The Agreement •MXM• (Book 1)

A pile of gifts

Cyrus

The sight of the lobby at the apartment complex is becoming more and more familiar to me every time I come home.
I'm dreading it more and more as well because recently every time I come home,I have a package from the creeper who calls themselves a secret admirer. I walk in and try not to look like I'm about to fall down and cry when Preeti calls me over. "Yes?"I ask like usual,I subconsciously fidget with my clothes because my body can't seem to get used to the new clothes. Their mostly white,clearly attempting to paint me out as cute and innocent. I'm constantly aware of the dolled up jewellery and gems dotting the fabric,people always stare. They're not used to this me,neither am I.
"It's a package for you,from-"
"I know,I know,just what is it?"
"It's a chocolate cake from that pricey bakery in town... and this milk."I take both of them from her and my brains gear's start to grind. The fact that I like chocolate cake isn't something I share with any body. And with the milk? This is someone who knows everything about me,top to bottom. First the sweet scent. The necklace I hate to say Ioved. Now chocolate cake. I hurry and grab the letter from the box,it reads... a little treat for you,the colour matches the depth of your eyes. And like always he leaves a heart at the end.
I've done everything. Thought of everyone who could do this and so publicly as well but I'm struck at a loss. Austin lives so far away and couldn't possibly know these things about me,plus he's way too busy with the barn to do something of this sort. Grandma already said she had no idea the first time it happened. I'm out of options at this point. Then my brain clicks... what if its that creeper who called my ring ugly at campus? I'm shivering at the fact that he might have sent this to me. I vividly remember the feeling of crawling over the skin I felt when he came close to me. The idea that he touched this item is scaring me. I want to drop it right now and here but I look at Preeti and find her giving me a a pitiful stare,
"Are you sure you don't want me to call authorities?"she asks,face in her hands,
"No... I'm alright."
"Okay... but if you want to cool off we can go to the park together tomorrow?"the question comes off so hesitant,so unlike her usual calm and confident nature. I don't raise a speculative brow though,
"Sure. I don't have class tomorrow afternoon so it'll be cool. See ya,"I hurry and go up the elevator to the apartment. When I finally make it,Aaron seems to have just gotten home himself.
"Well look who it is-"I don't pay attention to him as I walk past into the kitchen and immediately throw the milk and cake into the trash can. Only then do I feel alright to face someone. When I face him,he's eyes are dull like he just saw something sad,
"What's wrong?"he turns away from me for a moment,like he's recollecting himself after a deep breath he says,
"Nothing,it's just... did that guy send you another gift?"
"I'd hardly call them gifts at this point. He sends me one every other day. I think I want to call the cops,"
"Okay."I stare blankly at him,as he nonchalantly takes a sip of water,walks to the kitchen and rinses his glass and steps away,
"That's it? I mean,why are you not mad?"
"Should I be?"this man can't be serious-
"Ever since this whole thing started you didn't care,you didn't even react."I say to his confused face,"You just sit there and say okay... I mean,I'm getting scared and you don't seem to care that much."he stares at me for a long time and sucks in a breath,
"I- I never assumed you were scared or threatened by the gifts. Do you want them to stop?"
"Yes! Of course I do,if you had someone who did this to you,you would too."
"...oh."I can't seem to place his expression at all. That hollowed face,as though it's wallowing in some sort of emotion,in the acceptance that comes along with grief. But he won't tell me. I've realised he can joke with me but can't tell me when he's hurting. It's okay for us to laugh together but it's not okay for us to cry together,for some reason it feels a little unfair. Unfair to expect that from him,when I do the exact same.
"I just assumed you would have noticed my discomfort or something."
"... yeah. Yeah,totally- I'll get someone to look into it for sure. Don't even worry about it."we fall into silence,I stand here he stands there. In the quiet,until he snaps I guess. "Are you angry with me?"he asks and I look at his silently hidden exhaustion,the way he clearly looks like he had a bad day. The way his tie is swung over his shoulders,shirt untucked and his hair hanging lazily over his brooding face,eyes that blink slowly.
He still looks hot though- the little voice in my head says like it always does when we're exposed to a new version of Aaron. But they're wrong,they'll always be wrong. They're thoughts aren't mine because I do not thinking Aaron Manalo is hot.
"I'm fine."
"Cyrus."he whines,"I didn't ask you if you were fine I asked if what we just had was a fight so now you're sulking."
"I'm not sulking-"
"Your bottom lip is jutting out."he says and I suck the offending lip back into place,he cracks a tired smile,"If you're mad about our little couple quarrel I'm sorry,"
"I'm not mad,and we're not a couple."
"Not in the mood to argue about that. Wanna dance?"he asks with a raised brow,hands extended,inviting me to hold them,
"Go lay down Aaron you've had a long day-"he grabs me anyway and puts me (against my will) into position.
"Don't step on my feet,okay?"
"Aaron,I'm not dancing-"he starts swaying me back and forth before I can even finish my sentence,it's clear this isn't what we practiced but a tactic to shut me up. "Aaron!"I yell at this stupidly grinning fool
"Sorry what was that? I can't hear you over how fun this is!"despite myself I'm smiling as he sends me into twirls and spins and his laugh becomes our music.