7 Days

19

"Is that what these are called?!" Ray asked as he played with the ends of his hair.
"I did them!" My mom announced proudly.
He was smiling ear to ear and his eyes reminded me of an anime character. He actually pulled the braids off pretty well. I had to admit, he looked sexy.
I laughed and sat next to Ray at the long dinner table.
I touched his braids and noticed the small baby hairs around the top of his forehead.
"Let's pray!" My grandma yelled. We all held hands and bowed out heads. As my grandma began to pray I noticed Ray was still looking up.

He looked down at me with fear in his eyes.
"What?" I mouthed to him.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"Prayer!"
"To God?" He asked. I sighed and bowed my head, he followed.

After we finished praying over the food, everyone began to pass the pots of food around.
"Are you an atheist?" I whispered to Ray.
"No," he whispered back, "I just thought you were only supposed to pray before bed." I giggled and grabbed the pan of turkey.

"Ray, try the chitlins!" My brother yelled from he other side of the table.
"Ray don't try the chitlins," I mumbled to him and everyone started laughing.

"What are chitlins?" He asked, causing us to laugh more. My mom got up and handed Ray a bowl of stinky chitlins. She then poured ketchup and hot sauce in the bowl.
"It smells...interesting," he spoke hesitantly as my mom sat back down.

"Do you like these?" He asked me
"Depends how hungry I am." He laughed and stuck his fork into the bowl, pulling out a bunch of brown, slimy, wobbly, dripping chitlins...

Pig intestines

He slowly put them in his mouth and began to chew.
Poor baby.

He suddenly smiled and began chewing faster.
"These are good!" He announced.
Everyone started cheering as I shook my head. I could never bring myself to ever like chitlins. I don't care how much ketchup is on them.

Ray tried all of my Grandmas food and absolutely loved it.
"So what are you?" My uncle asked him.
"Armenian." Ray replied as he finished his food.
"So...Arab?" My grandma asked. Everyone stared at him.
"Not really."
"Do you wear turbans?" My mom asked.
"No."
"Why?"
"I'm not a Muslim." I could see irritation growing on Ray's face so I laughed and stood up, everyone else following.

Everyone began to tell my grandma how good her food was so I snuck away and led Ray upstairs into a bedroom.

"Are you okay?" I asked as we sat on an old, squeaky full sized bed.
"That's not an easy subject for me," he mumbled.
"Talk to me about it."

"Have you seen Armenian people?" He asked. I had a general idea of what they looked like but I wasn't sure.
"I've seen you!" I replied with a smile. Ray turned the other way.

"I don't look like them," he whispered. I instantly brought out my phone and googled 'Armenian people'.

Woah.

"Are you sure you're Armenian?" I asked. He was quiet for a minute.

"No," he mumbled, "I don't know what I am." Ray had dark olive skin and dark black eyes with straight black hair. The Armenians had white skin and big eyes, but still had dark hair. There's no way Ray was one.
"People used to tell me that I was adopted." He confessed breaking the silence.

"Because you look different?"
"Of course."
"That's not fair," I said as I grabbed his hand and moved closer to him.
"Well I believe it...I still pray that my nanny is my real mother." I sighed.

"Maybe you should get a DNA test," I suggested.
"She passed away a couple of years ago." I gasped.
"Oh, Ray I'm so sorry!" I hugged him and kissed his cheek.

He suddenly pulled out his phone and pressed the home button. His wallpaper was of him and a woman.

Ray looked as if he was about five years old in the photo, and the woman appeared to be in her thirties. She had on a white dress while Ray sat on her lap in a little black suit. She and him were both smiling big and had the same small eyes. I noticed the woman had a small Afro.

"Awww," I toyed at the picture.
"That's her," he whispered sweetly.
"You guys actually do look alike."
"I know." He put his phone away and brought me in for another hug.

"Thanks for this," he whispered in my ear.
"For what?"
"Bringing me to Cleveland with you."
"You're welcome." I pecked his lips and we stood up to walk out of the room.

"We're gonna head back to the hotel!" I announced as we walked in the living room with my family.
"Aww alright!" My grandma yelled. Everyone quickly ran over to the front door and gave us both big hugs.
"Come back and visit us!" My uncle yelled.
"We will!" I replied.

-

We arrived back into our hotel bedroom and Ray laid on the bed exhausted. Suddenly I felt my phone buzz.

Meka: hi

I giggled softly.

Me: hey what's up Meka?

Meka: can you come to my place tomorrow or something?

Me: sure why?

Meka: we never got to discuss your charity.

Me: oh yeah! I'll be there tomorrow.

I closed my phone and headed into the bathroom to put on my pajamas.

Should I tease him again?
No Monroe!
Yes!
No!
It would be fun!
But that's so mean....
I know I'm gonna do it anyways so what the hell!

I slipped off my panties and bra and slid on a short, silk, red gown I brought with me just incase. I flipped my hair and walked into the bedroom, dimming the lights.

"What are you doing?" Ray mumbled.
"Nothing," I whispered seductively as I slowly walked to the bed. He opened his eyes and as soon as he saw me his jaw dropped.

"W-woah you look amazing!" He gulped and sat up.
"Thanks!" I sat on the bed and slipped under the covers. "Goodnight!" I sang.

"WHAT?!" He yelled.
"What?" I asked innocently. He grunted.
"Get over here and sit on my face, RIGHT.NOW!"