FAKE

eleven

We plan to leave around 7 PM, and it's only 3. I virtually haven't left the couch all day. Neither Ross nor Adam has asked for my assistance, so I don't bother to get in the way. 

Adam had gone out and bought sleeping bags, a case of water, and, you guessed it, more food. I watched while both men occasionally walked past with supplies to load the truck with. 

I know they aren't asking my help because they're still refusing to let me in on everything, but every single time Ross comes in for another round, his eyes meet mine and some sort of electricity passes between us. 

I hate it. 

Adam finally falls back onto the opposite end of the couch with a sigh while Ross settles himself in the armchair in the corner. 

"Aria said she could help drive," Adam begins. 

"You invited Aria? This isn't some stupid road trip, you could risk her life-"

"She knows a good portion of this situation, Ross. She knows the risk. She's willing to help you." 

"She should just stay home and wait for you." Ross sighs and rubs his temples. 

"I don't want this to be the last time I ever see her." Adam snaps. Silence settles and something passes over Ross' face. Something almost guilty, almost vulnerable, for a moment. 

"Who's Aria?" I ask. They both look towards me, then towards each other again. Adam raises  his brows and Ross reluctantly nods. Adam turns back to me. 

"My girlfriend. She offered to help drive since I would have been doing most of it." 

And precisely on time, the door bell rings. Ross instinctively freezes and backs into his chair. Adam stands and opens the door. Standing in the doorway is a girl who seems to literally radiate light.

She right away comes off as someone who can light up the room, and Adam's soft, giddy smile is proof. 

They share a quick kiss, his hand drifts towards hers, and their fingers intertwine. He turns towards me. 

"This is Aria. Aria, Courtney. Courtney, Aria." 

She smiles and waves at me. Just her smile has flooded me with warmth, and I nearly automatically return her smile. She then looks at Ross and even his mouth shadows a smile. 

"How are you?"

"Obviously not too well considering we've had to ask for your help." He shrugs and sits up. She laughs lightly and shakes her head. 

"I'm always glad to be of some use." 

Ross sighs then looks at Adam. 

"Can we talk for a minute?" 

Adam reluctantly lets go of Aria and follows Ross down the hall. While I can't exactly make out what they're saying, Ross is most definitely furiously whispering something to him. 

Aria watches them quizzically, then sits beside me. 

"So how'd you end up here? Friend of theirs?" She asks suddenly. I scoff lightly. 

"Hardly. I knew Ross before he ran away. We dated for a bit." I shrug. While I can manage to brush over the subject with ease, my brain cannot. My throat tightens slightly and I study the floor. 

"Are you alright?" She asks. Her voice lilts in such a way I almost become more emotional because it's the most compassion I've been shown in a while. I sniffle quietly and lift my head, mustering up a wavering smile. 

"Yeah, don't worry about me. I've been dealing with some things." 

She smiles sadly and nods, then gently rests her hand on my shoulder. 

"Well, if you need it, I'm willing to listen. Any friend, or acquaintance, of Adam is a friend of mine." Her words are dripping in sunshine, and she beams confidently again. 

Ross and Adam return, both looking on edge from their conversation. 

"We don't have anything else to pull together. We can just get going now." Adam tells us. Something in his tone is tense. Whatever he and Ross were discussing was not an easy subject to agree on. Aria nods, stands, then offers her hand to help me up. 

I smile and nod in gratitude while I take her hand and rise to my feet. We follow him out to the U-Haul and Adam lifts the sliding door. Ross is first in, and he walks to the back of the truck before sitting down on a sleeping bag he'd apparently claimed. I follow him and sit in the corner adjacent to his. 

"I'll take first shift," Adam explains to Aria. "If you guys need anything back there you use the two-way radio. It's got batteries in it so it should last a while." Aria nods, then pushes up on her toes to kiss him. He holds her for a moment before helping her into the back with Ross and I. I watch as he pulls down the door and Ross turns on some small battery-powered lights so we aren't completely in the dark.

I can't help letting my thoughts wander to Aria and Adam, and how content they seem around each other. 

Oh, to be in love like that. 

I miss it sometimes.