A Friend Of A Friend

Chapter Forty Three

Chapter Forty Three:
This Jealous Actress Has A Habit of Making Things Sound Way Too Tragic

December Twenty Fourth

~POV: Jaiden~

"Hi, Grandma! Hi, Granddad!" I greeted my grandparents as my Dad, Aaron and I walked into the old house.

"Jaiden!" They hugged me tightly.

"Who's this?!" Grandma asked, referring to Aaron.

"This is Aaron." I laced my fingers with his. "We're uh- I'm engaged to him." I said quickly.

"Since when?!" My aunt Terry asked from the living room.

"Almost three months." I admitted.

"Oh my gosh! Jaiden! I can't believe this! And none of us have ever met him!" Terry continued. "How long have you been with him?! Are you even sure he loves you?!"

"One- two straight years, on and off for one. And I am positive of the second on." I said calmly.

"Really?"

"Yes." My voice was stern and certain. Then the tears started.

"Already, Terry! Already you've made somebody angry!" My Grandma cried. She started crying- Terry was yelling, and my dad and Granddad snuck away. I followed them and Aaron followed me- leaving the two to scream and cry. I sat down on the piano bench across from my dad and granddad. Aaron sat on the floor in front of my legs. I gently put my hand on his shoulder.

"And this is my other half of the family. Granddad is the only sane on." I told Aaron. Granddad smiled.

"True." He said. "So, tell me about yourself, Aaron." Granddad told him.

"I'm from California. I play bass and sing for Of Mice & Men. I'm twenty nine. Uh... I like dogs. Pretty good at science..." Aaron said awkwardly.

"Jaiden, I see why you picked him. He's awkward." Dad spoke up and said. Aaron rolled his eyes.

"Not normally." He protested.

"Really? You'll be proving that later." Dad said sarcastically. I smiled.

"Jaiden Rutabaga, stop that smiling." Aaron told me. I gently hit him upside the head.

"You know what I want from you for Christmas, AP? For you to stop picking on me. Its getting excessive!" I said.

"Not gonna happen, babe." He said. I could just hear the smirk in his voice.

"Hey, how about we three just go back to my apartment and video game out?" Dad asked. We both nodded. We told Granddad good bye before saying a very brief good bye to the other two we left and rode to Dad's apartment.

We got out of the car when we stopped.

"Jaiden! Call for pizza! You can then go get it. I have a grill to set." Dad said. I rolled my eyes and picked up my phone. I called and ordered.

"I'm taking your car, father." I said.

"Good luck. You suck at driving shifts!" He called.

"That was last time. I've gotten much better." I said.

"Really? How have you practiced?"

"Girls and I go out. Take Taryn's car- a shift- and I'm normally Designated Driver."

"Jai! One track! Pizza!" Dad said, putting in a game. I scoffed and walked out, grabbing Dad's keys.

I went out and got the pizza. I drove back to the apartment. The boys were playing Mario Kart, so I grabbed plates and set the pizzas on the coffee table.

"There's Pepsi in the fridge- vanilla." Dad said. I grinned and ran to get three cans. I brought them out and set them out. We passed around pizza and I grabbed a controller before plopping down beside Dad on the couch. We all sat eating pizza and playing video games until my mom called telling us to get back.

Dad drove us back. He got out and hugged me.

"I had fun today. I love you, Jaiden. I'll see you next year?" He asked with a smile. I nodded.

"Easter, probably." I said with a small smile.

"Then I'll see you then." He smiled and hugged me tightly. Then he hugged Aaron. "Watch my girl, Aaron."

"I will. I swear that I will never leave her alone." Aaron replied. They let go and Aaron and I went inside. We hung up our coats and went to get ready for Christmas Eve Service at my old church.

I put on my red and black dress and Aaron put on his red dress shirt and black dress pants.

"Hey, babe..." I started, a smile playing across my features. "Can I straighten your hair?" I asked him. He sighed.

"I guess. Not much good comes out of it." He said submissively.

"Yay!" I turned curling iron and straightener on. I put on my eyeliner and mascara before curling my hair and straightening Aaron's. I kissed him softly when I finished. "Awe." I grinned at him. He kissed me back deeply. I kissed back, a smile on my lips. He gently put his hand on my lower back.

"You look so beautiful." He told me.

"Thank you. You look pretty handsome yourself." I smiled at him.

"Kids! Come on!" Mom yelled. I put on my combat boots and Aaron put on his dress shoes. We ran down the stairs and got in the car with Mom. We drove the three minutes to the church and walked in. We hung out coats up and went to the sanctuary. Immediately, Pastor Jordan came over.

"Jaiden!" She greeted me with a smile and a hug.

"Hi, Jordan!" I hugged her back.

"Aaron! Good to see you again. You treating our girl right?" Jordan was like an old sister. Always nice to everybody and always smiling.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm definitely not letting her go, again." He said.

"I heard so." She smiled at us. "It's so great to see you two back here! How long are you staying?"

"Um, I think our flight leaves on the twenty-ninth at eleven at night?" I said.

"No! Again a night flight?" Aaron whined. "Jaid, that never ends well."

"It'll be fine. We'll be able to sleep more. Thank god for time differences." I protested. Jordan laughed at us.

"I'll talk to you two later."
She hugged us again and went to talk to others. I talked to some kids who I use to be in church with while Aaron stayed with Mom. When the worship team went up, we all sat down.

"I am awkward! They were right!" Aaron whispered in my ear. I grinned.

"Why I picked you, babe. Why I picked you."