/Il'lec'e'brous/

♡♡♡

And then,

I met you.

♡♡♡

Rose was a pretty simple girl.

She liked small things, such as adorably sized stuffed animals, miniature figures and even tiny muffins.

But somehow, this was too overwhelming for little Rose - which could actually prove to be fatal.

From: Unknown

To: Rose

I finished the book and I enjoyed it a lot.

Thank you again for borrowing it to me, and I'll make sure Luke will hand it over to you by tomorrow.

Good night and sleep well.

She couldn't remember the last time she smiled this big.

-Aaron

She even let out a little laugh as she read:

PS - This is my number, unless you still didn't catch onto that.

It was so unusual for Rose to get this jittery over a text, but then again, how could you ignore a text from a certain blue eyed boy?

She smiled idiotically at the screen, re-reading the text again and again until her little head memorised it before she let out a small breath, Why Luke though? she wondered, disappointment embedding her features as she frowned.

She wanted him to give it to her.

She did notice how peculiar Aaron was while they were at school, and that something was definitely wrong, but she wanted to help. She wanted to make him feel better, or perhaps even try to guide him through this mess.

Because even though he isn't that fond of her, and she wasn't fond of him either, she still felt the need to tell him that everything is going to be alright.

She offed the screen of her phone as her head met her pillow, her brown eyes still in deep thought as she tried to process what she was about to do.

Nodding her head to herself, she heaved out a breath before she drifted off to sleep.

But not before letting out a small squeal.

ϟϟϟ

He wasn't here today.

Anxiety surged through Rose's veins as she anxiously sat in English, her eyes constantly flickering to the door in hopes that he will just barge in as he usual does.

She hasn't seen him all morning.

Her foot was softly tapping the floor underneath her, her bottom lip in between her teeth as her eyes darted to the door again - maybe now?

Her chest tightened in anxiousness as she sighed, her brown eyes drenched in worry as she glanced at Mrs. Lory. He would be about 5-10 minutes late each class, but English was going to end in 5 minutes.

And she was on the edge.

"Okay class, that's it for today. And please remember to collect your assignments after class and don't forget to do your homework." Mrs. Lory said sharply, but with a gentle smile on her face as she packed her things. "Class dismissed." She added, beaming as she watched the students scurry out of the class.

"Rose?" She snapped her attention from the door to Mrs. Lory concerned grey gaze.

Act normal.

"Yes?" Rose replied, giving Mrs. Lory a small smile.

"Are you going to collect Aaron's homework too?" Mrs. Lory asked, offering Rose a couple of sheets of paper. "I believe I don't have a clue where to keep these." She laughed slightly, giving Rose an encouraging smile as she handed her the papers.

"Yeah sure," Rose mumbled, gently placing the sheets in her bag. "I'll be sure to give it to him."

Mrs. Lory clasped her hands together. "That's great," She smiled. "But make sure he also submits it on time."

Rose let out a small laugh, nodding her head as she re-assured. "Will do Ma'am."

Mrs. Lory took her hand bag before she nodded her head. "Thank you Rose, I know I can always count on you. See you tomorrow bright and early."

She gave Rose a small wave before she left the room, leaving Rose alone in her toxic thoughts.

She buried her face in her hands as she sighed - where was he?

Numerous thoughts were running through her mind as she packed up her stuff, haunting her soul as she walked through the halls to Physics and weighed her heart with apprehension as she took down notes.

It was as though the 45 minute session was taking a decade and a half - because all she wanted to do was make sure he was fine.

When Physics was over, and Rose was just taking books from her locker, it was never a normal thing to see Luke come up to her; a small smile etched on his face as he held out her book.

She wanted Aaron to give it to her himself.

Disappointment settled at the pit of her stomach as she gave Luke a small smile. "Hey Luke, what's up?"

"Nothing much Rose, Aaron just wanted to give this to you." She could see the uneasiness in his eyes. "Sorry he couldn't give it to you himself, he's kinda busy today." He said, giving Rose a small nod as he handed her the book. "He really enjoyed it though," Luke said. "Was the first time in a long time I saw him with a book."

