Tit For Tat

Chapter five

It has been two weeks since the day I went out with Aiden. There was not a single place in my mind that was 'Aiden Thoughts' free. He didn't make it any easier for me to keep him off my mind. I couldn't explain it but it seems like he made it his mission to exist wherever I did. Not to mention the continuous staring-into-your-soul looks he kept giving me across the class and in the cafeteria over the lunch table. I tried to ignore it. Afraid of drawing unnecessary attention to myself but It was hard especially when my cheeks kept flushing and burning like I had a fever. Even when I returned home. I would find him standing in his bedroom window which became a usual spot of his. Guess watching me sleep and study became his favorite new hobby. I was beyond confused at how he seemed to study my every move. If he was that interested, why does he make no effort in talking to me again? Did I do something that sent him a wrong impression that I didn't like his company? Why was am I concerned with what he might think of me? I mean I get that we don't really know each other so well and it gets really awkward like that day on Starbucks but a simple hi would do the trick.
Anyway, today was the last day of school before Christmas break. Excitement was in the air and everyone seemed high spirited. I, on the other side was worried about the stupid Christmas dinner we had to organize. It was our annual family tradition. My mother insisted on holding Christmas eve & Christmas dinner in our house. Every year, we would sit up this huge table with all the food you could ever wish for. She liked to cook enormous amounts of savory dishes & desserts. She also loved to go very extra with Christmas house decorations. Our house was always known to have the most amazing Christmas lights & the largest Christmas tree in town. It was once featured in Ohio magazines.
So, Can you give a wild guess who gets dragged in all of this and spends almost two weeks busy with preparing all the food & stuff? Yup! You guessed it right, it's me.
That's why, Christmas was never merry to me. I hated Christmas with passion because I never experienced a quiet Christmas in our house. We always had to hold up festival we usually do.
Not to forget how the family gathering itself was a nightmare. I hated my aunts with passion. Why? Because my mother becomes extra bitchy in their presence. She starts to give more orders & treats me & my sisters more roughly infront of them just to brag  about how she manages to make us obedient & how easily she can control us. My Aunts don't hold back either, they start bragging about their kids deeds and how their daughters are much more intelligent/good-looking/more-talented/more-obedient/more-skilled than any other girls in the family. It's like a never ending competition & I couldn't for the life of me understand why do I always have to be compared & in competition with my cousins all the time? Who cares if my cousin veronica always gets straight As & I -for example- get Bs? Who cares if My cousin Miranda knows how to roast a turkey & I don't? That doesn't make any of them a better person than me. Everyone has their own area where they shine the most while others dim a little. My Mom & Aunts would never understand this concept.

"Ruby, Come on I need you to help me with desserts." My mom said. I paused the episode of vampire diaries I was watching to currently to answer her.

"Do we really need to start preparing now? I just got back from school."

"Your sisters just got back from school too & they are waiting in kitchen as I ordered. You have five minutes to join us." She said strictly before slamming  my room's door shut. I huffed back in response.

Sometimes, I really hated my life.

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I loved cooking when I was in the mood for it. I mean, when you have my active appetite & my thick thighs you can never hate cooking. I was - dare I say- an expert when it comes to desserts specifically because I had a major sweet tooth & I had to constantly satisfy my urges & cravings. I had to teach myself how to do my favorite desserts & it comes in handy when needed. I only hated cooking in one single occasion. When I was forced to do it to feed people whom I wasn't particularly fond of.