Chapter 7
(Bella)
When the two left it was dusk, the sun just barely visible from behind the large brick buildings.
“Okay, three things. First of all, we got no work done.” Bella started as they headed down the sidewalk to the dormitory.
“We could always hit that coffee shop you were going on about.” Aaron offered, looking down at her. She nodded. “Sure, but I’m paying this time.” Aaron sighed, rolling his eyes playfully.
------
They headed into the Moonlight Coffee shop, the glass door ringing as they headed in, quickly ordering two small coffees.
“So what else did you want to tell me?” Aaron asked as they slid into the small booth next to the window.
“I just wanted to apologize for doubting you.” She admitted, pulling at her jacket sleeves.
“It’s not a big deal at all. Seriously, are you guilty about that?” Aaron asked, almost a hint of worry in his scratchy voice. She nodded, smiling slightly. “Don’t.” He said sternly, looking at her with a serious expression.
She giggled.
“Okay, fine. Last of all, how did you even pay for that? Do you have a job?” She asked with a demanding-like tone.
“...My dad put a lot of money in my bank account.” He said hesitantly, looking out the window sideways. She pursed her lips but didn’t respond.
“Can I ask you a question now?” He asked, smirking slightly. She nodded, pulling out her laptop from her bag carefully.
“Why haven’t you ever been on a date?” Bella nearly spilled her coffee. He jumped slightly, startled by the sudden movement.
Bella apologized again, wiping her jeans off.
“Why would you want to know?” She asked, her voice still trembling slightly.
“You don’t have to answer it, no pressure.” Aaron reassured her. Bella swallowed, sighing quietly before opening her mouth to respond.
“I’m busy a lot, I guess. Plus, I’m not exactly viewed as pretty I suppose.” She admitted, looking up at him. He shook his head.
“Beauty standards are stupid. Besides, what good does the basic 'beauty' do for you in the real world?” He asked, putting down his cup. She smiled, pushing a curl behind her ear. “Not much.”
------
They eventually headed home with finished homework, stars scattering the night sky. Lamps illuminated the sidewalks that they walked down silently, listening to the crickets chirp obnoxiously, the loud chirping surrounding them.
“I’m stuffed.” Bella announced, breaking the silence.
“I’m exhausted.” Aaron added, looking down at her.
“But, I’m happy.” Bella smiled.
Suddenly police sirens sounded, blue and red flashing lights blinding the two college students. The car parked and a short thin police officer hopped out off the car, jogging toward them. He stopped once he reached them, panting. Aaron looked down at Bella with a small strike of panic.
“You two! You haven’t seen a man with bright orange hair and a bag of money running past, have you?” The officer man said, panting lightly.
“No sir.” Bella said, stepping toward the officer to cover for Aaron who looked like he was about to pee himself, standing stiffly while avoiding eye contact with the officer.
“Someone’s robbed the bank downtown, I was hoping he wouldn’t come this way. Normally we don’t have to cover this job, but Celeste seems to be out of it tonight.” The officer said, looking up toward the sky as if he was expecting her to fly down at any moment. Bella flinched. She probably should be out doing her job, not going out on platonic homework dates with her roommate.
“Well, thanks for helping. You two stay safe!” The cop finished, jogging back to his car. The car took off, the loud sirens fading off into the distance. Bella turned back, looking up at Aaron worriedly. “You okay?” She asked, nudging him gently. He nodded, snapping out of it.
“Let’s get outta here…” Aaron said, grabbing her hand as he began walking quickly, looking around them constantly.
Soon they arrived at the dorm and Aaron unlocked it quickly, getting them inside. It began pouring rain almost as soon as they stepped into their room, almost making it sound like someone was banging on the windows. Aaron began walking around, closing off every window in the dorm.
“Aaron, it’s okay,” She stopped him, grabbing his arm gently.
“No one can hurt you in here. It’s safe.” She reassured him, though he still looked like he had seen a ghost. He sighed, sitting down on his bed, the lumpy mattress making a squeaking noise. Bella sat down next to him, playing with her fingers.
“I’m not scared for myself. I probably deserve to…” His voice trailed off and he looked at her, regaining his words.
“I don’t want them hurting you. And I won’t let a soul hurt either you or me as long as I can. That was want I had wanted to tell you the first time. I want to protect you.” He finished, putting a hand on her leg gently.
“Aaron, I won’t get hurt. I can fight people, I’m brave enough to protect both you, me, and a couple hundred other people.” Bella said. He smiled softly, as if reassured at last.
“I protect you, you protect me.” Aaron said, holding out his pinky finger. She laughed.
“This is so childish.” She held out her pinky, shaking on it. She smiled, their pinkies dropping to the bed, still locked. She leaned her head on his shoulder, falling asleep slowly.
Maybe this year wouldn’t be as long as she suspected.
