Close Behind || Aaron Minyard

27

Naomi had seen Andrew pull out of the parking lot and had expected him to be picking them up, he hadn't said anything to the contrary, but he wasn't with the car when they got outside. Nicky had the keys though so they got in.

She sat in the middle of the back seat and leaned her head against Neil. She was sporting a migraine after whatever the hell was happening at practice. If she could live a simple life, she would. All she wanted to do was take a fucking nap.

When they pulled into the Towers parking lot Andrew was sitting on the curb. He was crossing his legs and holding his ankles like some weird form of meditation but his grin was on.

They got there before the upperclassman, courtesy of Nicky's stellar driving, so Kevin was the first person to go up to him. "You shouldn't be outside if you're sick."

"Such concern." Andrew grinned. "Dont cry, Kevin! Nothing some good ol' vitamin C can't fix."

Nicky crouched down in front of him with a worried look. "Hey, are you alright?"

"You ask strange questions, Nicky."

"I'm concerned is all."

"Sounds like your problem," Andrew bats his face away a little.

Naomi takes a turn and steps for a step, away from Aaron. "Andrew."

"Hello, Kitty," he grins widely at her. "I'm waiting for someone but you can come, too. Oh, they're finally here."

She doesn't get a chance to ask where she's been invited or who he's waiting for. The upperclassman start walking over to them.

"Renee! Welcome back. I'm borrowing you, you don't mind, do you? I knew you wouldn't."

"Do I need anything?" Renee asks easily.

"I've already got it," he says. Andrew stands up and Renee follows after him a few steps before he turns and looks back at Naomi. "Coming, Kitty Cat?"

"No, thank you. Have fun." She shakes her head at him and tilts it towards Aaron.

Andrew grins wider for a split second and then turns back to walking across the parking lot with Renee. No one says anything, they just watch for a while until they reach the end of the parking lot.

Then, without much of a word, Aaron grabs her by the wrist and turns them to walk back towards campus. Some of the team behind them call after her, but Naomi ignores them and lets Aaron drag her where he's going.

They reach a set of dorms in silence, he leads the way but drops her arm. Naomi jogs to follow his quick strides into the building. It's different from the Tower, like a lot. She doesn't really feel comfortable or welcome in here but she goes anyway.

This building has stairs just the same as theirs, it has the same amount of floors and everything. Climbing the stairs is when Naomi decides to break the silence.

"How did you meet him?" She asks Aaron.

He glances back at her for a second and sighs, slowing his walk. "When I met Higgins he asked me to bring him to my mom, she gave him her phone number and Andrews foster family called her. She didn't want me to know but I snuck upstairs and listened on her phone. She told her, the foster mom, that she didn't care about Andrew."

Naomi nods slowly and follows him onto the floor he chooses. "So you didn't met him."

"Not til juvie," Aaron agrees. They stay quiet for a while as he walks down the hall to the last room, they stop and he turns to her. "I went behind her back to send him a letter, saying even if she didn't care, that I did. He sent it back. Scribbled over it, said to fuck off."