Trouble meets Trouble

Paint it black

When the final bell rang, I couldn't gather my stuff quick enough.

    "Oh. My. God. there's a really hot guy on a motor bike outside" Melissa says as we approach the main doors;  And the swarm of girls who are gawking out the window, almost afraid to exit.

    "I think he's actually better looking than Flynn" Nicole adds. "No offense" She says to Flynn who at that moment is passing by. "I wonder who he's here for"

A broad smile takes over my face. "Me" I confess in a whisper and step around them.

I push the doors open and run towards him, excitedly.

Aaron stands from the bike before I reach him. I leap at him, wrapping my arms around him. Catching me, he lifts me from the ground in a huge embrace.

    "I can't believe you're actually here" I chime. "I've missed you so much"

    "I've missed you too" He says putting me down. His eyes glance towards the group of people emerging from the school.

Summer and Natalie are glaring at me, stunned. 'I'll call you later', I mouth and give them a wink. Unable to wipe the smile from my face.

"Ready to bounce?" He asks.

I nod my head pulling my bag onto my back. I take the second helmet from him and secure it on my head, my eye catching a glimpse of Flynn, among the gathering crowd. His dark grey eyes boring into me.

I climb onto the bike and Aaron kick starts it. I place my hands each side of him, holding on for safety. My gaze falls on Flynn one last time before we tear away on Aaron's bike.

...

    "Aaron?" My mother chimes and embraces him. "Nice seeing you again"

    "It's been too long, Marie"

    "We're going up to my room" I tell her, eying them suspiciously.

Aaron follows me up the stairs to my room. He stands in the doorway, "It's colorful in here" he winces, scanning the new territory.

I glance around, seeing it from his perspective. I guess it is quite colorful. The walls are painted white. The furniture is pine and the duvet cover is purple. Summer's colorful clothes are piled on my dresser, waiting to be returned. There are no posters or photos displayed. They're all still in a box in the spare room.

It's so unlike my old room; It had grey painted walls, black furniture, black and white accessories, including duvet cover and it was smothered in photographs of my family and friends, well mainly Aaron.

He's been my best friend and partner in crime, since I was seven years old. He knows everything about me and I about him.

Aaron crosses the room and plonks down on my bed.

    "Why are you here?" I ask firmly.

I haven't seen him since June, since he moved to Waterford for college. Of course we still speak, but this was unlike him, he wouldn't just turn up without a reason.

Aaron leans up on his elbows and looks across at me.

    "The truth" I demand, folding my arms across my chest.

    "Your mam called me. She's really worried about you lately" He admits and I'm stunned. My parents were so concerned they called Aaron? "She said you haven't been talking to anyone. You're bottling up again "

    "I'm not bottling anything. I just can't talk about something if I don't understand it myself... my heads just a mess right now"

I climb onto the bed next to him, covering myself with the black fluffy blanket. I nestle into him. His familiar scent instantly taking all my worries away.

I wish Aaron didn't live so far away.

I miss when he used to live right across the road. I miss our escapes, our adventures, our friendship.

    "Is this about a guy?" He asks in a whisper and I nod my head. "Do I have to kick his ass?" I shake my head this time, a little snicker escaping me.

    "I can handle him. I just have to straighten out my emotions first. They're on a bit of a roller-coaster these days" I croak.

    "I'm not surprised, especially with everything you've been through lately. All the trouble, moving house, a new school, new friends, Exams..."

Suddenly, tears spring to my eyes and I can't hold them back. "I don't know who I am anymore" I confess in a whimper. "I tried to be someone else and I.. I lost myself along the way. Now I'm unsure about everything"

Aaron gives me a slight squeeze and kisses the top of my head. "You know exactly who you are Leah" Aaron shuffles and I part from him. He moves so that he's facing me. "You're a stubborn, badass, biker chick who loves the color black. You're adventurous and aren't afraid to get in trouble but you're also funny, kind and when you do let people in, you love with all your heart... You've always known who you are, no matter what people said or did to try persuade you otherwise" He smiles kindly at me.

I wipe the dampness from my cheeks and nod.

   "Maybe, but I've all these emotions I've never felt before and honestly I feel confused and broken"

Aaron chuckles. "Sounds like there's a crack in that stone heart" I punch him hard in the arm. "okay okay, there's not" He says, rubbing the part of his arm I punched. "Jeez, you're so violent"

    "That's why you love me" I stick my tongue out at him. "Are you sticking around long?" I ask, although I already know the answer.

Aaron looks glumly at me and shakes his head. "I have class in the morning but you could come visit for New Years" he grins. "Holly and I are going to a party"

Holly is his girlfriend and a friend of mine. Most of the time it was only Aaron and I who hung out together but often we hung with Holly and a few other friends and in all the years I knew Holly, I knew that she really liked Aaron, despite his 'playing around'.

And it took a while but I also discovered that he was crazy about her too.

I spoke to them both about it but neither were willing to admit it, until last Christmas; I dared Aaron to kiss Holly at a party. Although there was a room full of people who saw them kiss, I was the only one who saw the fireworks going off between them.

I remember thinking about how much was going to change but I was happy for them. It was about time my best friend settled down with the girl he loved. He soon decided to also attend Waterford College, just to be near her.

They were practically inseparable; which led to me hanging out without Aaron.

I used to get in trouble but nothing like I had after they moved away. I felt alone and hung around with the wrong people. I got into a lot more serious trouble and unfortunately got caught, resulting in having to move here.

    "I'll think about it" I smile weakly.

    "Well I'd love if you came. You could even bring this mystery guy of yours" He teases and retreats before I can punch him again.

   "Oh he's a mystery alright" I snigger. If only he knew the whole story of Flynn. How he teases me, makes me laugh and irritates me.

    "So what are you going to do?"

A devious smirk creeps on my face. "I going to glue the crack in my heart, paint it black and show him just who Leah Brown is"