Grown-ish season 2 has had one obsession since the very beginning, and that is the relationship between Zoey Johnson (Yara Shahidi) and Luca Hall (Luka Sabbat). The intense romance even affects Zoey's friendship with the Forster sisters (Chloe and Halley Bailey). If you’re more than a little wary of the Zoey-Luca coupling, all of this attention might be a little much.
Thankfully, another Grown-ish couple has risen with the airing of Wednesday night’s “Girls Like You:” Ana Torres (Francia Raisa) and Aaron Jackson (Trevor Jackson). Ana and Aaron finally kiss, breaking five episodes of mounting sexual tension. While longtime fans might need some convincing that Zoey’s BFF and her possible end-game love interest are truly stan-worthy, all the evidence has been there since the start of the Freeform comedy. It's time to get on board.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Essentially, Ana and Aaron work because they push each other to think better and bigger — that’s a huge component of a successful relationship. That quality is on full display in “Like You,” as the Grown-ish friend group decides to cross some items off of their college bucket list. That fun night kicks off when Aaron, a pineapple-on-pizza super fan, learns that Ana has never had his beloved salty-sweet snack. When they go out later that evening, he urges her to at least try it. If she hates it, no one dies; if she loves it, well, her world has just opened up a little bit more.
The whole playful experience lacks the eye-rolling shade of many interactions between Zoey and Luca, who has real disdain for his girlfriend’s more mainstream quirks. Here, it’s obvious Aaron doesn’t think Ana is legitimately less-than for never ordering a Hawaiian-style slice. The whole endeavor also works out, since Anna ends up loving his divisive pizza preference. As Aaron reminds his friend, she “ate nine pieces” of the new food.
Seconds later, he kisses Ana, officially capping off their night of firsts. Cute!
However, the push-and-pull of Ana and Aaron has been baked into Grown-ish since the first season. In one of the most memorable episodes of the series, “Safe And Sound,” the pair go head-to-head on their polar-opposite political views. Aaron is as liberal as they come, and dreams of being the next Black cultural revolutionary. Ana, on the other hand, is a conservative who once claimed members of her party are “the most oppressed people on campus.” These wildly opposing attitudes lead to a safe space-related riot in Grown-ish season 1 that nearly eliminates all interest-based and minority-supporting Cal U housing options.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
All of this drama gave Grown-ish the chance to deepen Ana's character by explaining she fears liberal politics due to her family’s history of persecution in Communist Cuba. By the end of “Safe,” Ana and Aaron were arm-in-arm, wearing shirts with the other person’s political slogan splashed on their chests. This show of understanding and growth saved the day for Cal U's much-needed safe spaces.
The pair’s opposites-attract vibes only got stronger with season 2's premiere, “Better.” During that episode, Ana and Aaron shared a one-on-one conversation that touched on everything from Ana’s actual culture (she’s Cuban, not Mexican), some roommate tension, and the proper way to administer infant CPA.
But that little chat was just a ship-worthy appetizer. The sparks really started flying in the next episode, “Nothing Was The Same,” when Ana explained to Aaron why his depressing 12 Years A Slave-themed movie night was such an epic failure. This is when Aaron learned that spreading Black joy can “elevate” his community just as much — if not even more — than inflicting PTSD with a “refined” film like Steve McQueen's Oscar winner. After Aaron's conversation with Ana, it’s unlikely he will make such a painful choice as an RA again.
Just like pineapple and pizza in the Grown-ish world, it seems like Ana and Aaron are simply better together.