“Bub? You okay?” Felix asks, looking at his brother who’s still just as out ofit as he was a few minutes ago.
“Huh? Yes. Congrats Felix—Kayla.” He nods, gives them a small smile. Felix’s eyes widen and he looks at me with the question ofhe isn’t happy, is he?
“Aaron hasn’t been feeling great. He was begging me to go home earlier—so just ignore him.” Felix sighs, patting Aaron’s arm.
“Well, that makes this horrible timing but it’s kind of tradition to ask once the proposal happens.” My eyes widen, looking at Aaron and back to Fe. “Will the two of you be my best men?” I choke on my spit and Aaron pats my back—clearing his throat.
“Of course, Felix.” He says, offering his brother a sincere smile. I can see the building emotion inside of him—the conflicting feelings. I turn to Fe.
“Any excuse to dress up.” I’m grinning at him as he pinches a dimple.
“Of course that’d be why you agree.Tsk. Oh well, I hope you feel better Bub—call if you need me. You two come over once he’s back to normal and we can celebrate!” I wave goodbye to them as they walk off to the next group of relatives before turning back to Aaron.
He’s watching Felix walk away—and I think his eyes might be watering. This probably wasn’t the way he had foreseen this moment growing up.
“Let’s go home, love.” I grab his hand and pull him through the park.
???
Aaron’s laying his head in my lap where I sit on the couch an hour later. I’m running my hands through his hair—letting him tell me whatever is bothering him at his own pace.
“You don’t find it weird? That we didn’t know anything at all?” I consider it—Felix’s engagement.
“It is a bit of a bummer to be left out of the loop. But I doubt it was a malicious decision.”
“But… This is the same guy who followed me three hours away from home to be near me. Who made you sleep in the same bed even when you got to college. And he didn’t tell us he was proposing? I feel like I’m being forgotten.”
My heart shatters watching his face twist up in sadness—tears falling onto my thighs as he stares at the wall.
“Baby…” He turns to look up at me. “You are super allowed to feel everything you are feeling right now—it’s totally understandable. But I was with Felix every moment of every damn day foryears. He loves you so much. Maybe even more than he loves me.” I grin down at him, giving him a little wink. He gives me a small smile. “My point is—he most likely got so caught up in the excitement and things going on in his own life that he didn’t even think about it. We can’t be there for every single step—every single decision.” Aaron’s lip wobbles, hands tightening around my thigh.
“Well why not? Isn’t that something we can decide?” Ah—he’s so cute.
“Sure, it is. But it’s extremely unrealistic. For example: even if I wanted you at every one of my senior swim meets and you wanted to be there too, it still couldn’t happen. You were three hours away for school.”
“I’d drop out.”
“Aaron!” I’m laughing at him—relieved that he’s finally smiling a real—full-blown Aaron smile. “Seriously though, you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yeah.” His response is a small little sound.
“Great. Now take me to bed so I can lay on top of you like a cat.” Aaron bursts out laughing—getting up and grabbing me, throwing me over his shoulder. “Hey! Asshole.”
“Come on, kitten.” He slaps my ass.
“Meow!” He can’t stoplaughing.
???
Aaron is in his last year of the English Literature Club—which means his last ELC Orientation party. It’sclassy casualand everyone mingles and talks about Shakespeare or whatever. He’s been talking about it all day—making me pick out his clothes and telling me about different people I’ll meet because Ijust have to go. It’s adorable.
“Ugh—my last one. This is so sad. I’m getting so old.” I pull some black dress pants out of his side of the closet.
“You’ve always been old.” He smacks my ass when I walk past him, making me yelp.
“Brat. What are you going to wear?” I shrug—going to find him a shirt.
“You’ll see.” Honestly—I don’t know. I haven’t looked. I’m too nervous. What if I embarrass him in front of his friends? Or I’m not fancy enough?
