We were never meant to be

Chapter twenty-four

Aaron
"We're here cheesecakes." I say and she gets off the motorcycle. Giving me the helmet, she goes to sit at our place. When she said that, I could have died of happiness, right there and then.
I fix my motorcycle to a place and take my helmet off. Making my way to her, I sit down and her scent reaches me. God, give me patience.
"Wait here." She says and gets up, going to the motorcycle. What on earth is she doing? She comes back, holding the same bag she had from before.
"I thought that was your grandma's." I say as she sits down again.
"Well I couldn't ruin the surprise now, could I?" She teases and takes a light blue cartoon box out of the bag. I know that box, by heart. She starts to open it, looking at my reaction. I love that box, that box has...
"Cheesecakes." She says and two strawberry cheesecakes come into view.
"Cheesecakes?" I ask.
"I'm a bit confused now. Are you asking me if those are cheesecakes or are you calling me cheesecakes?" She chuckles and I'm speechless.
"Cheesecakes, you bought cheesecakes?" I ask and my voice is barely a whisper.
"Well, I did. That's why I left you at the bookstore and I changed my mind from ice cream."
"You're perfect. You're fucking perfect. You hear me? Wha-? Ho-? What did I do? What good did I do, that God sent you into my life? If anything, I wasn't perfect. I'm not. I was awful to everyone for more than two years. What on earth did I do? Are you real? Is this real? Am I dreaming? Please if I'm dreaming, pinch me, because it's a cruel thing for me to wake up and realize it was all a dream."
"Aaron." She says my voice with such tender, such determination. "Look at me." Wouldn't be able to do the opposite anyhow. "This is real. You are perfect. And you deserve this, more than anyone I've ever known. You hear me? This is not a dream. This is happening. And so much more like this will happen. I promise." She finishes and I've died and come back.
"I think." I start saying, but I need a breath. "I think I'll die happy now. This must be paradise."
"Aaron?"
"Yes cheesecakes."
"Eat your damn cheesecake." She says and I laugh.
"Your wish is my command love."
***
"You know? Cheesecakes can't eat themselves. You are a cheesecake. Therefore you can't eat another one. It would be cannibalism, but in cheesecakes, so I'm guessing, you're committing cheesecaklism?" I say and Kayla laughs.
"You're an idiot. And I'm not giving you my cheesecake." She says and I'm pouting now.
"Mean." I mumble under my breath.
"Excuse me mister! I bought those cheesecakes for us, now stop being ungrateful and eat your damn cheesecake." She says jokingly, but I'm only stuck at the word 'us'. Does this woman want to kill me today?
"Meaner." I mumble again and Kayla takes a piece on her plastic fork and throws it in my face.
"How about now?" She asks.
"Woman! What are you doing?! Rule number one of cheesecakes: 'Never let, not even a crumb, to go to waste.' I say while taking the piece off my forehead with my finger and putting in on my mouth. Kayla is following my every move.
"You're crazy, when it comes to cheesecakes." She says eating another piece and I nod.
"You got that right." But I wasn't talking only about the sweets. "So, you're still not going to tell me why you were angry that night?" I tease her and next thing I know, her whole cheesecake is being thrown at me. And then she sits closer, spreading the cheesecakes in its entirety, all over my face. After she's done, she takes a napkin and cleans her hands.
"You did not just do that." I say, my voice deadly and firm.
"Oh I believe I just did." She whispers.
"I declare war!" I shout and pick her up.
"Aaron!" She says, but she's laughing so much. "You're getting cheesecake all over me!" She shouts and I'm doing exactly that. I lay her down gently on the grass and then I put my face on her hair, on her tummy, trying to get the cheesecake off.
"Damn right I am. Cheesecakes needs to have cheesecake on her." I say, but actually I'm just enjoying being this close to her, while it lasts.
"Stop, I can't breathe, I'm laughing too much." She says not being able to stop laughing. I stop a bit, just for her to catch her breath and then I take my cheesecake and put it all over her collarbone, her cheeks, her nose. I drag my index finger all over her forehead and go down, until I've reached her jawline. She's not laughing anymore. She just gasps, so lightly, I barely even hear it.
I don't stop. I get some more cheesecake and then with my thumb, I trace the line of her lips. Her eyes close and she's not breathing. I'm not breathing. I'm sure of it. I reach her chin and then go down further, until I've reached her collarbone. Her eyes open wide, and I stop. Something tells me she's not ready for this yet. I just touch her ear lobe, getting cheesecake on it, and then I lean closer. She's looking at me so intensely, I don't know how I haven't dropped dead in the ground. I reach her ear and whisper.
"Look at all this mess we made. How are we going to clean it up?" I tease and her eyes close again. And then I do something. Something I've wanted to do for a long time. I retract back to her face and lick her chin, cleaning the cheesecake there. I resist the urge to groan. But I don't think I'm alive right now.
