Make Me Stay

Chapter Seven

The hotel room is dark and cold when Atlantis enters and she doesn't even bother to change that. She storms straight to the balcony and throws open the sliding glass door. Cool air engulfs her and she breathes in the freshness, trying to calm down.
"He's so selfish!" She slams a palm down on the railing, annoyed. The click of the door opening causes her to grip the railing so tight that her knuckles begin to turn white. She didn't want to even look at him. He had the nerve to ignore her and then get jealous over a conversation, she's not able to even control her anger.
"Atlantis?" His voice is calm and slow but she can hear something else in the back of his tone.
"Yes?" She speaks through gritted teeth, knuckles still white.
"Why did you run off?" She whips around and turns to face the older man. Atlantis blows a strand of hair out of her face and glares up at him.
"You basically ignored me from the moment we stepped into the club and then you had the nerve to get jealous over a conversation. You could have had the decency to not embarrass yourself or me." Her words come out harsher than expected, but Atlantis doesn't care. Aaron looks taken back by her words, but quickly composes himself.
"You dare say that? I was not jealous! He was going to try and take advantage of you he-"
"He was sober." She intervenes, tapping her finger on the railing.
"Yeah, and? That doesn't change a thing. Your a pretty girl in a club, what else would he have wanted?" The word pretty sticks in Atlantis' mind but she quickly tries to shake it.
"You don't know me Aaron, you don't know my mind or his intentions. You're over reacting after cutting me off." Aaron takes a step forward and Atlantis presses herself against the railing.
"I know perfectly well. I wouldn't cut you off even if I wanted to, I do apologize for not paying more attention to you but you're still young! You don't understand what these things are like!" Aaron raises his voice, beginning to yell and Atlantis shrinks away from him.
"Well you don't know me either, you don't know my mind. What do you know about it?" Aaron looks at her, kind of confused and taken aback by Atlantis' words.
"Well.. not much, you gonna tell me?" She runs a hand through her hair, un-tensing slightly.
"Why, I can't tell you. I don't-"
"You can't-"she waves her hand at him when he interrupts.
"You can't explain now what's going on in your brain. You can't tell somebody how- wha- what's happening, what's going on in your- I can't." Atlantis' hands shake as she speaks uneven words to Aaron.
"Why don't you just try?" Her eyes lift from the ground, towards his eyes.
"It's a scattered and depressing mess, Aaron. How have you not noticed how I feel?" Aaron's face softens and he looks at her with a loving look. He takes a step towards the young girl but she takes a step to the other side of the balcony, away from him.
"Atlantis, I shouldn't have done what I did back at the club, I-"
"You didn't know it would turn out this way? You don't own me Aaron." He wrings out his hands and fiddles with the hem of his shirt.
"I know that, but if I had known what you were going through-"
"You would have changed your ways? Should my mental health be what changes your actions?" Aaron's hands ball into fists.
"God damn women! Would you stop cutting me off!" He huffs and runs a hand through his hair. Atlantis crosses her arms.
"A bit of a temper, hm Aaron? I'd say that you aren't helping any, but making things worse." He clenches and in clenches his fists, trying to calm down.
"You're right, and maybe I am not acting rationally, but can't you see that I'm trying, can't you see that I care for you?!" His eyes show a pleading gaze as they stare intently at the young girl. Aaron takes a couple of steps forwards, pinning Atlantis to the railing. The bustling city lays out below them but all Atlantis can seem to focus on is how close Aaron is to her, how she can see all of his beautiful features.
"Can't you see how much you mean to me?" He's calm now, drinking in the young girl as they stand in the cool night air. It must be around two am, but that isn't stopping the feeling inside Atlantis that keeps her awake.
"Aaron.." she trails off and he places a finger to her lips for a second before removing it.
"Let me finish," he sighs and then continues. "I'm sorry okay? I apologize for not paying attention to you as I should have, I'm sorry for being jealous when I had no right to be, I'm sorry for not listening to you, for not seeing you. Will you ever be able to explain your mind to me?" His eyes haven't left hers since they came to such close contact and she can feel her breath quickening.
"One day Aaron, your not ready for my story yet." Atlantis' voice practically comes out in a whisper as her heart rate quickens with nerves.
"I will be, I promise." His eyes flicker down to her lips and she can feel the thick anticipation that lingers around them. It almost doesn't come quickly enough when he places his lips on hers in a slow and comforting kiss. It doesn't last long, a few seconds maybe, but she finds herself drinking it all in. Her first kiss. He pulls away, eyes still closed. It takes all the courage in the young girl, but she stands on her tippy toes, as Aaron is quite a bit taller than her, and places her lips on his. Never had she felt this way before, never had she wanted anyone more, but she wouldn't admit it, not yet at least. This kiss lasts longer, and when they both pull away at the same time due to lack of breath, Aaron places his forehead on hers, comfortably wrapping his arms around her waist.
"You do not know how long I've been waiting to do that," he whispers, pecking her nose. Atlantis' cheeks heat up with a blush as she carefully wraps her arms around Aaron.
"I could say the same."

It's about 112 words shorter than normal so I'm sorry guys but I just wanted to get this chapter out. I don't really have anything else planned for New York so I think I'm just going to go ahead and send them to LA!
Please don't forget to vote 84 helps me out!