Hope you all enjoy this chapter!

I woke up on Thanksgiving morning exhausted. I couldn't fall back asleep after I woke up on the couch. My mind wouldn't relax and let me go to sleep, it just kept running every awful situation that could happen to me. My dad knocked on my door to wake me up, but I just pulled my covers over my head and tried to go back to sleep.

"Ali, sweetheart, breakfast," he said as he opened my door.

"Not hungry," I mumbled from under the covers.

"Now I find that hard to believe," he said as he walked in and sat down on my bed. "What's wrong?"

"Can I just sleep today away and wake up tomorrow so this is all over?"

"I wish we all could do that," he sighed. "It won't be too bad, and it'll be over before you know it. You have two weeks until your birthday and then you get to decide if you want to stay here or go with her."

"Like that's a tough decision," I snorted. "Can you save me some french toast? I'll be down in a little bit, I didn't sleep well last night."

"Is anything else bothering you?"

"Nope," I lied. "Just anxiety over tonight."

"Okay. I'll make you breakfast when you come downstairs then," he said and kissed the top of my head before leaving.

"Thanks Daddy," I said quietly as he walked out.

I pulled my covers back over my head and sighed as I snuggled closer to my pillows. I really did just want to sleep the day away. I had way too much on my mind to even begin to figure out how I'm going to handle dinner tonight. I couldn't figure out what my mom was up to, which worried me even more. Miranda doesn't do anything unless there's something in it for her. Some people may think she just wants Drew and me back in her life, but I know she doesn't give a rat's ass about us. There's something she's after, I know it.

"Knock, knock," I heard Aiden say from the doorway. I didn't move the covers from my face, I just grunted in response and I heard him walk in. "Everything okay?"

"Eh," I said. He moved the blanket from my head and sat down on the edge of the bed next to me.

"Are we okay?"

"Why wouldn't we be?"

"You seemed upset last night when you went to bed."

"We're okay," I said and gave him a small smile. "I'm just overwhelmed. I'll be grateful when tonight is over with."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Just," I sighed, not knowing why I felt so awkward and uncomfortable asking him this. "I know we're not like officially together and everything, but if she asks, can I say that we're dating?"

"Aren't we dating?" he asked and smiled. "I thought you didn't want that because of all the other questions that would come out of your mom."

"I know," I sighed. "I just don't know what to do."

"Well, you didn't answer my first question."

"There's nothing official between us, you know that," I said. "I don't refer to you as my boyfriend and you don't call me your girlfriend. Except for tonight to my mom, if that's okay, I guess."

"Of course it is," he said and kissed me gently. "We could make it official, if you wanted."

"Let's just take this day by day," I said and smiled sadly. I knew that if this ended badly and if we were officially together, it would hurt a lot more than it would if we just stay how we are. Labels bring more emotional attachment, and less is better when it comes to being with Aiden.

"Okay."

"You should go downstairs for breakfast, my dad is cooking it now."

"Are you going to come?"

"I didn't sleep very well, so I'm gonna try to get another hour or so."

"Do you want me to stay?"

"No, it's fine. I'm sure you're hungry," I said. He gave me a look before I nodded my head, telling him I'm okay, before he left my room and left me alone.

Usually I wouldn't want him to leave, I sleep a lot better with him around. He was just really adding to my stress and I didn't need that right now. I could only fight one battle at a time, and right now that battle was with my mother. Aiden could stay on the backburner for a while.

Eventually I decided to get out of bed when I noticed Jen and Drew giggling as they went into his room. Deciding that my ears couldn't handle what was about to happen behind those doors, I dragged myself out of bed and headed downstairs. My house smelled amazing since my dad had begun to cook the turkey and stuffing and every other delicious Thanksgiving treat that people stuff themselves with only once a year because they couldn't handle any more than that.

"Sleeping beauty is awake," my dad said as I walked into the kitchen.

"Hi Daddy," I said as I yawned and sat down at the island next to Aiden, who was pulling apart string beans. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not yet, eat first," he said as he passed a plate of French toast in front of me. "Then you can help."

