Play Pretend (Aaron Pauley)

~ Chapter Nine ~

CHAPTER NINE: REBELLION

POV: CORPORAL AARON PAULEY OF SQUIRE

The walk would have been boring if... not for Alan and Ember's singing. They sang Neutral songs, Rebellion songs, and now, Ember was trying to sing a Squire song.

"Ugh! I give up!" She declared loudly. "Let's just go with Rebellion." They started singing the Rebellions song, Alan playing air guitar. I knew a little, but most the chorus.

"We are the fortunate ones who've never faced oppression's gun. We are the fortunate ones. Invitations of REBELLION!" They sang. Even Sergeant Valentino joined in! He seemed actually happy and like he could be friendly. They came to the chorus again, and I joined in. They stared at me in surprise.

"What? I use to sing." I admitted. They shrugged off the surprise before the group started singing old show tunes. I even skipped with them to We're Off To See The Wizard!

Around six, we stopped at the safe house. We ate and went our own ways in the house. I was sharing a room with Ember, seeing she was the commanding officer. I wasn't going to complain. 

I truly love Ember, but she's a lieutenant for The Rebellion! To make it worse- according to Alan, she's about to become leader of it. Then she'll be General Ember Carter of The Rebellion. Being a Rebellion, she was trained to hate Squires. I couldn't trust her not to plunge a knife in my back while I was kissing her.

I stared up at the stars above my head in the backyard of the Rebellion run safe house. I had already showered and changed, and I just wanted to be left alone and pretend that I was back at home in the Squire base. I heard the door shut, but I kept my eyes on the sky.

"You want some company?" A female voice asked.

"No, Ember. I want to be alone." I tried to say it nicely, but I couldn't. I was angry. She deceived me and lied about who she was! It hurt. I was hurt.

"Okay. I'll leave you be." She said in defeat. I heard the door shut. I knew I had hurt her a little. I just didn't care.

After a half hour more, I went back inside and up to mine and Ember's room. I took off my skinny jeans and got in bed. I heard the door open and shut. I looked over to see Ember wearing somebody- probably Alan's t-shirt. I felt my eyes widen, seeing as she was just wearing the shirt. 

"What, Pauley? Never seen a girl's legs before?" She teased with a smirk. I shook my head, and stopped staring, looking back up at the ceiling.

"Sorry." I mumbled. I felt the bed dip beside me.

"It's alright." She said, laying down. "Good night, Aaron." She turned to face me, her blue-gray eyes staring into mine. I couldn't look away. "I love you, you know that, right?"

"I know."

"Do you know how much?" She asked, her blue-gray eyes staring into mine. I shook my head. "Aaron, I love you more than the stars in the sky. I'll love you until the end of time. I'm not supposed to love. I was taught never let your guard down. But I can't do that. I have fallen in love with you. I'm in love with you." She said. You could hear the truth in her voice, sense it in the air, see it in her eyes.

"I love you, too, Ember."

Ember Carter was perfect. In my eyes, she will always be perfect. No matter how much blood she will ever have on her hands; even if my own. She will forever be perfect to me.

I just wish she knew that. So I made her feel perfect that night.

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A/N: And it happens. We all knew it was gonna happen! Deal with it! 

Stay Sassy, 

The Rutabaga