The Perfect Fix (Perfect Kisses #5) - Miley Maine Page 0,12

go down badly, but I don’t let them stop me. I get to her front door and knock before I can freak out anymore.

“Hi...?” Aisha looks just as confused and bewildered as she always does when she sees me. “Can I help you?”

“I have a Christmas card for you.” I feel a bit silly as a hand it over now. “I just wanted to bring it over...”

“Right... thank you. I haven’t sorted out my cards yet. I know it’s getting a bit late in the year...”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not expecting one back...”

“I will get you one, just as soon as I have the chance.”

It quickly becomes clear that she isn’t going to open the card here and now which may well be for the best since the tension is already incredibly thick between us.

“Right, well I’m going to go.” I step back needing to get away from the awkwardness. It’s starting to get a bit too much for me now. For her as well, I can see it. “I will see you later on.”

“Sure, yes, thanks again. For the card I mean, that’s really nice of you...”

“No worries, it’s fine.” I smile at her but don’t get that back “Bye then, speak soon.”

“Yes, goodbye.”

I can feel her eyes piercing through me as I walk away. The sensation of her eyes upon me makes me wish I could witness her face when she opens the envelope and see what I have done, but I suppose I have to do whatever makes her feel happy. Hopefully, I will find out her feelings the next time I see her. Fingers crossed it will be incredible. I’m really hoping that she will finally look at me for real.

There is a hammering on the door, one so loud it shakes me from my nap. I shouldn’t be sleeping anyway, I have so much work to get done, to make up for today and my time off because of the meeting, so this disturbance is welcome... although I have the impression already that it’s going to be a negative one.

“Oh, Aisha.” Shit, she looks mad... This definitely isn’t a positive reaction I was expecting. “Are you okay?”

“What the hell is this?” she snaps furiously while waving the receipt at me. “What the hell did you do? Why would you do this? What do you think you were doing? How could you do this to me?”

“I... I...” I don’t know what to say, I’m a bit blown away. “I wanted to help...”

“I don’t need your help.” She snorts angrily. “I’m not a charity case. You don’t just go around and do this sort of thing for people without asking them first. This is embarrassing, do you even get how humiliating this is? It’s bad enough that the school knows how much I’m struggling financially, but to have someone come in to do this... I don’t even know what to say. I don’t think I can take Travis back into school after you’ve done this. How can I face people? Did you even think about that?”

“I...” Why the hell can’t I think of any words that I found myself? I haven’t done anything wrong, yet I feel like I have.

“You just assume because you’re so flash, and you have lots of money that you can embarrass me like this? You think this is a good thing? I don’t even know who you are...”

“I want to know who you are,” I try, wanting to let her see how nice person I am. “I want you to know me as well.”

“And this... this is how you get to know people? This is the sort of thing you do?”

“Of course, not... I don’t do this for anyone. I just... well I like you; I like you a lot. I like Travis as well and I think he deserves an education...”

“I know he deserves an education; I want him to have an education. I’m his mother and I’m the one that’s working towards that always. You don’t get to be a part of that.”

“This isn’t something that I have done for glory.” I suddenly realize what the issue might be. “I’m not going to tell Travis that this had anything to do with me. I just wanted to help. I thought you might want Travis back in school.”

We stare at each other in this weird stand-off. She doesn’t seem to get my point of view, and I’m not sure if I understand Aisha’s. Why wouldn’t she want this help for her