Aaron's POV
I couldn't stand the thought of him being in the same area as I lived. I couldn't handle another encounter of Silas McCallister in my life. I thought that, after he was thrown in jail for Severus's murder, I would never see his face nor hear his name ever again. I thought my life had moved on from the likes of Silas McCallister. But what perfect cruel twist life decided to play.
I sat on a swing set in a park, not far from Emery's house where I ran from. I felt like curling into a ball and laying there, hoping I would wake up from whatever nightmare my mind decided to star me in. That there is no possible way, on any Earth, in any universe, how Silas McCallister popped up into my life again.
I didn't mean to upset Emery; I probably had upset him. I left him there: alone, confused, and scared. I didn't want to, but I had to get away from everything at that moment. Even Severus, who usually followed me everywhere, had left me alone to drown in my memories of the past... the one thing I can't ever seem to escape. No matter how many miles I travel, no matter how hard I try to move on, no matter who I talk to, my mind always goes back in time to the moment the bullet hit Severus's chest. To the countless interviews I've had with police, repeating the awful memory multiple times just to find my love's killer. Now, that killer was back in my life, but with a different means of pissing me off.
Not only has Silas McCallister ruined me, but now he's going after the one thing that can possibly fix me: Emery, the only person I have successfully talked to, made friends with, and possibly more than friends with. He's hurting Emery, bullying Emery, and I knew that, if I didn't do something, Emery would end up just like Severus. Dead. Following me around. Waiting for me to die so I can see them again.
I wasn't the weak goody-two-shoes anymore like I was with Severus. This whole time I wanted Severus to do something, but I realized it was my turn to fight the bully off. It was my turn to be the hero and save Emery from his evil cousin. But was I brave enough?
It didn't matter, brave or not. I was angry, angrier than I had ever been in my life, and that fueled my bravery, my courage. I didn't want to be crazy or sadistic, but if the law didn't give Silas what he deserved, I would.
And he deserved so much more than just a beating...
"Aaron! There you are!" I heard a voice. It was faint, as if I was too caught up in my thoughts to hear it properly. I started to come out of it, realizing that my head was hidden behind my knees, and I was leaning against a pole that was part of the structure to the swing set.
"Aaron!" the voice was closer now, I felt a hand on my back. I lifted my head and blinked away the light. Only when the breeze of the air hit my face, when the chill of the autumn air lashed at my skin, did I realize that tears were streaming down my cheeks. I felt a flush of embarrassment from Emery seeing me like this. I was supposed to be the big tough guy. But Emery didn't seem to mind as he wrapped his arms around me.
"It's okay," Emery mumbled into my ear, "I won't let him hurt you." Was that why he thought I ran away? Out of fear and not anger? I almost wanted to laugh because my safety isn't what I was concerned about. I also found it amusing that Emery thought he could protect me, when he can't even protect himself.
When no one was safe around Silas McCallister.
I sniffed and looked him straight in his pained eyes. My mother always said that a picture could paint a thousand words, but I thought eyes held a thousand stories. If one person could read another's eyes, they could figure out someone's whole life story, personality, and emotions. There were few who could read eyes, and I wasn't that great at it. But I knew Emery's eyes weren't of sympathy, but apologetic. What? Did he think it was his fault Silas McCallister was the way he was? No one should blame themselves for someone else's actions.
"And I won't let him hurt you," I huffed, tears still staining my face, but my voice strong, "Next time he hurts you- hell, next time you even so much as see him- call me and I'll come over. I'll teach that son of a high-class homophobe that there are consequences for your actions."
The look in Emery's eyes told me that he didn't want me getting into fights, especially with Silas. But even he knew that he couldn't change my mind. He dropped it.
"Fine," he said, hesitating, before reaching out and wiping my tears with his thumb. I flinched at first, not used to someone's comfort, but I didn't refuse. Emery smiled at me, shaking his head at my displeased face.
