Match Made

Hard To Say Goodbye

Soon all we hear is stomping over our heads and then Binky comes charging down the stairs. Aden and I both stand as he heads towards the door. Aden hugs her back as she enters still glaring my way.

Smiling I say, "Hey Monet."

Frowning she mumbles out, "Hey."

Binky's now sitting on the couch, legs crossed in a pretzel with a sinister grin. Mrs. Cullen enters the den side eyeing Aden. In a sweet tone, Monet instantly greets, "Hi Mrs. Cullen."

"Hi, Monet."

Sighing she continues, "Binky, in the kitchen."

"Mom why?"

"Now Binky!"

Arms folded pouting, she turns saying, "Bye Monet! Bye, Kel-llly!"

Rolling her eyes, Mrs. Cullen follows Binky. Unmoved Aden stands between Monet and me, but closer to me. Gazing out the window, he asks, "What's up?"

All the while, Monet is scowling my way. The normal reaction would be to sneer back but I'm not angry at all. Aden and I haven't been a couple in six months. His wanting to date other girls is the reason we split. So why be upset if he dated one of the prettiest girls in the school? Not to mention, who often admitted she admired him to me personally.

Not hearing a response caused Aden to look her way. His eyes squinted towards her, he repeated, "What's up?"

Hard rolling her eyes away from me to him she answers, "We need to talk."

He glanced at me before saying, "Okay." Then he walked outside.

Confused, she hurried behind him as he walked toward her parked car. It's then I move closer to the window and watch. Monet is upset, but Aden is as cool as a cucumber. Hands flailing and face frowned up, Monet hops in her car and drives off. He put his hands in his pockets and returned to me as if nothing had happened.

We sat and I asked, "Is everything okay?"

Shrugged, he answers, "She's upset you're here, but I don't know why. She's not my girlfriend."

I know this statement was used to provoke me to ask questions, but my Daddy taught me well. Daddy once told me, "Boys will test you. When you sense their test never play their game. Play stupid until they own up to wrongdoing, but never take the bait."

Shrugging I answer, "Okay."

Though itching to say more, he says nothing. Then I asked, "What time are you leaving? I must get my mom's car back to her soon."

Lifting my hand and placing the back of it against his mouth, he whispers, "Once you leave, I'm getting on the road."

About 20 minutes later I needed to leave. He kisses his parents and sister goodbye. They watch from the porch as he walks me to my mom's minivan. Passing the small U-Haul hitched to his car I ask, "You're driving way to Florida alone?"

"Naw, my brother Aaron has a pickup. I'm simply driving to his house. Since I can't have a car on campus freshman year, he and my nephew are going with me.

"That's right. So, you and your brother will alternate driving?"

"All three of us will. You forget I'm the baby. My nephew's only a year younger than me."

I laugh, "Oh yeah. I forgot."

Now standing by the driver's door, I fidget with my keys. He glances back towards the porch and his family is still watching. Gently, he kisses my lips and says, "I'll call and give you my dorm phone number once I have it."

I say, "Drive safe."

Through yearning eyes, he nods and then jogs to the porch to say more goodbyes. Before a tear falls, I drive off.

I had fallen asleep on Aden's shoulder. My arms lifted to stretch, then I moved away from him. He was leaned over, sound asleep. The clock behind us reads 10:47 p.m. Lightly nudging his shoulder, I whisper, "Aden, wake up."

Groggy, he sits up blinking to focus, and asks, "What time is it?"

"Almost 11 at night. The booze knocked us out. C'mon, let's go to bed. Our flight leaves at 8 a.m."

Now standing, he stretches, asking, "Are you hungry?"

"Starving."

He asks the concierge, "Is the kitchen closed?"

"Yes sir, but here's a list of the nearby restaurants that deliver late into the night."

Once he had the brochure, he used it to motion for me to come to him. We enter the elevator, and he asks, "What floor are you on?"

"Fourteen."

Only pressing the fourteenth floor we ride up to my suite, together."