Aileen
The next morning, the alarm on Dave’s phone woke me from my sleep. Right after that, I heard footsteps heading our way.
I was alarmed, so I used the blanket to cover my body while searching for my clothes, which had fallen all over the room.
A knock followed. “Master, breakfast is ready. Please wake up. Master!”
A maid is here. Thank god, it’s not Mom.
“Master, are you awake? Please get up and come downstairs. Madam has also arrived from work. She would like to eat with you and Miss.”
What? Mom’s back already?
“Master, if you’ve heard me please come downstairs after getting ready.”
She left after saying that. I heaved a sigh in relief.
Now, I can go back to my room and wake up Dave in the meantime.
I quickly put on my clothes, then went over to sit on the bed.
“Dave, good morning. Wake up! Everyone is calling you downstairs. Dave!” I jerked him really hard. But, he was still asleep very much.
In the end, I had to wake him up and go downstairs after getting ready.
Mom was waiting at the table chatting with the maids. I came fast then Dave followed.
“Good morning, Mom,” I greeted, heading over to her side.
She turns her attention to me the very minute.
“Very good morning, dear. Aren’t you a bit late to go to college?”
“Um… no, I don’t have college today. But, I have to go tomorrow.”
“I see, good for you, Dave’s here,” she gleefully yelled, looking in his direction. “Good morning. Why is everyone so late today?”
Dave had no words to defend himself. He looked in my direction but I had no answer for him.
“Uh, it just happens sometimes. What about you? Finished work early? It’s rare to find you in the morning, you know?” he asked, sitting down close to her.
“Yup, I did. I told someone to take my shift, so I could relax and do my nails today. It’s been 6 months since I’ve led a proper life. I’m going to enjoy my day.”
“Just staying at home, sounds boring, don’t you think?” He replied. “You should go out and have some fresh air which you don’t get and plenty of sunshine.”
“Oh, I don’t need any sun to survive. You two are my sunshine, my family,” she replied, smiling at the two of us. “I don’t need anything else.”
A sense of guilt washed over me when she called me her sunshine. She holds the two of us dearly. Then, does she really deserve the betrayal she might have to face in the future?
“If you do have the chance to, why not go out?” he suggested. “Go out and enjoy how you want to. And Aileen already has the tickets to the theme park which I gave to her a week ago. You two can use them now.”
“Theme park tickets? Why didn’t you tell me about them?” Mom inquired.
“I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t find time and forgot all about it. Sorry about it.” Back then, I was in no mood or any condition to hang out with her.
“It’s okay, I know you didn’t do it on purpose. So, can we still use them now?” her face filled with excitement hearing it.
“Yeah, the time limit expires in two days. We gotta use it fast.”
“Then….. are you free today? Aileen, let’s go to the theme park together!” Mom said, turning to me. “And we’ll do some outing together as well.”
“Uh, that’s fine with me, when do you want to leave? I’ll get ready.”
“Let me just take a shower after we finish breakfast. So, 10 a. m. to be exact. Yeah.”
“Okay, I’ll also get ready then.”
“I know, we can match clothes. Then, we’ll be twinning! Sounds good, right?” she asked.
“I don’t mind, but we don’t have similar-looking clothes right?”
“Who cares? As long as the color or design matches, that’s all that matters.”
“Then, it’s fine.”
“How nice of you, huh?” Dave comments, while eating his food. “Mother and daughter making plans for their day off. When I have to go to work.”
“Hmm, I do feel a bit bad for you. It would’ve been fun with all three of us,” Mom asserted, sounding a bit disappointed.
“No, it’s fine. Sometimes you gotta spend some girl’s day together as well,” he replied, glancing over in my direction. “As long as the two of you are having fun, that’s all that matters to me, it makes me happy.”
“Aww, Dave! You’re so nice!” Mom got up to give him a quick hug before sitting down again. You think so much about us. You don’t get enough credit for it.”
“That’s not true. And I don’t need any credit. I’m fine like this.”
“You’re so humble! Hard to believe you are a rich brat!” Mom chuckled. “Still, thank you for the tickets. I really love theme parks and their ride.”
“I know, that’s why I gave her the tickets in the first place. Just bring me the pictures you took together. I’m looking forward to it,” he pleaded.
