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Changed

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Chapter 34: Changed (Aaron's POV)

"Do you know what tomorrow's plans are?" she asked, blinking at me. She had the covers pulled up to right under her nose, her eyes were drooping shut from how sleepy she was, and she was still trying to stay awake with me. 

"Mm-hmm," I nodded. 

She stared at me for a minute before scooting closer. "Pillow your arm for me," she mumbled, throwing one leg over mine. 

I straightened out one arm and she placed her head on it, sliding an arm over my torso under the covers. "We're going to the beach tomorrow during the day and for dinner, we're eating out at a local restaurant," I explained, lifting up the arm that was under her head and bringing my hand to her hair, running my fingers through it. 

She hummed in acknowledgment. 

Earlier, after we both got the words and the kiss we were suppressing out of our system, we sat on the bed and talked a bit. Just about how long we'd been feeling this way, she asked me a few things about college secrets. 

Now, she's asking me about that one night. "Were you actually drunk that night?" 

"Do you want the truth?" 

She nodded. 

"I was fairly tipsy at the beginning. More than halfway through, I had more or less sobered up." 

"What if I asked you to keep going that night? Would you have just gone all the way with me?" 

My brows furrowed as I turned to look at her. "Vanessa, of course not. You were drunk, even if you said yes, you weren't in any state to give consent. I would have stopped you. But I think it's a good thing we stopped on our own." 

"Yeah, me too," she replied. I stared at her a bit longer, a smile tugging at my lips. "What?" she laughed sleepily. 

"Nothing, you look cute." 

"You mean my eyes and forehead look cute? Since that's all you can see?" 

"Yes, I mean your eyes and forehead look cute." 

Her eyes got a bit smaller, her cheeks rising as she smiled, only making me grin wider. 

I rolled onto my side so I faced her and I pulled the covers down to her chin and tucked away a strand of hair that fell into her eyes. 

"You know what? I..." she paused and then slowly shook her head. "Never mind." 

"You can't do that. You have to tell me now." 

She took a breath. "Fine. But don't take this in the wrong way." I nodded reassuringly. "Did you think I'd end up with you, Sinclair?" 

I shook my head, "Never." It was the truth. Until this very moment on this very trip, I never thought otherwise, even if I wanted to. "You?" 

She smiled, her eyes closing. "I don't believe in never. Haha." 

I chuckled at her little 'haha' watching her. 

"What about you? Tell me something you don't believe in," she murmured. 

I thought for a moment and I absolutely hated the answer I came to, but it was true. "I don't believe in always." Everything I've seen, everything I've experienced from when I was a child up till now, nothing lasts for 'always' and the 'always' usually ends. Someone makes a promise and says 'always' but they can never keep their word. 

She frowned, her brows furrowing as she watched me through squinted eyes. "Well, opposites attract, I guess." 

They do. Sometimes. In our case, at least. 

Still, only to spite her, I replied with, "Never." 

She snickered, "Always." I smiled as she closed her eyes again. "I'm going to sleep. You should too, Aaron. I told you not to drink coffee." 

"It's not coffee that's keeping me awake," I mumbled softly. 

After a few moments, I thought she was asleep but then she suddenly said, "Can you say something in French?" 

"What?" I laughed. 

She opened her eyes but barely. "I was thinking about it yesterday. When I heard you talking to your mom on the phone." 

"You were thinking about what?" 

"What it would be like to hear you say something in French." 

I watched her in amusement and curiosity for a minute before I realized. I knew Vanessa well enough to know what she's really implying here. "You mean you were thinking about what it would be like to fall asleep to me whispering sweet nothings in French?" 

She closed her eyes. "No comment." 

I closed my eyes, laughing silently. 

"Don't laugh," she scolded, hitting my chest lightly. 

"I'm not, I promise," I chuckled. 

"You liar," she mumbled. 

"Something in French, let me think." I leaned in a bit closer to her, my hand that was at her waist slipping under her shirt and resting at her waist. I absentmindedly moved my thumb back and forth while thinking. "Le français n'est pas aussi romantique que vous le pensez," I said softly. French is not as romantic as you think. "Mais je vais te dire un secret." But I'll tell you a secret. "Je t'ai toujours voulu... Et... J'ai toujours aimé tes bisous. Toujours," I whispered, twirling a strand of her hair around my finger as she fell asleep. I have always wanted you... And... I've always liked your kisses. Always. 

I knew she was asleep by now but I continued anyway. "Je veux t'aimer." I want to love you. "Je veux voyager avec toi." I want to travel with you. "Je pense que tu es beau. Et confiant. Et lumineux." I think you are beautiful. And confident. And bright. "Et tu me fais me sentir..." And you make me feel... "Chaud," I whispered. Warm. 

I waited for a long while before saying anything else. "Vanessa?" When I didn't get a response, I could guarantee she was asleep. I sighed, half in relief and half because I was glad. 

