Too Young: A ChriLiyah Story

Chapter 5

The next morning, as Chris headed to take a shower, he crept past the couch. He peered over it and noticed Aaliyah still sleeping. Her pajamas consisted of pink and white striped cotton pants and a pink tank top. Her hair was tied back with a black bandana. She was sleeping like a doll baby, curled up on her side with her arms crisscrossed against her chest. He smiled to himself, then went to take his shower.

After his shower, he came out the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Good morning Chris," Aaliyah said.

"Oh my God Aaliyah you scared me." Chris looked in her direction and smiled. "Good morning... Geez I almost dropped my towel. Tryna sneak a peek at CJ are you?" Aaliyah sat up and threw a pillow at him as he laughed and scurried to his room.

When Chris finished getting dressed, he came out and saw Aaliyah up, reaching for her toothbrush and toothpaste. He addressed her. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Tea is fine, and toast with butter and jelly on the side please." Aaliyah headed to the bathroom. As she brushed her teeth, Chris prepared her breakfast. By the time she came out the bathroom, Chris had a cup of tea along with her plated toast on a serving tray. He placed it on the coffee table. "Thank you," she chirped then smiled. She grabbed her tray and began to spread jelly on her toast.

A minute later, Chris came back over to the couch with a bowl of Reese's Puffs and a glass of orange juice. He grabbed the remote and turned on the tv, then sat next to Aaliyah. He flipped channels until he saw that one of his favorite shows was on.

"Cartoons?" Aaliyah asked. Chris looked at Aaliyah.

"Only the best cartoon ever..." Avatar: The Last Airbender was on. Chris glanced back at the tv. "I like to catch the re-runs whenever they air."

"Never seen it..." Aaliyah took a bite of her toast. "The Ember Island Players" episode was on. Chris grabbed his cereal and they began watching.

On the show, *the gang sat down in the theater.* Chris pointed out all the characters to Aaliyah. "The first one sitting on the far right is Toph. She's blind. Next to her is Katara. The one with the scar on his face is Zuko. Aang is the one right there with the arrow tattoo. Above them is Sokka, he's the funny one of the group. And next to him is his girlfriend Suki."

"Oh..." Aaliyah nodded her head, embedding the information into her memory.

"They're watching a play about themselves." Chris put a spoonful of cereal in his mouth.

*On tv: Actress Katara and actor Sokka are rowing in the South Pole.

Actress Katara: [Sighs.] Sokka, my only brother! We constantly roam these icy south pole seas, and yet never do we find anything fulfilling!

Actor Sokka: All I want is a full feeling in my stomach! I'm starving! [Audience laughs. Sokka and Katara look at each other, confused.]

Actress Katara: Is food the only thing on your mind?

Actor Sokka: Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind, and into my mouth! I'm starving! [Audience laughs].*

"You know, you remind me of Katara." Chris directed casually at Aaliyah.

*Actress Katara: Every day, the world awaits a beacon to guide us, yet none appears! Still, we cannot give up hope! For hope, [begins to cry] is all we have! And we can never relinquish lit, even to our dying breath! [Cries.]*

"Oh please, I am not that dramatic." Aaliyah replied, taking offense to Chris's statement. She reached for her tea.

"No, not that one," Chris chuckled, "the real one. Katara is the peacemaker of the group, she always tries to raise the morale of the gang when need be, and she's sweet."