Aaron smells of detergent. It's a sort of sweet and fresh smell that makes me feel warm anytime I'm around him. He has a small mole on his face, barely noticeable unless you're close. His eyes are lighter than I remember, or maybe I didn't really pay much attention before; a light hazel shade that are so clear when in the sun. His brown hair has grown and he often struggles with styling it up, even when he puts gel in it. When he's nervous, although I never knew before that the Aaron Reeves would get nervous, the top of his ears go bright pink. His smiles are lopsided and his laugh is contagious. In the mornings, when he's just woken up, his voice is rough and deep and at times I wonder if that's what he'll sound like when we're older. Although, I would never tell him, his singing is quite bad and I laugh at times when he's so into the song and he goes off key; I don't mind it though, I love hearing him sing. He's also funny, mostly when he doesn't realize it and when I laugh his eyebrows furrow and he squints his eyes because he's confused as to what it is that I find so funny. His skin is soft and at times I have to force myself not to touch him all the time, although maybe I should ask him what his secret to soft skin like his is. And even though I wouldn't admit it to his face-or else he'd never let it go-he's incredibly good looking from head to toe and at times I find myself looking at him, I try not to, I just can't help it.

"Leave the door open." The words came from his dad. We were at his house eating dinner and Aaron and I were going upstairs to his room. It was only a month after Aaron and I started dating. I remember being nervous the first time I met his parents, but after bonding with his sister, Gaby, my nerves settled down. His parents are nice, his dad reminding me a bit of mine. At the dinner table, while we eat his dad likes to talk about his day at work, cracking jokes here and there. He's also a baseball fan, always mentioning the next game that will be aired, at times even inviting me to watch it with him. His mom is sweet, I often help her carry the dishes to the sink. She enjoys watching murder-mystery shows and at times, when we are all in the living room watching one of her shows, she comes up with some on-point theories which amaze me.

Aaron groans. "Okay dad," he replies whilst rolling his eyes. He's holding my hand as he guides to me his now-so-familiar room. He always tends to clean it when I'm around and his mom once thanked me for that. But this one day I came at the request of Gaby, she wanted to vent about her friends when she had the idea of showing me, and I quote, "What the real Aaron Reeves is like". His room was messy to say the least but I wasn't really all that surprised. When Aaron got home and saw me standing in front of his door he got so mad at Gaby and ate the chocolate pudding she had been keeping in the fridge.

In Aaron's room he turns on some music, his speaker vibrating a low-beat, calming song and I sit on his bed as I watch him do so. He walks toward me and lets his body fall on his bed and he sighs tiredly.

"That was some good food," he says and I laugh as he rubs his belly. At the sound of my laughter Aaron pulls me down with him so that we're both laying on his bed. My head is on his arm and he stares at me with a goofy smile.

"Won't your arm hurt," I say and lift my head up but with his other hand Aaron puts my head back down and then pulls me in a hug.

"Nope," he says.

I smile, snuggling closer to him, shutting my eyes briefly, enjoying this moment in his arms, wanting to remember this moment forever.

When we get up I help Aaron study for his Pre-Cal final.

"Do you have another pencil? The eraser on mine is all used up."

I peer at him. "Don't you have some pencils in here?" I question.

"Yeah," he confesses, "but I like your pencils better."

I roll my eyes and point to my backpack. "There should be some in there."

"Thanks," Aaron says and gets up to grab my bag. While he's looking inside it he suddenly calls my name.

"What?" I ask and look up at him.

"What's this?" he question as he holds up a folded paper in his hand.

"Oh," I say, "That's the letter you wrote me."

"I know what it is."

"Then why'd you ask?"

"Because," he says and walks over to me, "why do you still have this?" He waves the letter around in his hand and I yank it away from him.

"Because I want to keep it forever."

"Throw it away."

"No way!"

"Why not?"

"Because it's the first letter you wrote for me."

"So? I'll write you another one."

"Nope."

"Lux," he whines.

"What's so wrong with this letter?" I ask.

"It's embarrassing. I can't remember what I wrote in there but I know it's probably something embarrassing."

"Should I read it to refresh your memory?" I ask and even when he says no I open it up and begin to read it. "Dear Lex, I know your name isn't Lex and is actually Lux. I just think it's funny when you get mad. I know that you probably hate me, which if we're being honestly I can understand why. Which is probably the only reason you've peeked my interest-"

Aaron pull the letter away from my hold.

"Hey," I say and try to grab it but he pulls it up higher.

"Okay, I remember what I wrote. There's no need to read it," he says.

"Fine, I won't read it out loud. Now give it back."

"Why can't we just throw it away?" he asks.

"Because I don't want to throw it away. Besides that's the letter you gave to me, so it belongs to me and you can't do anything about it."

Aaron sighs and gives it back before sitting down next to me.

I frown. "Why don't you like it?"

"It's not that I don't like it," he replies, "it's just, in that letter I'm very honest about who I am. And if you continue to read it over and over again you're just going to memorize my fears and flaws."

"So?"

"So I don't like you thinking I have fears and flaws. I want you to think I'm a perfect boyfriend."

I let out a laugh. "Do you realize how ridiculous you sound right now?" I say and put my hand on his cheek, caressing it. "You still are a perfect boyfriend."

"Even if you're aware of my fears and flaws?"

"Especially when I'm aware of your fears and flaws," I assure him and he smiles before grabbing my hand and kissing it causing for my heart to speed up.

We continue the night studying for Pre-Cal and by the time I have to go Aaron asks me to stay a little longer.

"I can only stay fifteen more minutes," I explain, but I too want to stay longer.

