Strong ✅

LOVE STORY

A

aliyah had just gotten home, after the auditions. Ashley, Cat and she decided to have a girl's night out. They had fun. It mainly consisted of them hiding in clothing racks and scaring people at the mall. They also yelled around the stores to annoy customers, but since Ashley's aunt owned the mall, they didn't get into trouble. In fact, they did that every weekend.

After Aaliyah unlocked the door, the house looked a mess as always. The television was still on, as well as the radio. Her mom forgot to put the leftovers back in the fridge again, and she was asleep in her office, papers scattered everywhere and her computer was still on. Aaliyah somehow managed to get her mom on the couch, after cleaning everything up and shutting things off, she headed to her room.

Aaliyah got out her usually pajamas; her purple tank top and grey sweatpants. She headed to her bathroom. After her shower, she got dressed and as her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light.

♦

Aaliyah awoke the next morning to what she expected to be her mother yelling at the phone, but this time there was a second voice and she knew that she needed to check things out.

Aaliyah walked down the steps listening in on the conversation at hand with the two adults.

"Dominic, I want you to leave. You don't need to be here. Liyah wants nothing to do with you and you should know that. You left us on her birthday, and her thirteenth one at that." Aaliyah's mom loudly whispered. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks--Dominic?--She was talking to her dad!

Aaliyah swiftly walked into the kitchen and said from behind her dad, "Out, now! I don't want you anywhere near me or mom. You left us, five years ago. You could've came back years ago, but you decided to now? When in maybe a year, I'll be going to college? How dare you, you self-righteous, cold-hearted, evil bastard!" Aaliyah exclaimed as she poke his chest with every insulting word that came from her mouth.

Hee father looked petrified, almost terrified of his own daughter and Aaliyah liked that. She liked that he was scared of her. He should be. She gave him a look that said if he didn't leave soon, he would be dead. When she gave him the look, he fled as fast as possible.

"Mom, are you alright?" She was so upset, her eyes glistening with tears. Aaliyah could only hug her, knowing exactly what she was thinking. She has always tried to remain strong, for Aaliyah. Then they lost her brother in a car crash. It didn't help that her mom had had two miscarriages before Mateo, Aaliyah's brother, died. After Mateo died, their family fell apart. That was when her mum and dad started to fight and she realized that their marriage wasn't going to last and boy, was she right.

It always hurt. Talking about how Aaliyah never met Aurora, her sister, because she died during birth, how Tyler, her brother, didn't make it through, how Mateo died. They all died. It was like God didn't want Aaliyah to have siblings or for her mum to have other children.

Today was the seventh anniversary of Mateo's death, so today wasn't going to be great anyway and then Aaliyah's dad showed up. She missed the way things were before Mateo died. They used to be a normal family, believe it or not. It was just her mum, dad, Mateo, and she. Aaliyah was the oldest by twenty-two months. It always hurt everyday without him there, but it was only worse on June 16th--his birthday--and September 18th--his death. Aaliyah doubted that her dad even realized what day it was. She hoped that he would remember, but it wasn't like it would matter much. He didn't care anyway.

Every time Mateo's day rolled around, Ashley would come over and they'd eat chocolate ice cream and watch chick flicks, while her mum tried to work off the grief. Aaliyah's mom was a work-o-holic. That's all she ever did. Work, work, work. She was the head of a big corporate business company, but she didn't have to work, she just did. She would rather do that than spend time with her daughter and that really stung that she would much rather work than build back the relationship she had with her one and only daughter. However, since Aaliyah's dad left, her mum became obsessed with work, so Aaliyah got used to not having the relationship they did before everything started.

The front door opened and Aaliyah thought to herself that if her dad came back, she would cut his balls off and feed them to her pet sharks. If only she was rich enough for them.

"Aali, where are you?" Ashley's voice rang through the house. Just as she was about to ask again, she saw everyone in the kitchen.

"Oh, Rosa, Aali, are you okay?" She quietly asked. Most of Aaliyah's friends never called her mom by her name, but Ashley was like another daughter to her mom.

Aaliyah's mom still refused to talk and they just sat there. Rosa in her daughter's lap, as said girl caressed her hair, Ashley on Aaliyah's shoulder, whispering soothing words in her mom's ear. All of them were sitting on the kitchen floor with tears in their eyes. Then Ashley's eyes widened, "Oh shit! I forgot about Jordan and Axel. They're in the car. Let's hope they haven't killed each other yet. I'll be back." She rushed out the door.

Ashley rushed out the door, hoping that Jordan and Axel hadn't murdered each other yet. If there was blood on her seats, she would personally kill them both. Ashley walked down the garden and when she reached the sidewalk, she died. Both Jordan and Axel were in the backseat talking to each other. It actually seemed civil. Ashley walked over and tapped on the glass of her window and Jordan rolled the window down.

"Hey, Ashley!" They both exclaimed.

"Hey. Are you two alright? Did you hit your heads? Are you on crack?" Ashley asked, warringly.

"Nope, we're perfectly fine." Axel said.

"Ok, well you two can come inside now, if you want. Keep in mind that Aaliyah and her mom are emotionally drained right now." Ashley said. She started to head for the door and they got out of the car. They trailed along and Ashley sprinted into the house.

"Aaliyah! There is something wrong. Jordan and Axel are getting alon--" Before she could finish her sentence, twiddle dee and twiddle dumb walked in.

"Hi Aaliyah." They both said at the same time. They both waved too.

"Um, mom, why don't you lay down for a little while?" Aaliyah suggested. Rosa nodded in response and walked up the steps to her bedroom. The two turned toward the dumb asses and both exclaimed, "The fuck is wrong with you two?"

Their smiles faltered and Jordan put his arm around Axel and said, "Axel and I are dating. You're not mad, right?" the girls jaws dropped to the floor, mouths wide open, eyes pulging. Then the boys started laughing. What?

"Gotcha! We aren't dating. We are best friends though." Axel said in between laughs.

"You should've seen your faces." Jordan said, trying to stop laughing. After about another five minutes, they stopped.

"Since when are you two all buddy-buddy?" Ashley questioned.

"Since you left us in the car for half an hour." Axel sassed.

"Do I have to write smart ass on your forehead, Garcia?" Ashley warned.

"I would love it if you did." He retorted. Ashley rolled her eyes.

Of all the people, it had to be those two who would become friends. God, please help them. Ashley was already silently praying.
This was going to be a long day.