Chapter Nine
1799 Words
Saturday Dates Don't Do Well I
“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear, grandma. Happy birthday to you!”
We sang in chorus. The visitors who came to celebrate grandma Minette’s birthday clapped and cheered. Not gonna lie, that wasn’t the best singing we had. It was the worst I’ve been a part of, to be completely honest. I clapped my hands together, smiling at Grandma Minette in shame that we were singing to her so poorly. Her celebration wasn’t grand or anything like that. Having many guests makes her mad. Aiden’s parents are here, my mom is here, a few neighbors that are friends with grandma are here too, and that’s about it.
“Happy birthday, grandma! You look so beautiful and you’ll look even better with my gift!” I bent down to level with her so I can hand her my poorly wrapped gift. It’s not even wrapped by me. I just bought a paper bag, shove it in and stapled it shut. Even the way I stapled it isn’t pleasing. For an engineering student like me, I got no sense of perfection or precision, or whatever the hell they talk about there. “Open it soon, okay? And make sure you let me know what you think about it after!” I chuckled.
She smiled, bobbing her head. I was surprised how cold her hands were considering how hot it was right now. “I’m so happy you made it here! Aiden said you wouldn’t be able to come. Because of your ball game.”
“I wouldn’t miss your birthday for the world, grandma.” I said, planting a soft kiss on her cheek.
“She’s just saying that, gram.”
I glanced up, grunting quietly at Aiden who just butted in our conversation to talk badly about me. I gritted my teeth, glaring at him with the intent of punching him when he says more that would make me look bad.
“She just says that because you give her more money than me during our birthdays.”
“You sly piece of sh—” I gulped when I realized grandma was actually close to us and could hear our bickering loud and clear. “Come here!” I hooked my arms around his neck and pulled them down, smiling at grandma Minette innocently, who seemed to like what I was doing to her grandson. “This is why you shouldn’t give him anything at all, grandma! Look at him!” I squeezed his neck between my arms harder. “He bullies your favorite granddaughter.” I pouted pointing at myself by the shoulder with my free hand.
I could hear Aiden grunting and choking on my grip but I wouldn’t let him go even if he trying to shake me off so hard. Aiden got off my grip, sighing as he fixed himself. “She’s the one who bullies me, gram. She’s so immature. She blames everything on me even if she knows she’s at fault”
I mocked everything he said until grandma laughed, making both of us turn to her in confusion and worry.
“You two are so adorable, you remind me so much of my youth.” Grandma clapped her hands together slowly. I couldn’t even see if she was looking at me or Aiden because her eyes were already wrinkled. “Why don’t you just marry each other while I’m still alive?”
I tapped Aiden by the shoulder, arching my brow at him. “You hear that, Andy? Grandma wants us to marry each other.” I smirked, leaning closer to him teasingly, making sure he would blush at my gesture. “What do you say? Wanna do it tomorrow?” I said, wiggling my brows.
“And get a divorce the day after?” He replied, hitting my hands off him with his forefinger like a sass. “No, thank you.”
I hissed. I mean, I didn’t really expect him to bite into my flirting even if he liked me, but barking and getting at me like that… perhaps, he no longer has affectionate feelings for me.
I highly doubt.
“Mom, your friend wants to talk to you.” Aiden’s mom, Lauren, appeared at the back of grandma, slowly accompanying to her friends like she said.
“Looking good, Aunt Lauren.”
She smiled at me knowing I was just being polite. “Why, thank you, Lois dear. You dashing as always.” She smiled before turning to Aiden with a troubled look. “Go help out with the visitors, Aiden. Go wash the dishes before they stain the plates if you don’t to entertain them.”
I heard Aiden sigh. “Okay, mom.”
“Lois will help you, Aiden sweetie. She likes washing dishes, after all.”
Mom.
My eyes widened, turning to my mom in disbelief. She had a glass of wine in her hands, drinking like a rich Asian mom. “You know I hate— AH!” I clenched my stomach in pain at the strong nudge mom just gave me.
“She loves washing dishes. She loves it so much, she’s shrieking.” Mom faked a smile at Aunt Lauren who just laughed it off. I’m pretty sure auntie knew how fake it was and just went with the flow. “Right, dear?” Mom’s face changes into a dragon as she turned to me with such superiority.