"That's fine," he replies and grabs my hand. "I need to tell you something."

"Okay," I reply warily.

"So if you would have asked me what I would be doing after high school a year ago, my answer would've been the community college here," he says, "but because this year has been the most eye opening I applied to a school out of state sometime in late November. I didn't receive any news from that school when everyone else already had already been getting their acceptance so I assumed I didn't get in. But earlier today I got this in the mail."

Aaron hands me a big white envelope and I open it up, reading the first paper inside. He got in.

"This is amazing," I say, smiling and happy. I get up and give him a hug. "Congratulations."

He smiles back but it doesn't quite meet his eyes and my stomach drops.

"What's wrong?" I question concerned.

"Did you read where the school is located at?"

"Yeah," I say, "Chicago."

"Yeah."

"I don't get why you're upset about that. Don't you want to go to this school?"

"I do, but..."

"But?"

"What's gonna happen to us? Chicago is about five hours away."

And that's when it hits me, the fact that when he goes to college he won't be here. I won't get to see him much. And I get why he's upset; I mean we've only been dating for a month and school is about to end. Summer is right around the corner and school starts in August and he'll go to Chicago and I'll be here, finishing my last year of high school.

I smile fondly at him and say, "Five hours is nothing."

"But-"

"Not but's Aaron. You applied here for a reason. You obviously want to go. So you're going. I know what you're worried about and let me just me just tell you that you don't need to worry about us. Whether you're here or there I won't stop liking you."

"Promise me we'll spend a lot of time together before I leave."

"I promise."

"Also promise me you won't find someone better when I'm gone."

"I don't think that's even possible."

"Promise me Lux," he says.

I let out a soft chuckle. "I promise."

"Good. And I promise to be thinking about you and only you every second when I'm gone."

"Every second? What about when you need to think about school?"

"I'll multi-task."

"Sounds good to me."

The weather was getting hot now. The season of putting on sweaters and jackets was long gone and I can't help but think that just a year ago Aaron would've surely walked in school mid-May wearing his leather jacket.

"You can't wear it," I tell him.

He shoots me a glance. "Why not?" he asks, annoyed.

"Because its eighty degrees outside!"

"So?"

"So you're gonna die of a heatstroke."

"Then so be it."

"Take it off," I say.

"But it's my leather jacket."

"I know," I say, "I am seriously wondering how you're not sweating as we speak."

I had found him parking his motorcycle when I arrived to school. The minute I saw that he was wearing the leather jacket I stomped over his way.

"But I love my leather jacket," he says.

"I thought you were done being a bad boy," I say recalling only a week ago when he said those exact words.

"I am."

"Then take it off."

"No."

"Aaron it's eighty degrees out here, you look ridiculous wearing it so take it off."

That was a lie though, he didn't look ridiculous wearing it. He looked good, really good. But the fact that he was wearing it when the sun was shining and the weather was hot was ridiculous.

Aaron rolls his eyes. "I'm not gonna take it off," he says sounding like a defiant five year old.

I let out a sigh. "What can I do just so that you can take off that dumb jacket?"

"First of all it's not a dumb jacket," he says, "And maybe a kiss?"

"Kiss yourself," I say and walk away from him. Only seconds pass by before he's running behind me, the jacket off.

"There, I took it off," he says.

"Good," I reply.

"Can I get a kiss now?"

"Mm, ask me later."

"At least let me hold your hand," he says.

"Fine," I reply and hold out my hand. Aaron smiles and holds my hand as we walk inside the school.

When we get to my locker I catch a glance at Giana from the side of my eye. She's at her locker, talking to her friends.

"Should we tell her something?" I ask.

"Who?"

"Giana," I reply.

"Why would we tell her something?"

"I don't know? Maybe tell her that there's no hard feelings."

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm still pissed."

"I know," I say, "me too. But you do realize she only did all of that because she liked you right?"

"Yeah."

"I just feel bad."

"You shouldn't. She got you fired and she roofied me. She's insane."

"I know. But look at her and look at us. We're together and she's kind of alone."

"She deserves it."

"I'm just gonna tell her something."

"Why?"

"Because I still got another year here and I'm obviously gonna see her around. Even if she's crazy and mean I want to end the school year on a good note. You don't have to say anything since you won't even be coming back next year so it doesn't really matter."

I say it before I think and I don't fail to notice the quick flash of hurt in his eyes when I mention the fact that he won't be here next year. It's still a sore subject, even after I've told him plenty of times that there's nothing he needs to worry about.

"Aaron," I begin to say.

"Come on," he says softly and I know he wants to dismiss it, "Let's go tell her something."

"Hey," I say the moment she looks at us. She glares at us and crosses her arms.

"What do you want?"

"We just wanted to come over here and talk to you."

"For what? To show off that you two are dating now?" she remarks bitterly.

"No," Aaron snaps and his jaw tightens, "we just want to make a truce. A peace offering."

"You and your peace offering can go fu-"

Aaron pulls me away. "So much for that," he says annoyed. I sigh. He was right, what the heck was I thinking when I went up to her?

"So do you want to go with me to fix my tires after school?" he asks, trying to get Giana out of our thoughts.

"I can't," I reply, "Nat is moving her things in her dad's new house today and I promised I'd help."

"Oh," he says, "then can I come?"

"What about your tires?"

"They can wait."

"I'd rather you go get your tires fixed. Besides the divorce is still a sore subject with Nat and I think it'd be best if it was only me."

"Okay," Aaron agrees. "Can I see you after?"

"Yeah, what do you have in mind?"

"Ice cream."

"Can't wait."