Aaron's POV
I was embarrassed about what happened last night. I thought I could ignore it and push it away, like I did most emotions, but it didn't happen. As soon as I saw Emery's face, I had to attempt to force the rising, uncontrollable emotion of embarrassment away. I didn't want to change around Emery. However, something about him was different; something about him made me want to open up.
However, as I walked down the streets of New York, I felt as if I've messed our whole friendship up.
So as soon as I saw his face, I ran. I was scared and felt as if he could see right through me. My feelings were all over the place, and I didn't know why. I didn't know why, after three years of feeling nothing but sadness and longing, why the sight of Emery changed everything I thought about myself. Even looking back, to when he threw salt in my eyes, a normal Aaron would have done something to scare Emery away or, out of anger, yell at him for being stupid.
But no. I decided to take him out on a frozen yogurt "date" and tell him about Severus, the event in my life that only my family knows about and no one else. Except now, Emery knows too. I let him stay in my house after knowing him for only days and kissed him on the temple when he fell asleep on my shoulder.
And then, last night, he fell asleep in my bed, and I let him stay there. Not only that, but I laid there and held him willingly as he was asleep. Was that considered sexual assault? Is that creepy? Why did I even do that?
Why was this boy changing me so fast?
Was I starting to...like him romantically?
For the first time in years, my heart pounded with that familiar beat. The thought of true happiness. The thought of getting over a lost love with a new one. The thought that I might be recovering from my rut of distancing myself. My heart, suppressed, beat faster with the thought of becoming what I once was: a goody-two-shoes nerd who latched onto anyone who would care.
But then, another part of me wants to cling to the past, wants to hold onto the memory of Severus and never let go. One part of me is scared I'll regret it. Scared that it will end up with another dead body lying in front of me and that I'll never recover. One part of me is scared to ruin what I have and the future I've planned: rejoicing with Severin as we reunite in death. What if Severin moves on, and I never get to feel his presence again? I can't feel his presence now, and that makes fear crawl up my spine. I feel utterly exposed to the real world without my ghost guardian having my back.
He's never left my side. Not in three years. Not until now.
Now- that Emery has invaded my life. I don't know whether it's a good thing or a bad thing that I made friends with Emery Adams. I have someone in my life now, is that how it's supposed to be?
I remember promising Emery that I'd be his guardian. Why did I do that? I'm no guardian. I feel like taking it back and hiding from the hooded boy forever. But something was stopping me.
The way he bought me that cake in thanks for his stay. The way he showed up with bruises and cuts on his face and torso because of his mysteriously brutal cousin. A cousin who sounded like someone Severin would beat up back when he was alive. I thought a couple of times about beating that little menace to pieces for what he did to Emery. I was stronger than I was when I was with Severus, not only physically but sensibly.
I kept walking and walking until I had no idea where I was. I thought about getting out Google Maps and looking for the nearest Chick-fil-a, but I wasn't that hungry and it was still early morning. So, I kept walking until I was in a run-down suburban area. I had always known there was a poor residential area near my apartment and college, but I had never been there. Now that I was looking at it, I was glad I had never seen it.
Every house looked like they were minutes from falling apart. Some of the exclusive ones had green yards in front of their doorways, but most were too uncared for and had brown grass. It was sad to see the neighborhood, and the sight of it made me appreciate having a decent apartment for someone my age.
A ding let off in my pocket. A text message from Emery popped up on the screen. It read: Don't go too far. You might get lost
Another one popped up before I even finished reading the first one: I don't have classes today, so I'll see you when you get done, right? I'm going to my house to get some clean clothes and drop off my old ones.
And again: I'll go get lunch, if you're hungry afterward. Or we could get lunch together?
Wait nvm we don't have to if you're uncomfortable, and your classes are at twelve you'll probably eat before
Just let me know if you are okay and ignore all those last texts. Please.
I almost laughed at his texts. How could someone sound so awkward through a text message? I was about to reply that lunch sounded great, but I stopped in my tracks. I didn't want to sit through an award lunch with Emery before I had my feelings figured out.
No thanks, I replied, I think I'm going to eat before my classes. I'm going to the gym. I'll see you later.
I felt as if my heart was yelling at me to stop being so stupid, but I ignored it.
Suddenly, someone pushed me from behind. I turned around angrily to see who had ran into me, only to see a purple-hooded head with his phone in his hand. He looked up at me, equally shocked.
"What are you doing here?!" Emery asked, clutching his phone to his chest, " I thought- I thought you were going to the gym? There is no gym near here!"
"I-I was about to start heading there. I took a walk first," I sort-of lied. I really was thinking of going to the gym before running into him. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to your house."
"I-" Emery's cheeks turned a bright red. He shuffled his feet a little while fiddling with his phone, "I-uh- I live here."
I looked around at the amber yards and the peeling-painted houses that were once bright colors but were now faded and dirt-smothered. I noticed the old-fashioned doors that were either stuck in the doorframe or hanging off the hinges. The neighborhood looked as if it were once valued a long time ago, but then was degraded and shingle-less as time took its toll. Then I looked at Emery, who I noticed wore the same ripped black jeans and the same purple hoodie each day. I thought it was just his style; I never once considered that he had no other option. I also looked at the phone he was holding in his small hands- an older model of an android phone that probably used minutes.
