You're Such a Nerd

“What’s wrong?”

I looked up from my plate of pasta. Alan was looking intently at me from my seat next to him. We were seated on a table on the patio of the French restaurant. My parents sat across from us, in deep conversation. Alan kept on staring at me and I looked down again, picking at the skirt of my dress. I had taken off my gown.

“Em,” he said sternly. I met his eyes.

“I-I didn’t tell Aaron I was going to UCSB.” I said, shamefully. Alan shook his head, closing his eyes.

“Why not?” he asked, looking at me again.

“Two weeks ago, when I got the letter, I forgot to tell him and it just didn’t seem that important. Don’t give me that look! I know it’s wrong, Alan. You don’t have to rub it in…” I said, glaring at him.

“You forgot? From what Mom told me, you nearly wet yourself when you got the letter and you mean to tell me you forgot to tell Aaron?” he retorted.

“I-when you put it that way-” I started lamely.

“No, Emma. You screwed up, the best thing to do is tell him now before he hears from someone else.”

“I haven’t told anybody but Kellie-”

“But imagine how many people Mom and Dad told that their only daughter got into UCSB.” he said in an undertone. My stomach lurched in fear.

“Oh, crap…” I muttered. Alan smirked, happy that I finally got the point. I started to get up.

“Mom, Dad. I have to go, I forgot about something. I’ll meet you at the house, okay?” I said, squeezing myself in between two tables. They looked at me bewildered.

“You haven’t even finished your-”

“Mom, I’ll explain later but I really have to go.” My mother sighed but nodded. I placed my hat on my head and my purse on my shoulder and started to the parking lot where our driver waited. I got in the car and the driver, Mick, I think, tunred around in his seat and asked,
“Where to, Miss?”

“2234, Peterson Road.”

***

I got out of the car, instructing Mick to wait o the street. He nodded before putting the car in park. I turned and walked up the Scotts pathway and to their door. I saw the no station wagon in the driveway but I tried anyway. As I hoped, the door opened and Mrs. Scott stood before me, a crying Ashley at her hip. She smiled widely when she saw me.

“Hello, Emma!” she said, brightly.

“Hi, Mrs. Scott. Is Aaron here?” I asked.

“No, just left one second ago, he said he needed to see you so he went over to your house. Why?” she said, carrying Ashley up. I felt my throat tighten.

“No reason. I have to go. I’ll see you later.” I said, backing off the porch. She nodded before waving and saying a, “Bye-bye.” I ran back to the car, instructing Mick to drive me home.

The ride, it seemed, much shorter than all the other rides I had taken to my house from the Scotts. Maybe it’s because I dreaded it. When we did arrive I saw Aaron sitting on the stairs of the porch. He looked up and his face was unreadable.

“Go back to the restaurant, please.” I said as I got out the car. Mick nodded and I stepped back, allowing him to drive away. He left and I walked up to Aaron. His face hardened. I had never seem him so angry. He stood up.

“Aaron-”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded, his voice on the edge of a yell.

“I-I wanted to, Aaron, I just-”

“What is it, Emma?! Am I not important enough for you?!” he bellowed. I got very angry at that.

“What the hell are you talking about?! After all we’ve been through you think you’re not important to me?!” I yelled back at him.

“Obviously or you would’ve told me! What happened to being true to each other?! What happened to telling each other everything?!” he screamed back.

“I wanted to tell you, Aaron, but I knew you’d get mad and everything would be ruined!” I fought back tears. “You know how important getting into UCSB was to me! Did you expect me to follow you everywhere like some lost puppy!? I don’t do that, Aaron! I thought, of all people, you’d understand!”

“Bullshit!” he screamed, and I stared at him, that was the first swear I had ever heard him say.

“It’s not about going away, Emma, it’s about telling me! That’s what pisses me off, Emma, that you didn’t freaking tell me!” he roared.

“I-” I didn’t have any explanation for that.

“Was I not important enough to know, Emma? Is that it?” he lowered his voice some but his words still pierced me.

“No-” I croaked.

“Then what is it, Emma, tell me.” he said, slumping his shoulders.

“I was scared of being without you.” I whispered. “I felt like if I didn’t tell you, it’d all blow over and there’d be a way I could still be with you.” His face fell. My own tears spilled over my cheeks and onto my chin.

“I was scared of losing you, Aaron. I wanted to be with you. Forever and ever.” I said, vowing almost. He did some kind of quick intake of breath before I looked up and into his eyes.

“Forever?” he asked, looking into my eyes.

“Forever.” I agreed, walking over to him.

“I want you.” I whispered, reaching up to grasp him neck in my hands, running them along his shoulders then down his forearms to his hands. His hands were up to my face, cupping it before meeting my lips. I opened my mouth, letting him control me. His hands gripped my waist now, gripping onto it as if never wanting to let go. The kiss was like a promise. Putting passion into it, and love, then binding it with our own selves.

“Aaron,” I breathed. He nodded, as if saying, ‘I’m here, I’m here.’. And I knew he was. Forever.

***

I don’t know how we ended up there, but we were sitting by the train tracks. I was kissing Aaron’s shoulder gently, burying myself deeper, if possible, into him. He rubbed my back gently, and I emitted a sigh once in a while. We didn’t talk because we just needed each other to have our relationship.

“I love you.” I murmured after a little while, when the sun was going down. I could almost see him blink away the tears that I almost had as well.

“I love you, too.”

I reached up, pecking his lips quickly before settling my head onto his shoulder once more, moldering myself into him again.