Love At First Flight

All weekend long, Auster was stuck on Aaron’s mind. The way she looked. The way she acted. The way she dressed. The way she was. Aaron loved Auster’s eyes. Her face. Her hair. Her skin. The only thing he didn’t like was her seemingly happy expression. Her fake happiness. Aaron could tell she had sadness hidden somewhere deep inside. He had looked at her eyes long enough to see a flicker of hopelessness. Somehow, Aaron knew she was broken and needed to be fixed. He would be the one to fix Auster. He wanted to be the one that fixed her. Maybe he could piece together the puzzle that was her, and make her happy. Like she deserved to be.

"Ma, I’m going for a walk!” Aaron shouted up the stairs and headed over to the front coat closet to grab his slip-on skate shoes. He decided he needed some fresh air to get his mind off of her. She’s all I ever think about anymore...

“Okay, take Charlie with you!” Mrs. Philips shouted back down the stairs. Aaron sighed quietly and complied with his mom’s orders. He grabbed the leash that hung on the railing of the stairs and connected it to Charlie’s little red collar.

“Come on Cha-lie! We gonna go on a walk!” Aaron said, using the same baby voice he used whenever he talked to his dog, speaking with a higher voice.

Charlie barked and wagged his tail, excited for his walk. Aaron smiled and walked outside of the house after grabbing plastic bags for certain reasons. The energetic beagle ran down the driveway and towards ‘his’ fire hydrant. After he finished his business, Charlie tugged Aaron onto the sidewalk to continue the walk. Aaron mindlessly walked with his dog dragging him along.

When Charlie stopped pulling the leash, Aaron looked up to see why. He noticed a girl walking a small black puppy. Charlie perked his tail up, sensing a new dog that he hadn’t met yet. Aaron looked both ways before crossing the street so the two dogs could meet. He might talk to the girl, too. It doesn’t hurt to make a new friend right? What has gotten into me?

Finally when the boy and dog got to their destination, Aaron noticed who this girl could be. The black hair, pale skin. Oh my God... It’s Auster! was Aaron’s first thought, but then his rationality came back to him. Okay, just because a girl has the same hair and skin color doesn’t mean it’s Auster. Aaron sighed with relief, because if it was Auster, he would probably make a fool of himself or something. That’s when Aaron looked down to see Charlie jogging to catch up with the girl and her dog. The girl was barefoot. And her clothes were all black and white and gray.

Aaron stopped in his tracks and gasped. No way was he seeing Auster. He would say something stupid, she would laugh at him and walk away, and Aaron would feel like a loser. Obviously Aaron’s gasp was louder than he expected because the girl turned around and Aaron’s theory was proved correct. Those bright blue-green eyes, that long awkward nose, and the pouty chapped lips made Aaron know for sure that this was Auster. Cue random babble now.

“Hey Auster... I don’t know if you remember me or not, but I’m-I um was on the air balloon hot-” he stumbled over his words. After taking a breath he said, “I-I’m Aaron.”

“I remember you.” Her voice was the same as a few days ago, quiet and disjointed. Aaron cheered in his mind. She remembers me!

“Oh, well my dog just, he saw your dog and didn’t recognize it and so yeah... He pulled me here.” Aaron blushed at how childish he sounded, rambling on and on.

“He’s cute. What’s his name?” Auster asked.

“Charlie. What’s your dog’s name?” Aaron started to make small talk while his beagle and Auster’s black lab puppy sniffed each other.

“Joss,” she replied quickly and checked her black watch. “Sorry, but I have to go.” Auster already turned to leave by the time realization struck Aaron.

“Wait!” he shouted a little too loud. Auster turned around and nodded, signaling for him to hurry it up. “What school do you go to?”

“I’m starting at Napa Valley High on Monday,” Auster replied and walked off, stepping with her black skinny jean covered legs. Napa High was where Aaron went. He was pretty excited. Aaron was currently attending Napa Valley High, or Napa High as most people referred to it, in Napa Valley, California. How to explain Napa Valley... There are many vineyards and wineries... It’s also very beautiful, the nature. The climate is pretty mild year round, a nice warm temperature. Not too cold, not too hot.

Aaron walked home in a daze, only partially feeling the leash being pulled in his hands. He smiled slightly to himself, knowing that Auster probably lived near him and because they would go to the same school. Aaron’s life was finally getting better.