But she just saw Aaron with a book yesterday.

Rose gave Luke a warm smile. "Thank you Luke," She then eyed him weirdly as she noticed how stiff his shoulders were. "Do you have any clue where Aaron is?" And with a very convincing-yet-concerned-and-reasonable tone, she added. "He's missing a lot of work today."

Luke shrugged as he offered Rose a small smile. "He's a big boy, he'll catch on."

And then the bell rang.

ϟϟϟ

"Haven't seen Aaron since yesterday Rose," Andrew said, his dark eyes emitting sad radiations as he sighed. "Sorry."

"Same here," Aiden piped in, stealing another one of Tristan's fries as he muttered. "Where the hell is he?"

"He dropped me off yesterday," Tristan said, his face conquered in deep thought as he mindlessly shook his head. "He's probably at home."

Luke seemed quiet at the lunch table, mindlessly listening to their assumptions and theories on why Aaron was gone, and it seemed as though he was getting sadder and sadder.

And when Rose noticed that, all her nerves bundled up in anxiety.

So many thoughts were circulating through her brain on where this blue eyed boy might be, and how in God's name did he manage to pull this off without anybody knowing completely confused her.

Chase then jogged along their table, his sweaty jersey sticking onto his torso as he told Rose. "Hey, I think that's the end of practise."

Rose gave him a small smile. "I'll be right over,"

"Or," Aiden said. "Chase here, can join us."

Chase looked at Aiden, and then looked at Rose before he said. "Yeah sure, I don't mind that either."

He took a seat beside Rose before he gulped down her bottle of water.

"Yeah sure go ahead," Rose said sarcastically before she added, scrunching up her nose. "And you stink."

"It's called natural odour Rose," Chase commented, rolling his eyes. "And where is Lana today?"

"She has Algebra," Rose shrugged. "Couldn't make it."

Chase nodded his head. "Poor thing, I had something for her."

"Yeah?" Rose asked. "What is it?"

Chase grinned. "Her biology homework."

Rose scowled. "You disgust me."

Chase let out a laugh before he took another gulp of water. "Well how do you expect me to complete yesterday's homework if you aren't willing to share the answers?"

Rose ignored him. "Are you almost done with biology?"

Tristan gave her a small smile. "Yeah, just have to do a couple more questions and we're done with this topic."

Rose smiled. "Glad I could help you Tris."

Gushes of pink tickled his cheeks as he ducked his head. "It was a pleasure being taught by you Rose."

"Stop this rubbish," Aiden piped in. "It's so weird seeing Tris talk with a girl." Aiden then sighed before he shook his head and mumbled For fuck's sake.

"It's weird seeing Rose talk with you boys like she knows all of you to the deepest anyone can know anyone else at heart." Chase commented, giving Rose a small glance before he shrugged. "You all must be really nice, or really good actors."

"Hey now, I know I might not be the kindest," Aiden confessed. "but that shit is fucked up - acting in front of a girl." He grumbled, crossing his arms.

Chase shrugged. "You never know."

All of them then proceeded to introduce themselves to the brown haired soccer player, Tristan giving him a small wave of his hand as he did so.

"Where's Aaron?" Chase noticed the empty chair beside Luke.

She couldn't breathe again.

"Oh yeah Aaron," Aiden said. "He's Rose's partner, you know, skinny guy and is like 10 feet tall?"

With the most beautiful blue eyes you will ever see.

"I know who Aaron is Aiden," Chase rolled his eyes. "Why isn't he in today?"

And it was as though everyone forgot how to talk.

The tension at the table became thick - suffocatingly thick as anyone tried to answer, opening their mouths but no words were coming out because no one knew why he didn't come today.

Luke looked the most tense, his jaw clenched as he swallowed, while Aiden seemed the most laid back, giving Chase a small shrug. "He just didn't come in today."

