WE ARE YOUNG ( ARON PIPER FANFICTION)

chapter 2

                 I wake up to the smell of grandmas pancakes. Yesterday was a blur, after mom left I went straight to my room and made myself busy, so busy I fell asleep.i don't want to avoid grandma but I don't know how to be myself around her, around anyone. But I will try.

               This room radiates hope, the shelves hold my favorite books and the wallpaper has a flower design, kinda vintage, I like it, it has character. Its on the ground floor, and has a door that leads into the garden. When I was little me and gran used to paint in here. One day she decided its way to beautiful not to make it an actual part of the house. I agree.

            I put on a grey top, some ripped jeans, just in the knee tho, nothing crazy , and my black pair of high converse, my favorite no effort outfit. I throw a glance in the mirror and the feeling is bittersweet, I'm a little lost right now and its visible on my face. I make my way to the kitchen and I can't help but smile at the image. Gran is flipping a pancake and listening to Dolly Parton. She is 68 but she could pass for 52 thanks to her contagious smile and dimples, oh, and colorful shirts. She hides the grey hair good with a beautiful shade of blonde, her best friend is a hairdresser.

       "Rosie honey I am glad to see your pretty smile, take a seat, the pancakes are almost ready."    She says, gesturing to the chair while dancing her way to the jam cabinet.

         "Now, what are you feeling? strawberry, raspberry, peach maybe?"she raises her eyebrow in a funny way.

         "Lets give all of them a fair shot, shall we?" I smile.

            "That hungry, huh? Lets do it."

          I feel happy, my thoughts still try to bring me down but I don't let it show.  We talk about a lot of things, about happy memories, about the times we used to have the best sleepovers, about our painting session and how I was going to be the next Picasso. She is careful not to bring up anything that could come even close to 'the' subject, and I am grateful for that. I am grateful for her.

           "so what do you want to do today? for lunch its my turn to host the barbecue, is this new thing in the neighborhood, I should have canceled but it really slipped my mind"

          "what barbecue? " she doesn't even like meat that much.

      "Oh it was Mikes idea I don't know if you remember Mike he-"

       "I remember Mike, you two used to be really close from what I can recall."I cut her off with a smirk

    "Your imagination is still working I see silly, anyway, he had this idea, every week someone hosts a barbecue to keep the community close, such a sweet thought, we even do veggie burgers if you are a fan"

        "can I ..... can I stay in my room? I don't feel like socializing if you don't mind" I wish I could, but I know how some people like to gossip, especially in small towns like this one and I'm not good at answering or avoiding questions.

       "Sure you can sweetheart" she sighs still holding onto her smile

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(Play the fray-look after you)

         These people seem to know how to have fun, they are big on old music, the classic hits. Its been four hours and I don't think the laugh will stop any time soon. Gran came to check up on me two hours ago, she also made me try the burger, it was not so bad.

         By now it is getting dark outside. I change in some grey sweats and a white tank top and let myself drift into the thoughts that have been eating me alive since I got here. I am laying in the garden watching the most beautiful sky and somehow I am so sad not even the stars can make this better.

       How did we get here? I am alone in a strange town, I have no one to talk to and nothing to say anyways. I feel utterly alone. My eyes are burning from the tears and my head is spinning, I am tired. What was I trying to achieve by running from the problems if they still haunt me?

         Im brought back to reality when I notice a boy entering my room. I quickly wipe away my tears and aproach him without thinking.

                "What are you doing in here?" my tone is not harsh, it's confused and soft from all the crying, but he doesnt know that."this is my room" I explain as I sit down on the stone next to the entry. If he was a thief, he would've ran by now.

        " Linda lets me read in here, you must be Rosie, im sorry if i scared you, I didnt know you were going to stay in this room"  he blurts out quicky.

           "wait- "I stop him as his about to leave. He seems surprised, I surprised myself too  but i can't help being curious "you said you read in here ? "

           "yeah" he smiles.

           "you can still read in  here if you want". I offer "but on the condition of reading outside tonight. There's enough lighting coming from inside, and besides, you wouldn't wanna miss this beautiful sky,right?" I plead. Why am I doing this?

            He is aproaching me step by step ."Are you sure? I can take the book with me I don't need to-"

             "I just don't want to be alone right now" I admit gently to the both of us.

          We are looking at eachother and then he smiles as he just figured something out. He goes inside and comes right back. He sits himself next to me and starts reading.
      "Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it"
          He is reading "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" out loud and I can't help but smile in relief .

         "That's my favorite book" I confess.

         "I know, Linda told me" he responds with a genuine smile and goes back to reading, he owns one of those kind gazes.  I take a good look at him. His hair is chocolate brown and the curls keep getting in his eyes, they remind me of honey. His lips are full and pink and the longer I look the longer I find myself admiring his features.  he continues to read and I don't stop him, his voice is soft.

For the first time in years I find myself looking deeper into things, but how i can not when i m starring into infinity ?
     I don't know for how long I ve been listening to him read but the tiredness is getting to me. And I couldnt picture a better way to fall asleep. He  notices and closes the book.

         "They are playing Jolene again"  i murmur

        "Your grandma's favorite song, she said you look a lot like Jolene from what she gathered from the lyrics."  I let out a laugh at that.
          "i look nothing like that" I giggle . I look back at him for a reaction and I catch him starring at me.

           "She got the emerald eyes right" How I wish I could hold his intense  stare but I break it.

            "Whats your name?" I ask as I get up and so does he.

           "Aron"

         "Goodnight Aron" I whisper with a smile.
He tilts his head and the corners of his mouth lift up. I dont know what he is doing, but is doing something.

      "Sweet dreams Rosie" he responds softly