Justin cleared his throat, hiding the hand that held my arm.

"Can we come in?" He asked, gesturing to the inside of Aaron's house and, although the question in itself was polite, it seemed so blunt and cold coming off Justin's tongue.

Aaron nodded numbly before moving aside and allowing us entry. Justin took no time in dragging me inside and into the living room. Aaron followed closely behind, confusion apparent on his features. I could tell he knew this was no regular meet up. There were words that needed to be spoken.

____________________________

Desolate; empty, what other words could be used to describe how he felt inside? What other descriptors would be apt to explain the turmoil that wreaked within?

2 weeks. It had been a mere 2 weeks since his mother had left him.

He couldn't quite tell if it felt like an eternity had passed or if it still felt like that very morning when he had seen her vacant eyes.

Each time he thought to that memory, he would feel an unsettling misery in his stomach.

Even now, stood in the kitchen and doing the mundane task of grabbing lunch, he had to pause and recompose himself. When he usually felt this sad, he would often become violent, using physical means to exact his grief. But, right now, he couldn't find it in him to do that.

Not when his mind turned to Lexi.

As soon as he thought of her, all needs to break everything in his vicinity would dull down to a numbing ache. He would often think of how Lexi would feel if she saw him in that state and it would immediately dissuade him. But why?

Last he remembered, she had claimed she didn't care about him and that she had kissed Elliot. She had hurt him deeply but he still pined for her presence. He realised, after the death of his mother, how fleeting life was. If life became uncertain then what good would it do to dwell on such petty issues? Especially, when he so desperately needed Lexi in his life. He couldn't find it in him to shun her for what had happened. His need for her exceeded that.

Of course, he had made mistakes as well. In the midst of their argument, she had disclosed how he had uttered Avalon's name and he felt a pang in his chest as he remembered Lexi's face as she said those words.

He was stupid.

How could he have done such a thing to Lexi? He had promised not to hurt her but that was what he had ended up doing. He knew, he still had some lingering attachments with Avalon. He wouldn't call them love but they attached him to her, nonetheless. Out of habit or grief, whatever it was, he had called her name when with Lexi.

Indeed, he was stupid.

Still, he hoped Lexi would forgive him too because he couldn't stand to not be in her presence. Even if Lexi felt nothing for him, he wished to be close with her. He was willing to accept that she may not want him so long as she stayed by his side; definitely now, with all that had gone on.

He would have sunk deeper than into his thoughts about his mother and the dark promise of death had the knock on the door not caught his attention.

Not bothering to put on a shirt, he walked to the door with only sweatpants, expecting it either to be his friends or his aunt, coming to check on him. When he opened the door, the last thing he expected was her petite form on the other side of the door.

Lexi.

She was with Justin, but he could only focus on her in stunned silence, taking in her appearance like a gulp of air. He had underestimated her value in his life, he realised, as he looked at her. Gazing at her now, he felt the raging grief extinguish like a mere candle flame in the presence of her. He couldn't think of his sadness not when she was there like a warm hand on a winter's night.

After another bout of silence, Justin cleared his throat, turning to Aaron.

"Can we come in?" He asked, gesturing to the inside of the house and Aaron could sense the terseness in his tone. It made him feel worry and he nodded numbly before moving aside and allowing them entry.

Aaron couldn't help but feel his heart clench when he saw Justin holding Lexi's arm as they walked in towards the living room. He couldn't explain the emotions he felt then but all he could do was stare at the unexpected physical contact. Justin, the man who was averse to touch, holding Lexi so nonchalantly made him stiffen, but he did his best to appear casual, focusing more on what they apparently wanted to share with him.

"Something up?" Aaron questioned, looking between the two. He tried to hide the tepid fear in his voice as he looked at them together, but it only increased when Justin turned to look at Lexi.

His Lexi.

He dismissed the stupid thought. This was his best friend and Lexi, two people he thought dearly of. There wouldn't be anything going on.

Would there?

It was only when Lexi sighed, choosing to look down at the ground, that he felt concern fill him. Was something up with her? The instinctive protectiveness made him move forward.

"Lexi, is something wrong?" He asked worriedly to which she said nothing, still looking down. It only increased his concern and he moved closer to her.

"Lexi?" He questioned again and he felt his chest warm as he saw her moving closer to him. Maybe she too had missed him. The hope filled him like a soaring kite.

"Aaron, what I wanted to say was that..." She began and he nodded, encouraging her to continue. She could share anything with him; that was his role in life.

They were only a few inches apart now and the urge to hold her was insatiable, but he held it in, wanting to hear what she had to say.

"Your well-being, Aaron. I wanted to know if you're okay now." I lied, smiling up at him with as much vigor as Raven in the morning.

He could tell she was lying and that it was something else, but he conceded, knowing he'd only make her tell if she was comfortable.

"I'm fine, Lexi." He said, folding his arms across his chest as he waited for her to speak again. The curiosity to know what saddened him was far too great to shake away.

She moved closer to where he was stood, pulling him down on the sofa with a gentle touch. He reveled in the feel of her soft caress like a man deprived.

"Are you telling the truth?" She suddenly asked, searching his eyes. He felt lost in her gaze but even more so in her words. Her eyes held so much care for him right now that he dismissed her cold gaze when they fought. She had to have cared for him to look at him this way. It made him smile and, this time, he truly couldn't fight the urge as he learned forward and kissed her lips gently before sitting back.

