Ariya

William was going to stay with us for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But he got a call and had to go visit a patient in the hospital. Hopefully he'll be back.

Now on Christmas Eve on eleven o'clock Rylan and I were cuddled up on the couch sharing a cup of hot chocolate, watching a Christmas movie. This was our first year with a tree and he was so exited.

"Easy, two hands it's hot." I handed him the mug and he took a small sip. I took the mug back and placed it on the coffee table.

"What do you think you got?" I asked Rylan while keeping my arm around his small waist.

"I don't know." He shrugged lightly, resting his head on my shoulder, I placed my head on his head and I smiled.

"I don't want you to be disappointed if you don't get what you asked for, okay baby?" I caressed his jawline and noticed his head tilt up towards me.

"I won't be, mama, I'm happy we're together." He smiled a toothy grin at me. I kissed his cheek and he blushed.

"Mhm, I love you." I sighed.

"I love you more." He giggled.

"You tired?" I rubbed my thumb over his forehead and he nodded with a yawn.

"Mhm." He nodded.

"Okay, come on."

We brushed our teeth and changed into our pyjamas, he then ran into his room and I followed.

"Is uncle Zion gonna be here when I wake up?"

"Maybe." I shrugged. He pulled the covers to his neck and turned onto his side.

"Go to bed." I ran my hand over his hair.

"Goodnight, I love you." I pressed my lips to his head with a warm smile.

"I love you more."

"Never." I told him through the doorway, I heard him laugh before I shut the light off and closed the door.

I walked into the living room and switched the tv off, folding the throws and taking the mug into the kitchen. I washed the dish and braced my hand on the counter. My head dropped and I cracked my neck.

He knows.

I know.

We both know.

The door opened and I watched William rush in while removing the jacket.

It's Christmas, it's Christmas Ariya. Forget about it.

"Hey, babe." He smiled.

"Sorry I took so long." He added while coming up behind me with two hands. I leaned forward and let his breath tickle my neck.

There was something I wasn't telling him.

There was a lot.

He thinks my parents are some stable people who live down in Atlanta, who own a restaurant. God I'm such a liar. He thinks Rylan's father ran off. I've been lying, but it hasn't hurt us?

"You okay?"

I seemed to be hearing that a lot these days.

"Yeah."

"Hey, merry Christmas." He smiled.

I furrowed my brows and glanced up at the clock on the microwave.

12:00

I glanced back up at him and smiled before giving his lips a long peck.

"Merry Christmas." Pulled back and said, my hands around his torso. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into my room, locking the door.

-

"Hold it up and smile." I smiled to Rylan as he held up the other toys I had gotten for him. He smiled and I snapped a couple pictures.

A knock sounded on the door.

"William! Go get it!"

"I can't get the turkey in the cooker!"

"Amara go get the door!"

"Kameron go get the door!" Amara yelled to Kameron who was sipping a beer on the couch. I heard the deadbolts unlock before a yell rung throughout the house.

"Uncle Zion is here!"

Zion.

Rylan dropped his stuff and dashed across the apartment to him. He attached to his leg and Zion placed a hand on his head.

"I missed you." He laughed.

I stood up off the ground and dusted my jeans off, smiling at Zion and walking up to him.

"Hey." I sighed while embracing him into a warm hug. He wrapped his arms around me and I smiled.

"How have you been?"

"Good, you?"

"Good, good."

"Oh! My bad, that is Amara, that's her boyfriend Kameron and William, but you know him." I sighed with a smile.

"Hey." He said while picking up Rylan and sitting beside Rylan on the couch.

"Do you know when Jordan and Mikah are coming?" I asked Zion from the kitchen.

"They travel as a duo, they'll probably come together." He sighed.

I rushed into the kitchen to help William who couldn't cook for the life of him. He walked over to the sink while I took over.

"Like this, okay?" I showed him. He sighed with a nod and I patted him on the back before walking over to the couch.

"You like your presents?" I asked Rylan.

"Yeah! There's still one though?" He pointed to the one behind the tree.

Khyson's.

I had no idea what Khyson would give Rylan. Let's just say I was hoping he didn't see it.

"There is?" I asked.

"I'll get it." Rylan scurried off Zions lap and grabbed the box before returning.

