Aaron and Blue

Chapter 6

   School is much easier to bear with a friend. When a boy calls Blue a name in the parking lot, Aaron gently places his hand on her shoulder to calm her. They sit together on the bus and listen to music on Aaron's phone. His songs all sound like the ocean, the forest, longing for something you can never return to. They leave Blue with soaring feelings of emptiness.

Blue rides into school, reeling from lack of sleep. She sat up the entire night, staring at the ceiling with colors and sounds rampaging through her mind. She is listening to one of Aaron's favorite songs when her head begins to droop. She jerks her chin back up only to immediately nod again. Aaron turns from the window, smiles to himself, and gently tugs Blue's arm, guiding her head to rest gently on his shoulder. A few curly strands brush his chin and he breathes in the sent of the woods and lavender and sleep. Aaron tries to keep his body steady and shelter Blue from the worst of the bumps on the road.

The bus jerks to a stop in front of the school, dragging Blue back to consciousness. She starts and quickly lifts her head from his shoulder in embarrassment. Aaron smiles at her reassuringly, his eyes peeking up through his bangs. Blue flashes him an uncertain smile and darts off the bus. It has been so long since she has fallen asleep in anyone's presence. Vulnerability is not an option and sleep is the ultimate vulnerability. What did he think of her? Maybe he felt too awkward to push her away or wake her.

Two periods into the day, Blue sees Aaron in the hall. Her eyes dart away but she can't help but glance back to him. Maybe some trace of what is going on in his head will be visible from behind those stony eyes. Their eyes meet. Amber and deep sea collide with chocolate brown. And behind the brown, sure enough, she sees something. It is tenderness. A desire to simply be in her presence and listen to her breathe.

Blue looks away in surprise. He likes her. Aaron Clark likes her. She smiles, then tries to look tough. She likes him back. She hadn't really thought about it before but yes, she truly does. When they spent time together she felt something more than just friendship.

Blue sits awkwardly next to Aaron on the bus, careful not to brush against him. Does he know that she likes him? Did he see in her eyes what she saw in his? Blue glances his way and he looks at her, his forehead wrinkling in question. She smiles at him quickly and turns away. Aaron digs in his backpack for a moment and pulls out his phone. He untangles the headphones and gently offers one to Blue. She takes it. Her hand brushes his. Aaron smiles at her and they look into each other's eyes for a moment. Blue's heart is pounding and she feels the need to run. But she can't. She is stuck on the bus next to this boy. The bus stops and Aaron stands to get off with her. She forgot that he had planned to come over after school. They drop their backpacks in the kitchen and head out to the creek.

"Um. So," Aaron begins, sounding like he has something blocking his throat.

"Yes?" Blue looks at the ground and kicks at some flowers.

"I..um... ugh this is so awkward." Aaron smiles nervously and chuckles. "I like you. Like as more than a friend. Um, geez. Sorry." Aaron is blushing furiously and Blue manages to smile at him.

"I..I like you too," Blue says. They grin at each other and continue wandering up and down the stream.

Blue lies in bed that night and stares at her slowly rotating fan. Her blankets are tangled around her legs and falling off the side of the bed. Music plays softly so she won't disturb her dad, and Blue wades through her feelings. She likes him but she feels trapped. Whenever they are together her heart starts pounding and adrenaline floods her veins like it does before a fight. Why does she feel trapped? She trusts him. She's not afraid of him. The only solution she can find is to wait and see if it goes away. Blue lies awake until around two, thankful that tomorrow is the weekend. Finally she manages to drift off.

Blue goes out to the creek the next morning with her journal. She likes to sketch the leaves and water and animals, even though she isn't very good. Most of her art is good enough for genuine praise, but not good enough to be considered "artistically talented." She sits with her feet dangling into the water and sketches a bird bathing in the shallows near her. The mockingbird flutters in the water then looks up suddenly and darts into the leafy canopy. Blue turns to see what startled it. Aaron is walking towards her through the trees. In one hand he holds a plastic bag; the other swings empty by his side. Blue smiles at him and closes the journal. Again, she feels that crazy urge to run, but she controls it.

"What d'you got there?" Blue asks.

"Food," Aaron says and sets the bag down next to Blue. His hand brushes the top of her head and he sits next to her, kicking off his shoes. He carefully removes the Styrofoam clam shells from the bag and weighs them down with a pebble that he scoops from the water. Blue helps him distribute the food.

"Thank you! I really like Chinese food," she beams at him. He nods and gently reaches out to wrap one of her curls around his finger. They sit there talking and joking. Blue feels herself relax.

After they finish eating, they wander up and down the creek. Aaron pulls a pocket knife from his jeans and strips bark from fallen branches. He whittles them until they are down to nothing then finds another. After a while he stops. Aaron puts his hands in his pockets then removes them and brushes them against his legs awkwardly. He carefully reaches over and takes Blue's small hand in his. His fingers are surprisingly soft as they trace the scars on her knuckles and fingers. Aaron smooths the skin with his thumb then interlaces their fingers and continues walking. Blue's heart beats wildly. She never knew that her hands were that sensitive. The places that Aaron touched still tingle.

They walk until the orange light of the setting sun streaks through the sky and shadows grow long. Aaron walks Blue to the back door of her house, hugs her, then leaves her, the spaces between her fingers feeling empty.