┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓

Fallen

┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛

Chapter 32: Fallen (Aaron's POV)

Even after everybody had finished eating, most people stayed. The dance performance was done and the floor was now open for anybody to go dance. They also announced that for the next week, they'd be continuing the dance performances every night. But we only had two more nights here. The day after tomorrow, we'd be flying back to New York. 

"Aaron."

I looked up from my seat where Davidson stood with his drink in hand. I stood up when he beckoned me over, taking me to the side. 

"I wanted to speak to you," he said once we were alone. "Just to check in. See how things are going on the trip. Are you tolerating your father just fine?" 

"Just fine," I mumbled, nodding. "I've hardly spoken to him. Luckily."

"Have you spoken to your mother yet? Just you two?" 

"No, not yet. Everybody's kind of chatting up to her," I chuckled, glancing at her. "But I'll pull her aside in a minute, catch up a bit." 

He watched me quizzically for a moment and then commented, "You look chirpier. You must be happy to see your mother." 

"I am." 

"Of course. And how's Vanessa?" 

I blinked. "Vanessa?" 

"How are things between you two?" 

I paused, thinking of the right reply. "They're fine. I mean, we don't argue anymore. We're just sticking to the plan." 

"That's it?" 

"Yeah. What else is there to it?" 

He sighed after a moment. "Nothing. I wanted to tell you both together but it doesn't seem like Vanessa's friends aren't letting her go right now," he said. 

I glanced over at where Jade, Daisy, Lyla, and Vanessa were all talking. They were standing near the stage and clapping and swaying to the music, cheering on whoever stole the spotlight on that stage. "Yeah, she... She looks like she's having fun, actually," I mumbled. 

"Aaron." 

I looked away from her and back to Davidson. "Yes?" 

"I wanted to tell you both but I'm telling you now, I hope you'll pass on the message to her." 

"Sure. What is it?" 

"When we uh, go back to New York the day after tomorrow, we have the weekend and then Monday morning, everybody's back to work." 

I nodded. 

"I had to tell you that once we're back at work if you and Vanessa want, you're free to stop." 

"To stop," I repeated dubiously. "To stop what?" 

"Pretending." 

Pretending. That one word just has the power to ruin everything. 

There was a brief moment of silence between us. I didn't really know what to say to him after that. "Uh, why um," I cleared my throat, "why the change in plan?" 

He shrugged, slipping one hand in his pocket. "Well, I thought about what Judith said to me at the start of this trip. And I think she's right. I had no right asking you two to do what you did or interfere in your personal lives. While what you're doing is helping the firm, of course, it is, we should find better ways. A relationship should never be used for marketing. Not in the real world. And forcing two people together? It's... it's just wrong. So, if you both want, you can stop." He read my face for a beat. "Unless things have gone past pretending?" 

I shook my head instinctively. "No, it's not that, it's just..." I cleared my throat, scratching the back of my neck. "I think we should keep pretending." 

He blinked in surprise. "Oh. Oh well, why do you think that?" 

Because it's an excuse for me to stay around her. 

Before I had the chance to answer, a familiar voice interrupted. "Aaron." 

I spun around, my eyes meeting my mother's. "Hey, Mom." 

"Hey. Do you have time to chat?" 

"Of course." I turned to Davidson. "Excuse me." 

He nodded and then went back to Judith. 

Mom came and stood beside me, folding her arms across her chest and watching the stage from where we stood near the stands holding the lanterns. "Tu m'as manqué," she sighed. I missed you. 

"Tu m'as manqué aussi," I exhaled, glancing at her. I missed you too. 

"Est-elle celle?" Is she the one? 

"Que veux-tu dire?" I chuckled, my eyes finding Vanessa in the crowd. What do you mean? 

"The one from college," Mom clarified, nudging my elbow. 

"Ah, yeah. C'est elle." It is her. 

She paused and then asked me one question that took me by surprise. "Est-ce que t'aimes elle?" Do you love her? 

I stared at Vanessa a little longer and thought hard about it. 

Do I love her? Can you call what I feel love? Has it been long enough to call this love? 

"No," I shook my head. "I don't love her." I felt her looking at me so I faced her. 

She stared at me in amusement. 

"What?" I huffed. 

"You don't love her?" 

"No," I scoffed. 

I don't think so anyway. Or maybe...

"But you've fallen for her. Haven't you?" 

I didn't answer her and went back to staring at Vanessa. 

"Aaron." 

"What?" 

"Haven't you?" 

I have. 

I sighed in defeat, glancing at the floor. "Peut-être," I whispered, mostly to myself but I knew she caught it. Maybe. 

"Bon," she shrugged. Good. "I like her. She's good for you." 

"What is that supposed to mean?" 