"Aaron." That sound. That sound is going to end me. I let out a deep breath and then I call out my senses and do the right thing.
"Come on cheesecakes, let's clean you up." I whisper and take her hand in mine, pulling her to me. I didn't realize how strong I pulled her, and now she's standing too close to me again. Our noses are touching and it takes all my will power to pull back and get up. Kayla repeats my action and we're standing too close again. Only this time, we're on our feet. Does someone want us to kiss tonight or something? I'm trying to stay sane here. I'd be thankful, If I get out here today with some brain cells.
"Someone wants us close today, don't they?" She indicates, speaking my thoughts exactly.
"Someone certainly does." I smirk and then step back to get some wet tissues.
We both clean up, as much as we can, we still have cheesecake all over our clothes and hair.
Afterwards we're laying on the grass, next to each-other, watching the stars and the quiet night.
"For the record, I would have given you my cheesecake." She says and I'm finding it very hard to breathe.
"For the record, I wouldn't have taken you up on the offer and let you eat mine too." I say and she turns to look at me.
"You?" She asks all judgmental. "Would give me your cheesecake?" She asks and I look at her, letting her know how much it means, what I'm gonna say next.
"I'd do anything for you." In her eyes flashes something, but it's gone before I can make out the meaning of it. And then...
"I got it!" She gets up so fast, I barely even saw the move. "Aaron I got it. I know how Landon did it. I know how to pin him to the murder." She exclaims and I'm looking at her, waiting for her answer.
"Well what? Tell me." I say and she goes to open her bag, taking out the files.
"Both Emma and Landon lied on the stand, that they didn't know each-other, but I believe that's not true." She says and I wait for her to go on. She shows me a file and in there is written something. Landon's testimony on the stand. "Last Friday he said 'Whoever did it had balls. Apparently, he'd do anything for her.' Who is this he?" Kayla asks after reading Landon's words out loud.
"Landon and Emma know each-other. He killed Simmons for her, for Emma, because he'd do anything for her. Simmons pretended girlfriend. When in truth, she was in a relationship with Landon. They did this together." I catch up to her theory. Kayla just keeps nodding. "But how can we prove this?" I ask.
"We get them to admit it. On stand." She says and I'm thinking about it.
"That's kind of hard love. They lied once, they'll lie again."
"Yes, but one of these time, they'll slip up. We have to tell Professor Lynne." She's thinking about something else. I can see it. "The gun! Aaron the gun!" She shouts.
"You better quiet down a bit cheesecakes, or people might think we have a gun. We live in America." I say and I don't think she even hears me. "What about the gun?" I ask.
"The gun is registered to Landon, but Landon's fingerprints were never on it. His DNA wasn't on it. And maybe that's because Landon didn't do it. Maybe that's because someone else's fingertips were on it."
"Emma's." I whisper and Kayla nods. "We need to get that gun tested again." I say. "But this time for Emma's fingerprints."
"It was always her. He was just the accomplice. She is actually the murderer. He's just covering for her, because he'd do anything for her. Even take the fall. We need to drop the charges for manslaughter one on Landon and charge him with accomplice to manslaughter instead." She says and I'm right behind her.
"And charge Emma for manslaughter one."
"Exactly! They know we can't stick it to Landon, because there are no evidence on him. They're on her. And as long as we don't look on her, they can get away with it." That's my girl. "We did it Aaron! We did it!" And I shake my head.
"You did it cheesecakes." But she won't have it.
"We. We're a team now, remember?" I smile so big, my cheeks are hurting. "We just need to tell all of this to Professor Lynne tomorrow." And right after she finishes her sentence, her phone rings. Bringing us back to reality.
"Shoot! It's my grandma. I didn't see the time. It's late. Very late. I've probably given her a heart attack." I check the time as Kayla answers the phone and indeed it's late. It's 12:05am.
"I'm sorry. I know. No, I'm with Aaron. Completely fine grandma, I promise. Right now. I love you, I'm sorry. I know. I never stay alone this late at night, grandma. I've learned my lesson by now, you know that. I'll be there. Bye." I don't like the meaning of the words she just said, but I don't pry.
"Let's go. I'll take you home. And talk with your grandma. I'll tell her it was my fault, we stayed this late." I say, but she looks at me in horror.
"No way you're doing that. You're not taking the fall for this. We both stayed late." She says, but I won't argue about this with her. It's final.
"I don't want to hear a word about it Kayla, unless you'd like to tell me what you meant on the phone, I will take the blame. Got it?" The mention of her name and not the nicknames I have for her, was clear enough. She didn't push.
"Okay let's go."
"Thank you cheesecakes."