"Okay," I said as I shoved pieces of toast in my mouth.

"That's really attractive," Aiden said as he watched me chew with an open mouth because I shoved too much in there.

"Oh shut up," I mumbled, then swallowed. "You've seen worse."

"That I have."

"I don't think I want to know," my dad said and shook his head. "I thought I raised you to be a lady, Alessandra."

"You tried to, Daddy," I said sweetly. "Drew and Aiden are just really bad influences on me."

"I can only imagine."

"I would like to say that I was a good child until I met Drew and Ali," Aiden said.

"Bullshit," I coughed.

"Language," my dad scolded me. "I went wrong somewhere with you and Drew."

"No, sir. I think they've always been this crazy, especially her."

"Aiden, you have a little brown shit on your nose," I said as I rubbed his nose really hard. "Oh, looks like it's permanently stuck on there."

"You're so irritating, why am I friends with you?"

"Because you love me," I said and smiled widely at him. "So Daddy."

"Yes, Princess?" he sighed.

"You know how my mother always likes to bring up how I'm still single and no one will ever love me?"

"Yes."

"Well, here's the person who's gonna love me tonight," I said as I wrapped my arms around Aiden's and rested my head on his shoulder.

"You two are dating?" my dad asked skeptically.

"Just saying we are for tonight. I figured I'd change things up for dinner conversation this year, since I'm getting tired of the usual from her."

"Didn't feel like talking about what's the best cat food this year?" Aiden asked, earning a slap from me.

"Yeah, you two definitely look in love," my dad said, rolling his eyes. "We'll hold off on telling her that the two of you are going to look at colleges together over break then, because then she'll call me an unfit parent for sending my daughter to New York with her boyfriend unsupervised."

"Probably for the best," I said. "Just wanted to give you a heads up before we spring that at dinner. We won't mention it at first, unless she starts on my case again. Then I'll break the news to her that the convent jokes are over."

"Thanks for that, now finish breakfast so you can help me cook."

Quickly my dad learned that asking Aiden and I to help him with dinner was a bad idea. He kicked us out of the kitchen after I threw a tomato at Aiden's head and it splattered all over the wall. After wiping it off the wall, Aiden and I headed up to my bedroom.

"I don't hear anything out of Drew's room, they must be done doing whatever they were doing," I said as I laid down on my bed, and Aiden laid down next to me.

"I'm sure they were doing something that we haven't done in quite a while," Aiden whispered as he wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed my neck.

"Well, I've been sick," I said. "My dad's right downstairs."

"Didn't seem to bother Jen and Drew," Aiden said as he continued to kiss me.

"Drew's not his little princess. My dad would chop off your dick, and that might actually upset me a little."

"You like me," Aiden smirked.

"I like your penis," I said and smiled as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer for a kiss.

"Eh-hem," we heard from the doorway, causing me to shoved Aiden off of me violently. "If you're going to do anything, I suggest closing and locking your door."

"You scared the shit out of me, Jen," I said as I placed a hand over my heart, which was pounding. "I thought you were my dad."

"I figured," she smirked. "Come on, we have to start getting ready."

"No," I shook my head firmly. "It's noon. Dinner's not going to be ready for like another six hours. Come get me around four."

"You better be showered and have dry hair by four," she told me before leaving, shutting the door behind her.

"Now where were we?" I asked Aiden, who got off the floor and locked my bedroom door. He walked over to the bed and climbed on top of me.

"Right about here," he said.

True to her word, Jen knocked on my door at four. She wasn't too happy when she found Aiden and I asleep after she picked the lock on my door.

"You better take the fastest shower in history," she said as she pulled me out of bed and tossed me into the shower.

"I washed my hair last night, I don't have to do it again," I said as I avoided the cold shower spray. "Especially if you plan on curling it."

"Fine, I'll go wake up lover boy. He has pants on right?"

"I'm not sure," I shrugged as I threw my clothes on the floor. "Go find out."