This had to happen before the feelings we were hiding swallowed us both whole. I had to tell her, I had to kiss her. I had to hold her like this. It felt like if I didn't then it would kill me. Staring at her like this, when she's sound asleep without a clue in the world, when she's not saying things that distract me, the question is so much bigger in my mind. Could I call what I felt love? 

Maybe... Maybe I could. 

»»————　➴　————««

I sat at the foot of the bed, waiting while Vanessa got ready in the bathroom the next morning for breakfast. We've been here for five days, counting today, and tomorrow early in the morning, we're flying back home. While Vanessa was sleeping last night, the thought did linger in my mind. 

What's going to happen once we get back home? Are things going to change between us? 

I hoped they wouldn't, but that's a long conversation to have and it's way too early to have it now. I know this charade has been going on for nearly a month now but Vanessa and I are only just at the beginning. 

Vanessa came out while throwing her hair over her shoulders. She shut the bathroom door behind her and then walked over to her suitcase, grabbing her white sandals and slipping them on. "I'm good to go if you are," she said, walking past me and towards her nightstand to grab her phone. 

I caught her wrist before she could and pulled her back so she stood in front of me. 

She stared at me, blinking, and then a small smile tugged at her lips that she couldn't bite down. "Hi," she grinned. 

"Hi. Hello. Good morning, if you're done hiding." 

"I wasn't hiding," she mumbled, fixing my hair. "We're a little late for breakfast, that's all." 

"Really? Is that so? So, you're not hiding because you feel awkward or weird about what happened last night? And you don't regret it?" 

She shook her head without giving it a second thought. "I don't regret it at all." 

"Really?" I grabbed her waist, bringing her towards me and spinning her around, pulling her down to sit on my lap. 

She chuckled, looking at me over her shoulder. "Really," she nodded. 

I stared at her for a moment, scanning her face for an answer she wasn't giving me. But I didn't find one. "Okay. I believe you." I let her go. She pecked my cheek once and then stood up and took her phone while I grabbed my wallet, pocketing it. "Oh, I forgot to tell you." I turned to her while she came and stood in front of me. "We're not going to the beach until later in the afternoon, so I think most people are going to the hotel pool and some people are going shopping, do you want to do either one of those things?" 

"Maybe we can swim for a while and then instead of shopping, we can check out the local area." 

I nodded, "All right." 

She continued staring at me. 

"What?" I chuckled. 

"You're too tall," she sighed, moving to sit on the coffee table. "How tall are you, Sinclair?" 

"I am..." I stepped forward, resting my hands on the table beside her thighs. "Six foot four, Ms. Griffin," I answered. 

"No wonder," she mumbled, her gaze dropping to my lips. 

I lifted my brows, trying not to smile but I failed miserably when she grabbed my t-shirt, pulling me closer and bringing my lips down to hers. I grinned into the kiss, stepping closer when I felt her knees parting so I could stand between them. I held her chin, my hand moving to her jaw as I deepened the kiss. 

Her hands slipped from my shirt and moved up until her arms were loosely wrapped around my neck. She smiled softly against my lips as I gave her a small peck before pulling away. I watched in amusement as she chased the distance between us, still leaning forward to kiss me again. 

I pecked her lips once more before breaking the kiss for good. "We're already a little late, if we stay any longer and keep going, we'll be super later." 

"I don't mind," she shrugged, taking in a breath. 

"I'm sure the others will. Come on," I whispered, kissing her cheek and then taking a step back. I grabbed her hand and then we left the room, heading down to the restaurant. 

Breakfast here is always a buffet, so we grabbed our plates, filled them up, and then headed to the table. Most people were here but a few were still missing, so we weren't too late after all. I pulled out her chair and she grinned at me before taking her seat. I sat beside her, both of us mumbling a few hello's to the others at the table. 

Things were helplessly different between us at the table and it was most certainly noticeable. But I wasn't going to hide it. We were together, for real now, it's not such a bad thing for us to act like this. Sure, I was doing things I didn't do earlier and our co-workers might notice the change. But I didn't care. 

When she finished her apple juice, I gave her mine. When she wanted another hash brown, I gave her half of mine. When she stood up to go grab a muffin, I went and got it for her. I sat back down, placing the muffin on her plate. "Hmm, here." 

She watched me as I sat down, smiling softly. "Thank you," she whispered and then chuckled softly. When she took the first bite, she had chocolate crumbs on her chin. I reached forward, brushing them off with my thumb. 

"What is up with you two?" Jade asked, watching us. 

I pulled my hand down while Vanessa turned to her. "What?" 

"Something's different. It's like something changed between you two." 

Yeah. Well, everything changed.

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Chapter 34

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, so this book will too BUT not right now. I plan to write this book up until 40-42 chapters, so we've still got a few more don't worry.

AND 

I have a super cute idea for the next book, kind of like The Unhoneymooners but not really fake dating. More childhood best friends to strangers to enemies. I'll drop the details for that at the end of this book.

next chapter: scared