AIM [FIRST DRAFT]

Chapter 20: A Cup o' Tea

Molly decided to let Stefan on her good side - for now. Her mood lightened up a bit and she stopped giving him that serious look of hers. She stood up energetically.

"Don't worry, Stefan," she assured him, smiling at him for once. "My approval is not that difficult to gain."

Stefan laughed quietly. "Music to my ears," he replied.

Molly daintily picked up her mug and took a sip, but her chai tea was now ice-tea.

"I think I'm gonna pop this in the microwave," she told Stefan. "I'll be right back."

Stefan watched Molly leave the room. He rested his elbows on the arm of the couch and fixed his eyes on Aimee, with his head in his palms. He just sat there, gazing at her, absorbing her natural beauty and wondering what - or who - she was dreaming about.

Not long after, he heard the sudden ding of the microwave timer and sat up; predicting Molly would walk into the room at any second. Stefan cleared his throat, his hand at his chest in a fist as Molly strode in. As soon as she sat down, she commenced with an interview. It was her way of choosing a boyfriend for Aimee. Emphasise choosing a boyfriend and for Aimee.

"So, what do you like to do for fun?" she sipped her tea and crossed one leg over the other.

She caught Stefan off guard. "Uh..." he stuttered. "I like to... read."

"Read?" she queried. "That's very interesting. What genre fascinates you?"

His eyebrows rose. "S-Spy and fiction novels," he replied.

"Wow, alright," Molly was surprised. "Like?"

Like, whoever writes up his spy journals and mission briefings. To his luck, Aimee was waking up, grabbing their attention before Molly could ask anything more.

"Aimee, hey," Stefan's attentiveness was hers.

"Hey, Stefan," she said softly, her hand in her hair. "How long have I been asleep?"

Her eyes were hardly open yet, she did not notice Molly was sitting almost directly in front of her. Her voice startled her - well, more than usual.

"Aimee, what happened?" she asked strictly.

Stefan glimpsed at Molly, stood up and offered his hand to Aimee in order to help her off the sofa.

"Nothing, Moll," she took Stefan's hand sluggishly. "I'm fine, I promise."

Stefan helped her up. "Why do you need to ask what Gavin already told you?" he questioned Molly.

"Where is Gavin?" Aimee briskly scoped her surroundings.

"He's fine, he took the cab home," he fabricated.

"Oh, right," Aimee played along. "You know, I'm still really tired so I'll just go up to my room."

"Well, since you're not sick you can stay there, you're still grounded," Molly crossed her arms.

Aimee halted halfway to the staircase and glanced back at Molly.

"And if I am sick?" she asked naughtily as her eyebrows bounced on her forehead.

"Well, if you are, then you should stay in bed and I'll bring you some of my baby marrow soup," she sneered.

Aimee's jaw dropped. "You know, I'm suddenly not sick anymore," she said humorously.

Aimee grabbed the rail and hurriedly climbed the stairs, Stefan following her actions. The two of them reached Aimee's door. She pushed the handle down and pressed her shoulder against the door, the very much locked door.