Basic Instinct [stranger things]

72. Unappealing Surprises

CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
UNAPPEALING SURPRISES

Two days later and Aaron was making pancakes in the kitchen of his family home with Kimmy.

It was closer to noon than morning, and he wasn't particularly hungry. However, Kimmy had clearly wanted to make them so he went along with it and acted like he desperately wanted them, knowing she wouldn't suggest that the two make pancakes in fear she came across as rude when it wasn't her house.

The blond still hadn't found out what had bothered her so much when she'd showed up to his house trying not to cry.

Aaron had tried to get it out of her, but he didn't think she'd picked up on his hints regarding the matter. He didn't want to ask her straight out, she obviously was hesitant to tell him so he figured asking her without actually asking her was best, that way she didn't have to say anything she was uncomfortable with.

However that didn't mean that he didn't want to know. He did want to know, the situation had been stressing him out much more than it should have.

He hated seeing her crying. The girl only ever cried when something was a big deal to her, which was rarely. That was what worried him. She wasn't someone who would like others to see her cry, Aaron knew he too was included in that.

It frustrated him. He didn't want her to ever think he thought she was embarrassing or that he'd tell anyone anything she told him - because he wouldn't. He just wanted to make sure she was okay.

Aaron was pretty sure Steve was still upstairs but he couldn't be sure. He hadn't seen his older brother that day and it wasn't particularly late so he could have still been asleep, however Steve would also go out quite early when he had plans and he rarely said goodbye to the younger boy, so Aaron really had no idea.

"Okay," Kimmy sighed frustratedly, Aaron tilting his head to look at the girl next to him. "I think we need to start over."

Aaron was stirring the big bowl of batter and Kimmy was rereading the instructions on the box, the girl suddenly doubting their skills.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kimmy." Aaron shook his head at her, still stirring the mixture as he spoke. "It looks fine, there's nothing wrong with it."

"Hm..." Kimmy trailed off, biting the inside of her cheek while shrugging her shoulders and finally placing the box down on the counter. "Fine then, but you have to try the first one."

The boy with sandy blond hair simply raised his brows, too focused on making sure his pancake mix was perfect.

"Okay," he told her calmly, still stirring the bowl of mix until the last possible moment. "I think it's ready. We just have to keep an eye on it so we don't burn-"

The sound of the front door slamming closed caused Aaron to look away from the girl and instead snapped his gaze over to look at the open door of the kitchen, waiting to see Steve walk past so he could ask where he had been.

Aaron felt his heart drop at the sight of his parents walking past the room, physically tensing as he placed the bowl of batter on the table.

His mom and dad had been the last people he expected to see that morning.

The boy could feel himself begin to panic.

He hadn't spoken to his parents in so long and the last time he had spoken to either of them it hadn't exactly gone how he'd wanted.

And to top it all off, Kimmy was there - his girlfriend. The blond didn't want Kimmy to meet his parents, fearing that it would go terribly wrong.