"What?" I asked, completely taken aback.
"I-um- I live here," he repeated, obviously embarrassed and preparing himself for ridicule, "Uh, in that house...over there." He pointed to a house that looked like it was once green but faded to white over years of exposure and time. He had a small gate in his yard, which was useless since he didn't have a fence.
"Oh, um, well, since I'm here," I said, eyeing the house, "I will go with you," Emery nodded and waited as if he was still waiting for me to say something negative about where he lived, but I just sighed. "Also, I'm sorry for this morning. I was being a little too defensive and I apologize. It wasn't anything you did, I promise." It was something I did, I wanted to say. But I didn't want to end up confessing to him about my boner.
"It's okay," he assured, giving me a small smile, "Severus explained everything for you."
Everything?
"Uh, okay, great," I stuttered, and gestured towards the house, "So, how about getting those clothes? I would love to meet your family!" I really didn't like human interaction, especially with adults who I didn't even know the names of. However, I wanted to make Emery feel comfortable and treat him as if I never saw the house in the shape it was. Plus it was a great subject change.
"Sure," Emery mumbled, biting his lip as he started leading the way, "I do have to warn you though: my family is strange. One half of it is Wiccan and the other half is Christain. You can guess which side my cousin is on."
"What side are you on?" I asked, genuinely curious, as we walked through the gate. If Emery had a religious preference, that would be something I needed to know about. I wouldn't want to say anything offensive on accident and find out later.
"Neither. So far, I believe that there is an afterlife and a higher power, but I'm not sure what they are yet. And I'm not too sure I want to figure it out," Emery added, "I like not having certain beliefs binding me to certain rules or actions. I like knowing that every decision I make is mine and not some subconscious bias towards my religion. I like believing that different entities can exist even if most religions keep you from opening up your mind towards the thought."
"Interesting," I said, figuring that he gave it a lot of thought to have such an articulate answer. Emery was fiddling with the doorknob, before he kicked the door- which made me jump at the unexpected action.
"MOM!" he yelled loudly, "THE DOOR KNOB IS STUCK AGAIN!"
He waited for a second before the door swung open. There, in the doorway, was a beautiful woman, who had the same pale skin as her son. Her eyes were darker than Emery's but they were still a beautiful brown color. They were just as sweet too. Her hair was in a messy bun and a pentagram lay on a chain on her chest.
"Oh sweetheart, I'm so glad you're-! Oh..." she noticed me standing behind him, "Darling, you didn't tell me you were bringing a friend! The house is a mess! ...Well, the house is always a mess but it looks even worse uncleaned!" She sighed, looking into her house. "Guess it will have to do." She turned to me with a hand held out, "Nice to meet you, young man. I'm Natalie Adams, but, please, call me Nat."
"Aaron Will," I introduced myself and shook her dainty hand.
"Please, come in, " Nat said softly, before walking into the house and screaming, "ALEXANDER YOUR SON BROUGHT A FRIEND HOME!"
A ruffled man came walking downstairs. He looked like a typical dad, polo shirt and all. He pushed his glasses up where they were sliding down his nose and said, "Pugsley?"
Then he looked up and saw us standing in the living room.
"No, silly!" Emery's mother beamed, "Pugsley is at the church's Christian camp bewitching those little four-year-olds to learn about God. GUESS WHAT? Emery finally brought a friend home!"
"Honey, it's called Vacation Bible School, " Alexander smiled, then looked at us with kind green eyes, "And, son? You have friends? Since when?"
"Just one," Emery said, smiling, amused by his father's joke, but was also serious.
"Is he anything more than a fr-" his mom was about to ask, but then she was cut off by Emery.
"I'M GOING TO MY ROOM NOW!" Emery interrupted with a wide-eyed look toward his mother, before grabbing my arm and pulling me upstairs. Jesus, that family loves to scream. Emery was in the midst of apologizing for his weird family, but then a door opened and a girl poked her head out.
"I heard you brought a friend home," she said with a soft voice, not shy-like but as if full of knowledge. It reminded me of Luna Lovegood's voice. And it was kind of creepy as she trained her sharp, eye-lined green eyes on me. " By the way, Mom and Dad were at work the other day, but I was still here. I heard some loud noises from your bedroom. Keep it down, or I'll let the demons eat you alive. It's interrupting my meditation."
She sauntered back into the room as if demons were a normal occurrence, so maybe Emery wasn't so weird to think I was a demon at first. I assumed that was Emery's sister, Wednesday.
"Loud noises?" Emery thought out loud to himself, "But I haven't been home..."
Emery walked to the end of the hall to a door, that I assumed led to his room. He reached around and grabbed a screwdriver that was in the pocket of his backpack. For easy access, I assumed. He grabbed the knob to pick it, but the door just opened by itself.
"Weird..." Emery said, then looked at me, " I always have to pick my lock."
He slowly opened the door, and I braced for some crazy thing to jump out at us.
"Oh...my...God..." I heard him say and glanced into the room. I gasped at what I saw.
The room was entirely destroyed.
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