Finding Me - Book 4

"Fall."

I wake up around 10 the next day.

My cousins spread around the room. Damien and Kai are awake playing cards. Between the two there are four mini orange juice bottles, two pop-tart packages, and a medium bowl of fruit.

Something tells me they've been up for a while now. And despite this, Zoie and Emilia are still sound asleep at my side.

Rolling my shoulders and stretching my arms above my head I get out of the bed, grab my bag, and head across the hall into the bathroom.

I brush my teeth, shower, and wash my hair. Digging through my bag I pull out some black jeans, a white hooded shirt, blue and black plaid shirt, and black Air Forces.

"Hot date with your girlfriend?" Damien teases.

I stick the middle finger up at him as I drop my bag down by the bed. Grabbing my phone I text Jasmine.

'Good morning beautiful😍, I'll be picking you up for our date in about three hours.'

Her reply is quick,' morning mighty lion🦁, sounds great.'

'Dress warm🧤🧣.'

'Will do, see you later😘.' - J

Deciding not to fight it I let the shit eating grin spread across my face.

"Are you really going to see Jasmine today?" Kai asks.

I nod," first date."

"First date? Didn't you two go on a first date already?" Damien asks.

"Kind of but not really." I shrug.

So last night/this morning I woke up and for some reason my brain wouldn't let me go back to sleep without figuring out where to take Jasmine for our date.

What I found was a Fall Festival about an hour out of town. I thought it'd be great because it has multiple activities: cider mill, hayride, corn maze, apple farm, haunted house, etc.

My moms had taken me a few times when I was younger but we haven't been recently and I figured I could take Jasmine.

Fall weather in Oklahoma is so wishy washy you'd think Mother Nature was on her period. One second it's 60 degrees and sunny the next it 0 below and a snow storm is approaching. Today it's 32 degrees out, light snowfall. So I make sure to grab a small blanket and another jacket because the bomber I grabbed might not be enough.

I stuff my wallet, phone, and keys in my pockets and head downstairs.

My moms are awake along with Grandpa Nick and Grandma Isabel. Grandpa Wayne and Grandma CeCe no doubt deciding to sleep in.

"Good morning beautiful family." I greet opening the fridge and grabbing a small orange juice.

"Morning honey," Momma greets kissing my cheek," what're you doing up so early?"

I smile widely," I have a date in about an hour and a half."

"With Jasmine perhaps?" Ma asks.

I nod.

"We called it!" My moms hi-five.

"No wonder your family always bet on us it's fun and easy." Momma says chuckling.

A frown took over my face. Bet?

Ma laughs," yeah princess, my family spent a lot of time betting on whether or not me and Jess would date, how long it would take, when I would propose, getting back together."

Grandma Isabel holds a sheepish smile, cheeks pink at the mention of it.

Ma leans over and kisses her cheek," it was harmless fun and at the end of the day they made a lot of money off each other." She explains.