Grown ish: Zoey and Aaron's Story (BOOK 1)

Part 2: Kicking it with Aaron

Zoey Narrates.

It's literally 11am. What the actual hell? I'm in Aaron's bed, naked, covered by only a bedsheet. He's beside me, naked too of course. We are both silent, awkwardly looking around, trying not to look at each other. What I had intended to do was come over and tell Aaron how I felt about him. Instead, I showed him. Or didn't show him. And just complicated everything.

After what feels like an excruciatingly long time, Aaron goes to pass me a t-shirt from his bedside.

'Here, put this on.' He says.

I stare at him. Does he expect me to remove this sheet to get dressed?! He senses my distress.

'It's nothing I haven't seen before.' He jokes, before I take the shirt and playfully hit him, and we both erupt into laughter. Smiling, he looks at me intently. That Aaron Jackson gaze. He leans in, and to my surprise, he kisses me on the lips. Slowly, softly. It feels good. He turns away from me to get dressed, and I do the same, before covering myself with the sheet again, realising I'm still half-naked.

'I've got a class to get to. Take your time.' He says, tying his shoe lace, before nonchalantly leaving the dorm room. I'm left confused. More confused than I've ever been, when it comes to Aaron and I. I curl up in the blanket and smile to myself.

I just slept with Aaron.

My relaxed moment is short lived, before I quickly pull on my pants, and hastily leave his room.

I need to speak to my girls.

_____

I barge my way into our house. As though waiting, all my girls are chilling in the lounge. And Vivek. Vivek is there too. I slowly pace towards them, clutching Aaron's shirt that I'm wearing. I don't know why I feel so nervous. Maybe it's Ana. Maybe it's because I think they'll judge me. Maybe it's because I don't want to ruin the friendship dynamics.

Ana snaps me out of my trance.

'Hey Zoey! Where'd you go so early in the morning?'
Ana asks.

I'm silent.

'Zoey?' She asks concerned.

I don't know how else to say it, so I blurt it out.

'I slept with Aaron!'

They all look shocked.

'You go girl! Get yo man!' Sky says, laughing. Then, they all start laughing.

'Zoey! That's great! Right? So you and Aaron finally made up and admitted your feelings to each other?' Jazz asks.

'Not exactly.' I say, before sitting down and telling them what happened. Without all the TMI details.

'I hope this isn't weird?' I say to Ana.

'No! No! Not at all! Aaron and I are still just friends, and besides, I'm with Javi now, anyways.' She smiles.

I flop back and find myself lying on Vivek's shoulder.

'I just don't know what to do. This is all so complicated. He didn't even say anything.'

'Look Zoey. I know my boy. He really likes you. Just be honest with him.' Says Vivek.

'I went there to be honest with him! I feel like we're just going round in circles.'

We all sit there for a while, chatting away, before my phone chimes with a text.

'We need to talk. Meet me at Titanium tonight?' It's from Aaron.

_____

I'm putting on my red heels, to match my mini dress, feeling nervous, once again. It's all I ever feel when it comes to Aaron. I'm assuming he wants to talk about what happened, finally. And I'm hoping he'll finally give me the opportunity to tell him how I feel. Verbally, obviously, because I made that physically quite clear already.

I walk into Titanium, the campus club/restaurant, and spot Aaron. I walk over to him.

'Hey.' I say.

'Hey, Zoey.' He says, leaning in for a quick and awkward side hug. That's weird.

'So um, I called you to talk about what happened this morning.' He says.

'Yeah I...' He cuts me off.

'Wait, Zoey. Just listen to me.'

I'm taken a back.

'Zoey. I don't know how to tell you this.'

Suddenly I'm scared.

'I'm seeing someone else.'

I'm shocked. I feel like my whole world has just collapsed.

'I'm sorry. I didn't mean for whatever happened today to happen. I don't know what came over me.' He says.

I don't know whether to feel angry, but I know I feel upset.

'Wow..' Is all I can say.

'I'm sorry, Zoey. Rochelle and I...'

Rochelle.

'We're not in an official relationship. Just kicking it?' He says.

I take a deep breath. Where have I heard that before? I'm not about to say or do anything that I'm gonna regret later.

'But listen. I don't regret what happened between us. At all. And I hope you don't either.'

I am filled with so many emotions right now. I'm confused, I'm upset but most of all, I'm heartbroken. Standing in front of the guy that I like, he's basically telling me he doesn't feel the same. I don't want him to know that though.

'You know what? It's fine!' I say.

'It's fine, It's fine, It's fine.' I say, with some anger in my voice.

I fumble in my bag, and pull out his t-shirt that I'd wore.

'Guess I won't be needing this anymore.' I say, throwing it at his chest, before storming away, silent tears escaping my eyes.

'Zoey wait...'

_____