thank you benhefit.

Aurora Collins

"I'm awake!" I bellow in annoyance, shutting up Seth immediately.

"Sheesh, why feel the need to yell?" He recoils and takes a seat on the corner of my bed.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you've been repeating 'get up' for the last thirty minutes without pause!" I say sharply and throw the covers off myself.

I stand up and stretch my arms and legs. I let out a yawn and just then Daniel bursts in.

"Finally, the sleeping beast has awoken." He mutters.

I glower at him and chuck a pillow at his humongous head. He dodges the pillow and collapses on my couch. "Why are you here?" I mutter and rub my eyes.

"Picking up Charlotte." He responds simply and takes out his phone. His face is freshly shaven and his hair neatly groomed.

Speaking of Charlotte, I still haven't forgotten about the other night. Should I talk to him about it or stay out of it? Charlotte has helped me with my relationship with Aaron a lot and I want to help her.

The three of us develop a silence that surrounds us and I awkwardly take a seat on the corner of the couch.

"Hey, Daniel.." I start off and play with the hem of my shirt.

At the tone of my voice, he removes his eyes from his phone screen and looks at me. "No."

"Let's just talk." I compromise.

"No,"

"What's going on with you and Charlotte?"

"No."

"She looked devastated the other night over you."

"What?"

His voice came out so soft and his eyes so childlike it brought a smile to my face.

"Awe that's cute," Seth says with a laugh and sits up in interest.

"She was crying, Daniel. She said you weren't taking the relationship seriously."

"Of course I'm taking it seriously!" He says outraged and sits up in a flash, tucking his phone away.

I hesitate over whether or not to tell him that she told me she loves him. I'll leave that up to her.

"Then you better show her you do. Cause right now she doesn't think so." Seth joins in.

"I don't know how to! Oh my lord, I can't believe I'm telling you guys this." He groans and drops his head into his palms.

I glance at Seth confusedly and put my hand on Daniels' shoulder. "Tell us what?"

He just grumbles and looks away. I furrow my eyebrows and get closer. "What?"

"idontknowbutithinkireallylikeher." He says quickly like the fucking flash.

"Hold your horses. What'd you say?" Seth exclaims looking agitated.

"I think I'm in the L word." He says in exasperation

I burst out laughing and Daniel stands up in annoyance. "No wait, I'm not laughing at you," I say with a smile and grab his wrist, pulling him back down.

"Daniel tell her you feel that way. Trust me, it'll be the smartest thing you ever do." I said with a wide grin stretched out on my face.

"Oh yeah, never thought I'd see the day," Seth says with a smug smirk.

"Oh hush Seth. What are you? Thirty-five years old?" Daniel snickers and I join in.

"I'm twenty-four! We're the same age!" Seth groans and glares at Daniel. We all fall into laughter that dies down soon.

After a beat of silence among the three of us, I break it.

"So...you guys wouldn't happen to know where Aaron's taking me right?" I haven't seen Aaron in two days and dare I lie, but I've missed him.

"Nope." Says Seth, but I know he's obviously lying.

"I do actually-," says Daniel but he's cut off by Seth who threw a shoe at him.

"-but I won't tell you." Daniel grits out through clenched teeth after getting hit square on the head and throws the shoe back at Seth.

I groan and grab a towel. "I'm gonna shower," I mutter and step into my bathroom.

"Yes. Please do that." I hear Daniel whisper behind me. I take my slippers off my feet and chuck them at his forehead while he's distracted.

His head shoots up, anger evident in his eyes and I close the bathroom door quickly.

"I'm stealing your chips!" He shouts angrily and I can just imagine him fuming.

"They're empty dumbass." I laugh and shake my head.

"Do you think he's hot?" I hear Seth's muffled voice asking Daniel after a few minutes. Most probably showing him a picture on his phone.

"I'm not answering that!" I hear Daniels exasperated answer.

I burst into laughter and play Kid Kingdoms by the surfaces on Spotify. The sun is streaming in through the window and I remove the blinds even further.

I lean against the glass and watch my neighborhood. The houses around us are very quiet but I know elderly people occupy them.

I sigh deeply and draw the curtains, turning on the hot water.

I step out a good thirty minutes later and blow dry my hair. Aaron said six PM and right now it's four. I have an hour to kill.

