Mama's Boy

♊18♌

Note to self: when editing determine if Aiden has her eyebrows plucked or waxed.

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"Sooo, how was it?" Malia squealed at Aiden, who was busy finishing up one of her paintings.

With indifference, Aiden retaliated with, "How was what?"

"You told me you had a date, cierto? How was it?! I want to know everything."

  As they spent more time around one another, Aiden and Malia became pretty good friends. Aiden was still getting accustomed to Malia's wandering personality,  but it was a lot easier to deal with now, since Aiden had been informed about Malia's Attention Deficit Disorder. Aiden was slowly bringing down her wall and opening up to Malia. With Elvis gone, Aiden had to have someone to confide in, and Malia would just have to do.

  "Tell me, tell me, tell me!" Malia persisted as Aiden remained quiet.

   Placing her brush down, Aiden wiped her hands on a towel and huffed. She turned to her new friend with a hand placed on her hip and a fake smile on her face.

   "Okay, so, imagine this." Aiden starts while Malia eagerly nods her head. "I'm dressed in a beautiful orange dress--"

  "Orange? Ew. No me gusta."

  "Anyway, my hair was all curly, makeup was done to perfection, toenails painted, the whole nine. I mean, I looked amazing, right? So, I leave out, my face is glowing and whatnot. I'm happy, can't stop cheesing, blushing like crazy. A taxi takes me to the restaurant. I go in, I sit down, and I wait." She grits her teeth and shakes her head. "And I wait,  and I wait, and wait..."

  Aiden throws up her hands in exasperation. "He stood me up."

  Malia's face falls as she steps  closer to Aiden to wrap an arm around her shoulder. "Aww, chica, I'm sorry to hear that. I know you really liked the guy."

  "It's not that I liked him," Aiden lied. "I just hate when people don't keep their promises. Plus, I had to pay for myself."

  "Well, have you spoken to him to see what happened? Maybe he had an emergency."

  Aiden shrugged. "Maybe. But I don't care anymore. We're never gonna work, I can tell. Besides, it was just a pointless crush. From now on, I'm just going to remain focused on the showcase."

  Aiden turned, and began to wash off the brushes she'd used. Malia peered at Aiden suspiciously but kept quiet.

  The door was swung open and in stepped Freddie, wearing tattered jeans, a white tee, and black high top converse sneakers. He smiled at the two women politely and waved. "Mornin', ladies."

  "Morning," Malia greeted. Aiden responded with a simple, "Hi."

  "How y'all doing?" He asked.

  Aiden remained silent while Malia floated off to strike up a conversation with Freddie. Aiden tuned them out as her mind wandered to the night before. She wouldn't admit it aloud, but she had been so disappointed when Knox was a no-show. The sad eyes she received from customers and the employees were embarrassing. They, too, knew that she'd been stood up.

  Aiden shook her head. She wanted to forget that feeling of rejection. Part of her wanted to believed that Malia was right and that Knox had really had an emergency or something of the sort. But, then, therewas a part of her that believed he hadn't wanted to go in the first place. He'd gotten so heated when she'd suggested that he take her out on a date. Aiden was aware of how attractive she was. Hell, Knox himself would comment on her looks sometimes. So, why would he get so offended by the idea of dating her unless he didn't want to?