"I will," she said. "I always wondered how big his penis was. Must be a decent size if it made you go back to him."

"You're sick," I laughed as she walked out of the bathroom. The minute I heard a scream and a thud on the floor, I knew she ripped the covers off of Aiden and found what she was looking for. "So, what do you think, Jen?"

"I can understand now what made you go back," she said. "I'm surprised you're still able to walk with the size of that."

"This is so awkward," Aiden said. "Where the hell are my boxers?"

"Check under the bed," I called out from the shower.

I quickly washed myself so I could save Aiden any further embarrassment from Jen, and so that Jen wouldn't complain about how long I was taking. I turned the water off and wrapped myself in a towel before walking back into my bedroom, where Aiden was standing in his boxers and he did not look happy.

"Jen violated me," he complained.

"She was just curious," I said as I opened my drawers to get out underwear and a bra. "I don't blame her. I'd be curious too if I hadn't seen it so many times."

"So you were curious about how big my dick was before we started hooking up?" he smirked.

"I was until that day you decided to just casually drop your pants in front of me freshman year when we weren't doing anything," I said as I hooked my bra close and dropped my towel. "You ruined the surprise for when we first had sex."

"I'm sorry," he said, not sounding sorry at all for it.

"I'm sure," I said and rolled my eyes. "I have to go get ready."

"You could just stay in here with me," he said as he wrapped his arms around my waist and rubbed his hands up and down my bare sides.

"As much as I would like to, and trust me I would, Jen will kill me," I sighed. "But, I'm sure I'm going to be very agitated and annoyed and distracted after dinner with my mother, so I might need you to comfort me and help me take my mind off things."

"Are you using me for sex?"

"That I am," I smiled as I kissed him lightly on the lips. "That should have been obvious from the beginning of all of this."

"Oh, it was. I just thought things had changed a little bit. I'm completley okay with you using me though."

"Nothing ever changes, Aiden. You of all people should know that," I said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I guess we'll just have to find out."

"Alessandra Genevieve Hale, get your ass in here right now!" Jen called from her bedroom.

"And that's my cue to leave," I said as I moved away from Aiden.

"Your middle name is Genevieve?" Aiden asked, and I nodded. "Alessandra Genevieve. Now that's a mouthful."

"And a pain in the ass when I have to sign my name on things," I laughed as I walked out of my room and into Jen's.

"Come on, I have to make you pretty," she said as I sat down in front of her mirror. "You nervous about your mom coming?"

"Very," I sighed. "You never know what you're going to get from her, you know?"

"It might not be so bad," Jen tried, but I shook my head. "Or it might."

"It's just strange how she's coming around now and making a big deal out of it. She's never cared before, so why now?" I asked. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just paranoid and thinking too much into everything. There's just so much I have to deal with all at once, it's too stressful."

"One thing at a time. Deal with your mom tonight and live in ignorant bliss with Aiden until we get back to school. We'll get to the bottom of everything soon, don't worry."

"I'm going to New York with him in two weeks. My dad said yes. I don't want to ruin my chance of going to see my dream schools. Aiden's my only chance of going there."

"Like I said, don't worry. Everything will get settled on their own. Secrets can't stay hidden for long."

"I hope not."

Two hours later, Jen and I were finally ready for dinner. Mentally I wasn't ready, though. I went into the kitchen to help my dad bring everything out into the dining room, and then I stayed in there and laid my head down on the island.

"It's going to be okay," my dad said reassuringly. The doorbell rang and I tensed at the sound. "I guess I'll go get the door."

"You ready for this, sis?" Drew asked as he sat down next to me.

"No," I said quietly. "I'm worried."

"Me too. It's one dinner, though. We can do this."

"Thank God we're in this together, Drew," I said as I leaned my head on his shoulder. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You won't ever have to," he said. "Your older, more attractive brother will always be here for you."

"Three minutes, Drew. Three minutes," I said and laughed.

"I guess it's time to face her," he said when we heard her talking in the dining room. "Come on. Let's go."

