Dreams

Chapter fourteen

Dinner was in an hour and I was still not dressed.

I hurriedly sifted through my clothes, some still unpacked since we arrived at the chalet. I grabbed a clean light shirt and some jean shorts. I rushed through my shower, going through made up conversations in my head, scenarios that could occur.

I blow dried my hair and tamed it down and added a swipe of lipgloss across my lips. I even pinched my cheeks desperately before thinking how stupid that must seem. I gave my reflection a quick glance before grabbing my phone and heading down the stairs.

"Hey Mom-"

I froze at the entrance of the kitchen.

Aaron was standing next to my mom in an apron. His face was smudged with flour and chocolate. His hair was messy (probably intentionally, knowing Aaron). He was in shorts that came right over his knees and a t-shirt that said, "Meeting the parents."

"Kat!" He smiled when he caught me staring.

"What's he doing here?" I was addressing mom but my eyes were still glued to Aaron's.

"He came over to help, isn't he sweet?" Mom beamed. Or at least I thought she did, I couldn't tell from the corner of my eye.

I shook my head and dragged my eyes away from Aaron. Anywhere but Aaron.

Think Felix.

"We're making apple-cinnamon cupcakes." He smiled.

Felix.

"Sounds tasty."

Tasty? Seriously?

I waited at the counter and watched mom and Aaron bond over cupcake recipes. At some point, dad joined me at the counter as he conversed with Aaron. Mostly lame jokes that weren't even funny.

"Okay, okay, I got one." Dad took a breath, his face flushed from laughing so hard. "What's a giant's favorite bean?"

"I don't know, sir." Aaron smiled.

"A human-bean. Get it?" They would both laugh hysterically before another joke was said. Mom would smile, a genuine happy smile. I would roll my eyes and pretend I was interested in my nails.

After a while, the oven ding-ed, and we all sat around the dinner table. Mom set up the plates, with Aaron's help. I tried to help too but Aaron would just brush me off. Dad sat comfortably with a soft smile on his lips. I watched as mom laid the food on the table. Beef lasagne, mash potatoes, gravy, and salad. She kept the cupcakes waiting in the oven for dessert, she always did.

I sat next to Aaron while my parents sat facing us on the other side of the table. We were all preparing to eat our meal when Jade walked into the kitchen. She grabbed a plate and sat beside me, piling the plate with food as we all watched her silently. She smiled at us innocently and started to eat.

My parents looked uncomfortable as they tried to look away from Jade.

I cleared my throat. "So..." Then I realized I didn't know what to say.

"Aaron, you were telling us about the first time you cooked a meal?" Mom began.

Aaron looked confused, his eye watching Jade warily. Then he smiled. "Yes... I think I was about six maybe, or seven. My parents weren't home and my brother was out with his friends. He was supposed to be baby sitting me or something."

The awkward tension got lighter.

"I must've remembered my mother cooking because I knew exactly where to find everything." He continued. " I found the right pan. I heated the water from the kettle and poured it in. I found the macaroni and dumped that in. By the time my parents came home, I was sitting in the living room with a plate piled with burnt mac and cheese."