Renegade Robbers

Renegade Robbers (7)

Piper sat on the couch as the door to their hotel room opened. She looked up, seeing Aaron stumbling along the side of the wall. He hadn't yet noticed her, being intoxicated affected a person like that.

After Aaron had left, she and Vic talked a little more until Vic claimed he had homework to do and disappeared into the boys' room. Piper had knocked on the door about an hour before to see if Vic was awake, but when loud snoring met her ears, she knew he had already crashed.

So she sat down and watched Friends reruns on the television while she waited for Aaron to get home.

Hours ticked by, soon it had been one a.m. and there was not a single word from the brunette. Finally, he had stumbled through the door, and Piper was livid.

"Where the hell were you? I was so worried!" She shouted. Aaron froze and turned to look at her, a heated glare coloring his features.

"Does it matter? Are you going to tell me not to go back?" He snarled. Piper took a step back, heistant over Aaron's vengeful antics.

"I'm not going to tell you to do anything, Aaron. But you can't blame me for being worried about someone picking you up when a; I was almost kidnapped this afternoon and b; we are wanted criminials!" She argued back.

Aaron smirked and ran his hand through his hair messily. The stench of beer and whiskey wafted around her. Of course, in a small town you can get your hands on alcohol at eighteen.

"Why would you worry? Huh? It's not like there's anything between us anymore." Aaron growled. Piper was shocked, she didn't know he would be so forward with his accusations when under the influence. The three of them were very careful with alcohol. Too much, and you could slip up. Resulting in a lot more than points on your license for drunk driving. About ten years or more in the state penetentiary came to mind.

"Of course there is, Aaron. We've been together for a long time." Piper said, crossing her arms in exhasperation.

"Then why haven't you said you love me?" He asked, angry now. Piper's jaw dropped in surprise. How exactly was she supposed to answer that.

"I have." She defended.

"Sure you have, but not in the way you and I both wish you had." Aaron said bitterly. A tear streamed down Piper's cheeks. She could easily see how much her lack of words were affecting him, along with the stress of the robberies and the constant pressure of avoiding the cops. Her heart went out to him.

"Aaron, please listen to me. I love you, okay. Isn't that all that matters?" She walked across the room and stood about two feet in front of him.

"You don't love me like you should, Piper. So don't pretend like you do." Aaron's gaze got hard.

"I do love you, Aaron! Okay? I do! I've always loved you!" She cried.

"Then why didn't you ever say it?" He shouted. His face flushed with the anger pumping through his veins. For once, Piper's pretty little mouth snapped shut, she had nothing to say.

"I did love you, Piper. And I still do, but why try, when the person you care for can't reciprocate the feelings?" He asked. His bloodshot eyes stared deeply into her blue ones. "You don't love me. You don't need to deny that anymore, because I know. I've known for a long time. And I can't handle the constant rejection much longer." His voice got quieter as he spoke.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Piper was finally able to ask. Aaron laughed darkly.

"Why not? This is what you wanted, isn't it? To not have to please anyone anymore? Isn't that what you said when we ran away? 'I don't want to answer to anyone or please anyone anymore, I want to be my own person without anyone to tell me different.'" He reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face and behind her ear.