“So Vanessa and I are done,” Aaron said as he slumped down into the seat across from me in the library.

I raised both brows in fake surprise. I’d heard these words from Aaron a million times, so I wasn’t overly elated or concerned. “Oh?”

“Yeah and it’s real this time.”

I barely contained my amused snort. I’d also heard that too many times to count.

“What happened this time?” I asked, knowing that he wouldn’t budge if I didn’t ask and for once, I didn’t have time for him or his relationship problems. I had a history test I had to ace.

“We went to Charlie’s party last night and we got into a fight. She disappeared and I went looking for her to apologize. I searched through the house and I finally found her, cuddling with some fucking loser. We got into another fight and I told her that I’d had enough.”

“Mmhmm.” I nodded and underlined a few key points in my textbook.

“E, could you give me a second here. I know you think this is just another one of those times but it isn’t. Things were said last night that I don’t think I can forgive.”

I looked at him and wondered if he was serious this time. I closed my book and sat back. “Okay, so now what?”

“So now, I have more time to spend with my friends. Spend with you. Maybe we could even go on a date,” he said grinning.

My heart stopped. Was Aaron finally asking me out? “Do you … do you want to go to the movies tonight? To take your mind off it?”

“Yeah, that would be cool. We could go see that new zombie movie. Vanessa refused to see it when it came out last week.”

I hid my distaste at the movie. Zombie flicks weren’t my thing either but a movie with Aaron was a movie with Aaron and I’d take what I could get.

“And E, what I said about your hair…I was just surprised by it but I’ve had time to deal and it honestly looks really hot. It suits you,” Aaron said, his eyes looking directly into mine.

I felt a blush sweep over my cheeks. “Thanks Aaron.”

Aaron got up and grinned at me. “So, yeah, I’ll pick you up at your house around six? Cool?”

“Sounds perfect. See you then,” I said calmly, trying to contain my excitement.

“Okay, later,” with that said he turned away and left the library.

After he left my mind kept drifting to thoughts about what would happen that evening. This was my chance to make my move. Aaron was single again and maybe this time was our chance.

.

“And how awesome was it when the slime went everywhere and it was like it was coming right at you.”

I nodded and stifled a yawn as Aaron went on about the movie. It wasn’t that I didn’t like that he was showing enthusiasm for it, but he’d been talking about it for the past half an hour and I was tired of the conversation – well if you could even call it that. When Aaron got started on a subject, he just didn’t stop, leaving very little chance for other people to get a comment in.

We were in the middle of eating at the local diner and I was trying to pay attention to the topic but I kept getting distracted by my own thoughts. Would Aaron kiss me when he brought me home? Signs were pointing to a positive answer. At some point in the middle of the movie, he’d reached over and taken my hand. He hadn’t let go until we’d left the theatre and walked to his car.

Maybe I should have been concerned by this sudden interest in me. Part of me, the intelligent part, knew that I was setting myself up for heartbreak. Just yesterday, Aaron had been head over heels in love with Vanessa now suddenly he was interested in me. The other part, the part that kept pushing the intelligence out of my head, was hoping that this was real. I wanted Aaron and I to be together so badly that I didn’t want to think about logic. I just wanted to follow my heart.

“Well look who it is.” A frosty voice came from beside us.

Aaron and I both looked up and saw Vanessa standing right in front of our table.

“Well you don’t waste time do you, Aaron,” she said, giving him a glacial look. “And come to think of it neither do you,” she said to me. “God Elizabeth, don’t you have any pride – I mean, going after my cast-offs? How sad.”

My hands clenched at my side but I didn’t say a word. I didn’t want Vanessa to see that her words had affected me.

“That’s enough, Vanessa. Don’t talk to E like that,” Aaron said, his mouth twisted in anger.

I looked at him and my heart warmed. He was standing up for me. He was choosing me over Vanessa. I couldn’t believe it.

Vanessa gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Whatever. I have nothing else to say to either of you. Besides I wouldn’t want to keep my date waiting.” She tossed her hair and walked out of the restaurant. I looked back at Aaron and his eyes were following her even now when she was outside. His mouth compressed further and I followed his gaze and saw that Vanessa was grabbing the hand of a very good-looking guy.

My eyes shifted away from the scene and slid back to him. He wasn’t looking at them anymore. His eyes were down and looked both upset and tired.

I knew the date was over. “Hey, umm, maybe we should go?” I asked.

He glanced up at me. “Yeah, that would be good. I’ve got some stuff to do.”

He waved over the waitress and paid for the bill and in a few minutes, we were out the door and heading to my house in his car. The mood in the car was gloomy. Aaron was quiet and I was upset. Everything had been going so well until Vanessa had shown up.

He stopped in front of my house and cut the engine.

I unbuckled my belt and reached for the door. “So I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He nodded.

I was opening the door to get out when he stopped me. “E?”

I looked back at him. “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry about what happened back there.” He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled softly.

I turned back towards him fully and shook my head. “It’s not your fault, Aaron. It was Vanessa’s.”

He shrugged. “I guess. Look, we can do the dinner thing again … maybe this weekend?”

“I’d really like that,” I said smiling.

“Cool,” he said and smiled back at me. Then closed the space in between us and brushed his lips against mine.

Here it was, the moment. Aaron was kissing me. Aaron Aackerton was kissing me Elizabeth Coppley. I was so stunned by this that I didn’t even really process the kiss and before I could fully enjoy it, he had lifted his head and was smiling at me. “Thanks for tonight, E.”

I nodded, still too amazed by what had just happened to formulate any words.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said. I nodded again and got out of the car. He waited until I got to the door before he waved and drove off.

I watched his car until it turned off my street and finally let out a joyous laugh. Aaron and I were finally more than friends and things were finally starting to go my way.

 

 

 

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