Yellow Hearts

1.7

"Aiden, you better be ready to spend at least three hundred bucks after this."

"Anything you want, I'll buy."

"Great cause I started making a list."

He paused for a second (probably realizing the mistake he made offering to buy anything they asked for) before saying, "Show me."

She hopped up the stairs and showed him her phone resting her head on his shoulder as they scrolled through her list. After a while they heard footsteps and he looked up.

"Oh, there they are."

They looked up to see the rest of their group. Taylor waved as she, Tyler, and Logan walked up the driveway.

"Tsk, tsk. You guys should really wear helmets."

"Oh like you would."

They started to head inside, Ashlyn leading the group and Aiden purposely walking slow to annoy Tyler.

"Could you walk any slower?"

"Yeah."

"Mom, Dad?"

"Kitchen!"

"Um... what are you guys doing?"

Ashlyn's parents nervously looked down at the plate of snacks they made.

"...making a snack platter."

"I see that... but why so much? You two can't possibly eat all of that yourself."

"W-well you and your friends usually go straight to the graveyard to hang out–"

"–but when you called, you said that all of you wanted to speak with us this time so... we made uh- snacks... to eat... while we talk."

"I told you it was too much!"

"But this is what the blog said to do–"

Ashlyn just stared at them while the rest of them went into the living room.

"Hey, Bonnie, right?" Ashlyn's dad addressed her and she nodded.

She hadn't actually met her parents before. She rarely came over and on the off chance she did, she always took the back way so they'd never even seen each other.

"How'd you know?"

"Last time Aiden was over he was talking about someone with brown and pink hair and pink eyes. Said she was really pretty and wouldn't stop going on about you."

"Is that so?" She grinned at him and saw Aiden turning red in the corner of her eye. "Bonita Cabrera."

"Wait a minute. Cabrera?" He grabbed her shoulders and looked her up and down. "Would your dad happen to be the previous Lieutenant, Agent Leo Cabrera?"

"Yep, you know him?"

"Know him? He's a legend in the military! Real strict though."

"He's pretty lazy outside of work."

"We are too. What's the mini agent doing here?"

"Well–"

"Snacks!" Aiden interrupted, grabbing two handfuls of snacks and chowing down.

The group looked at him in a mix of disgust and shock.

"Dude."

"So..." Ashlyn's dad started. "What'd you kids want to talk about?"

"...we uh-" Ashlyn looked troubled and Bonita made a keep going gesture with their hands. She stood and moved behind the lamp, holding up one of her braids. "Do you... notice anything weird about my shadow?"