I knocked on the door and ran away standing halfway up the drive.

My heart was pounding as the door opened slowly and Aaron appeared.

He crouched down and read the note before stepping out and looking at me.

Well not me.

Because I wasn't just me..

Hell I'd tried to show him that I was still here and had dressed as a storm trooper to well.. To battle him.

"No." He answered screwing up my letter of a duel and tossing it away.

My heart sank and I looked at Zak who was sat on the hood of his car looking oh so mighty fine.

I had prepared for this.. So I threw a stuffed Ewok toy at him.

"Cut it out Ria."

I threw another hitting him in the head.

"Right!" He bent down and grabbed the lightsaber I had placed my note and watched as he flicked it on causing it to light up green. It was getting dark and I knew soon enough we'd be in darkness.

I pulled mine out from behind me and turned it on, red.

"Sure you wanna do this? Cause I don't hold back. You know this." Aaron spoke. I nodded in response.

I remembered, the man got so excited the lightsaber may as well have been real and tried to cut me in half! He didn't hold back in swinging the damn things.

I waited until he stepped on a certain spot before we started circling each other. He wouldn't make the first move, and neither would I. But someone would..

And I was determined it wasn't going to be me.

The last lightsaber fight we had almost resembled the sword fight Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom had in Pirates of the Caribbean. I was walking up his stairs backwards, on the back of the couch and sliding over his kitchen island to keep my height and distance to him.

I guess the only thing is to pick on someone you're own size.

I rolled my wrist swinging it around making Aaron's eyes narrow. He was in the zone.

My massive Star Wars nerd was geeking out over this.

All I know is.. It's bloody hot in the suit and I bought it so I could ruin it after. Maybe even burn it on the fire pit....

Now that idea appealed to me.

I stopped and fixed my stance, holding my hand out I beckoned him like Neo from the Matrix.

He came for me swinging causing me to back up and bring up the lightsaber to defend and block myself. Lucky was on my side for size in one respect... At least I could move quickly, but in other respects, Aaron's swings were my head height..

I didn't forget to gulp.

"Come on bro!" Zak cheered him on making me look at him.

Really dude? You're gonna now bat for the other team?!

Wait... It wasn't suppose to sound like tha-

I sucked in time and went to swipe him
in the stomach when he jumped back.

I had turned his front garden into our battle field. Zak moved at some point and had put on the Star Wars theme tune making Aaron grin.

A smile.

I jumped, skipped, jolted, ducked and slid until I went straight into the path of his elbow on the back draw, it knocked me straight to the ground causing Zak to straight himself up as I stayed down wondering if I had just lost my front teeth from Eddy Elbows there!

I ran my tongue over my teeth and sucked them tasting a little blood. I had split my lip though.

Aaron was stood over me and lifted the lightsaber before pushing it against my
chest plate, and retracting it in as he pushed it down, essentially it would look like he's actually put it through me.

For a bit more dramatic effect I lifted my hand before dropping it and letting my lightsaber roll away.

I know storm troopers had guns but I could hardly show up here with an air rifle or BB gun and start shooting.

I did want a friend. Not a murder conviction.

Aaron pulled my helmet off and looked down at me as I smiled.

His eyes went wide seeing blood and began to panic.

"Shit! I didn't know! Ri are you okay?" He asked looking for something to give me.

"What's up?!" Zak called over.

"I've hurt her! Zak go get a hand towel soaked in water for me."

"Aaron." I struggled.

"Yeah?"

"Your knee is in my rib cage."

"Oh!" He moved off me letting me breath properly.

I sat up and pulled the helmet off completely.

"I'm so sorry for hitting you." I apologised.

"I'm sorry for throwing you out.. Can we be friends again?" He asked.

"Please because I'm lost without you. My little big nerd." I replied welling up.

"You're such a weirdo." He laughed pulling me into a hug.

Zak must have came out before I was having a cold towel pushed against my lip after our hug.

We went indoors and sat around his table. That was the icebreaker.. Now would be the real test.

I sat on one side with Zak whilst Aaron sat on another, I felt like I was still in trouble from Aaron's stare between us.

