Love Of My Life

4

Ben

We spend the rest of the night watching the movie. I'm secretly glad Aria pushed for this one. It's my absolute favorite but I would never want to be pushy about watching it. When it ends, we all sit there watching the credits. I wish it would last forever.

"I liked it," Aria announces. 

I look over to see Joe wiping a tear from his eye. "Yeah it was okay," he says, his voice cracking ever so slightly. 

Gwilym picks up the remote and turns the telly off. 

"That's why I act," he says. "To be a part of something beautiful like that,"

"That was actually really touching," I tell Gwilym. He's such a good guy. They all are. I like them because they're real and they don't play fake. 

"I've always wanted to do something like that," Aria admits. 

"Why don't you? You'd be bound to get a role," Joe adds. 

He's right. Aria could walk into any store, production, or studio and demand a job and they would hire her on the spot. 

Aria shakes her head, some of her hair falling in her face. "It's not that simple," she says, softly. I can feel the emotion behind her words. She adjusts herself so she is sitting up a little more. "I don't think I'd be fit for movies anyways," she laughs. "I'm too impatient for it. Brian told me I'm much like dad in that sense,"

"What about music?" Gwilym asks her. 

Aria scrunches her lips together. "Too much pressure," she says, then sighs heavily and runs a hand through her hair. "I hate saying that because I feel - I don't know - weak, but the press puts so much pressure on me because I'm Freddie Mercury's daughter. Everything I do is judged. I don't really care what people think of me, don't get me wrong, but music has a special place in my heart I don't want people touching,"

My heart does go out to her. I don't know why I find myself feeling so much. I guess I know what it's like to love something so much that you're scared of having it corrupted. The press are brutal toward Aria, so I could only imagine being in her place.

"Is music something you would want to pursue?" Rami asks, softly. 

Aria nods. "I love it. I write and can play multiple instruments and sing, but once that's out that's it. Brian and Roger are the only ones to hear me. And Deaky, but that was a while ago..." she trails off. She checks her watch and then sighs again. "I should probably get going. I have to be at the set much earlier than you guys," she laughs and then stands up, the four guys and I following suit. 

"Thank you for having me," Aria says when we reach the door. "I've never actually hung out like this before,"

"Well then we'll just have to do it again," Rami adds. 

Aria beams. "Only if you want,"

The four of us nod and agree instantly.

"Of course we want to," Joe says. 

Aria leans in an gives each of us a hug. I find her touch warm and comforting and I feel lonely almost when she lets go of me. 

"I'll see you tomorrow," she says. She opens the door and walks out into the hallway.

The door shuts and we walk back into the living room, trash littered everywhere from all the food we ate. We sit down on the couch so forcefully I think we might break it.

"I like her," Gwilym states. "She's different than I thought,"

"Told you," Rami adds. 

"You know she picked that movie because I wanted to see it," I can't help but say. Something about that action makes me feel...weird. Not a bad weird, but a good weird. My girlfriend, Katriona, would never do that. I don't mind because I care about her, but we always do what she wants. It's just the way we work and have worked for the past couple years. 

Rami looks over at me. I can tell he's thinking by the look in his eyes. He looks like he wants to say something, but he never lets it out. 

"We should get her to perform," Joe announces. We all turn to him. He looks like he's just had a revelation. "Yeah, we should give her that. Maybe if we get her to perform, her love for it will take over her fears,"

It's not a horrible idea. I just don't want to smother her.

"We can't be overwhelming," Gwilym adds. "She just opened up about something she's probably never told anyone,"

"I think I can make that happen," Rami says. 

The four of us go our separate ways after brainstorming how to make Aria feel comfortable around us. We all agree we want to build a friendship, definitely. We just have to figure out how we can get her comfortable enough. I said with time it will come, and the guys agreed.

I find myself laying in my own bed when I get home, thinking constantly about Aria. I shouldn't be thinking about her as much as I am. After all I have a girlfriend, so is thinking about Aria considered cheating? I don't have feelings for her in that way. But as I drift off to sleep, I find myself doubting that.