Chapter Forty-Six: Rooftops// Aaron

My phone rang and I frowned, throwing down my pencil and reaching over the piles of textbooks on my bed to answer it. Unknown number. Screw that.

I tossed the phone aside and picked up my books again. The ringing stopped. It started again a few seconds later.

"Oh for Pete's sake..."

I picked it up. "Hello?"

"Noel?"

"Cecilia?"

She must've gotten a new number. I pushed my stuff aside, stretching out on the bed, suddenly self-conscious about my voice. I cleared my throat. "Hey."

"Hi. I.... um, I had a favor to ask."

"Yeah?"

I was making my voice deeper. Oh f... Shoot me. I swallowed and coughed. My ears and neck heated up as I bit my lip.

"I... I was thinking of stopping by my house to check on Aaron later this afternoon. Mind coming with me? I've been getting a strange feeling all day and I'd rather have someone come with me. I don't know, I'm probably not making any sense but I just—"

"Yeah. I'll come pick you up in..." I glanced at the clock. "Half an hour. Do I call you back on this number?"

"Yes. It's mine, so that'd be good." She paused. "Thank you, Noel."

I smiled to myself. "No problem. Text me when you're ready. I'll be there in a bit."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bey." I shook my head, cheeks warming. "I mean bye."

Wait. I didn't even ask where she was.

God, I'm an asshat. Feeling stupid, I texted her about it.

I'm on the bus, coming home from work. Hopefully, I'll be at the dorms by the time you arrive.

Ok.

Shaking my head, I slid off the bed, grabbing a T-shirt from the closet and slipping it on. I didn't want to study anyway. A break wouldn't hurt.

Twenty-five minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot outside the university and pulled out my phone to call her.

"Hey, I'm near the front of the dormitories." I slid my hand over the top of the wheel.

"Oh, okay. I just got here too. I'm coming."

"'Kay."

I spotted a small figure dressed in black come walking briskly towards my car in my rearview mirror. Turning my head, I watched her approach. Getting out, I circled around the front of the car to open the door for her. She nodded gratefully and slipped inside. Inhaling, I came back to my own seat and slammed the door shut.

"Which way?" I said, turning towards her.

"Uh—"

I leaned forward and popped open the glovebox, handing her the GPS. "Go ahead and just put it in. It'll save time."

"Okay."

I studied her while she put in the address. Black slacks and a black polo T-shirt with top two buttons undone and a yellow store logo on the right side. Her hair was in a ponytail, pulled through the back of a baseball cap. She caught my eye and turned pink.

"Sorry, I just got off the bus. I didn't have a chance to go home and change..."

I smiled. "No, don't worry about it. It's cute."

She blushed harder, pulling at her collar as her neck reddened. I looked out my own window to hide my grin.

"Okay. Done. Do I..." She looked uncertain.

"Yeah, press 'Go'." I said, pulling out of the parking lot.

We didn't talk for the majority of the ride. During the day, she seemed quieter and more reserved, running her fingers over the seatbelt and staring out of the window. I caught her eye a couple times when I glanced in her direction. She was studying me. I wondered if I should've dressed better.

The GPS beeped. "Arriving at destination, to your left."

I slowed down, scanning the apartments around us. "Which one?"

"You can just park there," she said, pointing at an empty space. "I'll... go check on Aaron. He should be home from school by now..."

I turned to her. "And?"

"Hmm?"

"What're you thinking? That doesn't sound like the end of it."

She bit her lip. "I'm...I'm wondering if I should just bring him with me for today. There's this gross feeling in my stomach and I... I just don't know if I should leave him alone tonight."

"Where would he stay?"

"With me. It's only for one day. It shouldn't make a huge difference."

"What about the RAs in the dorms?"

She shrugged. "They don't care much. We haven't had anyone check our dorms in a month." She tugged at a lock of hair, took a deep breath and opened the car door. Then she froze. "Wait...um..would you mind?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Mind what?"

"Mind me bringing Aaron home. You're the one driving, after all."

I smiled. "I don't mind."

She nodded and left, gently shutting the door and pulling out her keys. I watched her receding back and locked my hands behind my head. I probably looked like a creep. Turning away, I turned on the radio instead.

A little boy dressed in an oversized red basketball jersey and shorts came down the staircase, his dark brown hair sticking up in all directions. Coming out onto the sidewalk, he scanned the parking lot before looking uncertainly back up the staircase. Turning, he looked directly at me then ran up the staircase. I smiled. That looks like him.

He came back down a few seconds later, walking towards the car. I smiled at him, opening my door and facing him as he approached.

"Hey there."

He looked back at the building then turned to me. "Hi."

"You must be Aaron, right?"

Aaron nodded. "Cecilia said you were a friend. And to sit in your car."

I laughed. "Yeah, we're friends." Stepping out, I unlocked the doors and opening the backseat door for him. "Yeah. Here, it's better if you sit inside."

He nodded and climbed inside, tucking his hands under his legs. I shut the door and came back to my own seat. "Is Cecilia still inside?"

"Yes sir."

I chuckled. "You can just say yeah, you know. No need to be that formal."

Aaron looked at his lap, turning pink at the ears. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing as a slow smile slowly formed on his face. He peeked up at me through the rearview mirror and I pretended not to notice, looking for Cecilia instead.

"...Are you her boyfriend?"

"What?" I blinked, eyes snapping to his in the mirror. "No."

He shrunk back slightly and I smiled, trying to make him comfortable again. "No, bud. I'm not her boyfriend. Why don't you...not worry about that."

He moved around, making little rustling sounds with his clothes.

"Well, you should be."

I laughed and leaned back. "Yeah, well life isn't that easy."

He was quiet, looking down at something I couldn't see from the mirror. Cecilia came running down the staircase, carrying a backpack and a small duffel bag. I got out and went over to her, taking the bags from her. She watched me as I placed them in the trunk, quiet.

"Thank you," she said, biting her lip and looking down.

"No worries." I started towards her when she opened her own car door and sat down. I forgot she's used to doing things alone. But it still stung when she brushed off help. I sighed under my breath and went over to the driver's seat. Aaron was watching me and I winked at him as I started the car.

"You know where we're going, Champ?"

He grinned. "To Cecilia's!"

"That's right." I murmured, watching for other cars as I reversed.

"Aaron put on your seatbelt." Cecilia clicked hers into place and brushed her hair out of her face. Her eyes flicked over to me, widening slightly. "Oh. I never bothered introducing you. Noel, this is my little brother Aaron. Aaron, Noel."

I smiled and reached my hand back for a high-five. Aaron watched me uncertainly before lightly hitting my palm with his whole hand. I looked at Cecila. "We've met already."

She smiled softly. "I see."

"Yeah." Aaron leaned forward. "And we talked."

"About?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Uh—"

"You!" Aaron grinned. "I asked Noel if he was your boyfriend and —"

"Why would you even ask that?" She frowned at him.

Aaron stopped. "Because he's a boy. And he's your friend."

"So?"

He shook his head. "So I asked him and he said no so I told him he should be because he's a boy and he's your friend and he—"

Cecilia groaned. "Lord..."

"....And he said life isn't that simple." Aaron finished quietly.

I stiffened and tightened my grip on the steering wheel, ears and neck flooding with heat. I could see Cecilia glance at me from the edge of my vision.

Aaron shifted in his seat again. "Hey Cece..."

"Hmm."

"What did he mean..."

"By what? "

"Life isn't simple."

I turned on the radio with a flick of my wrist.

"It means you don't always get what you want."

We didn't meet up that night and I watched the moon alone. I figured she needed to stay with Aaron.