The tips of his feet loosely hung over the edge. His dark eyes stared blankly down at the waves crashing against the bridge underneath. Raven locks tumbled messily all around his pale, worn-out face. Only a visible quirk at the corner of the lips was visible, perhaps the only emotion he ever showed in the “perfect” life of his. Nothing to fret about though, it would finally be over.
His face slowly tugged up to look at the sky, and a peeved expression was born. When his eyes darted upwards, a droplet of water hit him on the bridge of his nose, directly in between his dull orbs . The boy shut his eyes swiftly in order to clear the newly opaque vision caused by the water. With them shut tightly, the rain's water slipping out from underneath his eyelids, the small tune of the rain lulled his ever growing nerves. His feet edged further off, ready for his flight. No more pain, no more misery. He’d be free.
"Excuse me," the faintest whisper echoed from behind him,” but you're in my way..." The quiver in her voice was evident. The boy's head tilted the slightest degree over his left shoulder, giving her an apathetic look. A frown slowly plastered onto his thin lips, while his features never changed.
"Whatever," he replied
The moon's illumination shone down upon the two, distinguishing each other's features.
"I-I'm... Evelyn." She spoke nervously with hesitation. Quickly, her hand outstretched and ran through her hair. "I'm sorry, never knew someone’s life be as horrible as mine," She then mustered, after a long silence, between her slightly ajar lips. He muttered something, and to her disappointment, it was inaudible. She could see his black eyes, still very unreadable dimly glow in the dark. The skin though practically shone, its tone a sick and unnatural pallor. For a male, his body was a little too slender, giving the apparent perception he didn't eat much—or the possibility of drug usage. She assumed both.
A wan smile slowly arose and she sighed, "I truly apologize." His well-defined jaw line constricted the slightest and a placid expression seemed to have formed on his face..
"Aaron."
He wanted to glare, but due to malnutrition and lack of sleep, he was impotent of accomplishing much more than the ability to eye her suspiciously. Evelyn, continuing to study his body, watched as it swung desperately side to side. She was almost dazed in apprehension that he was sure to fall. A radiant grin emanated from her lips, which received a confused look.
Giggling innocently, she gave an unconscious remark.
"You're very cute." Aaron couldn’t help blinking in shock.
"What?"
Instead of replying, she merely extended her arm to him. When he didn't respond by grabbing it, she shook her hand several times, emphasizing her obdurateness. A small pout was forming on her lips when he still wasn't accepting her hand. The boy was confused and irked. Finally, after much debate, he reluctantly extended his slender arm. In the ephemeral contact with her, her hand spontaneously meshed with his, forming into an awkward fit..
"It's a sign, we meeting at what we believed would be the last moments of our life. What do you think?" She gave a sheepish grin once again.
A twitch at the corner of his lips followed her remark and a scowl of his irritation replaced it, "Excuse me?"
Evelyn's right hand , managed to poke him directly on the forehead. " Silly, I’m talking about you and me.
"You're kidding me?" Aaron asked, his tone was almost hopeful.
The girl rolled her eyes distastefully at his reply, "We were meant to meet, and the gods wanted it you know." Aaron pursed his lips and didn't bother replying. The girl was obviously delirious, and to make matters worse, she was decent looking. At such an awkward moment, he took the opportunity to let his jet black stare roam across her features. She had small bags underneath her innocent, apple-green eyes. . The girl had pale shade of red hair that framed her face as it splayed across the concrete before him. A small nose centered her face and a casual blush played on her cheeks. Aaron Carter never said anything without thinking, he was always one to calculate the before and after. But, something about her made him feel uneasy about the situation. That he didn't have complete control.
"Will you go? Please leave me in peace." It came out just like that.
She clamped her lips shut and surrendered an apologetic expression. "I didn't know that my company was that bad..." She grimaced, as she tried to ignore the sting at the corner of her eyes.