“I’m home!” Aaron called and was greeted by his artificial step father. Artificial meaning he was fake. Phony. Not real. Anymore synonyms are also allowed. To Angela, Kevin seemed like an almost perfect husband. He was a sweet-talker, he had a decent job, and he was pretty good-looking. However, when Angela wasn’t around, he tended to drink too much, have anger management issues, and get a tad aggressive if he didn’t get his way.

“Aaron!” his step-father said in what could be considered fake enthusiasm.

“Kevin,” Aaron replied in monotone, rolling his eyes in an incognito way.

“I’ve told you thousands of times to call me dad.” Kevin’s voice was growing louder by each syllable he spoke. Thank the Lord for letting Angela walk in at that very moment or Aaron would be hanging in the air, Kevin’s hand grabbing him by the collar of his black T-shirt.

“Hey mom. I’m going to my room.” Aaron unhooked the leash on Charlie’s collar and let his dog run off. They’re so beautiful when they run free... Aaron thought to himself and cracked a smile. He’d been smiling a lot lately.

Aaron walked into his room and jumped onto his bed, plugging in the music speakers. He put on some rock songs, started bobbing his head to the beat, and stared at the wall straight across from him, which happened to be covered in posters and his paintings. Aaron was an artist, as well as a flyer. The inspiration of flight usually made his paintings that much better. Sometimes when he was in the air, he’d spot something he’d want to paint, snap a quick picture, and set off to paint in his backyard. The fresh air, mainly, is his favorite thing. Being outside in general is good enough. Plus, his mother and step-father do some not so pretty things indoors. No, nothing too bad, but when you see your mother and her new husband making out on a couch, it takes away from the appeal of being inside. His paintings weren’t only of things in the air though. Sometimes he painted landscapes that were right in front of him and maybe even a few portraits. Charlie was a good subject to paint.

“Honey, can I come in?” A knock at the door and a high voice showed that Angela wanted to enter Aaron’s room.

“Sure,” Aaron agreed and turned the volume off on his music speakers.

“Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Aaron muttered the standard answer to the question that all parents ask their children at one point or another.

“Okay. Kevin and I are going out to dinner. There’s pizza money on the counter or microwave food in the freezer. Only one friend at most and it has to be a boy. Keep the door locked and call if you need me,” Angela recited the rules like she did every single time before she left her son home alone.

Honestly, what did she think? He’d throw a huge party? News-flash mom: I have no friends to invite over! Aaron thought bitterly. Or, did she think he’d do something with a girl? Must we go over this? No girl would do anything with me, another bitter thought struck him in the head. Keep the door locked? Oh yeah, I’m just gonna leave it wide open for everyone to walk in! I really want someone to rob our house. Sarcastic thoughts.

“Yeah, yeah I know the deal. Have fun,” Aaron said and rolled over onto his stomach, picking up a random book to read.

“Bye,” Aaron’s mom said and walked outside of the room. Moments later, Aaron heard the sure sound of her heels click-clacking down the stairs. Once the sound of the front door slamming and the gravel crunching under car tires was heard, Aaron walked downstairs. He was really hungry. Aaron decided he’d microwave something. It was much quicker than getting pizza delivered. The lanky teenager walked to the freezer and saw nothing he liked.

Ramen noodles! He instantly bolted to the cabinet and saw a box of shrimp-flavored ramen noodles. Or should he choose chicken? After debating the pros and cons of each choice, Aaron grabbed the red shrimp ramen box and went to the drawer in the kitchen that held pots and pans. He grabbed a medium sized pot and started filling said pot with water. He then let the water boil.

“TV time,” Aaron muttered under his breath and grabbed a remote. Ever since his mother left almost every night with Kevin, Aaron had started talking to himself when he had nothing else to do. Music videos were playing when he clicked the television on. Aaron hummed along to the songs that were playing while he waited for the water to boil. Prepare for a kitchen disaster! Aaron had left the stove on for too long and water started bubbling and spilling everywhere.

Aaron had successfully controlled the water and the pot, ending up with only slightly overcooked ramen noodles. At least he hadn’t burned the house down. That would’ve been something to explain to mom anddad Kevin. That man was far, far from his father. Aaron sighed angrily as he wiped a tear that had formed in the corner of his eye. The fact that he still hadn’t gotten over his dad’s death was completely obvious and it made Aaron slightly mad.

Aaron settled down on the couch and commenced eating his food, changing the channel to one that showed classic cartoons like Looney Tunes and Tom&Jerry. His mouth pulled up into a unconscious smile at the cartoon violence as he ate his food. Eventually he fell asleep on the couch, TV still on and his plate of ramen spilling all over him.