"I was just trying to be a good boyfriend, Aaron," but then backtracked, his eyes wide, " Wait, are we boyfriends? Did I say that too soon? Crap! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. Especially after-"
"No, No. It's fine. Boyfriend is fine," I smiled with him. Despite being angry about Silas, Emery's cute awkwardness made my mood lift. Speaking of cute, Emery blushed heavily from my reply. Boyfriend is okay, I thought to myself. I didn't want it to get too serious with Emery yet, specifically because I still wasn't sure if it was a good idea to start another relationship. But it was okay to be boyfriends, right? I changed the subject. "What time is it?" I asked.
"About one in the afternoon, why?" Emery answered.
"Oh, God. I completely forgot about my classes at noon," I sighed in frustration, suddenly remembering them, "I guess I'll just have to do some research to make up for lost notes."
"Well, tomorrow we have Anatomy together," Emery smiled brightly, "So I'll make sure you don't forget that class."
"Don't remind me," I smiled, "If I have to spend one more day on bone structure, I might drop-out."
Emery smiled, but looked hesitant, like he wanted to do or say something. Apparently, he changed his mind and instead said, "Yeah. Me too."
"Let's go back to your house, now," I huffed, "Do you have any snacks? I'm kind of hungry."
"We might have some," Emery murmured. We stood, and started walking closely together.
As we talked, I couldn't help but notice Emery's hand brushing against mine.
~{()}~
It was lunchtime, and I was sitting at my normal table in the cafeteria at the college. Except this time, I had someone else sitting beside me: Emery Adams.
And he had been staring at my hand for about five minutes. I knew he wanted to hold it, and I also knew that he was too shy to just take it. I had been minutes away from taking his hand in mine, when that familiar voice rang across the cafeteria.
"AARON!" James ran up to me, sweat, yet again, dotting his forehead. He slid up to my table and screeched in my ear like some kind of deranged bird, "AARON! I-I know you have a norovirus but-but none of the other medical students listen to me and THE DOCTORS TOLD ME TO ONLY COME WHEN IT'S AN EMERGENCY! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!"
"James-"I started, but before I could finish, some guy interrupted.
"Where's the emergency?" the man said in a deep voice, which drew all of our attention. He was standing there, this super tall man, in a buff body with this dress shirt on, which had too many buttons unbuttoned at the top. He was so attractive, I was debating on whether or not to cover Emery's eyes so he couldn't fall in love. Emery didn't look surprised, however, just confused. He tilted his head to the side like a curious puppy and said, "Pugsly?"
This was his older Christian brother? Well, it explained the metal cross necklace that was sliding into the crevices of his chest. Was he a god-forsaking angel? Because I think I just died and went to heaven.
"Hey, little bro," Pugsly waved with his masculine hands, "You guys alright? What's the emergency?" he repeated.
"Um," James started to answer, which drew my attention back to him. He was jaw-dropped, probably because of Pugsly's beauty, and was fighting to find words. That was new. James being speechless. I should ask Pugsly to stay around more often.
"Um," James tried again,"...You...You're very clean." James blushed. Hold up. Was James crushing on Pugsly? Did germophobes even fall in love? Was James even gay?
"Thank you," Pugsly smiled this angelic smile, completely oblivious, "I do try my best to look nice."
"I-I bet you shower every day. No- twice a day," James said quietly, mainly to himself, but Pugsly heard it.
"Who doesn't?" Pugsly smiled wider, and I swear, I saw James melt to the floor. Was I witnessing the most awkward, yet efficient, flirting between two neat-freaks? Yes, but it was amusing to watch James completely forget about his "emergency" earlier.
"Um, hey, Pugs," Emery snatched back Pugsley's attention, "Guess what?"
"What?" Pugsley asked, looking giddy, like a child about to get a present.
Emery, finally, locked his arm with mine and held my hand. He leaned his cheek against my shoulder.
"I found a boyfriend before you found a girlfriend, " Emery taunted, sticking his tongue out afterward, "Look who's hotter now." Pugsley scoffed. I'm sure this was some sort of inside joke between the two siblings that I didn't understand, but, while they were joking, I couldn't help but be in awe of how Emery's hand fit perfectly in mine.
"You're not hot; you're cute," Pugsley stated, "The big, tough, gay guys eat that crap up."