"No," Aaron quickly corrected himself, guilt staining his face, "Do you want to go get some coffee or..." His voice merely lingered off to set up multiple choices for her to choose from. It wasn't exactly like he was desperate. He just didn't want—
"...with me?"
—to be alone anymore
Her mouth opened to reply, while her green eyes gleamed with pure bliss.
"Sure!"
He gave her the faintest smile.
The waitress wiped the table in front of them, taking her time. Her blond hair cascaded down to the small of her back, her body leaning towards the plump side. She slowly moved the rag to and fro—possibly in hopes that her shift would end by the time she finished, or in blatant hopes of not having to take another order from someone. Her hopes were banished the moment a couple had entered the small diner. A wearisome sigh escaped her lips. Shaking her head, the waitress began her approach to the small booth.
The boy was devilishly handsome to her surprise. He was lean and lithe, a dour expression plastered on his face, and a mysterious aura that manifested from him. The girl was just a little above average. She was too petite to be healthy and a shudder would come every few seconds, presenting her body as being weak. She had shoulder-length, short hair, with an exotic semblance of red, and a surprisingly beautiful shade of emerald eyes. The waitress admitted that her hair was quite distinguished; but, she wasn't the only one with those colored eyes and that type of figure.
"Hello." She gave a small wave to the couple. "My name is Jennifer!"
The girl gave a half-smile and gazed into the waitress’s blue eyes. "Hello."
She nodded to the girl, then turned to Aaron exasperated, "You belong to the Carters?”
His eyes never left their stare from Evelyn, but he gave the slightest nod of recognition to the waitress.
" What would you like?" She asked, her mood lightening at the idea of being this close to him.
"Coffee,"
"Anything else?..."
"No." Aaron breathed, hoping that Jennifer’s vociferous stare would secede.
He hated people always looking at him like that. It was the type of look, like he was some grandeur prize on auction. The bidders marveling at the sight, while they determine their bid; always looking at him like he was an item up for auction, not a human. "Aaron...?"
"Are you OK?" Evelyn asked, concern present in her soft voice.
Quickly, the boy's attention was brought back to reality, still unready to face the facts.
"Aa."
He was an object, who wanted to be human.
When she was about to leave to bring back the coffee, she felt a hand grasp her wrist.
"Yes?" She hummed politely, her cheeky smile brightened ten-fold.
"You forgot my date." The boy muttered, slanting his head towards the quiet girl.
The girl blinked a few times, oblivious to his kind gesture.
"Oh." she shook her head, "Thank you."
Her feminine nature urged her to repay him with a radiant smile. Evelyn had never expected him to be so assertive, nor—depending on one's perspective—gentleman like.
"My apologies, Aaronnnn…" The waitress drawled, letting the last syllable roll off her tongue. His date caught how she used the letter and let her imagination wander, but soon enough she tossed it aside. It was none of her business..
"So, what would you like?" she asked
The girl shook her head, almost as a sign of apology. "Nothing."
A small "Hmph!" hummed in the waitress's throat, while she stalked off towards the kitchen.
She shifted her attention back to the boy. Her gaze fell upon his posture for a moment, realizing that he must be trying to process what she had just said. He had his chin resting upon his knuckles, lifted to the slightest degree, and his brows furrowed in apparent concentration.
"I hate coffee." Evelyn grinned, scratching the back of her head, in an almost too child-like manner.
A long silence greeted her reply. So, instead of just sitting with nothing to do, she began playing with the hem of her damp skirt.
Aaron’s lashes left shadows on his cheeks when his eyes slowly closed. A sigh escaped his lips, as though he were trying to comprehend everything she was saying. It made no sense to have come with him if she hated coffee.
Who in their right mind, would come somewhere for no reason?