(Bella)
When the two left it was dusk, the sun just barely visible from behind the large brick buildings.
“Okay, three things. First of all, we got no work done.” Bella started as they headed down the sidewalk to the dormitory.
“We could always hit that coffee shop you were going on about.” Aaron offered, looking down at her. She nodded. “Sure, but I’m paying this time.” Aaron sighed, rolling his eyes playfully.
------
They headed into the Moonlight Coffee shop, the glass door ringing as they headed in, quickly ordering two small coffees.
“So what else did you want to tell me?” Aaron asked as they slid into the small booth next to the window.
“I just wanted to apologize for doubting you.” She admitted, pulling at her jacket sleeves.
“It’s not a big deal at all. Seriously, are you guilty about that?” Aaron asked, almost a hint of worry in his scratchy voice. She nodded, smiling slightly. “Don’t.” He said sternly, looking at her with a serious expression.
She giggled.
“Okay, fine. Last of all, how did you even pay for that? Do you have a job?” She asked with a demanding-like tone.
“...My dad put a lot of money in my bank account.” He said hesitantly, looking out the window sideways. She pursed her lips but didn’t respond.
“Can I ask you a question now?” He asked, smirking slightly. She nodded, pulling out her laptop from her bag carefully.
“Why haven’t you ever been on a date?” Bella nearly spilled her coffee. He jumped slightly, startled by the sudden movement.
Bella apologized again, wiping her jeans off.
“Why would you want to know?” She asked, her voice still trembling slightly.
“You don’t have to answer it, no pressure.” Aaron reassured her. Bella swallowed, sighing quietly before opening her mouth to respond.
“I’m busy a lot, I guess. Plus, I’m not exactly viewed as pretty I suppose.” She admitted, looking up at him. He shook his head.
“Beauty standards are stupid. Besides, what good does the basic 'beauty' do for you in the real world?” He asked, putting down his cup. She smiled, pushing a curl behind her ear. “Not much.”
------
They eventually headed home with finished homework, stars scattering the night sky. Lamps illuminated the sidewalks that they walked down silently, listening to the crickets chirp obnoxiously, the loud chirping surrounding them.
“I’m stuffed.” Bella announced, breaking the silence.
“I’m exhausted.” Aaron added, looking down at her.
“But, I’m happy.” Bella smiled.
Suddenly police sirens sounded, blue and red flashing lights blinding the two college students. The car parked and a short thin police officer hopped out off the car, jogging toward them. He stopped once he reached them, panting. Aaron looked down at Bella with a small strike of panic.
“You two! You haven’t seen a man with bright orange hair and a bag of money running past, have you?” The officer man said, panting lightly.
“No sir.” Bella said, stepping toward the officer to cover for Aaron who looked like he was about to pee himself, standing stiffly while avoiding eye contact with the officer.
“Someone’s robbed the bank downtown, I was hoping he wouldn’t come this way. Normally we don’t have to cover this job, but Celeste seems to be out of it tonight.” The officer said, looking up toward the sky as if he was expecting her to fly down at any moment. Bella flinched. She probably should be out doing her job, not going out on platonic homework dates with her roommate.
“Well, thanks for helping. You two stay safe!” The cop finished, jogging back to his car. The car took off, the loud sirens fading off into the distance. Bella turned back, looking up at Aaron worriedly. “You okay?” She asked, nudging him gently. He nodded, snapping out of it.
“Let’s get outta here…” Aaron said, grabbing her hand as he began walking quickly, looking around them constantly.
Soon they arrived at the dorm and Aaron unlocked it quickly, getting them inside. It began pouring rain almost as soon as they stepped into their room, almost making it sound like someone was banging on the windows. Aaron began walking around, closing off every window in the dorm.
“Aaron, it’s okay,” She stopped him, grabbing his arm gently.
“No one can hurt you in here. It’s safe.” She reassured him, though he still looked like he had seen a ghost. He sighed, sitting down on his bed, the lumpy mattress making a squeaking noise. Bella sat down next to him, playing with her fingers.
“I’m not scared for myself. I probably deserve to…” His voice trailed off and he looked at her, regaining his words.
“I don’t want them hurting you. And I won’t let a soul hurt either you or me as long as I can. That was want I had wanted to tell you the first time. I want to protect you.” He finished, putting a hand on her leg gently.
“Aaron, I won’t get hurt. I can fight people, I’m brave enough to protect both you, me, and a couple hundred other people.” Bella said. He smiled softly, as if reassured at last.
“I protect you, you protect me.” Aaron said, holding out his pinky finger. She laughed.
“This is so childish.” She held out her pinky, shaking on it. She smiled, their pinkies dropping to the bed, still locked. She leaned her head on his shoulder, falling asleep slowly.
Maybe this year wouldn’t be as long as she suspected.