Zion pushed his ray bans up onto his head and watched with a smile.

"Who's that from?" He asked.

"Khyson."

Zions smiled flattened and he sat up, pulling Rylan closer. He mouthed Khyson's name to me and I nodded while biting my lip.

Zion knew everything there was to know about me, out of all my brothers I've been the closest to him. He's cared for me the most.

Rylan ripped off the wrapper paper.

"This is the car I wanted! Oh my gosh!" He jumped.

Khyson got him the car I lined up for.

Wow.

How did he get his hands on one?

"Come on let's set it up." Zion sat on the floor with Rylan as he set it up. Rylan smiled while staring at the dismantled toy.

I settled beside Kameron and watched them bond, Rylan always had a special place in Zion's heart. He always did what's best for him and it was amazing.

"So the flat part goes on the spring, wanna put it in?"

"Yeah!"

Amara walked in from the kitchen and placed a hard hand on her hip, a warm smile etched on her features.

"Hey." Zion propped himself on his palm and leaned back to face Amara.

"Hi?" She giggled nervously.

"What's up?" He asked slyly. I watched Amara cluelessly submit to his words with a smile.

"Nothing really."

"Wanna maybe-"

"Amara come here." Kameron grabbed her arm and pulled her onto his lap.

"Oh you two-"

"Yes, right baby?"

"Always." She smiled while pecking his lips.

"I'll be lonely forever." Zion sighed with a frown.

"Don't say that." I swatted his arm and he smiled sympathetically. I decided to stand up and give William a little visit in the kitchen.

"William your supposed to use the onion powder on that and the garlic powder on that, then here used the paste, see. You want our food to be bland? I'm counting on you to impress all these people." I told him.

"What!? You can't expect all this from me, Ariya. You know how my food tasted when I cooked for thanksgiving!" He whispered yelled.

"Think of it as redemption, you'll be fine." I patted him nicely n the back and he sighed. He looked pretty cute with his little apron.

Suddenly the door buzzed and I walked over to the intercom.

"Hello?"

"It's Mikah, Ariya. Jordan is here to."

"Hey, Ariya!" I heard his voice and smiled.

"I'll buzz you guys up, one sec." I buzzed them up and waited for the knock to sound. When they did knock I unlocked the door and was greeted with up.

I gasped.

"You guys look so much older, oh my gosh!" I embraced them in a hug and smiled. I pulled back and cupped Jordan's cheeks.

"Oh my gosh, it feels like you were just a baby yesterday."

"Ariya." He blushed and pushed me away.

"Come in, come in." I ushered them inside and introduced them to the people sitting and working inside the apartment.

"That's Amara, Kameron, And there's William."

"Ohh the boyfriend, we'll talk later." Mikah eyed William.

All three of them knew William and knew he was my boyfriend but only Zion has been met him in real time. Mikah nor Jordan have met him, just heard of them.

Zion already threatened William with his life the first time, now I guess he's in for another treat.

"These are your brothers?" Amara walked up behind me and I nodded.

"Yuck, it's like a reunion." Zion groaned.

"You love us." Mikah teased and they playfully hit eachother. I laughed while glancing at Amara who warmly smiled back at me.

"I left your present in my car, shit." Zion seethed.

"You didn't have to get me anything, you know that." I ruffled his hair.

"Well I'm not going down there alone so."

"Why not?"

"What if I get kidnapped? Hm?" He pondered.

"You can fight, I don't know your acting like you can't?" I sighed with an annoyed grin.

"I think we should all go downstairs into the garage." He said oddly.

"What? Your acting like a spaz, what's going on?" I asked with a crooked smile.

"Go! Go! Go!" Suddenly he threw a bag over my head and gathered my wrist in his hands.

What the hell.

What the hell!

"What the hell!?" I screamed.

"Keep her hands, she's a fighter.. trust me." I heard Mikah while Kameron responded with a low grumble.

"What the hell?! Are you guys kidnapping me?!" I yelled.

Suddenly my feet were swept off the ground and we travelled. I was being kidnapped by my own friends, crazy.

This is crazy.

"Where are you taking me, where's Rylan!" I frantically looked around. Which was useless with the bag covering my eye sight.

"He's with William, calm down." I heard Jordan.

"Let me go." I squirmed in their arms.

