Awakened
9
Six months later, and Harper and Aaron's relationship only got stronger. Many changes had taken place, including Harper's aspirations. After months of consideration, Harper decided to drop out of the school of Education in order to pursue a law degree. Harper was always a strong advocate of social rights, and with the increase of social injustice she found herself more apt to help those in need by getting a degree that allowed her to fight for their rights. Aaron supported her through this difficult choice, as he knew she had been harping over it for months before she brought her choice to his attention. Aaron knew deep down that Harper would never make a rash decision.
Aaron arrived at Harper's apartment, hoping to see her taking a break from studying from her LSAT. Harper had not left her apartment in days, and was sure to lose her mind if she continued to push herself. He knocked three times. The door opened to reveal an exhausted looking Harper, with her hair disheveled, her glasses on her face crookedly, take-out boxes stacked on the table beside her laptop and study books. Crumpled up papers littered the floor, highlighter and pen marks scattered over Harper's face and arms. He could tell she had not slept since signing up for the LSAT.
"Hello, beautiful," Aaron said, smiling at the disheveled mess that appeared before him. Harper smiled, slightly looking in pain from the hours of agony she subjected herself to. She hugged him, taking in his scent and smiling into his chest. He followed her into the apartment, sitting at a seat beside her.
"It feels like I have made no progress," she said, looking at the books and tutorial videos on her laptop.
"I'm sure you're going to be fine," Aaron said. He didn't realize that what he had said would trigger Harper, but he could see tears start to form. "No, no, no, please Harper. Don't cry."
He soothed the crying girl, and decided that he needed to do something to make her feel better and relax.
"Harp, your LSAT is tomorrow. Let me take you to a nice dinner tonight. You need to relax a bit or else you will be extremely nervous tomorrow morning," Aaron said, rubbing her back and making eye contact with her.
"I want to fight you about this, but I don't remember the last time I ate," Harper said, staring blankly at her computer screen before turning to look at Aaron.
"Get in the shower. I'll clean this up," Aaron said, starting to pick up the pieces of paper on the floor. Harper smiled, and walked in the direction of the shower. She let the warm water hit her skin and she felt as if she were breathing for the first time in a long time.
Harper was stressing about her LSAT, but she was also very stressed about the reality of having to relocate in order to pursue this goal. As much as she loved the city, she wanted to attend a reputable school. In order to attend most of the schools she wanted to attend, she would have to relocate. What this meant for her and Aaron was unclear, because she didn't want him to think she expected him to follow her to wherever she ended up going. She decided that tonight they could discuss it over dinner, and finished up her shower.
Harper slipped on her favorite black dress, did her makeup, and put together a quick up-do for her hair. She placed her pearls delicately around her neck, grabbed her purse and began to slip on her pink heels. She looked in the mirror, smiling at herself and finally feeling like a new person. She walked out into the living space to see Aaron dressed impeccably in a suit. His jaw dropped when his eyes met the girl he had been dating for over a year now. She was stunning, and he felt such a unique attraction to her. Every time he saw her it was like falling in love all over again.
"Let's go," Aaron said, holding his arm out to her. They linked arms and headed to Aaron's car. They drove to one of the nicest restaurants that was close to the theater in which they met for the first time. Technically, the second time. They were led to their table, and began to look over the menu. Aaron ordered a wine that he knew Harper would enjoy and they ordered their food.
"Aaron, I think I really need to talk to you about something to get this off of my chest..." Harper started, hoping that Aaron would be receptive.
"Go ahead, Harp," Aaron said, smiling and holding her hand over the table.
"So I am taking my LSAT tomorrow, and I'm applying to most of my potential schools within the next week. Depending on the letters I receive from these schools, there's a chance that I may have to leave New York City."
"Well... I'm sure I had already thought of that but just hadn't given it much consideration past that..."
"What I'm trying to say is that if I do have to move, I understand if you don't want to follow me. I know that there's no way you can continue your career if I force you to follow me as I pursue mine. I don't want to be considered selfish or have you feel that I'm expecting that from you."
"Harper," Aaron said, looking her in the eyes with a large smile. "I would follow you to the ends of the Earth if that's where you were going. I can always travel to my gigs or to shoots -"
"Are you making this decision because you feel that you have to?" Harper said, quizzically.