"Then why did you—?" His breath hitched when he felt the warmth of her hands, pressed against his cool face. She swiped the dark bangs that were cascading down on his face to the side. He just let his eyes fixate with hers. Aaron stared in slight awe, at their innocence. Her skin against his was so comforting, it brought him so close to life, so close to feeling human. With her action, however, she did not speak a single word. Instead, she gave him another smile. The boy didn't need her to speak to understand her touch. It was comforting. That was it. With his intense stare diving into her emerald eyes, he felt he could just understand her. He could read her, like a book, each speck of green could tell him of her days—from page one. They were alike and they were alone.
"You make it look so easy to be alive." Aaron breathed, referring to how she was always smiling. Just as he said that, a sheepish grin plastered onto her face once again, but her eyes didn't shimmer like they did before.
"Do I?"
He remained quiet. Still, Aaron found it hard to believe that here he was sitting with someone he had never even met in his entire life, with such ease. Sometimes, he believed that what people say is true
“ All you need is a friend,” Aaron said out loud, “ then everything will be alright.” He didn’t understand where it did come out from, yet he felt he was opening up to her bit by bit. In his entire years as an aspiring singer, and teenage “heartthrob”, life held no meaning for him. It was just the same, you couldn’t trust anyone, as you’d think they’d be after you for your fame or fortune. He had no one to guide him, having had his parents died when he was little. It was true that he had no one in this world, money, cheers could bring him nothing…
“ Would you be my friend?” she asked innocently.
“ Yes…” Aaron muttered out without even thinking about anything. Seeing her brightened expression, made him think to just forget about that… for awhile. They exchanged contacts, and Aaron couldn’t help give a smirk as she went away without a sound.
Only a couple of weeks had passed, and for the boy he’d never had felt so alive before. She was completely an idiot, he’d grant her that, but through her he could see the world from a whole new perspective. He started enjoying his career, but most of all he waited for her, wondering what other things he and his best friend would do next.
She had taken him to a nice quiet spot on the beach one day, where the waves lapped at your feet like a small puppy. It was so calm, you’d feel like if you’re living in the pages of a fairy tale.
“ You know… when I said I could be your friend?” she asked in the meek tone I always loved.
“ You are… and will always be my friend,” Aaron deliberately emphasized the last word for her to truly understand the situation.
“ So I should be perfect, right? After all, I never was this close to anyone, so its only fair I make this bond favorable,” she continued with a hopeful expression in her eyes. After seeing Aaron’s confused expression, she continued
“ I have t go to a institution for people like me… special people. They’ll make be good again,” Evelyn continues.
"Don't go." Aaron deadpanned.
"I-I...have to." The girl stuttered as she tried to muffle her cries by biting her bottom lip. "M-My parents said it will look worse for them if I don't go.”
No reply.
"I'm s-sorry."
"Stop apologizing." he scoffed.
Evelyn tried to smile for him, but couldn't bring herself to. "It will be 4 months."
The boy tightened his grip on her body. When his thoughts lingered to the idea he might be hurting her, he still couldn't bring himself to loosen his hold. He couldn't lose her.
"Don't leave me." It was the first time she had ever heard him speak in that tone; one which held such desperation, such hope, such emotion.
"I won't. I won't. I won't." she grasped his shirt. "I'll come back. I'll come back. They're going to fix me."
He needed to speak, to protest, or to say anything
"They're going to fix me."
He could only frown.
"They're going fix me..."
"Why?" He finally managed to growl.
"...so I won't be broken anymore."
"You aren't—"
"Then, I can be better ."
"I will be perfect..." Her porcelain hands cupped his chin, her eyes gleaming a bright sheen into his, and—
"You're fine the way you are."
Evelyn smiled the first true smile he had seen in ages. "...for you."
"I'm not perfect for you. So, don't be perfect for me." He spoke up.
Evelyn pressed her small, shaking hands against his. "You're more than perfect for me." She followed by gripping his wrist, and pressing her lips against the corner of his.
Aaron hesitantly pressed his cool lips against hers.
"You're too perfect."