Drew and I stepped out of the kitchen and into the dining room and came face to face with our estranged mother. Miranda Sterling. Her hair was blonder than ever, her skin was beyond tan, and I'm almost positive Bozo the Clown did her makeup.

"There are my darling twin babies," she exclaimed as she ran over to Drew and me in her too-high heels for someone her age. "I've missed you two so much."

"I'm sure you have," I muttered as I released myself from her grip. Aiden and Jen walked in from the living room and stood by my dad.

"I thought this was a family dinner," Miranda said icily when she noticed Jen and Aiden.

"It is," I told her as I walked by them. "They're family."

"I don't believe I've ever met them before."

"Maybe if you stayed around a little longer," Drew muttered as he pulled out a chair at the table for Jen to sit in. "This is my girlfriend, Jennifer."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Hale," Jen said and smiled.

"It's Sterling now, darling," she said. "Has been for a long time."

"Okay," Jen said as she gave me a look.

"Who is this gentleman sitting next to my daughter?"

"I'm Aiden, Drew's roommate at school," he introduced himself.

"Well aren't you handsome," she said.

"Gross," I rolled my eyes as Aiden awkwardly cleared his throat. "Can we start eating?"

"Let's say what we're thankful for first, and then we'll eat. I'll start," my dad said. "I'm thankful for my two wonderful children and the great friends they've made. Everyday I'm reassured that I raised you two right."

"I'm thankful for my girlfriend, my family, my god-given amazing good looks, and that I can get into college on a football scholarship," Drew said, making me laugh.

"I'm thankful for the patience God has given me becasue I sure need it dealing with the Hale twins," Jen said and smirked.

"I'm thankful for the strength God is giving me to get through this dinner and that I have the best dad, brother, and friends a girl could ask for," I said.

"I'm thankful for second chances," Aiden said as he looked at me, causing me to blush a bit.

"I'm thankful for being able to spend one last holiday with my darling children before I am forced to never see them again," Miranda said as she glared at my father.

"And so it begins," I mumbled as I dumped a scoop of mashed potatoes on my plate.

Dinner was halfway over and I was beginning to think things were going to be okay. She asked relatively normal questions and seemed to be kind of interested in what was going on in mine and Drew's lives.

"So, Ali, do you plan on joining the convent once you graduate?" she asked. So much for things being okay.

"No, Miranda," I said and huffed in annoyance. "I actually plan on going to college and making something out of my life, unlike you."

"I'm your mother, Alessandra," she snapped. "Don't call me by my first name. That's disrespectful."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Does Ms. Sterling work better for you?"

"I don't deserve this kind of treatment from my daughter."

"The hell you don't."

"Okay, enough," my dad said. "Calm down. Ali wants to be a guidance counselor."

"Or a psychologist, or a therapist. I want to help kids, especially kids going through a divorce."

"You wouldn't know how to help those kids. You should think of another career, sweetheart," Miranda said.

"I think she'd be great at it," Drew said. "Kids need someone who understands what they're going through. No one knows better than Ali."

"You'd need to be good with kids. In order to be good with kids, you'd need to have them. To have them, you'd need a boy. You don't have a boy, never had and judging by your track record, never will."

"Actually, Aiden is my boyfriend," I said. "We've been dating since September."

"Oh, Ali honey," Miranda said while laughing. "There's no need to lie. We all know you're not dating him."

"Excuse me?"

"He's far too handsome to be dating you. He could do so much better."

"Thanks," I said as I wiped a stray tear away from my eye. "You really know how to make your daughter feel fantastic about herself."

"That was harsh," Drew said. "I don't understand why you came here tonight, Miranda. You're not even trying."

"I came here to see my children because my ex-husband has been keeping them from me. I can only imagine what he's said to you two to make me out as the bad guy."

"You make yourself the bad guy!" I exploded. "You come in here after years and think you can make everything alright by trashing me? No, you can't. Dad hasn't been keeping us from you. We want nothing to do with you! Why would we? You just bring unecessary stress and you cause all of this."