Dave thinks about the two of us very much. He’s very much aware of his surroundings and keeps a note on it.
“I’ll take the pictures myself. It won’t be a problem,” I assured him.
We chatted for some more time, enjoying family time together.
We both saw Dave off when he left for the office and we headed inside afterwards.
We both picked a pink colored matching shirt and jeans to wear. I was getting ready when my phone beeped.
“Hey, it’s Skylar.”
I went to check my phone, sitting down in front of the dressing table mirror.
“Hi, what’s up?” I texted back.
“I haven’t seen you in two days. Kind of missing you.”
“Miss me? Why?”
“Of course because we are friends silly! I feel like I haven’t heard your voice in ages.”
“My voice? Hey, are you hitting on me? If that’s the case, I’m warning you. It won’t be any useful.”
“Aileen, are you ready yet sweetheart?” Mom’s voice drew my attention. She was yelling outside the door.
“Uh, no, ten minutes,” I yelled back.
“10 more minutes? What are you up to?” She opened the door and came inside, over to my side.
“Hey, you still aren’t ready yet. Look at your hair!” she grunted. “What are you going to do about it?”
“Uh, I’m going to curl it a bit. Give me a minute,” I replied, checking his message.
“Whom are you texting?” she asked, pretending to help me out with my hair.
“My friend.”
“Your friend from college?”
“Yeah.”
“Is it a boy?”
“Yeah.”
“So…. that’s why you still haven’t managed to get ready yet. I should’ve known this sooner,” she remarks, a bit suspiciously.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked, looking over my shoulder.
“Nothing. Just get ready fast. I’m waiting downstairs, I still have to paint my nails. Told Tia, and Rita to do it.”
“Uh, sure. I’ll be done fast.”
She nodded and discreetly left the room without saying anything afterward.
I also kept aside my phone to do my hair. But my phone rang in the middle of it.
I checked the name to see it was from Dave.
“Have you two gone out yet?”
“No, will be out in 10 minutes. I’m not ready yet.”
“So, you’re not done yet? If that’s the case, can you show me how you look today? Send me a picture or video chat?”
What?
Is he seriously doing this in the office?
“Have you gone nuts? Do your work instead of bothering over trifling matters like this. Bye!”
“I’m begging you, just a little sneak peek. I won’t ask for anything more. Just this.”
I thought over it for a minute and decided to click some pictures. Then sent him. And also saw him over the video call.
He was sending flying kisses and little waves.
“You look cute!” he said, giving a wink.
“Well, thank you. If you are done, I’m hanging up.”
“Wait, no!”
“What again?”
“I love you. Come back home safely.” He added, with a smile.
I could feel my cheeks being on fire the next second. He took me by surprise.
“What’s wrong? Say it back,” he insisted, with a smirk.
“Did you call me just to hear it from my mouth?” I asked, a bit bothered by the tension he created just now.
“Hm…. that’s not completely false. So, yeah! I wanted to hear it from your mouth. So, say it back. And virtual kisses are also welcome.”
He’s totally playing with me now!
“What’s wrong? Is it so hard to say? Just say it!” he pleaded. “Three magical words!”
“I…I love you, stupid! Bye!” I blurted out loud, about to hang up on him.
“Wait, what about the kiss?”
“You…don’t need that!” I yelled in his face, hanging up the phone.
What the hell has gotten into him suddenly? He’s acting a bit weird now. Talking about flying kisses? He’s so stupid.
Just when I was about to put aside my phone, Mom called. In the end, I had to leave my room with my curls half done.
I went downstairs to see Mom, surrounded by maids chatting.
I called the driver to get out of the car and we left right away.
Everything was going well, and Mom was excited. We listened to some music till we reached the theme park arena.
And after getting off, we walked inside together. Most of the people were couples or family people.
If Dave could come, we could also feel like a family.
We went on our first ride and the roller-coaster, made Mom feel so dizzy she threw up right after and I had to take care of her for half an hour.
She told me to bring myself an ice pack. So I went to get it from the ice cream parlor. On my way, I spotted some familiar faces standing in front of the ice cream parlor.
And it made my jaw drop in surprise.