"He has a clean mouth too," I heard James fawn to himself from behind me in a whisper about Pugsley. However, Pugsley didn't hear him this time because he and Emery were bickering.
"Yeah? Well straight girls aren't eating you up, are they?" Emery shot back.
Gay guys would though, I thought, looking over Pugsley. Good for James. He has good taste.
"Shut up," Pugsley huffed, "I didn't come here to get ridiculed."
"Then, why are you here?" Emery asked, tilting his head again, "Aren't you living on your own now that you have a job?"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that I can't spend time with my family," Pugsley argued, "Also, I already saw mom, and she said you were doing classes today, so I decided to stop by."
"I'm surprised that Wednesday hasn't sent her demons on you yet," Emery huffed, smiling while clenching my hand a little harder.
"I'm surprised that Mom hasn't told me about this yet," Pugsley responded, gesturing to me and Emery, "She would fangirl like crazy about you being in a relationship..." He then gasped."Unless..." he reached in his pocket and slid out his phone, wagging it around, "Unless she doesn't know about yet~."
Emery shot up from the table and let go of my hand, running around and up to his big brother. Pugsley, foreseeing Emery snatching his phone away, used his height to his advantage and held his phone high up in the air. Emery jumped for it, but, with his small stature, there was no way he was going to jump high enough to reach Pugsley's hand.
"Pugsley," he whined, "Please don't do it."
"And why shouldn't I?" Pugsley teased. Turning his phone on easily with a push of the button, displaying the screen to Emery teasingly.
"I want to be the one to tell her," Emery huffed, still in a whiny voice.
"You are going to tell her?" Pugsley laughed, "Emery you always keep your secrets. When exactly are you going to tell her?"
"Soon?" Emery sighed, giving up on the phone and crossing his arms, " I'm not sure, but I will tell her." Pugsley raised his eyebrow.
"Just like you told her about those bullies?" Pugsley asked, "Or those marks on your arms?"
"Pugsley!" Emery hissed, "We agreed not to talk about that anymore."
"But-"
"Not in public," Emery said through gritted teeth, before going back to his normal voice, "I will tell Mom, promise. Just don't talk about that anymore."
"Does he know?" Pugsley asked accusingly, pointing at me.
"Most of it," Emery sighed, rubbing his temples, "Now go home, Pugs. I want to spend time with my boyfriend, alone."
Pugsley nodded before walking up to me and holding his hand out to shake. I reluctantly took it.
"Nice meeting you...?"
"Aaron," I replied, "Aaron Will."
"Nice meeting you, Aaron," Pugsley suddenly squeezed my hand harder, "Be nice to my little brother or I'll make Wednesday feed you to her demons. Okay?"
"Sounds good to me," I winced at the amount of pressure he was squeezing my hand with.
"Good," Pugsly said, then turned to Emery, "Bye Em, see you when you get home."
"Bye," Emery huffed.
Pugsley then turned to James, and winked.
"Bye you," he said before turning around and walking back through the cafeteria.
"I'm sorry about him," Emery mumbled, "Did he hurt you?"
"Nah," I smirked, grabbing his hand with mine and lacing our fingers together, which made him blush. I was curious about what Pugsley was talking about earlier, especially the "marks on the arms" part but I wasn't going to pry. I know Emery will eventually tell me everything. Hopefully.
James sighed from beside me and left silently. That's a first. Maybe his mind was too focused on Pugsley to care about good-byes. It confused me on how he had been acting that whole time, maybe he was gay? Or perhaps I'm taking it too far, and he just appreciates the fact that Pugsley is a clean man like himself.
Who knows.
Suddenly, I felt an urgent tap on my shoulder from Severus. I knew it was him because, when I turned around no one was there to tap my shoulder. That tap usually meant "I need to talk to you," so I grabbed a paper and pen from my backpack.
I let him guide my hand over the paper as to not seem suspicious.
"Severus?" Emery asked, hand still entwined with mine.
"Yeah," I replied shortly, watching him slowly form words on the note.
There's a ghost here, Severus said, And she claims to know Emery.
Comments (4)
See all