"I'm fine, Lexi. Trust me." He said, trying to reassure her, but in actuality he wanted to lean in to kiss her again.

Before he could, however, Justin spoke up, moving closer.

"Alexis has something she wants to tell you, Aaron." He said abruptly, making Aaron turn to him and he watched as Justin stared at Lexi before she nodded. The way they conversed with their eyes unsettled Aaron and he watched as Justin exited the house before turning to Lexi.

The atypical nature of this encounter, the way in which Lexi needed to break some news to him and Justin being comfortable enough to touch her made his mind whirl and it was only with these signs that he drew the conclusion.

Hs couldn't help but frown as he looked at her, not able to control his emotions.

"Is there something going on between you and Justin?" He tried to keep the sadness at bay as he spoke; tried to shadow his expressions, but the fear of being right was gripping his heart like a vice. He couldn't stand the thought of losing Lexi; even more so to see her in another man's arms, in particular his best friend's arms.

"What? No! That's not it." Her exclamation brought him out of thoughts, but he wasn't certain she was telling the truth, especially when her cheeks reddened as they did

He raised an eyebrow at this, feeling sick all of a sudden.

"Oh, really? Then what is it that both of you need to tell me, huh?" He questioned, folding his arms and she faltered at this, looking around thought. He watched every action intently, the frown still on his face. Was she faltering as she thought of a lie?

"Well, what Justin was forcing me to tell you was that..." She began, but stopped and he nodded his head coldly

"Yeah. I'm with you so far." He couldn't help the bite to tone as he let his emotions take over.

"Well, he just wanted to... make me apologise to you." She finally relented and his eyebrows furrowed at the sudden change. He felt a small amount of relief, but he needed more as he nodded, signalling her to explain what she meant and that she did.

"Yes, apologise, that's what it was. I told him about the fight that occurred between us a while ago. You know, the one in the classroom. Well, I didn't tell him what it was about, but he still said- regardless of what the fight was about- we needed to attempt to make amends, so he basically dragged me here in the hope that we reconcile our differences." She said in one breath, finishing with a wide smile and the batting of he4 eyelashes.

Her demeanour was strange, but he thought more to her words, the memories of the argument suddenly coming crashing back. The fight in which she had told him she believed Elliot over him. He felt his body tense at the thought and Lexi sighed in response.

"Look, I'm sorry, Aaron. Believe me, I really am. I didn't mean to hurt you like I did." She spoke so sincerely that it shocked him and he sighed in response, running a hand over his face. After his mother, this was the last thing he wanted to talk about with Lexi. It truly didn't matter anymore.

"Don't sweat over it, Lexi. I really don't mind." He said to reasure her but the hurt he had felt then still rung deep. He stiffened when he felt a hand over his, looking up to her beautiful face. She smiled at him in ways that made his heart melt.

"I know you're telling the truth, Aaron. You were all along. It was him. He was was the dirty liar." She suddenly relented and the mere mention of Elliot made his defenses come up, even more so as Lexi mentioned him. How did she come to find out? The protectiveness kicked in yet again.

"How? Did he come talk to you? He didn't touch you, did he?" Aaron questioned, pulling her closer almost as though to guard her and she shook her, much to his relief.

"Yes, he did come and no. He didn't touch me." Shs answered, looking down in thought and it made him worry all the more. He pulled her face up, searching her eyes.

"He did come? What did he say? Tell me." He said, his voice loud and urgent with anger. If Elliot did anything to upset her, he would kill him without hesitation. His rage knew no bounds

But, Lexi didn't hold the same thought and she frowned, sitting back tiredly.

"I don't want to talk about it now. Please, I'll tell you later. Let's talk about something else." She almost but pleaded, putting a hand on my forehead. It was with this action that he nodded reluctantly, the look of anger dissipating off his face.

He was still a bit angry but, nevertheless, he still changed the topic.

"School's in 2 days. You ready for that?" He asked, relaxing back down onto the sofa, but he felt anything but relaxed. There was too much in his head. He too wanted to apologise for having said Avalon's name, but he felt mentioning her would open up another wound he was so badly trying to stitch up.

He also felt the worry fill him about how things would be now without his mother. How would their relationship fare? He was unsure about how things would pan out, but one thing he was sure of was Lexi.

He knew he couldn't go without her so, fake relationship or not, he would keep her to his side. If nothing else, he would have her as a companion without labels.

Because, Lexi's mere presence was worth all of the effort he was willing to put in.

_________________________________________

"I don't know. It's just... I never liked this ride. You and Chance go on since you like it so much. I'll go get us some candy floss, yeah?"

"Okay" I chirped, happily. Aaron smiled in return, kissing me on the cheek lightly

"Be right back" he whispered and with that he moved away from me, said a quick goodbye to Chance before heading towards the candy floss machine.

I yanked Chance by his upper arm and pushing him into the seat beside me. The ride started and, honestly, it was cooler than I had imagined, but that's not what I was thinking about. I started thinking of how much better it would be if Aaron was sitting in the seat beside me.

The ride ended shortly after with me blabbing to Chance about how cool the ride was. I was expecting Aaron to be standing there, smirking; some candy floss in his hand, but he wasn't there.

But that wasn't what broke my heart.

I looked over to the line of the ride to find that the 'ticket girl' was also nowhere in sight.