement from the usual jeans and converse look I wore to school.
Ari cleaned up nicely too. He wore dark, tight-fitted denim jeans with a black button-down shirt that had the sleeves rolled a quarter of the way. His camera of course completed his ensemble. I hadn't had the chance to see much of his finished work yet. He was so secretive about it.
Brenna, Jake, and Tyler filed in behind him. Tyler seemed to take me in before Brenna dragged him away. That made me feel slightly self conscious. They were somehow still together. I was not in the minority in thinking that he needed to grow a pair already and put everyone out of their misery.
I was sitting on a couch listening to James and Dylan talk. Ari came and sat next to me. I felt his hand on mine instantly. Dylan looked over and nodded his seal of approval at Ari. Ari still hadn't even asked me to go on an official date but we had gotten into this small displays of public affection routine.
After a few minutes he leaned over and whispered in my ear, "You look gorgeous, Gorgeous."
I just smiled and mouthed "You look good too."
As the night continued the adults got drunk enough that they stopped paying attention to the older kids sneaking beer too. I was not about to try that with my dad around and I noticed Ari never made a play to grab one either. Miri and Danny got into their weekly fight or as I learned to call it a kerfuffle. Declan tried to sweet talk Annie while Landon tried the same on Nina. Both struck out quickly.
The whole evening Ari stayed at my side, casually holding my hand or hanging his arm around my shoulder or waist. We stayed downstairs where I knew my dad wouldn't bother us. These parents really did seem to trust all of the teenagers just hanging out alone. Jordan would never have been okay with it. Only Aunt Claire or Uncle Jim came down stairs occasionally to check in on everyone. Because of how long the basement stairs were, we all had time to separate and look appropriate before they came into view. It wasn't like we were all over each other but Ryan and Reece didn't want to risk any of the adults seeing them holding hands and Elle would hop off of Aarons lap if the door opened.
Tim bowed out early and I told him I was spending the night here; although I was not quite sure that was true. It was past eleven when Ari asked if I wanted to go to his house to get some peace and quiet from all the drunken shenanigans happening around us and I happily agreed. I told Aunt Claire that Ari was walking me home knowing that she wouldn't try and text my dad to check that I made it in.
On our way out we saw a very inebriated and irate Brenna cussing out Tyler in a corner. He just stood there taking it and looked mostly down at the ground. I felt bad for him. I silently hoped though that tonight would be the last nail in that coffin. They needed to, for the sake of everyone, figure out if all the fighting was worth it.
Once we were away from everyone, Ari's arm was around my shoulder again. We crossed the street and headed to his house two streets over. I was used to this house by now. It was very cookie cutter like Aunt Claire and Uncle Jim's. We headed upstairs and he opened his door slowly, looking back for my approval of his choice of venue. I nodded as I passed him and sat down on his bed.
This was first time I had seen it when it was not in blacked out. Ari's room was so different from what I had seen of the rest of the house. All the other walls of the house were neutral tones, even Elle's.
Ari's walls were a sleek gray that were almost black.
Elle's closet door had tons of band posters on the inside but once she shut it; no one would be able to recognize her room from anyone else's in the house. Ari had a wall with rows of pictures in uniform frames. It looked like a chic art gallery in here. I hopped off the bed and walked around looking at each one in the light.
He had pictures of Jake and him as small children. Then both of them a little bit older with Brenna and Elle. It was like a small timeline of his youth. The photos started to become ones of his own taking. He stopped being the subject and started being the artist. They were beautiful. He had captured small moments like Elle and Aaron watching Tyler and Brenna at a show, Danny and Miri slow dancing at what looked to be a wedding, and even shots of his father and step mother cooking dinner. Some were of mundane moments in life that he somehow brought to life in his art.
Ones towards the end of the wall were from what looked like this past summer and the beginning of this year. I was in at several of them. I wondered what he did with all of the other ones he had taken; I knew there were many more.
I was about to sit back down when I spotted a copy of the photo I had in my room sitting on his night stand.
"This is the one I said I had of us from when we were kids."
He closed the door and walked over to me. "I love that photo."
"Me too."
His arms wrapped around my waist. I felt his lips at my ear, "Did you have fun tonight Gorgeous?"
"Yes I did." I turned in his arms. "Although I still maintain that American Thanksgiving is better."
"Bull. Canadian Thanksgiving is so much better."
I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Nope, it's just unnatural to be this early in the year."
He laughed. "Not once you're used to it. Plus there's more time between it and Christmas. I couldn't imagine having such big meals only a month apart."
I laughed, "Oh I love it. Thanksgiving is Jordan's favorite holiday." I looked down getting choked up. "Elyse and I spend all morning helping her get it ready while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and The National Dog Show. Then we have her side of the family over to eat. Patrick's dad even comes with him like a once a year peace treaty between Jordan and him. We always wind up in the backyard playing football after the Cowboy's game." I felt tears well up in my eyes thinking about the fact that it would soon be the first time that I wasn't there for all of that.
I felt his thumb brush away the few tears that managed to spill over. "You know you can talk to me about this stuff. You can tell me about missing home and your family. I get it."
I smiled, "I know I can. This might sound stupid but I feel like I have gained all of these friends since I have been here. I know it's because of my cousins but I really appreciate all of you taking me in like you have. You and Elle especially. I don't know how I would have survived this move without you both."
I looked into his pale blue-gray eyes. They were serious and contemplative. "I want more than your friendship Alex."
My eyes widened and in that moment he leaned in and closed the gaps between our lips. The butterflies that were always around when he held me, were trying to karate chop their way out of me. His full lips were finally touching mine and I wanted more of it. I felt myself aggressively lean my body into his. He put his hand on the side of my neck pulling me deeper into the moment.
It was surreal kissing him. I had never felt such an electric charge in my life. It was sending shockwaves in places I didn't know were possible. I felt him trying to part my lips with his tongue. Patrick had tried that move and it made me giggle every time.
Crap. Patrick. Ari still doesn't know anything about him. But I didn't know anything about Ari's past like that either. Did it really matter?
It did for some reason. I suddenly pushed myself back slightly but enough that I could feel myself leave the moment of passion we had just shared. "Ari, I can't."
"You don't like kissing like that?" His eyes were wide like he was afraid he'd made a mistake.
I felt myself blush. Oh trust me I like tongue just fine. I wasn't sure what to do so I leaned up and kissed him slowly and gently. He responded by holding me to him and kissing me so deeply that made my knees felt like Jell-O.
When our lips parted again Ari whispered, "There's no pressure here, Alex."
I smiled and nestled my head into his chest. "I liked the photos by the way. You are really good."
"It has gotten me through a lot."
"I can tell."
We heard the front door open. I prayed it was Elle and not Brenna or Mr. and Mrs. Munro. A pair of footsteps got closer to us and then there was a knock on Ari's door. He put his finger to his lips; like I needed some kind of reminder to be quiet.
I rolled my eyes and nodded. He went quietly to the door and cracked it open enough that he could answer but that whoever was on the other side wouldn't be able to see into his room.
"Hey, Mom and Dad are right behind me. Aaron dropped me off but they didn't see us leave. If you don't want to get busted having Alex in there she needs to come down the hall with me."
Elle. Thank God.
I walked up behind Ari and he opened the door enough to let me out. Elle just smiled at me and I followed her down the hall. I looked back at Ari and smiled.
"Goodnight, Gorgeous." He mouthed and I mouthed goodnight in return.