Summer Romance

Chapter 12

I looked at him, again I felt tears filling my eyes. God, I turned into such a crybaby ever since I got to Rome what was this city doing to me? Or rather, what was Aaron doing to me?

"Yeah, sure.", I said quietly.

We walked away from the shop and the crowd to a place more private underneath a tree.

He looked at me and didn't say anything for a long moment. I felt sick again and swallowed it down before I might really throw up.

"Did you mean it?", he eventually asked. I didn't look at him but looked down at my feet instead, then nodded slightly.

I did love him. I didn't know it myself until I said it out loud, but I did.

I heard him take a deep breath and sniveled quietly fighting against the tears.

"Scar, don't cry, please.", he said and laid his hand underneath my chin. I quickly turned my head away; I didn't want him to see me like this.

"Scar, please, look at me.", he said softly.

I didn't react to his words, I just kept staring at my feet. He took my hands in his and again I heard his quiet voice. "Look at me, please."

I took a deep breath and slowly lifted my head. My eyes were filled with tears, that slowly rolled down my cheeks. Aaron laid his hands on my cheeks and wiped them away. He lifted my head a bit, so I had to look into his eyes. They were shimmering and I thought I saw a mix of sadness and happiness in them. But I wasn't sure, and I surely couldn't interpret what they meant exactly.

Aaron smiled slightly, then leaned forward and – to my surprise – kissed me gently.

Why did he do that?

I thought he was...

Did he maybe...?

No, that couldn't be true.

He couldn't be...

Not him...

Not like this...

Not this fast...

Aaron pulled away after some moments and looked into my eyes.

We didn't say anything for a while, we just stood there, staring at each other. Then eventually, he gently wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. I hesitated at first but after a bit I laid my arms around his waist and pressed my head against his warm chest.

"I love you, too, Scar.", he whispered after a few more moments of silence.

I squeezed him tighter and sobbed.

He loved me, Aaron loved me...

He let me go after some moments and smiled down at me. He kissed away my tears and laid one hand on my cheek. "Say it.", he ordered me smiling. I looked at him, took a deep breath and nodded. "I love you..."

He smiled widely and kissed me again. Then he suddenly wrapped his arms around me and spun me around. I squealed and he put me down again.

"Do you want to go back to the shops?"

"Yeah. I'd like to take an ugly, cheesy gift with me to remember this trip by."

"What, I'm not ugly and cheesy enough to be that souvenir?"

We both started laughing, then took my hand, kissed it and led me back to the shops.

I soon found the ugliest souvenir I could find and bought it, then it was already time to get back to the bus.

Aaron had his arm laying around my waist and we were holding hands when we got there. "Hey.", Nat greeted us sounding surprised. When she saw the looks in our faces a grin spread on her face. "Looks like you talked about it."

"We did.", Aaron said and smiled at me.

"Good thing I don't have to ask for details. I mean, it's obvious, what happened.", Nat said smiling and got up the stairs into the bus.

"Ladies first.", Aaron said smiling and let go of me.

"A gentleman, a dying breed.", I replied with a smile. He laughed and gave me a quick but gentle kiss. "I love you."

"And I love you.", I said and entered the bus.