"No. I'm making this decision because I want to. I want to watch you pursue your dreams, even if that means I have to travel a little bit more to continue living mine. I've already gotten my name out there, and you need the chance to do the same. In order to do what you want to do, you have to get this degree. So I'm going to be right by your side through all of it. You mean the world to me, and I want to take this step with you," Aaron said, with the food arriving.
"I guess this means we'll need to find a place to live after I get letters back," Harper said, smiling. Aaron's response made her giddy, and she was so thankful he was so eager to stand by her side. Their food arrived, and they began to eat their delicious meals. After the meals were done, Aaron paid the check and they left the restaurant.
"You know, there is somewhere I'd like to go while we're on this side of the town," Aaron said, smiling down at Harper.
"Okay," Harper said, smiling back at him. They walked quietly down the street, enjoying each others' presence. They got to the theater where they were reunited, and smiles crept even higher on their faces. Aaron opened the front doors and they walked through the beautiful lobby. Harper remembered looking at the architecture and appreciating the history that was woven into the design of the rooms. They walked into the theater itself, walking down the rows towards the main stage. Aaron climbed onto the stage, motioning for Harper to join him.
"Come on, Harp," Aaron said, reaching down to help her onto the stage. She smiled up at Aaron once they both got up on the stage and they walked towards the middle of the stage. Aaron looked out among the many rows of chairs in the theater.
"So, what are you thinking, Mr. Broadway?" Harper said, smiling.
"I'm thinking about the night I was reunited with the girl I knew I would be in love with. I'm thinking about when I was on this stage, and I caught eye contact with a girl that looked like an angel that fell from the heavens. It felt like I was only performing for one person, and that one person was the only person who mattered. Little did I know that that woman was the woman I saw in a coma in the hospital, little did I know I would be dating the woman, little did I know... I would be falling in love with the woman. She would become my best friend, my keeper, and someone who makes me feel whole. She would make me feel that there is nothing wrong with the world, because as long as she is standing by my side I could never want for anything more. Harper Lee, I love you very much, and there are many things that I wish I could tell you to make this moment as romantic and as special as possible, but there are not enough words in the world to tell you how special you are to me," Aaron shifted his weight, turning Harper to face him as he got on one knee. "Harper Lee Johnson, will you continue to be a blessing in my life and make me the luckiest man on Earth? Will you marry me?"
Aaron arrived at Harper's apartment, hoping to see her taking a break from studying from her LSAT. Harper had not left her apartment in days, and was sure to lose her mind if she continued to push herself. He knocked three times. The door opened to reveal an exhausted looking Harper, with her hair disheveled, her glasses on her face crookedly, take-out boxes stacked on the table beside her laptop and study books. Crumpled up papers littered the floor, highlighter and pen marks scattered over Harper's face and arms. He could tell she had not slept since signing up for the LSAT.
"Hello, beautiful," Aaron said, smiling at the disheveled mess that appeared before him. Harper smiled, slightly looking in pain from the hours of agony she subjected herself to. She hugged him, taking in his scent and smiling into his chest. He followed her into the apartment, sitting at a seat beside her.
"It feels like I have made no progress," she said, looking at the books and tutorial videos on her laptop.
"I'm sure you're going to be fine," Aaron said. He didn't realize that what he had said would trigger Harper, but he could see tears start to form. "No, no, no, please Harper. Don't cry."
He soothed the crying girl, and decided that he needed to do something to make her feel better and relax.
"Harp, your LSAT is tomorrow. Let me take you to a nice dinner tonight. You need to relax a bit or else you will be extremely nervous tomorrow morning," Aaron said, rubbing her back and making eye contact with her.
"I want to fight you about this, but I don't remember the last time I ate," Harper said, staring blankly at her computer screen before turning to look at Aaron.
"Get in the shower. I'll clean this up," Aaron said, starting to pick up the pieces of paper on the floor. Harper smiled, and walked in the direction of the shower. She let the warm water hit her skin and she felt as if she were breathing for the first time in a long time.
