Raina's pov:
I shifted in my bed as a cool breeze passed by. I guess I left the window open. I slowly opened my eyes to see that the sun is about to rise. The sky is looking amazing in a mix of red, orange and blue. I smile at the beauty of nature. I stretch my arms and get up in a happy mood. I have always been an early riser. It's my first day in New Jersey and I want to make it an eventful one.
I decide to take a shower and be ready for the day and after that I'll check up on Sharon. I changed into a white full sleeved crop top and blue jeans and decided to keep my wavy hair loose.
Well, Sharon is still asleep. So I decide to make some coffee for myself. As I take the first sip of coffee, I hear someone's phone ring. I see Sharon's phone lying on the center table in the living room. The caller ID flashes, it's Rayshawn.
Why is he calling this early? It's like 7AM. Today is Sunday, I don't think they have rehearsals today. I take the phone and enter Sharon's bedroom.
"Sharon."
No response.
"Sharon your phone is ringing." I say coming closer to the bed.
"I don't care. Let me sleep." She shouts.
"It's Rayshawn. Your friend. Remember." I say sitting on the bed.
"Ya. Ya I remember him" She says in her sleepy voice. I giggle at her response.
"It might be something important given the fact that he calling you at 7AM in the morning."
She jolts up hearing this and snatches the phone from my hand and answers it immediately keeping it on speaker.
"Ray, you ok? What happened? Why are you crying?" Sharon asks frantically
"I am fine. Sorry Sharon for waking you up and geez I am not crying. It's Tyler." Shawn speaks.
"Tyler?"
"His parents dropped him at my house at 6 in the morning. Can you believe it? I put him to sleep but he woke up in literally 20 minutes and is crying since them. Please come here and help me or I'll go crazy."
"Hold on. You want me come to your house this early and baby sit your cousin?"
"Precisely!"
"Please Ray. I want to sleep. It's Sunday. Try feeding him something, he'll stop crying." Sharon whines.
"I did. Nothing is working." Ray says in a helpless tone.
I let out a soft giggle hearing his voice. And then we hear the sound of a baby crying.
"Okay, we should go. " I tell my cousin feeling bad for Tyler.
Sharon eventually nods.
"Thanks Raina." Says Ray from the phone.
"How did you know that it was Raina?" Sharon questions her best friend.
"Well I kinda remember her voice since we met yesterday."
I smile comes on my face hearing his answer.
"Whatever. We'll be there in 20" Sharon blurts out.
Sharon hurriedly enters her bathroom and quickly changes from her night dress to a top and shorts.
"You drive since I am still sleepy." She says handling me the keys.
Oh God. Not again.
"I don't know the directions Sharon. So you drive." I tell her and we both leave the house immediately.
As soon as we enter Rayshawn's house using his house keys from under the welcome mat, we come across Shawn sitting on the sofa supporting his head on his hands and a small kid crying hysterically.
We quickly reach out to them and I immediately pick up the kid in my arms.
"Hey Baby. What's wrong? Why are crying?" I ask gently rocking him in my arms.
He says nothing and wraps his tiny arms around my neck.
"Good boy. You are such a good boy. Are you hungry baby?"
I feel him shaking his head still burying his back in the crook of my neck. After a few minutes of cradling him, he stopped crying and soft sniffles could be heard.
"What is your name baby?" I cooed.
"Ty-Tyler Smith." He managed to say in between his sniffles.
"Such a cute name, handsome." I say ruffling his hair.
"Thanks" He replies shyly to my remark. A tint of red appeared on his cheeks. So cute.
"What happened Tyler? Was Rayshawn bothering you?" I ask him kissing his forehead as he seemed to calm down.
Ray furrowed his eyebrows in amazement while Sharon laughed.
He again shakes his head as I make him sit on the sofa between Shawn and I.
"Who are you?" he asks timidly.
"Oh sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Raina Richardson, Sharon's cousin." I say extending my hand towards the child.
He too grabs my hand with his tiny one and shakes it while letting out a giggle. "Nice to meet you" Tyler says in his baby voice.
"It's nice to meet you too handsome." I say.
He blushed hearing this. Omg, he's the cutest person ever.
"Are you RayRay's friend?" He asks curiously.
I look at Shawn who was already looking at me. I looked into his blue eyes which held a sincerity that I couldn't deny.
"Yes, we are friends." I blurt out and see that Shawn looked happy with my answer.
"Oh." Tyler replies after thinking for a second.
Meanwhile, I see that my big sister is already passed out on the arm chair and Shawn covering her with a mini blanket . She must be really tired.
"Tyler baby, can you tell me why were you crying earlier?" I ask finally as he is completely relaxed now.
"There is a monster under my bed." He says and I feel him getting scared remembering something.
I pick him up again and place him on my hip. "Baby, monsters are not real. Come on let's go check in your room."
"You'll protect me?" He asks playing with his fingers.
"Of course I would. Besides I think you don't need my protection. You yourself are such a brave and strong boy. Right?"
He nods.
"Let's go." I say looking at Shawn.
We enter Tyler's room followed by Shawn. We hear a strange sound coming from under the bed. "It's the monster." Tyler says getting afraid. I pass Tyler into Shawn's arms giving him a reassuring smile. Tyler covers his eyes with his hands and buries his face in Shawn's chest.
I bend down to peek under the bed to see the source of the sound. I find a monster toy from under the bed whose sound button was left on. Gosh these stupid toys.
"Tyler baby look, it's not a monster. Its this toy." I say showing him the toy.
"Oh." Tyler relaxes and lets out a sigh of relief. He leans in Shawn's arms and kisses my cheek. "Thank you."
"You're welcome handsome." I say ruffling his hair. He giggles. I think he likes it.
"Will you my friend too?" Tyler asked nervously.
I let out a laugh. "I would love to."
"RayRay say thank you to Raina."
"Ya, of course. You were a great help. Thank you." Shawn speaks to me with a smile.
"Not like this." Tyler interjected.
"Then how?"
"Be a gentleman and kiss her."
"What?" Shawn and I both speak out simultaneously.
"Kiss her."
"Who told you this Tyler?" Shawn asked curiously.
"Dad." Tyler replied in a 'duh' tone.
"I'll have to speak with Uncle Blake" Shawn murmured.
"What are waiting for?" Tyler spoke again.
"Tyler it's not necess..." I was cut by my sister.
"Looks like everything is sorted." She said. Her intervention definitely calmed down the awkwardness in the room.
"Ya kinda." Shawn replied.
"Ok good because Raina we have to go home now. Your Dad just called to inform that he has surprise for you and we need to at home for it. So let's get going."
"Okay sis. Sure. Bye Shawn, bye Tyler." I say waving at them.
"Do you have to go?" Tyler says in a whinny tone.
"Yes. But I'll visit you again. Promise." I cooed.
"Okay. See you later." Tyler says waving happily.
Immediately after this Shawn spoke and a smile automatically came on my face as I turned around to go.
"See you soon."