Paramour | D.M

15,

"Cedric I didn't expect you to be up already," Aaliyah said, putting her bags down on the floor.

"I figured It would be better to clear the air before we headed to your folks' place." He said, looking down at her bag.

"Simba." Aaliyah cooed and went to pet him but he bit her finger, "Bitch." She muttered and pulled her hand away.

"Simba don't be like that, come here," Cedric said, bending down to him but he swatted at him. He clearly was in the Christmas spirit.

"Can we just drop everything we've been fighting about?" Cedric asked, hoping that she'd agree. I mean why wouldn't she? She always agrees with him.

"Oh... you want me to drop the fact that you're a complete dick?" Aaliyah asked sarcastically. "Yeah no."

"You want us to stay mad at each other? You want a fucking fight?" Cedric said, standing closer to her.

"I don't want to, no." Aaliyah sneered, her nostrils flaring. "But if you think I'm just going to let you disrespect me any longer then you are mistaken."

Cedric furrowed his brows, "Where is this coming from? Lia this isn't you."

Aaliyah had to bite her tongue, she needed to have a normal Christmas at her parents' place before shit could fly off the rails. "What you said hurt." She said, changing her tone completely. "It's — it's like you hate that I'm a bit more independent."

"I don't hate that you're independent," Cedric said which was only a half-lie, he didn't hate her independence but he didn't like it either. "It just feels like you're distant with me and I'm quite sick of it."

Aaliyah almost broke right then and there, his expression was genuine. She loved him, she really did but his actions made her second guess the man she once saw no flaws in. "I've been doing some thinking and—" She sighed, "I feel like you have been preventing me from doing things that I want to do."

He scoffed, "Are you mental? You don't feel that, I'm nothing but nice to you."

"Don't tell me how I am feeling!" Aaliyah shouted and pushed past him going to the kitchen. Cedric followed her — he was just as angry as her.

"I fucking paid for everything after the war! This house... mine." Cedric shouted, spit flying out of his mouth. "The clothes you're wearing... I paid for those... the food you fucking eat. That was all from me."

He took a few steps closer, his chest rising and falling heavily.

"Get away from me," Aaliyah said, backing up until her back hit the counter.

"Why Aaliyah? Why would I step away when you're saying all this bullshit — you do know your father would knock you senseless if you saw the way you've been acting."

"Give me space!" She shouted, her hands balled into first. Her thoughts were all jumbled in her head and she couldn't think straight. He was suffocating her.

"No, you're not moving until you start thinking rationally," Cedric told her and stood in front of her with his arms crossed.

"Fuck off," Aaliyah told him and then everything went blurry, she couldn't remember what either she or Cedric was saying until her senses came back to her and she was running out of the house in the freezing cold.

It felt like whiplash being hit by the cold air and standing outside her house. Aaliyah took a deep breath... it was just a little fight, she was fine. But was she?

Cedric came out of the house, "Lia I'm sorry, I would do anything for you. I love you and you love me."

She turned to face him, her jaw clenched. "Look where that love has brought us."