Together From the Start

SEVENTEEN

Chapter 17| Trevor

"Merry Christmas, Ma," I say to my mother while walking into the kitchen. 

"Merry Christmas, Trevor," she answers.

"Where's Lily? I went to go wake her up this morning, but she wasn't there."

"She and your dad went over to Dahlia's early because she promised Lily cookies. So you know she was up bright and earlier."

I hummed in agreement, opening our refrigerator and taking out some orange juice. When I turned towards the counter, I noticed my mother's stare at me. I look up seeing her eye me, without saying a word. I spoke up because she was creeping me out. 

"uhh hey ma, you alright," I asked.

She straightened her back and cleared her throat, "Yeah I'm alright, I just- I." She stumbled on her words, "I just wanted to ask you if you spoke to Destiny about, you know, your feelings for her. I mean, I saw you two all cuddled up last night." 

"Oh, I actually haven't. But, I've been meaning to though. I planned to talk to her yesterday. But, you saw what happened." I took a sip of my juice, then spoke again, "I just don't want to come on too strong, she has already had enough going on in her life, I don't need to make things awkward between us."

"Yeah, I understand. But, at least tell her, honestly, it's killing me that y'all not together already."

I smiled. My dad then walked into the room, "Why are y'all standing around, everyone is waiting to open gifts." 

I put my cup in the kitchen sink, before grabbing my coat and heading next door. 

...

"Thank you, Destiny, for my Bratz doll, I love it." Lily squealed and hugged Destiny after opening her gift. 

"You're welcome, love," Destiny responds to her. 

The Thompson family living room is covered in ripped-up wrapping paper. As we are finishing up opening all of the gifts. My dad and Eric are already bringing in the garbage bags to clean up, like damn, can we thank everyone for our gifts? 

"Is that everything?" Dahlia asked. 

"Uhh, no," Tyler says from behind the big Christmas tree. "There is one last gift."

He pulled out a black box, with a red ribbon and white postcard on it. And reads it, "It's for Destiny."

Destiny looks confused, as she takes the gift box from Tyler, reading over the postcard again. Then, check the back to see who it is from. She looks up at me, and I smile back at her. 

"Well, are you gonna open it?" I asked her.

She looks down at the box, untying the ribbon, and taking off the top to reveal white wrapping paper. Folding them over, it is a tan shoe bag, with the Louboutin logo on it. 

Dahlia gasped, "I know that is not Louboutins."

She opens the bag, revealing the red bottom heels. The same ones she was modeling in the store. When she looked up at me, I was shocked. Her eyes were watery, it might not seem like a surprise to y'all. But, Nini is just not a crier. Well, at least not in front of people, she hates it. 

"You bought these for me?"

"Of course, I did."

She shakes her head in disbelief, "I can't keep these, they are way too expensive."

"Nope. They are yours, you deserve them."

She sniffles, not knowing what to say but, "Thank you."

"Aww, that was super sweet of you, Trev," Dahlia said to me. My mom agrees with her. 

"How come I'm not getting expensive gifts, I thought we was homies," Marcus questioned. 

"Marcus, this ain't about you," Nick said. "But, for real, though. That new PS5 just came out, hook a brother up."

Everyone started to laugh. 

"Y'all laughing, but I'm serious."

"I gotchu, next holiday," I said. 

"See thats why I fuck wit-"

Dahlia popped him, "Boy, what I say about cursing in my house."

He rubbed his shoulder, "sorry, ma."

Marcus starts to laugh when Dahlia complained to Nick. 

...

Destiny

After I put away my gifts, we had breakfast together, and everyone was kind of just chilling around. The boys play video games, and Lily is outside making snow angels with her dad. While my mom and Diana insisted on recording for memories. 

I'm up in my room watching Christmas movie marathons on Lifetime. When there is a knock at my door. 

"Come in," I murmured.

Trev walks into the room, "Why you hiding out up here?"

I sit up on my headboard, turning down the TV, "Because I want to."

He lays his body on the bed. 

"Uh, did I tell you, you could lay there?"

He pretends to fake sleep, I then take the small throw pillow from behind me and hit him in the face with it. He smirks, "Damn, I'm just resting my eyes."

I roll my eyes, taking another bite out of my candy cane. "I didn't thank you for buying me those shoes, so, 'thank you.'"

"Of course, if buying you things mean that I get to make you cry. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat."

I sigh, "Oh yeah, fuck you for making me cry in front of everyone."

"You almost made me start crying with those waterworks, you were giving us."

We start to laugh after our laughter died down. We sat in comfortable silence. Trev, then, sat up on the headboard. Facing me like he had something to say. 

His light green eyes glistened, as he stared into mine. You never really notice so many details on a person's face until you're really close to them. I've been up close to him before, but not like this. 

Not like when time stopped, giving you a moment to really look at the person. My heartbeat never sped up, those green eyes didn't remind me of the butterflies. I use to feel, as I teenager when I looked at him. 

My body hasn't reacted like this to him in a long time. 

 "Nini, I wanted to talk to you about something?"

His question snapped me out of my trance. 

"Uhh, yeah, what's up?"

He rubs the back of his neck, an action he only does when he is nervous. What could he possibly be nervous for? 

"There has kind of been something on my mind,...about you. That I've been meaning to get off my chest."

Huh boy, what do I do now?

"I was wondering if you would like to go on a date with me?"

woah.

I sat there in shock for a second, "You wanna go on a date ...with me?"

"Yeah, I do," he laughs nervously. "I understand if you don't want to. I know with everything with Brandon, you'd probably not be dating right now." 

I clear my throat, "uh, no. I'd gladly go on a date with you."

He smiles, "Is it bad that I expected you to say no." He laughed, "Since I'm leaving tonight, I was thinking somewhere around next week if you're free."

"Uh, well I'm free. So just let me know."

He nods, "okay, cool." He grabs a candy cane off my nightstand, "Wanna watch Harry Potter?"

"Of course, I do."

...

<3