Harper was stressing about her LSAT, but she was also very stressed about the reality of having to relocate in order to pursue this goal. As much as she loved the city, she wanted to attend a reputable school. In order to attend most of the schools she wanted to attend, she would have to relocate. What this meant for her and Aaron was unclear, because she didn't want him to think she expected him to follow her to wherever she ended up going. She decided that tonight they could discuss it over dinner, and finished up her shower.
Harper slipped on her favorite black dress, did her makeup, and put together a quick up-do for her hair. She placed her pearls delicately around her neck, grabbed her purse and began to slip on her pink heels. She looked in the mirror, smiling at herself and finally feeling like a new person. She walked out into the living space to see Aaron dressed impeccably in a suit. His jaw dropped when his eyes met the girl he had been dating for over a year now. She was stunning, and he felt such a unique attraction to her. Every time he saw her it was like falling in love all over again.
"Let's go," Aaron said, holding his arm out to her. They linked arms and headed to Aaron's car. They drove to one of the nicest restaurants that was close to the theater in which they met for the first time. Technically, the second time. They were led to their table, and began to look over the menu. Aaron ordered a wine that he knew Harper would enjoy and they ordered their food.
"Aaron, I think I really need to talk to you about something to get this off of my chest..." Harper started, hoping that Aaron would be receptive.
"Go ahead, Harp," Aaron said, smiling and holding her hand over the table.
"So I am taking my LSAT tomorrow, and I'm applying to most of my potential schools within the next week. Depending on the letters I receive from these schools, there's a chance that I may have to leave New York City."
"Well... I'm sure I had already thought of that but just hadn't given it much consideration past that..."
"What I'm trying to say is that if I do have to move, I understand if you don't want to follow me. I know that there's no way you can continue your career if I force you to follow me as I pursue mine. I don't want to be considered selfish or have you feel that I'm expecting that from you."
"Harper," Aaron said, looking her in the eyes with a large smile. "I would follow you to the ends of the Earth if that's where you were going. I can always travel to my gigs or to shoots -"
"Are you making this decision because you feel that you have to?" Harper said, quizzically.
"No. I'm making this decision because I want to. I want to watch you pursue your dreams, even if that means I have to travel a little bit more to continue living mine. I've already gotten my name out there, and you need the chance to do the same. In order to do what you want to do, you have to get this degree. So I'm going to be right by your side through all of it. You mean the world to me, and I want to take this step with you," Aaron said, with the food arriving.
"I guess this means we'll need to find a place to live after I get letters back," Harper said, smiling. Aaron's response made her giddy, and she was so thankful he was so eager to stand by her side. Their food arrived, and they began to eat their delicious meals. After the meals were done, Aaron paid the check and they left the restaurant.
"You know, there is somewhere I'd like to go while we're on this side of the town," Aaron said, smiling down at Harper.
"Okay," Harper said, smiling back at him. They walked quietly down the street, enjoying each others' presence. They got to the theater where they were reunited, and smiles crept even higher on their faces. Aaron opened the front doors and they walked through the beautiful lobby. Harper remembered looking at the architecture and appreciating the history that was woven into the design of the rooms. They walked into the theater itself, walking down the rows towards the main stage. Aaron climbed onto the stage, motioning for Harper to join him.
"Come on, Harp," Aaron said, reaching down to help her onto the stage. She smiled up at Aaron once they both got up on the stage and they walked towards the middle of the stage. Aaron looked out among the many rows of chairs in the theater.
"So, what are you thinking, Mr. Broadway?" Harper said, smiling.
"I'm thinking about the night I was reunited with the girl I knew I would be in love with. I'm thinking about when I was on this stage, and I caught eye contact with a girl that looked like an angel that fell from the heavens. It felt like I was only performing for one person, and that one person was the only person who mattered. Little did I know that that woman was the woman I saw in a coma in the hospital, little did I know I would be dating the woman, little did I know... I would be falling in love with the woman. She would become my best friend, my keeper, and someone who makes me feel whole. She would make me feel that there is nothing wrong with the world, because as long as she is standing by my side I could never want for anything more. Harper Lee, I love you very much, and there are many things that I wish I could tell you to make this moment as romantic and as special as possible, but there are not enough words in the world to tell you how special you are to me," Aaron shifted his weight, turning Harper to face him as he got on one knee. "Harper Lee Johnson, will you continue to be a blessing in my life and make me the luckiest man on Earth? Will you marry me?"