Chase looked at Rose, as though asking her whether she knew, but she shook her head.

She was worried.

"So none of you have any idea where he is?" Chase said, giving all of them weird looks as he crossed his arms over his jersey covered chest.

"Aaron tends to be very quiet about what he does," Luke said. "He's never let me know anything and I've been with him for 3 years now."

Rose could see right through his lie.

"Is that so?" Chase said, hitching an eyebrow in question as he hesitantly nodded his head. "So he just disappears?"

Tristan then nodded his head. "That's pretty much it." He pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed. "And even if you ask him about it, he would never reply. All he would do is assure you that he is fine."

She couldn't breathe, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't breathe.

It was as though she was drowning in a sea of anxiety, and she forgot how to swim.

Because from everything these people were saying, it was just pinching her heart with worry and anticipation.

Because we worry about people we care about.

ϟϟϟ

Her hands were jumpy in Literature, she couldn't even listen to things Mr. Len was saying.

Because all she could think about was Aaron.

It was weird not seeing Aaron as she walked through the halls to classes, and it was definitely peculiar that she had an extra granola bar in her bag.

She let out a sad sigh as the bell rang, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she sulked in her own worry. She thought Aaron was never one to miss school, but somehow this proved her wrong.

"I'm taking the bus Chase," She told her best friend. "I really don't want to bother you anymore."

"Wait," The blue eyed boy said. "You mean like you're never going to ride with me again?"

"No you idiot," Rose said. "I just mean that I will always the take the bus back home."

"Always?"

"Always."

Chase grinned. "If you catch my reference."

She scowled. "You're really an idiot."

"Not my fault you couldn't stop talking about that Wizard to me," Chase shrugged.

"His name is Harry Potter," Rose said sternly, pursing her lips as she sighed. "Anywho, see you tomorrow."

"Rose wait, you sure about this?" Chase asked one more time, his light blue eyes drenched in worry as he sighed. "You know I never mind dropping you off."

"I know you don't Chase," Rose said. "but I mind that you don't mind me dropping me off."

It took Chase a few moments to comprehend what she just said before he frowned. "So you're going to use some perverted bus because I don't mind dropping you off?"

"Yup," Rose chirped. "But don't worry though, it'll be fine."

Chase pursed his lips as he let out a small breath. "You're being a real pain you know that?"

"When am I not?" Rose said, wiggling her eyebrows as a small laugh escaped her lips. "Any way, I have to run if I want to get home on time."

"Alright," Chase said, his voice unenthusiastic. "I'll try to convince you tomorrow."

"Bye." Rose smiled before she turned on her heal and marched to the bus stop, plugging in her earphones as she took a seat by the bench.

She played with her phone in her hand, flipping it upside down, connecting and disconnecting her earphones as she waited for the bus, and when the bus arrived, that was when it hit her.

Her breath clogged her in her throat as she entered the bus, her eyes glued to the screen of her phone as she took a seat by the window.

She completely forgot.

Her fingers smoothed the surface of the phone's screen as her heart thumped in her chest, tickling her stomach while the vibrations spread throughout her entire body.

She then tapped on Aaron's contact before she decided she would compose him a text.

But what to write? She thought, What should I say?

After a few minutes of thinking, Rose was able to send Aaron a small text just as she was about to exit the bus door.

And maybe, just maybe, the azure eyed boy would reply.

ϟϟϟ

She has been staring at the blank screen for the past 10 minutes, wondering if Aaron was ever going to reply.

It was weird looking at her phone this long, considering she would rather waste her energy reading a few paragraphs of a book, but this was important.

Worry tightened her guts as she exhaled, shutting the screen of her phone as she laid back on her bed.

She already finished her homework, studied for next week's and the week after that tests, and even managed to clean her room.

She did anything she could to distract her toxic mind.

She couldn't believe that she would feel this attached to a guy she met in the park, and that she would eventually care for a guy who she scolded for smoking.

It was never something ordinary for Rose to have this much care and compassion for someone, and even though she had Chase, this was different.

