Make Me Stay

Chapter Five

Flaws ~ Bastille

A small coffee shop on the corner of a busy street back home holds so many memories but then again, why do they stay there? Why not travel with the ongoing memories? They aren't meant to be forgotten, but now I'm not making any sense.
Atlantis throws the small book across the room, suddenly becoming frustrated. Lonely tears stream down her eyes and when they start flooding, she can't stop them. She had never been a easy crier, but all the weight and stress on her shoulders is making her more fragile than she intended. She has been in a state ever since the car had nearly hit them the day before. Aaron had pulled the two of them quickly out of the way, but that didn't stop the adrenaline and the nervousness that still runs through her veins. Her only release? Writing in the journal she has become so attached to since she left her home.
Why even write a journal? It's just words on paper that could get found out at any time. Atlantis throws her head in her hands and grabs at her hair, pulling violently. She knows stray mascara and eyeliner is running down from her eyes, but Aaron is out, and at this moment, she could care less.
Atlantis throws head back down on the bed and let's out a groan.
"Why do I always do this?" She roles over a couple of times, rolling off the bed and onto the carpeted floor. Atlantis places a hand to her head and curls up in a ball. The hotel room lock clicks and the sound of a door opening fills her ears. It closes a second later and there is a chime of a voice.
"Atlantis?" She lifts her head up slightly to see Aaron peaking his head into the room. She puts her hand up and waves.
"Over here." Aaron lets out a light laugh and strides over to the small girl, picking her up and placing her on the bed.
"You okay?" Atlantis wipes the tears and smeared make up from her face.
"Yeah, just had a minor tantrum." She plasters a sad smile on her face and he does the same, with a small chuckle behind his.
"I was thinking we could go visit the Art Institute of Chicago. Does that sound like a good plan?" She lets out a sigh and glances around the messy room.
"Yeah, sure. I need to get out today anyway." Quickly, she gets off the bed and chooses a outfit. Aaron sits on his phone while Atlantis runs to the washroom the get ready. The pages of his unfinished manuscript sit in the end of his bed, something he is unable to even look at. He had attempted at writing the manuscript that morning, but it didn't go the way he had hoped. Now, the pages are abandoned from his mind until he would be able to come up with more inspiration. While looking at the papers, he notices the book laying upside down and open on his pillow. Curious, he takes short steps over to it and picks it up. It doesn't even take a second for him to realize that it's Atlantis' journal. It would be cruel to take a look, betraying her trust, but he can't help himself as he opens to the page that it landed on. Four days ago.
It's not like I care for his age, he's an amazing guy and I often wonder how I was even lucky enough to meet him, it's just that this entire trip is going to be so out of reach from anything I've ever done before.
Quickly, already feeling like a intruder, he closes the book and walks across the room to place it on Atlantis' nightstand. She walks out only a second later, a small smile plastered in her face, a complete attitude flip from the state he had found her in.
"Ready to go?" Atlantis looks towards Aaron, who stands cautiously next to her bed. He seems to be in a trance and it's only after she raises her eyebrow, does he snap out of it and begins gathering his things. Now armed with his cellphone, wallet, and signature fedora, he ushers young Atlantis out of the door and closes it behind him.
"It's around two pm so we could go to dinner after the gallery, it shouldn't take more than a few hours or so." Atlantis turns her eyes to the decor that lines the hotel walls, and nods her head. A question pops into her head and being the curious one that she is, asks it.
"Aaron, where were you all morning?" He looks down at her, moving his hands to his pants pockets.
"Just planning something for LA, it's got to be planned a week or so in advance." He looks away and approaches the elevator, pressing a button to signal that they would like to go down.
"But you were gone all morning." The elevator opens and they step inside. Atlantis takes the liberty of pressing the lobby button and down they began.
"Ah yes, I thought I'd stop by the bar."
"The bar?"
"Yes."
"At ten or so in the morning?" The elevator dings and they walk out into a lobby filled with people. Atlantis plasters herself to Aaron's side as people shove past the two of them, going about their own business in the crowded lobby. Aaron doesn't answer her question until they are out on the street and free of people.
"If you want all honesty as all I ever am with you is honest, I was attempting to write my book." Aaron glances down at the small girl still pressed to his side. He guides the pair expertly around the roads and towards their destination.
"You were writing your book?"
"Yes, I believe that's what I said." She cautiously wraps her arm around his and places her head on his shoulder. He flinches for a second, then relaxes into her touch, knowing it's a sign of comfort.
"I'm proud of you for trying, that book has been getting to you since I've met you, and even before that." He re adjusts the hat on his head.
"Yeah, well, new atmosphere, thought I'd give it a try." They turn a corner and the gallery looms into view.
"And how did it go?" They approach the building and Aaron hands the ticket man the tickets he had purchased earlier that day.
"It uh, went." They enter the large building and a sophisticated atmosphere washes over them. People walk around, pointing out the fine art and laughing lightly over glasses of water and champagne. Atlantis springs to life and rushes over to one of the closer art pieces, examining it carefully. Aaron hangs back, admiring the room as a whole.
"Aaron!" He glances in the young girls direction and strides over to her, peering at the art piece that hangs in front of the pair.
"Oh look at how beautifully its blended and drawn out! I wish I could do art like this." Atlantis holds a hand over her heart and stares dreamily at the painting before moving on to another. They go on like this, Atlantis admiring the art before her and Aaron, following her about the gallery. Sure, he enjoys the art, but he enjoys the company of the girl he is with much more. Though he wouldn't admit it, just not yet, it would seem that the writer is beginning to have feelings for the young artist. She had asked him many times before if he fancied any girl, teasing him with a British accent, seeing as he holds one himself. Every time though, he would decline, saying that he didn't have time to like a girl. He would not let it slip that he, in fact, did like a girl. A girl with such talent, a girl with the name of a underwater city.

Woooooooooooooo. I have like, nothing planned for this story, so let's see where my imagination takes me!
Also, don't be a ghost reader! Please be sure to vote and comment, it really helps me out.