"I told you we should've tied her arms, but no."

"Shut up!"

Suddenly my legs were lifted onto the ground and I balanced myself on the what felt like concrete.

"Let me go. Let me go! Take this god damn bag of my head!" I screamed. I heard a low chuckled before the bag was pulled off my head and Zion's hands covered my eyes.

"Ta da." Zion whispered into my ear before removing his hands.

We were in the parking garage. I was in front of a nice car, it wasn't mine which confused me.

"What?" I asked, irritated.

"Look, it's yours." Jordan held my hand and led me to the car.

"What?" My voice was soft and confused.

"The car, it's yours, Riya. We bought it for you."

My face went red and I glanced at Jordan, Mikah and Zion who were all standing together, Amara and Kameron standing behind me.

"Guys.. you didn't have-you work hard for your money you didn't have to buy-" I walked up to them and placed my hands on their shoulders.

"No, Ariy-" Zion stepped forward while grabbing my shoulders.

"Zion, I can't t-"

"Look at me, Ariya. You sacrificed everything for us, everything. We all chipped in, we wanted to do it.. for you. You took care of us and now it's our turn.. plus your car is really shitty." He laughed with a few tears.

The surface tension on the tears building in my eyes broke and the tears ran down our face. I engulfed him in a hug until I felt Mikah and Jordan engulf us.

"I love you guys." I whispered loud enough for all of them to hear.

"We love you too." They all said together.

I pulled back while wiping my tears with the sleeve of my shirt.

"Did you guys know?" I asked Amara and Kameron, Kameron having tears slipping down his cheeks as Amara held his arm.

"Yeah." She spoke for both of them as Kameron just nodded.

"Thank you guys, so much-I-I don't know what to say. I'll get you guys the money back w-"

"No, we don't want any money, Ariya. It's free, it's a gift... go on, go try out your new car." He smiled.

"I love you guys."

Zion placed his hand on my back and ushered me into the drivers seat. I sat down and Mikah got into the front.

"Here, Zion can have my seat.. I'm gonna go back up to the apartment." Jordan said while leaning through the window.

"Do you know your way up?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I'll knock, Willam should let me in." He smiled. I smiled back and he backed up from the window.

"Be careful, I love you." I told him.

"Love you too." He smiled. I watched him leave before turning the car on.

I glanced at Zion, Kameron and Amara in the back cramped together.

Zion in the middle as he eyed Amara with a smile and she smiled back. Kameron with an angry expression as he eyed both of them.

I pulled out of the parking spot and down the garage, circling the groups of cars before coming back into the spot.

I sighed while leaning back, taking in the presence of the new car.

I flopped my head to the side and smiled at Mikah who smiled back.

"I love you guys."

"You already said that." He smiled.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out.

William: the food's done

"Our dinner is done." I told them. I heard Kameron sigh before reaching over to unbuckled Amara's seat belt.

I shut the car off and we all got out, making our way back up and into the apartment.

I used my key and unlocked the door. The moment I pushed on the wood the smell of our dinner invaded my nostrils.

"The food smells delicious, William." I walked up to him and pecked his lips.

"Come on, Rylan." I grabbed Rylan from the counter and we all sat around the table. Amara beside Kameron and Zion beside her, I sat on Zion's other side with Rylan on my left and William beside him.

"So, who's saying grace?" I asked.

"I will." Jordan said with a smile. I grabbed Zion and Rylan's hands and we all proceeded to close our eyes.

"Heavenly f-"

Suddenly a bang on the door sounded and I opened my eyes seeing Jordan eyeing me with a nervous frown.

Ignore it- I mouthed to him. He nodded and we both closed our eyes.

"Heavenly father bl-"

The knock was louder and more aggressive. We all groaned and I stood up to get it.

"I'll get it." Amara said while getting up. I nodded with a smile as she disappeared behind me.

"Who could possibly be banging down your door.. on today of all days?" William asked while itching his head. I heard the bolts unlock.

Amara came back in with furrowed brows and stopped behind my chair with her hands braced on the edge of my chair. I turned my head to face her.

"Who is it?"

"There's a woman here.. she says she's... your mother?"

"Beverly?" Mikah asked with a glint of worry in his eyes.

"Fuck." I swore.

"Oh shit." Kameron cursed.