She hummed in thought, her head tilting to one side as she watched Vanessa. "She's your... equal." She nodded as if she'd chosen the right words and was content with what she said. "Hmm, yes. She's your equal. You both meet." 

I stared at her in confusion. 

She huffed in frustration, "Comment puis-je expliquer?" How do I explain it? 

"En français," I scoffed. In French. 

She clicked her tongue, smacking my arm. "Regardez," she cleared her throat. Look. "Life is extremely short, Aaron. Even if it feels long and never-ending and tiring and... exhausting. But at some point or the other, everybody meets a person, right? Leur personne." Their person. "Everybody has their own person. For some people, they're a part of the journey, for others, they're the destination, and for some, they're both. She's your person. Until the very end." 

"People don't always end up together, Mom. You thought Dad was your person your whole life. You still do," I scoffed. 

"He is, Aaron." 

I turned to her in disbelief. 

"He is my person. He's just not my ending, he's not my finish line. He's not my destination. But she's yours." She chuckled softly to herself. "Votre ligne d'arrivée." Your finish line. 

I blinked, glancing at Vanessa. Then I asked, "Comment le sais-tu?" How do you know? 

"I see it. She likes you too. Don't waste your time and don't let her slip away." 

I won't. I couldn't, even if I tried. 

"Noted. Is this why you came to Maui then? To lecture me on love?" 

She laughed, patting my back. "Of course not. I just came to see you. To make sure you're happy. And it looks to me that you are. With her." She reached up as I ducked my head to stare at the floor and ruffled my hair. "Plus, I wanted to see the girl you've been in love with since college." 

"Mom," I huffed. 

"She doesn't know, does she?" 

I shook my head, huffing loudly. "No... she doesn't." 

"Tell her. I'm sure she wishes you would." 

I turned to look at her, wondering how she always knows the right things to say at the right time. 

"Harmony!" 

"Bonne nuit, mon fils," she sighed, going back to the table, waving at me. Goodnight, my son. "See you tomorrow," she sang, shooting me a wink before turning around. 

I stared at her for a minute before laughing softly, shaking my head to myself. 

She's my mother yet I have no idea what planet she comes from. Around or not, she's still my mother. Even when I didn't have her with me, it never felt that way. 

I straightened up as Vanessa squeezed through the crowd now gathered around the stage and glanced behind her just once before continuing her way here. I smiled in amusement as her eyes widened when Nick approached her, asking her to dance while he pointed at the stage. She smiled and laughed while shaking her head and resumed walking over. He called out behind her but she ignored him, pretending not to hear him until she spotted me and halted. She sighed and started walking again, reaching me eventually. "Hi," she said, standing in front of me. 

"Hi back," I replied, my eyes scanning her face quickly. 

Her cheeks were flushed from being with the crowd and the margaritas. "I guess people went back to their rooms, there's hardly anyone left now," she exhaled loudly while looking at our table. 

I nodded. "Most people left." 

She hummed, nodding slowly. "Can we go too?" She turned to me. 

"Are you tipsy?" I mused. 

"No," she scoffed, "just tired." 

I eyed her warily. 

"Really," she laughed, giving me a slight push. "My feet ache and I want to sleep." 

"Fine. I'll come with you." 

"You always do that when you never have to." 

"I never have to, doesn't mean I don't want to," I said pointedly, taking her hand in mine and guiding her towards the exit. I watched our steps as we walked together. They matched. 

We reached the staircase and she stopped abruptly, groaning. "I'm taking them off, give me a moment." She bent to unstrap them. 

"Vanessa." I tightened my hold on her hand and pulled her back up. 

She whined, pouting at me. "My feet hurt," she gritted. 

"It's only a few stairs, we can—" 

"Aaron." 

I eyed her. Her eyes were a little foggy and dazed and she was definitely swaying in place a little. "You're definitely tipsy." 

"What? No, I'm—" 

I bent at my knees, ignoring her, and tucked my arms under her legs and back, scooping her up. 

She let out a small squeal, both arms coming around my neck. "What are you doing?" she whispered. 

I turned to her and she blinked in surprise at our proximity, pulling back just a bit. "You said your feet hurt. So I'm carrying you," I answered and then started heading upstairs. 

"You're going to fall," she said softly. 

I felt her gaze on me and she was close, close enough that I felt her breath hitting my neck. I willed myself not to react or stop and kept going, ignoring the chills on the back of my neck. 

"Aaron, you'll fall," she repeated. 

"Already did," I mumbled under my breath, reaching our floor. 

"What?" 

"Nothing, Nessa." I glanced at her. 

She blinked twice, staring at me in complete confusion and surprise. She looked adorable. 

"Nothing," I repeated.

.

.

.

.

.

Chapter 32

I have discovered that I really fucking enjoy writing slow burns y'all

next chapter: real

get ready