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Aisha Bell

“You look like Prince Naveen and ASAP Rocky,” I leaned on my elbows, studying him.

His lips opened and his face lit up as he smiled showing all his teeth.

“Seriously?” He asked; his voice laced with laughter.

“Yea,” I smiled. “You’ve never heard that before?”

“I’ve heard I resemble some famous people but not them.”

“Like who?”

“I heard I resemble Lloyd and Bruno Mars,” he shrugged.

“I can see it,” I nodded my head. “You look like you should be working in a liquor store, too,” I laughed.

“Oh you got jokes.”

“But you’re cuter,” I quickly added.

“Aisha, you ready?”

I inconspicuously rolled my eyes hearing his sisters voice. Chardonnay was cock-blocking, again.

“Yea, girl. I’m ready,” I slowly turned away from Cordaé and walked away. I made sure to add an extra switch to my steps just in case he was watching.

“So how we gonna do this?” She asked.

“You want to drive to my house and then I’ll drive?” I suggested.

“That’ll work as long as I don’t get too drunk.”

“I can hold my liquor so if you need me to drive you home?—,”

“Nah. I’m good. I’ll follow you,” she said pushing through the doors.

The frigid air blew my hair around my head like a wreath.

“I love this time of year but it’s cold as hell,” I quickened my steps. “Where’d you park?”

“Right there,” Chardonnay extended her finger at a Frosty white BMW.

“I’ll drive over there and then you can follow me.”

Hightailing it to my car, I hit the alarm and got in. Starting it up, Let It Snow by Boyz 2 Men played.

Pulling up behind Char, I slowly drove off waiting until I saw her behind me. Not too long after, we made it to the liquor store. Parking we both got out.

“Ain’t this cute?” I asked her.

The complex was decorated with snowmen, snow, reindeers, Santa and Christmas trees.

“It is. Got me feeling like we at the damn North Pole and that’s why we freezing.”

I laughed, pulling the door to the liquor store open.

Proceeding to the back, I grabbed two bottles of eggnog while she stood in line at the front. The bottles of alcohol were no longer available to get on our own due to thieves.

“Why didn’t you tell me you had a twin brother?” I asked standing next to her.

“No real reason,” she shrugged.

When we got to the cashier and he told us our total, we split the amount, leaving the store.

“I’m right behind you,” I threw out hopping back in my car.

Starting it up, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town by The Jackson 5 began to play. Googling the bookstore, I hit call, hearing the phone ring.

“Muses and Manuscripts. This is Cordaé. How may I help you?”

“You sound so proper answering the phone,” I chuckled trailing after Chardonnay’s BMW .

The sun was slowly descending but hadn’t quite set and had me thinking it was later than it actually was. Daylight savings had way too much melatonin in it.

“Who’s this?” He asked.

“Your future girlfriend.” I confidently replied, scanning my surroundings and loving the Christmacy atmosphere.

“No, seriously. Who is this?”

I shook my head. Cordaé was really clueless.

“It’s Aisha. Your sisters friend. How’d you forget me that fast?” I playfully whined.

“Oh, umm, I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I didn’t mean to. I just didn’t catch your voice.”

“Boy! You don’t have to apologize. I’m just joking with you.”

“Oh. Okay.”

I heard him breathe a sigh of relief.

“Are y’all busy?”

“No. It slowed down. It’ll probably be like this the remainder of the night.”

“So, what you doing for Christmas?”

“Besides being with my family, nothing. You?”

“I want you to do me, too.”

“Wait,” he paused. “What?”

I giggled causing him to laugh.

“You ran right into that one.”

“I did, huh?”

“Yep.”

In front of me, Char stopped and let the window down. She gestured for me to pull up on the side of her.

“Hold on, Cordy.”

I put my phone on mute and lowered the volume in case he didn’t follow directions.

“Park right there,” Char extended her candy cane painted nail at an open spot.

“Okay.”

I rolled my window back up before unmuting Cordaé.

“I’m back,” I told him, parking my car.

“No problem.”

“So, you gonna give me your number or do I have to call the bookstore to talk to you?”

He nervously laughed.

“Umm, I don’t know. I don’t think my sister would be okay with that.”

“I didn’t ask about your sister and how she’d feel. I’m asking you.”

I could hear him moving around on his side of the phone.

“I have to go. I have customers.”

“Okay, cutie. Do ya thang. I’ll call you later.”

“Bye.”

I was too tickled by his lack of enthusiasm. He didn’t know it but he’d be hearing from me real soon. Somehow, someway.

Stepping out, I threw my purse over my head and across my body. I hit the alarm on my key fob and looked around. The houses on Chardonnay’s street were littered with all things Christmas . It was as if the neighborhood was in a Christmas contest or they all just chose to decorate for the season.

“There ain’t no Grinches or Scrooges on this street, huh?” I asked Char with my hood on my head and my hands snug in my jacket pockets.

“Nope. We all love Christmas.”

I followed her to her front door.

“Do y’all do this for every holiday?”

“Pretty much. It’s so much fun to know that we’re all on the same page when it comes to the holidays,” she inserted her key and opened the door. “If you don’t mind, can you take your boots off? I don’t like shoes beyond the door.”

“Oh you’re good. I don’t either,” I slipped my boots off. “It’s beautiful in here.” I looked around her apartment.

In her black and white living room, red and white ornaments hung from her Christmas tree.

“I see how you did that. Got your theme matching your nails.”

“You know it,” I heard her in the kitchen moving around. “You want this Nut Nog straight or mixed?”

“Mix it, please. Thanks.”

“Gotcha.”

“You know what they say?” I asked.

“No. What?”

“If you drink eggnog you swallow nut,” I got situated, removing my purse and taking off my jacket, hearing Char laugh.

She had the heater on and I was finally starting to thaw from the outside frost. Seeing her approach with my plastic red cup, I took it from her hands and took a sip.

“Oh, this is good,” I licked my lips.

“Girl, I know how to make a drink.” She sat down drinking hers.

“And keep secrets,” I added with duck lips.

“What you mean?” She laughed.

“When I told you I needed to go to the bookstore, you didn’t tell me your parents owned it.”

“My bad. But it wasn’t a secret honestly.”

“And you being a twin?” I smirked.

“That wasn’t either. I just like being my own person.”

“You’re still your own person, ma’am. There’s just two of you.”

“Cordaé and I are complete opposites. We’re nothing alike.”

“I get it.” I nodded my head.

There was a pregnant pause.

“Music or movies?” She asked.

“Movie.”

She rose from her seat and grabbed her remote controls.

“First up, Home Alone.”