Love, Aria

Chapter 24 | Brenden

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

"Is everything alright?" Emily asked as I closed the door behind me, removing Aria's stunned gaze from view. "You look...odd."

"It's all fine." I replied, "I just saw Aria as I was walking in here."

Emily nodded.

"I'm sorry if I've caused any issues. Well, actually...I mean, I need to talk to you about something."

I nodded, my mind still on Aria.

"Yeah, what is it?"

Emily paused.

"You're still thinking about Aria, aren't you?"

I nodded, unable to lie. I was only ever thinking about Aria. I hadn't wanted to walk over to her and be the first one to make a move, but there was something about the way she looked at me as I walked into the side room that made me think that she had something to say to me.

"Well, don't think about her." Emily said as I sat down on the couch next to her. "Think about me."

I looked at her in confusion.

"You're making it sound like--"

"I know." Emily nodded. "It's on purpose."

She took my hand in hers and held onto it, looking me in the eye. I was silent, unsure of what to say.

"Brenden, you must have noticed that I've never really...stopped trying to be with you. We broke up and you started dating Aria, and I was devastated. There was nothing that I could do about it, and I wanted to be a good friend about everything. You really liked--"

"Loved." I interrupted.

"Loved," Emily corrected herself, grimacing as she said the word, "this girl. I couldn't stand in the way of it. Then you broke up, and there was hope. But then you started dating Lexie. There was another ray of hope when she broke up with you. But then Aria came here, of all places. Right when it could be our time again. But you're with her again. And I can't do it anymore.

"It's been two years, and I just have to tell you. We had such a good time when we were together, Brenden. We're in college now, we're older and more mature, we can be something real. You can't have that with Aria. She's going to go back to Virginia and you're going to go back to being the same gorgeous flirt around campus that you've always been. She'll end it again, you'll be heartbroken. Or," She moved closer to me, "You could be the one to end it with her. Now. Let her be the heartbroken one and let yourself be truly happy, with the right person."

"You were the other girl with Lexie." I sputtered, finally having everything come together in my head. "You were the one who wanted that picture of us. Lexie's been on my case because you wanted her there, to break up Aria and I. You...is that why you told me to text her? You wanted her to be jealous and angry?"

Emily nodded.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do..."

"Em, I'm in love with Aria. I was in love with you once, but I'm not anymore. I'm sorry if that's rude, I'm sorry if that's something that hurts for you to hear, but I love Aria. I have for years. I can't throw all that away for--"

"For your best friend?" Emily finished, "The one who's been there for you through everything in your life? The one who has been there for you no matter what, no matter where, no matter the cost to her? I love you, Brenden. It's been torture watching you date all these other girls, but I've done it because I value your happiness. But now, it's too much. I've done my waiting. I've done my time. I want us to be us, again. I want this to be real."

"It can't!" I cried, and I felt her hand tense in mine. "It can't be real. I don't love you, I love Aria. Nothing is going to change that."

Emily shook her head and moved ever closer.

"Are you sure about that?"

I had every opportunity in the world to get out of that situation, to get away before the something that I couldn't resist came into play.

Emily and I had dated, on and off, for years before I had even met Aria. She had been my first kiss, my first love, and my best friend through it all. Aria had come along and swept all of that away. But there are things that can trigger feelings from long ago, and it's incredibly difficult, even impossible, to forget your first love.

Emily kissed me, her lips pressing against mine in a way that was so familiar and comforting that I didn't even think. It was a reflex to kiss her back, and it was a reflex that I gave in to.

I kissed her back, and her hand left mine to wrap itself in my hair, pressing me back into the couch. I was doing nothing to stop what Emily had clearly been planning, and I continued to kiss her, wrapping her in my arms in a way I had done countless times before.

We kissed until the door could be heard opening loudly. I jumped away from Emily and looked up, knowing already who I would find there.

"Aria--"

"Yeah..." She let out a small laugh, "We're done."

EDIT: GUYS IM IN DISNEY AND I JUST MET GASTON who is my favorite Disney character of all time so IM INCLUDING A PICTURE BC IM SO EXCITED AND I WANTED YOU GUYS TO KNOW OKAY BYE.