Homeroom

Bonus Chapter #3

[A/N] Idea from lab2001 :) 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I huff, checking the time on my phone as a late night talk show plays on the television. He promised he'd be home by eleven; he promised me. It's 1 AM.

What in the world is he doing out so late? He said he was just going to hang out with Al, not disappear for hours on end. I called the both of them at least 15 times and was sent straight to voicemail each time.

I hear the front door click open and bang shut. Glaring, I silently watch Aaron stumble into the room, smiling widely. "Hiya, baby," he laughs, practically falling on top of me and pressing his lips to my neck.

"Get off me," I curtly say, pushing him away. I stalk off to the kitchen, avoiding the smell of alcohol lingering on his breath.

"Why are you so mad?" he asks, following me. He touches me again, and I smack his hand away. His lips turns down into a frown.

"You came home three hours late and didn't answer any of my calls. What in the world were you doing? I was worried sick, Aaron, don't you get that?" I look at him straight in the eyes, waiting for an answer.

"My phone died, and I loss track of time, okay? God, I didn't realize you  were a parole officer."

I stick my hand out. "Let me see it then."

"See what?"

"See your phone," I insist.

He rolls his eyes, pulling his phone out of his pocket and tossing it to me. It hits my stomach, clattering to the floor. I pick it up from the ground, testing the home button before turning it on. A silver apple flashes on the screen, and I glare at him. "It's not dead."

He doesn't say anything as he marches away from me. I follow him hot on his heels, demanding an answer. "Why did you lie to me? What are you hiding from me?"

"I'm not hiding anything!" he yells back, running his hand through his hair.

"You're lying!" I shout back.

His eyebrows scrunch together when he seethes. "And you're a bitch."

My jaw hangs open, heart sinking to the pit of my stomach. "What'd you just call me?"

He repeats it with a disconnected voice, pupils dilated and cold like the sea. "A bitch."

Anger pulses through my bloodstream, tinting everything I see red. "Leave."

"What?" he asks in disbelief.

"Leave," I repeat, crossing my arms.

"No," he shoots back.

"Fine," I fume, throwing his phone at his chest, "then I am."

I walk into our bedroom with heavy, quick steps, pulling my suitcase from the closet and shoving all my clothes into it. I feel his eyes on me, watching my every move, but I wildly take my things and push past him. I've never seen him act so... arrogant, but he needs to learn that I won't ever take that kind of attitude from him, no matter what state he's in.

* * * * *

I shove a forkful of eggs into my mouth as Shay and Luke closely watch me. "What?"

Luke shakes his head, looking down at his plate. "Nothing."

I turn to Shay, who's biting her lip. "Tell me," I implore.

She elbows Luke, looking at him with worried eyes. Luke sighs, letting his fork clatter onto the plate. "Aaron's been having a rough time lately. He's stressed out."

"And how would you know that?" I shoot back.

"Because I was with him and Al last night and every other night for the past two weeks."

I raise an eyebrow. "Doing what, exactly?"

"Trying to write songs at the studio. He's been struggling with it lately, and we were all hoping a few drinks would ease him out of the writer's block."

My thoughts race around in circles. Could a case of writer's block really get him angry like that? "But then why wouldn't he just tell me that?"

He shrugs. "Maybe he didn't want to tarnish his pride, I don't know."

The doorbell rings. We all know who it is.

I take my time walking to the foyer, collecting myself before opening the door. Aaron stands in front of me in the same clothes, messy hair, and dark bags under his eyes. I ignore the throbbing in the back of my throat. "What do you want?"

He lets out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry, Callie, I'm so sorry. I was completely out of my mind last night and I shouldn't have said any of the things I said. I didn't mean any of it, I swear." His hazel eyes turn glassy.

"So where were you?"

"At the studio, writing."

"And why did you tell me your phone was dead?"

"I swear it was. I pressed the home button a hundred times."

"Well, it was off."

He closes his eyes, defeated hitting himself in the forehead. "I'm such an idiot."

"You called me a bitch," I say, clearing my throat.

He grabs my hands from my sides. I twitch, and I know he feels it. "I'm so sorry, babe, I really am. I've been stressed for weeks and drinking was not the way to handle it, I realize that now. It made me into someone I'm not."

"But why didn't you just tell me you were stressed?"

He gulps. "Because, " he pauses, stuttering, "because I didn't want to tell the love of my life that I couldn't write a good song about her. There, I said it." He looks down, ashamed.

I laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. "I don't care if you can't write some stupid song about me, Aaron, I care about you. I care about your health, your mental and emotional well-being, and that infectious smile that I don't ever want to see disappear."

I poke his dimple, and he cracks an unsure half-smile. I tickle his stomach, and he starts to giggle. "I'm sorry. I love you," he tells me pulling me closer to him.

I press a small kiss to his nose. "I love you, too."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

[A/N] I'm not sure if this update was any good or not, but I think it shows that relationship aren't always perfect.