let's light up the sky ☆

Chapter 28

"Hello there, stranger!" Aaron cheered when I strolled up to the ice cream stand counter for my shift.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Oh, haha, very funny."

I hadn't been able to give as many hours this summer at the ice cream stand as I was hoping for. A new girl joined the team a few weeks ago when I got busy with the comp prep. I was more than happy to give her some of my hours if she got more time and money and Aaron got a more reliable set of hands.

I missed hanging out with Aaron. Over the course of this summer, he became like a second brother to me in Armen's absence. Outside of work, we shared all the silly memes that we thought the other would like. We developed a repertoire of running jokes to fire off at will. I had no plans to let that go anytime soon.

"I'm surprised this place is still holding itself together," I prodded. I clocked in at the cash register, almost completely forgetting my password and PIN.

Aaron fake-swooned. "Oh, we've been soooo lost and bored without our Princess."

"Please, call me Queen," I replied with the tone and cadence of a flirty Southern belle. I twirled my ponytail around a single finger. Aaron knows exactly how to prop up my ego. I should start bringing him around to my comps and hire him to be my hype man.

The early morning hours are always the slowest. We were enjoying this sweet downtime before the lunch crowd came in. Thankfully, I wouldn't be here to get bombarded by the end-of-season rush. "So, how's everything been?" he asked while he made us two milkshakes.

I laughed nervously. "Oh boy. Got about an hour or so?"

Aaron cocked his head and smiled like a devil. "You think I can resist some piping hot tea?"

"It's scalding," I teased.

He damn near made a mess of the counter trying to pour our milkshakes into their two cups.

"Tell me everything," he demanded, leaning against the counter and sipping his shake.

"Wanna start with my unhinged aunt, the date, the competition, or my boyfriend's mom?"

"Girl, have you been living in an episode of Pretty Little Liars?"

"I don't know, and I didn't answer this casting call!"

"Start from the beginning. Go chronological."

I cooed. "Ooh, 'chronological.' Look at you, using those SAT words."

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, smart ass. I asked for your story, not your opinion."

"Fine," I replied sassily. "So, the aunt. The one who had the baby turned out fine, the baby did too. They gave him a boring name but it's okay, that's forgivable. What's not forgivable is the other aunt demanding to hold the baby. Like, this kid is tiny and a common cold virus could kill him. His own parents didn't even get to hold him until the next day. But then she waltzes in and throws a fit because they won't let her see 'her' nephew. She could give fuck-all about her actual sister that had the baby and needed love too."

"If I see... What's her name again?"

"Lilit."

"If I see Lilit, it's on sight."

I chuckled. "You'll have to go to Bakersfield to do that."

"That's cool. Road trip?"

If only Aunt Anahit knew that a 22-year-old LA pothead was ready to throw down for her. I'd tell her myself if I knew that I wouldn't be the one breaking the news to her about how Lilit treated her.