Love Under the Moon

The Invite

"Hey!" Aaron closed his locker to see Averie running towards him. People glanced there way, but quickly went back to whatever they were doing. He watched as Averie skidded to halt in front of him, hands on her knees and breathing hard. Then she looked up at him and batted her eyelashes, "Soooo, I'm having a sleepover on Friday. The whole gang will be there. I was wondering if you wanted to come?"

"Errrr" Aaron rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He liked Averie, but as a friend. She was always sucking up to him. It always made him uncomfortable. Besides , he didn't like her like that. He liked... never mind.

"Makaylah will be there" Averie said. She twirled her hair around her finger and bit her lip.

"Ugh...fine." Aaron tried to sound chill about it, but inside, his heart and stomach were competing to see which one could do the most backflips. He has known the boys longer than he knew Makaylah. But it felt like he's known her forever. She was kind, smart, funny, and brave, with a little bit of a wild streak. And she was also drop dead gorgeous. Her skin was the color of milk chocolate, and her elbow length black hair always had a shine to it. And then there were her eyes. Aaron remembered in fifth grade, there teacher said they would decide who would share first by whoever had the darker eye color. Makaylah said that hers and Aaron's were the same. But at that moment, Aaron knew that wasn't true. His were bland and boring. Makaylah's were like standing on the edge of a chocolate sea. Her eyes were a hundred different shades of brown, with a gold shine around the edges, making them glow. 

Anyways, Averie and Makaylah were different not just by looks. Averie was always acting like they dated, but she was never there. Makaylah, on the other hand, was always there for Aaron. Whenever he got hurt, she would be the one to make sure he was ok. And Aaron made sure he did the same. Makaylah had a cat named Salmon. Salmon was her everything. But when Salmon died, Makaylah came to school and didn't say a word. When Averie asked what had happened, a single tear rolled down Makaylah's cheek, and then she ran. Aaron had chased after her, and when he caught up with her, he asked if she was okay. She told him everything, and over the next few days, Aaron turned into her own bodyguard, protecting her from unwanted questions.

"Are you even listening?" Aaron snapped out of her daze to see Averie waving her hand in front of his face, a irritated expression on her face. When she saw that she had his attention, she continued. "As I was SAYING, for the sleepover, bring a toothbrush, sleeping bag, pajamas, a change of everyday clothes, and a swimsuit."

When Averie said swimsuit, Aaron got confused. This is a sleepover...right? As if reading his thoughts, Averie said. "After the sleepover, we're going to go swimming in the morning."

Then Averie left. As soon as she turned the corner, out of sight, Aaron felt a warm pair of fragile arms wrap around his stomach. He didn't have to turn around to know that those arms belonged to Makaylah.

"You going to the sleepover, too?" She asked. Her voice was like hot chocolate on a cold day.

"Yeah. Are You?" He asked, smiling.

"Yep." She replied. Then she unwrapped her arms from around him, and when Aaron looked back, she was gone.