Charlotte pops her head in my room, all dressed up and pretty. I raise my eyebrows and turn around so I'm fully facing her.

"You look really nice. Where you off too?" I ask nonchalantly.

"Adventure with Daniel." She replies and steps in. Her hair is slightly curled and she's dressed in a flowery fit and flare dress.

"Heard he's been here for almost an hour." She says and leans against the door frame.

"Yeah, unfortunately," I mumble and run my hands through my hair.

"He's fond of you. I can tell. He respects you....to a limit." She says as carefully as she can.

"I feel the same way." I half shrug with a smirk. Daniel respects me? Good to know. I mean I have respect for him also, even if I piss him off a lot.

"Well, good luck today. Hoping for news on a wedding when I get back." She attempts to joke and I gasp incredulously.

I chuck my hairbrush at her but my terrible aim misses terribly.

"Our date will not end with Aaron getting down on one knee." I glare at her and she raises her hands in surrender.

"Well, I'll get going then." She chuckles and steps outs.

"Have fun," I call out happily and open my cosmetics drawer. I look between straightening iron and a curling wand, can't really decide which.

"Oo, Do straight," Charlotte suggests from behind me and shoves the straightener in my hand.

"Okay, Mom. Now go, have fun with Daniel. Something tells me today will be special." I smile at her and push her out of my room after blowing her a kiss.

I take my time straightening my hair and I apply a light shade of red to my eyelids. I put on a coat of mascara and some lip gloss. I throw on a little blush and walk to my closet.

I lift up the shopping bag and set it on my bed like it holds gold or something.

Gosh, it's just a dress.

I take out the beautiful red dress and heels. "Crap, I almost forgot the earrings," I mumble to myself.

I hurriedly put on the earrings and strip of all my clothes. I step into the dress and a rush of confidence just attacks me as I look in the mirror.

The dress compliments my somewhat tan skin and it looks better since I'm averagely tall. My dirty blonde hair spreads across my shoulders and I twist two sides of my hair and clip it in the back. I pull out tiny hairs and smack my lips once more just for a dramatic effect.

Okay, it's five-thirty. I should load my hand clutch of all my necessary items. It's kinda nerve-racking not knowing where he's taking me.

It's more nerve wrecking that we're going on a date. I've been on a few dates in Florida but I've never really been interested for too long.

I wonder if Aaron's had any flings in those two years. I wouldn't be mad or anything, we weren't together. We never were in all honestly.

But labels don't mean anything.

Not to us.

I sit on my bed and start wearing my shoes when I hear the doorbell go off downstairs. My heart starts racing but I clam myself knowing the maids probably answered it.

I stand up straight and look in the mirror one more time before heading out of my room and down the stairs.

"Mom? I'll be back in a couple of hours." I call out to my mom and close my bedroom door. I start walking down the stairs and hear the faint murmur between Aaron and the maid asking him if he wants anything to drink.

"No, thank you. I'm here to pick up Aurora and we'll get going." I hear him reply in a silvery smooth voice that I've been dying to hear for the past two days.

I come fully into view and my eyes connect with Aaron's although his eyes don't stay connected to mine for very long, but moving further and further down, slowly.

A blush creeps up my cheeks and that's when I realize the bouquet of red roses he's holding.

My heart melts and I walk towards him. He's dressed in a black suit and tie and his hair the usual mess that I love. He outstretches the roses towards me but I disregard them for now and wrap my arms around his neck.

His warmth immediately surrounding me. I know I took him by surprise because his hands circle my waist a few seconds after and he whispers in my ear, "Hello."

"Hi," I respond with a slight laugh at him being awkward. I unravel my arms from around his neck but he just tightens his grip on me.

"A few more seconds." He mutters in a deep velvety voice and I more than happily connect my hands around him again.

"As much as I love this, I want to see what you've got planned." I giggle and peck him on the cheek. He lets go and outstretches the roses to me again to which I gladly accept.

"The matching was a coincidence by the way." He says referring to the flowers and my dress.

"It better have been! If anyone spoiled it to you they better be ready for what they've got coming." I say defiantly with furrowed eyebrows.

"You look stunning by the way." He leans in and whispers in my ear.

I look up at his green eyes and see no trace of regret or dishonesty. Just exploding with an intense emotion that had my heart going crazy.

Just a fashionably late update ;)