Chase could go missing for a week and Rose wouldn't be as worried as she was for a blue eyed boy because she knew Chase.

She could tell what he was going to do, and she could definitely estimate his further actions.

But the thing about Aaron was she didn't - she didn't know what to expect of him, and she didn't have any basis of information to work on.

And that was when she realised that she knew nothing about a boy called Aaron DeGarner.

She didn't know what was his favourite food nor did she know what was his favourite season; she couldn't even decided whether he liked to eat a sandwich with the crusts on or removed, and she had no clue whether he was a spy or serial killer.

And somehow, not knowing about this boy who has been her partner for about 2 months now made the hole in her heart hollower, made her toxic thoughts now the most corrosive thing man kind will ever encounter.

She couldn't believe she didn't push herself to find out things about him, to notice the little gestures he would make when he thought no one was noticing.

The concentrated anxiety was now switching to guilt, biting the insides of her heart the further she pondered on her hazardous thoughts; destroying every single ounce of happiness she had left.

It was so peculiar on how one person (This case being a blue eyed selfish jerk) could instantly make you feel like the worse human that this world probably has ever carried, and that this certain blue eyed boy needs to put her heart at ease.

She inhaled. Exhaled. Looked around her room. Mumbled."My God why am I acting like this?" She buried her face in her fingers. "He's not even my problem..."

Beep, beep, beep.

She couldn't keep calm anymore.

All other emotion seemed insignificant as she picked up her phone and quickly peered at the text she just received.

Adrenalin started pumping through her veins as she read the text with trembling hands, her heart was making so much noise so much noise that she thought she must just explode explode explode.

Nothing

else

mattered.

From: Rose

To: Aaron

Hey Aaron, just a little concerned that you didn't come to school today, but I did get all your notes and homework.

Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow :)

- Rose xoxo

From: Aaron

To: Rose

Thank you for your concern Rose, I'm alright. Thank you for collecting my things too, and I hope Luke gave you the book.

And if he idiotically ripped the cover (Horrifyingly I have experienced that) or soaked the pages in some sort of liquid, then I would gladly buy you a new one.

I believe I will be coming tomorrow.

Thank you again for your concern, and good night.

- Aaron smiley face.

She could contain the little laugh that slipped through her lips as she noticed how he ended the text - he couldn't even use a smiley face.

But he sounded different on text, as though formality was all he knew when it came to this kind of thing.

It was weird, but it was comforting, at least she knew he was alright.

And it was so sweet of him to offer her a new book if Luke somehow managed to destroy her old copy, and it freed the entire zoo in her tummy.

She smiled as she re-read the text over and over again, her fingers typing her own reply.

And when she sent the little reply, Rose knew that she and Aaron were going to be good friends.

ϟϟϟ

He came the next day.

And she couldn't be more happier to see the blue eyed boy who was covered in black.

He did seem a little off today though, as though he was thinking of something really important, but nevertheless, Rose was happy to see him.

She woke up extra early this morning to see whether he was here, and even ditched Chase's car rides and went on the bus because she wanted to be there as quickly as she possibly could.

"Aaron!" Rose called out, snapping a number of heads towards their direction as she jogged towards him.

"Hey Rose," He said, giving her a small nod. "How are you?"

She gave him a look. "Well last time I checked, I wasn't the one who ditched yesterday."

His eyes, his eyes, his eyes.

Aaron shrugged. "I was busy."

"How are you?" Rose asked, giving Aaron a smile. "Everything alright?"

His eyes were giving him away. "Yeah, I'm good, everything's fine."

Rose then frowned, eyeing him weirdly before she sighed. "I really don't know how you do it."

"Do what?" Aaron asked, obviously baffled by her comment.

"Hang out with those friends of yours," She grumbled. "I thought I was going to put a bullet through my head."

Smile please smile smile smile. "Glad to know I'm not the only one who feels that way." He replied, a small breath slipping through his lips. "You'll get used to it though."

There was something wrong.