Then Came You (Wattys2015)

Chapter 7

"Wake up Lily! You're getting late!" I heard someone scream her lungs out while shaking my body continuously in an attempt to wake me up. It was my mom. When I was four, I tried to gobble up a purple lily and god-knows-why my mom found my little evil act really 'cute' and since then I had been assigned this name by her.

"Mom I couldn't sleep properly yesterday. Let me sleep." I managed to mumble sleepily. 

"Oh just wake up dear." Mom didn't stop shoving me. Although it hurt, but I really didn't feel like waking up at that moment. I just wanted to cuddle with my teddy bear and go off to my dreamland. Far away from the madding crowd, in the land of chocolates and Aaron. My Aaron. It made me blush that I could call him mine. My sweet Aaron is so---

"Sleepy head! Wake up." And with this, my mother officially became the dream-ruiner of the year.

"Just 5 minutes please." I think all the teenagers know the inner meaning of JUST 5 MINUTES.

"Adelia just get up! Today is the last day of your school before summer vacation. You need to go."

Wait what? Summer Vacations! How could I forget this! Oh my god. That means NO AARON for almost 2 months! Yesterday had been the best day of my life and I couldn't even cherish it or celebrate it properly. And by celebration I mean sleep!!

I immediately sprang up from my bed which gave my mother a minor jolt. "Thanks mommy for reminding me." I said as I hurried to the washroom. As I entered the washroom I heard my mother shout,"Listen Lily, after you finish I want you to have breakfast with me on the table. Not on the couch while watching some stupid cartoons like Spongebob."

"Mom don't disrespect Spongy! He is my favourite. I will have my breakfast with you. Happy? Now let me at least brush my teeth properly!" I yelled from the washroom. "Fine." I heard my mother's footsteps as she went down the stairs. But I need to get ready for school as soon as possible!

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I felt worried as I couldn't find Aaron in the school. Yesterday he had proposed me and today he is nowhere to be seen! I constantly kept checking my phone every five minutes to see whether he had texted me or not but in vain. I went to the canteen in the hope that I might spot him but could not find him there too. Tired of trying to find him, I sat on chair with my face covered with the palms of both my hands as a gesture of exhaustion. 

"Looking for someone?" He chuckled. I finally heard the voice I was craving to hear. A feeling of relief passed through me. I wanted to teach him a lesson. How could he do this to me? That also on the very first day after he proposed me! I won't talk to him. Maybe then he will realize his mistake. 

Aaron pulled my chair closer to him and said, "Lia? I asked you something." How did he get the strength to pull my chair with me sitting on it! Aaron had a lean frame and though he was not a muscular guy, he looked athletic. I turned my face to the side opposite to him. He let out a sigh and pulled my chair even more closer to him. I noticed a few people staring at us. Not wanting to create a scene, I created a considerable distance between us. Aaron looked at me, visibly disappointed. Then, he took both of my hands in his and said, "Look at me." His gaze had already started melting me.

"Lia I am sorry. I just wanted to see how you react if I go missing. I didn't understand that it will annoy you so much. Now please don't stay mad at me. It is our first day together as US. Please?"

How can I stay mad at him if he apologizes so sweetly? I pressed his hand in an assuring manner and said,"No I am sorry. I should not have overreacted. To be honest I was missing you. I was afraid that if you don't show up today I may not be able to see you for the next two months. Our vacations start from tomorrow Aaron."

"And how could you think that I would not show up on the last of school before the vacation?" He looked down at my hand and started tracing every inch of it. I felt a tickling sensation but didn't protest. My hand looked small and delicate in his large, warm hand. Looking up into my eyes again, he said, "Lia I want you as much as you want me. Don't draw up conclusions on your own." He gave me a warm smile, flaunting his deep dimples. 

"I get you. Now tell me where were you hiding?" 

"I was playing chess with Andrew in the Games Hall." He laughed. "By the way what are your plans for the summer vacation? I was wondering if we could go to a beach and...you know...spend some time together. We could take Maddy and Niall along with us too. What say?" He asked in such a sweet manner that only a stone-hearted person would be able to decline him. Unfortunately, fate had other plans for me.

"As much as I would love to hang out with you Aaron, but mom has different plans for us. We are going to California to visit my aunt." I said lamentably. I felt as if the colour on Aaron's face instantly faded away. "But don't worry, I will try my best to convince her. And maybe she will listen to me." I squeezed his hand in a reassuring manner.

"Hey no! Don't do that. Perhaps you should go with your mom and spend some quality time with her. Do you even remember the last time you went on a vacation with her? She is usually busy so maybe this is a chance for her to spend some time with her daughter. And do not worry my dear Lia, I will make sure to disturb you every moment." he said, giving me one of his brightest smiles. I just felt so proud of him. His maturity made me adore him more.

"In that case, I would love to be disturbed." I smiled.

"I know right." he said as he placed his hand on my head and gently stroked my hair. Only one sentence could justify my feeling at that moment- I felt at home. His touch relaxed me and healed me from inside. It seemed as if it took away all my tension. 

"Now by your leave, can we head to our respective classes? Or you want to spend the rest of our lives here?" Aaron teased me. 

"Umm....The second option sounds better." I winked.

"Well if that is what you want, then be it. I do not mind spending the rest of my life in a canteen as long as you're with me." he said with a genuine smile.

"Aren't you too young to talk like that? You sound like some Shakespearean romantic hero."

"As in Romeo?" Aaron asked.

"Yeah kind of."

"That's good I guess. You girls seem to be pretty smitten with him." 

"No eww. He is so melodramatic. Whatever. So where was I?"

"Too young something like that?"

"Yeah! For a while I forgot that we are teenagers." I joked.

"Age is just a number my dear. My love for you is beyond the worldly barriers of age and blah blah." He giggled.

"Time will say."

"Time will say." He gave me that 'omniscient' type smile. "Come on now let us go to our classes."

"Okay." I said as we both stood up from our seats. I was just about to take a step ahead when Aaron held my hand and interlocked our fingers. He bent down and whispered in my ears,"Neither ahead of me nor behind me. But WITH me. Forever and ever."

"I cannot imagine how much I will miss you my love." I said.

"I will not miss you. You are etched in my heart so whenever, wherever I go.....You will be always there with me...." He said leaving me speechless. Even a day ago I was not sure about Aaron Smith. But if just the first day of being with him is so beautiful, then I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him.....