The Six Degrees Of Separation

Chapter 4 : Change For The Better? Or Worse?

"HEY LEIGHTON!" I heard someone shout. Doing a three-sixty spin on the spot, I looked for the source of noise. Aaron. I gave him a smile, and Aaron returned with a larger one. Raising my eyebrow, I asked without speaking what was up. 

"Nothing... I just wanted to talk to you," he said with a grin and came over to hug me. 

He hugged me. In front of EVERYONE. He normally would be too embarassed. He hated showing his affection in public, he was way too shy.

What had happened to that Aaron?

I didn't want him to see me surprised like that and think that something was wrong with this picture, so I clamped my eyes shut and leaned my head on his shoulder. 

"I need to go to my locker now, but I'll talk to you later?" I whispered into his ear. 

"Mmkay," he murmured back. We parted, and I left him with a wink. 

Before I turned around completely to walk towards the stairs, I thought I saw him flushing furiously.

Trotting down the stairs, I wondered why that hug didn't give me tingles. Why didn't it make ME blush and happy that Aaron was becoming more outgoing? 

After Aaron had come back from fall break and after that Thanksgiving dinner, he'd started to socialize more and became more outgoing. He'd become less embarrassed that we were dating, and was displaying his affection more. 

I had become way too used to the fact that he didn't show his affection publicly. I wasn't experienced in this PDAer situations. He'd never even HUGGED me in public before. 

Yeah, this was a big deal to me. I'd hugged guys loads of times before. Hell, I'd even kissed boys on the cheek. 

But with Aaron, nothing had happened. 

I didn't know how to react. 

Was I not into guys who were outgoing?

No... That's a ton of crap; I'd had crushes on loads of guys who were outgoing. 

So why not Aaron? 

Why couldn't I accept his change?

************************************************************************************************************

Home, at last. 

My fingers on the trackpad, my mouse hovered over the Skype icon.

Wondering if I should talk to Aaron or not, I decided against it. 

I was still suffering from the fact that I hadn't been all tingly or happy with Aaron's change, I couldn't face talking to him. 

I peacefully did my homework for the next two hours. 

As in peacefully, I mean biting my fingernails off in worry and suspense, wondering if Aaron noticed my surprise and hesitation with his hug and what he thought of me now and when I'd work up the courage to actually talk to him next. 

Finishing up my social studies essay on geography, I took a deep breath and clicked on the Skype icon. 

One red message sign showed up. A pending message. 

I clicked on it. 

It was from Aaron. 

Intaking a quick breath, I read through the message.

And broke down, for this is what it said. 

~AaronSchmidt~ : i need to talk to you<3

~AaronSchmidt~: PLEASEEE

~AaronSchmidt~: pleawseaseawssee come onlinee

~AaronSchmidt~: im rlly lonely

~AaronSchmidt~: :P

~AaronSchmidt~: im a loner :)

~AaronSchmidt~: iloveyou

~AaronSchmidt~: im sorry for wahtever i did :(

He didn't do anything. Well he did, he changed... But that's not his fault, was it? It's my fault that I was overreacting and being weird about this POSITIVE change. 

I had to get over this change. Accept it. 

Because it's good for me. 

Now, there'd be an actual POSSIBILITY that we'd kiss, right?

And that's what you want, Leighton. Isn't it? Your first kiss with your first/third boyfriend?

But I was going to have to get used to this new Aaron who was more outgoing. If he was becoming more comfortable with being affectionate in public, he'd hang around me more. I'd have to get used to his new personality sooner or later. 

Hopefully sooner.