"You want nothing to do with me?"

"No, nothing. Just like you wanted nothing to do with us when you walked out."

"I never said I wanted nothing to do with you," she tried.

"Actions speak louder than words," Drew said.

"I think it's time for you to leave, Miranda," my dad said as he stood up from his seat. "I believe you've caused enough trouble."

"Just because you can't handle the truth doesn't make me a terrible person," she said to me.

"It's not the truth, though," Aiden said. "I care about Ali very much. Had my head not been shoved up my ass, we probably would have been together a lot longer than two months. She's an amazing person, it's a shame you don't see that."

"Miranda, if you don't leave now, I'll have the police escort you out," my dad told her, his cell phone ready in his hand.

"Fine, I'll leave," she said and got up from the table. "I just want you two to know that leaving you was the hardest decision I ever had to make."

"Bullshit. If it was so hard, you wouldn't have left," Jen said, finally breaking her silence. "I met Ali and Drew in seventh grade, which is when you walked out. They were hurt, but they sure as hell did better without you around."

"Clearly you've raised our children to be disrespectful and find disrespectful friends," Miranda said.

"Anyone would be lucky to have friends like Jen and Aiden," my dad said as he walked over to the front door and held it open for her.

Without a word, she stormed out of the house, and hopefully out of my life forever.

"You okay?" Aiden asked as he stood behind me.

"Never better," I smiled.

"Who wants dessert?" my dad asked as he brought out apple pie from the kitchen. "I think we could all use it."

"I'll go get the ice cream," I said and walked into the kitchen, bringing Aiden with me. "So, you've finally pulled your head out of your ass?"

"I did," he said. "Took me long enough, don't you think?"

"I don't know," I said as I reached into the freezer. "I thought it was still up there."

"Very funny, Ali," he said dryly.

"I know I'm hiliarious," I said and smiled. "Thank you for that. No one's ever really stuck up for me before, besides Drew and Jen. I really appreciated it."

"I just want to keep you happy. I meant what I said, I care about you a lot."

"I know, I care about you too."

That was the most Aiden and I ever talked about how we felt about each other before. We went back into the dining room with the ice cream and sat down.

"So glad that nightmare is over," Drew said as he scooped some ice cream onto his apple pie.

"Should be anyway," Dad said. "You guys ready to go back to school tomorrow?"

"I don't know, I miss being home."

"Just think, if you stay home for college or closer to home, you could be home all the time," he said slyly.

"Dad, don't start," I pleaded. "I want to explore my options. I have Notre Dame if all else fails."

"Ali doesn't want to take any opportunities off the table without fully exploring them. Regrets suck, Mr. Hale," Jen said and winked at me.

"Well, I booked your trip to New York. Everything's settled," my dad said casually.

"Oh my God, thank you Daddy!" I jumped out of my seat and hugged him. "You're the best."

"I know, I know," he said. "I trust that the two of you will behave yourself because I could only book one room."

"We will, Mr. Hale," Aiden reassured him.

"Yeah, he might have helped me out tonight, but we still harbor a dislike for each other."

"Oh yeah, they really hate each other," Drew said sarcastically, earning a sharp nudge from Jen and a dirty look from me. "They argue all the time."

"We'll be fine, Daddy. I promise."

In my head, I couldn't help but hope that we'd be fine. If I've learned one thing during high school, it was that once things seemed to be going okay, shit would hit the fan.

I hope this chapter lived up to expectations since her mom showed up. I didn't want it to seem too dramatic or over the top, so hopefully it didn't.

I'm working on the next chapter. I have what I want to happen in my head, I'm just trying to get it down into words. I had everything planned out a few weeks ago, but I decided to go down a different path so I'm trying to straighten everything out. Hopefully you all enjoy the path I chose better than the original one. I think you will, maybe, lol.

I really appreciate the reviews I've been getting. I love reading what everyone thinks as they read the chapter. Leave a review, let me know what you think. It really does help me make my decisions.