The sun shines brightly in my eyes, the ocean waves crashing in the distance. We fell asleep at the beach yesterday, and by the looks of it, Aaron's still sleeping.

"Hey," I nudge him, and his arms instinctively reach out, and pull me in an embrace.

"Yeah?" I grin at the deep, melodic sound that is his morning voice.

"We have to go," I say. He groans at the reminder, wrapping me more tightly. "Aaron, please. Your parents are gonna worry-"

"Shh...shh. We'll leave in a few minutes." Suddenly he flips us around, me underneath him. "But first..." he leans in to kiss me, and butterflies fill my stomach. And for that moment I forget everything else. And for that moment everything else doesn't matter.

Eventually we do drive home, my mind racing at what his parents might do or say. Aaron's reassuring me, but I know he doesn't know what'll happen either. Surely they'll ask for a decision. One I don't truly have.

My dad is the most cruel person I've ever known, but Aaron's the most kind. The most caring. The most beautiful, and how can I lose that?

It's a cynical thing, really. Do I invite the person that's caused me the most pain back into my life, or do I leave the person that's caused me the most joy?

When we go into Aaron's house, though, and I see my dad's face, I realise I don't have much of a choice. He's here now, whether I like it or not.