"For years.. You two have put me through hell. For years I had split myself in half. For years I have tried to keep you both happy and believe me that's not an easy job. Now you have gone from one extreme to the next." He spoke.

I knew we weren't going to get off lightly. That was too obvious.

"Bro.. I'm sorry." Zak spoke making me look up over to him.

"I can't help it. You've always known I've found her hot. I told you enough times."

I looked at Aaron who averted his eyes from me. He never said a darn thing.

"I know we have put you through hell and back and our start.. To all this hasn't been the best but with Maria's scare it brought us close together.
I can't help that I want to see her smile all the time, that I find the butterfly on the back of her ear the cutest tattoo in the world. And it's strange because when I was in film school and did my movie and it was called red butterfly.

I blinked I didn't know this.

"It's like a connection, an unspoken one that we didn't know about. She has the cutest laugh and sweetest smile, she's not like all those other girls Aaron. You know she's not which is why you've kept her close to you... And I'm not going to take her away. Hell no that the last thing I want. Because you two are almost blood. You two have a bond like no other and she spent 3 days in bed crying and on food strike because of all this."

Oh shoot.

Aaron looked at me with an unreadable expression.. That can't be good.

"Maria..She doesn't take my attitude, gives as good as she gets. A real woman, you know? Not some
Pre madonna. I love the fact Maria is independent, feisty and witty. That she knows her stuff when it comes to antiques, camera equipment and being a royal pain in my ass. Truth is, I've got all these feelings inside of me and I'm scared. I won't deny it, but I think I've fallen for her. I won't apologise for it either."

Okay it was going well until he added the last sentence.

"And what do you have to say for yourself?" Aaron asked me. I shuffled in my seat awkwardly.

"I understand if you're angry but be angry with me. Hell let's go in the garden and I'll let you throw some punches at me. I won't fight back." Zak spoke.

"No." I spoke looking at Aaron who seemed to be mulling the idea over.

"But I'll tell you one thing. Ri worships the ground you walk on and I'd never come between you two. Why? Because it is physically impossible." Zak spoke. It didn't go unnoticed that Zak called me Ri for the first time.

Aaron's eyes met mine and I looked down.

"You're willing to hold this against her? I know you're not the same without your little sidekick and Maria isn't the same without her big brother."

"I promised her dad." Aaron spoke through a clenched jaw.

"To keep her away from assholes... Like me. But I am willing to prove to you that I won't hurt he-"

"You threw a bottle at her head Zak."

"I lost control that day but it will never happen again." Zak put his arm around me and pulled me in but he forgot... My ribs.

I tried to stop myself making a face but Aaron's eagle eyes saw it.

"What was that?" He pointed to me.

"It's nothing."

"Show me."

"I'm fine."

"Now."

"It's nothing."

"Maria."

"Leave it." I replied.

"SHOW ME!" Aaron yelled making me jump.

"Bro back it down." Zak spoke.

"Shut up. Now Ria." Aaron demanded.

I stood up and lifted my top up when Aaron flew across the table at Zak.

"YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Zak fought his hands.

"AARON STOP!" I cried pulling Aaron off him and putting myself in front of Zak.

"THEN WHO DID?!"

"Work!" Both myself and Zak answered.

"I was attacked... At Joey's. Some man tried to..." I trailed off as Aaron's face went pale.

"No.. No no no!" He answered getting up and holding his head.

"N-nothing happened."

"You quit. Right?" He asked.

"No. I'm on leave until they go."

"What?! Over my dead body are you to step foot in that place do you hear me?!" He shouted.

"I need the mone-"

"You quit Maria! I mean it!"

"I agree with Aaron." Zak spoke.

"What?! Since when?!" I screeched.

"Since it happened! I just never had I balls to say it."

"I can't I need the job and I love working ther-"

"And I don't want you sexually attacked!" Aaron replied making me shut my mouth.

"What if I don't?" I challenged after sing quiet for ten minutes.

"Then I'll personally take you back to England myself. I made a promise to your dad. One I won't break."

"And what? You'll just leave me there?" I asked.

"Exactly that. I'll leave you there and not look back. It would break my heart but rather that then see you with a broken soul." Aaron replied making Zak nod in agreement.

I guess this was my ultimatum.