The great taco bell gods blessed me this evening with a Postmates taco order of six crunchy tacos, six burritos, eight cheesy potatoes without sour cream, and two large mountain dew blasts. The only person I told about my mad craving for taco bell was Aaron, and Richie-Rich came through with enough food to cause a nuclear toilet bowl explosion for the next two and a half days.

   I was home alone because my mom had to work that night, eating on my bed. I bit down on a savory taco, enjoying the delicious but prudent taste until a pebble hit my window, and I dropped my taco.

    Smack!

       Slam!

   Two more stones whacked my window, and I shot up off the bed and stomped to it, sliding it open with rage as Aaron's puppy dog eyes met mine.

"Did you get your food?" Aaron yelled.

"Yeah, dorkis. I was enjoying it until you rudely interrupted," I snapped. Another pebble smashed into my temple.

"Ouch!" I bellowed.

"Don't sass me, Rapunzel," He snapped back. I flipped my long, black, wavy hair behind my shoulder and rolled my eyes.

"Do you want to come in?" I asked him.

"Sure," He yelled back with a Cheshire grin. "I would love to come inside." He smiled at me, turned around, and pointed his keys at a black Corvette, listening to the loud double beeping.

"That's your car?" I screamed.

"It's my stepdad for now," He admitted with a shrug.

"I'll be down in a moment," I yelled at him. Then I slammed the window shut and raced out of the bedroom.

   Aaron stared at me with his bright blue eyes, standing in the opening with a big grin. A white t-shirt, dark, baggy sweats, and running shoes. Was this the same boy who I saw about an hour ago?

"Uh, hi," Aaron combed his fingers through his incredibly soft-looking hair, huffing in the mid-afternoon air.

"Uh, yeah, hi, dorkis. Did you need something?" I leaned against the door frame, peering into his eyes.

"I was just exploring the neighborhood." He said with a chipper attitude, although his body language said otherwise.

   I snorted. "Are you spying on me, Aaron?"

"Uh..." Aaron hesitated. I slammed the front door, but Aaron wedged his fingers between the opening with mighty strength, prying open the door.

"Excuse me!" I snapped.

"Look, I wanted to talk to you about the carnival. Besides, you seem lonely, and I thought I would come over and help you avoid bad boy Hawke across the way." He pointed across the street at Jeremy's big home in the quiet, little suburban neighborhood. "You already said I could come inside, anyway." He pleaded with me, his eyelashes bobbing and blue eyes peering into my brown eyes.

"Right. I don't know who you think you are, but if you want to come inside..." The door creaked open, and Aaron wandered in. "Nice house," He added, huffing in a massive breath of air.

"It's nothing special compared to the mansion your father owns a few blocks down," I reminded him, pointing down the street.

   He huffed. "At least you don't have four annoying younger brothers."

"Yeah, well, at least your stepdad gives a shit."

   Aaron shrugged. "He couldn't abandon my brothers and me after my mother died." Aaron stepped up one stair and studied the second story.

"Your mom died?" I asked him sincerely. I didn't know, although I could have figured.

   His eyes drifted, and he sighed. "Yeah, a while ago. It's not something I like to talk about," He said. "Now, you have a stepfather?"

"No," I growled. "The son of a bitch is dead, and I'm happy about it, too." He took one more step up and leaned against the railing.

"Geez," He scoffed, cleaning his lips with his tongue. "I'm sorry I asked."

"Yeah, my taco bell is probably cold now, so if you'd care to join me in my bedroom-"

"I would love to join you," He stated blankly. "But only if I get a cheesy potato."

   I snorted. "You wish, dork."

"I guess next time I won't buy you any food." He teased me, his eyelashes flickering again.

  I rolled my eyes. "Fine. I'll let you have stupid fiesta potatoes if it makes you feel better."

"Do you have any sour cream?"

   I scoffed. "I'm allergic."

"Good to know," He admitted.

"And lactose intolerant," I muttered under my breath. Aaron chuckled, a deep, hardy laugh.

"And you had the nerve to laugh at poor Arthur-un-fucking-believable." He clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

"Oh, so you do curse," I said with a snort.

"I throw around the F-word every so often." He admitted with a shrug.

"That sounds unbelievably nerdy."

"So, you're allowed to utter profanity, but I'm not? Nice, Em," he said with a troubling smirk and raised an eyebrow as if we'd known each other for years. Who was this guy? Why did I let him in my room?

I had butterflies in my gut as I watched him play with a pen from my desk. Click-click-CLICK. "Why is Emily Hart the bad girl? Why can't you be the hero?" he asked. Click-click-CLICK.

"Maybe Emily Hart hates who she used to be? Maybe she wanted to start fresh or something after Garrett put his gum in her hair, and all the boys taunted her and called her names, and perhaps she's tired of people like Cece pushing people around," I bit my tongue after letting out more information than I should.

   He chuckled. "Why be like Cece then?"

"I-I don't know," I stuttered. I never really thought about why I was a jerk. I guess it never crossed my mind until now. It wasn't enjoyable how deep he was getting with me. I chucked a burrito at him. It spattered all over my wall as he dodged it easily.

"Here's some advice. Don't ask many personal questions about people you don't know."

"Maybe I don't know you now, but I used to, way back in the day." I was silent, unsure of how to respond to him.

   He was right. I wasn't the same Emily that I used to be. Now I was a hypocritical bully who picked on people who I used to be. Maybe it was time for another change. Maybe I was overthinking this who thing. Or perhaps I should listen to my conscious more often. All I knew was that the old Emily was dead, just like my father, and changes needed to be made to this new Emily before karma bit me in the ass. It was a matter of time until something worse than a food fight broke loose. Something dreadful.