The duality moms have, man. It’s truly terrifying.
“She does!”
“Ow!” I exclaimed when she slapped my butt to move forward. I scratched my head and followed laughing-Andy to the kitchen. The sink was so full, I almost wanted to just disappear.
“It’s okay. I can do this myself.” Aiden said as soon as I reached him there. “I know you hate washing dishes too. Your mom was clearly trying to get you close to me because she wants me with you too.”
I smirked and leaned closer to Aiden. “What do you say about a wedding tomorrow then? I can pull off and organize it a night, I’m sure.”
He shrugged me off and splashed water at my face.
I could tell from his side profile that he was blushing, so I was going to push it further. “I, Achelois Gwynn Bartel.” I started saying in a dramatic tone, and he glances at me with a weird, disgusted look. “Take you, Aiden Mitchell, as my lawful, beautiful husb—”
“Jesus, Gwynn. I like you but even I’m getting chills.” Aiden shivered and pushed me further away, but I walked right back at him, engulfing my arms around his small shoulders.
“Get off, Gwynn!”
I squinted my eyes, looking at him with a teasing grin. “I already know how fast your heart beats when I do that so there’s nothing to be shy about, my friend. I still accept you as my bestest friend.”
“I’m not shy about it. You can record it all you want, play it over and over if you enjoy teasing me about it so much.” He replied in a monotone, as he starts washing the dishes by himself.
I smirked at him, unable to believe my ears. He’s gotten a lot cooler than when I first met him. This is an improvement, for sure. “When did you get so cool, Aiden Mitchell? You’re learning from me, aren’t you?”
“I’ve always been cool.” He replied, glancing at me briefly.
I scoffed in disbelief. “Anyway, I’m going to go watch a soccer game tomorrow with Snoopy? He bought tickets to a soccer game.”
“Jett?”
“Mhm.” I replied.
“Jett from my department?”
Don’t tell me we’re going over and over about this again. It always gets tiring when he doesn’t seem to accept the guys I date and tends to overask about them.
“Didn’t you say he just broke up with his girlfriend…”
“Yeah?”
He furrowed his brows. “And he already took you out..?”
“It’s not a date. We’re just hanging out to see something we’re both interested in.” I rolled my eyes.
“A man and a woman alone together is a date. You can’t not call it not.”
I grinned to tease him again. “Are you saying I’m dating you whenever we hang out together? Alone?”
He blinked and just realized what he just said. “N-No…”
I chuckled and shove it away. I didn’t have the energy to argue more with him anyway. “I don’t even have to tell you because I’m going anyway regardless if you want me to or not.” I told him unexcitedly. It’s not the first time I’m telling Aiden about my dates, after all. For all I know, he’s already jealous and sick of me always telling him about my dates. “He insisted I should go with you, but I told him it’s only fair if I went with him. Besides, Snoopy’s pretty chill. I’ve been enjoying our conversations so far.”
He raised a brow, turning at my direction. “That’s what you always say to every boy you meet.”
“I know! That’s because everyone’s the freaking same. Boys only make me feel one emotion.” He turned to me with a questioning look. “Satisfaction.”
He sneered. “Satisfaction.” He repeated mockingly. I could definitely feel the hurt and pain in his voice as he repeated my word. “I can’t believe you’re telling me that straight to my face. I’m also a guy, you know.”
“As for you,” I looked up to the ceiling, thinking. “Special.”
He stopped working, turning his head to me. He didn’t look like he expected that from me. He’s feeling shy about it again. Aiden Mitchell. I should stop playing with your feelings like this, I’m such a terrible friend. But it’s too fun watching your reactions.
“Because, you know,” I paused, taking a step closer to him in preparation. “You make me feel speciaaal!” I sang, dancing to the song without bothering to get the choreography right. It’s the feeling, you know.
He diverted his attention back to his work, sighing in dismay. “Of course.” He mumbled something I couldn’t hear but I didn’t ask anyway. I feared I might hurt his feelings more if I did and I didn’t want to cross that line. “You make me feel special,” He hissed.
But Aiden does make me feel special, jokes aside.
- Writer
