ZANE, MEET THE ASHIDA FAMILY

CHAPTER 10 / SOCIALLY AWKWARD

ZANE

Nana and I went downstairs, I braced myself while I walked downstairs. 

"Zane? Do you think you'll be alright?" Nana asked me, her arm linked to mine. 

"Yeah, I think I will. Compared to a few years ago, I'm not as socially awkward," I answered. Darting my eyes around the crowded room awaiting us. Right at that moment, I was grateful that Aphmau had become my friend and took the mean Zane, away from the fun Zane. Thinking about it now, it was 4 years ago, well, on Christmas Eve. 

"I don't think that all my siblings are here. So, it won't be as awkward as you think," Nana reassured me. 

"Mm-kay," I hummed, and again looked around the room. I saw a few people who looked like Nana and a few who didn't. Welp...

NANA

Once we were downstairs, I checked to see if Zane was alright, because big crowds are kind of out of his comfort zone, not his fortè. I could see some of my older and younger siblings. 5 of them were here today. Good, only 5, including Remmi. My eldest sister Ami immediately saw me. 

Ami was one of my favourite siblings, she has her pink hair short and her caramel eyes were distinctive and bubbly as usual. She wore a simple blue dress that came to her knees, and long sleeves covered her arms. 

"Nana you're here! What made you change your mind this year?" Ami asked, giving me an awkward hug.

"Ami! Don't ask questions like that. I wanted to see you this year, that's all," I answered. I mean, what else was I meant to say?

She shrugged it off. "Mm-kay. So Nana how have you been?"

"I've been good. You?" 

"Juggling school for the little ones and giving myself some me-time, it's been hard. But, I've been good," she explained.

"Oh, I didn't know you had more!" 

Behind Ami were four children. The eldest must've been Cayla she was a baby/toddler when I last saw her. Ami is 10 years older than me, so you do the math. 

"Looks like you're doing well. Who're the little ones?" I asked, crouching down to the kids. Two of them clutched her legs. 

"My husband, Aiden is over there," Ami pointed over to my brother Mikai, and there was another guy, with royal blue hair, who I recognised to be Aiden.
[This was written before I knew there already was a Mikai in MCD, Okay?]

"I remember you from when you were little, it's Cayla, isn't it?" I asked, the - at least - 12-year-old. Cayla had purple to pink ombre hair, tied in ponytails, she had caramel eyes and black meif~wa ears. 

"H-h-h-hi Auntie Nana." Cayla stuttered. 

"She reminds me of Garroth," Zane whispered in my ear. I giggled. 

"Hi, Cayla. So, Ami, who's the other three?" I asked, still crouched down to the kids. Behind Ami was also, a - at least - nine-year-old, with striking blue hair, caramel eyes and black meif~wa ears. A seven-year-old, with pink hair (like the rest of us), blue eyes and black meif~wa ears also. And finally a three-year-old, with blue hair and caramel eyes, who looked shy and clingy.

"Okay, the nine-year-old is Caleb, the seven-year-old is Tia and finally the youngest is August," Ami explained. 

"Hi guys," I said. 

"Hi, I'm Caleb," Caleb said confidently, holding out his hand. I shook his hand, he reminded me so much of Dante. Big personality, totally not shy.