It was never effortless to love Aaron Warner. He was a difficult teenage boy who seemed to forget a lot of the time that that was what he was-a teenage boy. He'd always felt that loving or even caring for him would be impossible for all the world to...
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AGES FIVE & SIX
"COME ON, IT'LL be fun, I promise!" I say to Aaron. I even held his hand because he said he wouldn't jump in with me otherwise.
He's crazy!
And super cute. Like, Prince cute. He reminds me a lot of Prince Charming. The one Mum reads to me every night. Hey, maybe I could be his Cinderella!
I squeeze his hand tighter. Honestly, at his age—six—he should be able to do this easily. I mean, yeah, he's one year older and he knows how to swim but that's scared of heights? Totally dumb.
Fear swims in his green eyes and he glances from me to the lake below us. The sun is starting to really burn my skin and I'm getting kind of impatient. Plus, Emmie and Ellie are waiting for us down there and I am not about to be embarrassed in front of my younger and older sister.
So I force his hand into mine and I watch Aaron wince. "You got this," I tell him. "I promise I won't let go."
"JUMP!" Emmaline, my older sister screams from the lake beneath us. This stupid platform is starting to scare even me and I can't stand here any longer.
Aaron grimaces. "I don't know, Eden, I'm not—"
"Yes, you are!" I say. "You're really brave! We can do this!"
He looks back at me. "You won't let go?"
I smile. "I won't if you won't."
He swallows, paling a little. "I definitely won't."
"Good," I lead us the edge of the platform. "This is going to be so fun!"
Aaron hesitates. "Maybe we should—"
"No going back now!" I giggle and push him in front of me before I jump too.
Guess I did let go. Oops.
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AGES SIX & SEVEN
"Aaron?"
"Yes, Eden?"
Just as he turns around, he looks down, kind of disgustingly shocked. He looks down at the rose in my hand first. Then my face. My eyes.
I swing back and forth on the balls of my feet. "Thanks for the rose."
His cheeks go bright red. Still, a weak smile peeks through. "You're welcome."
I tilt my head. "Is that it? You're not going to ask me the question?"
He stiffens, glancing around the hallway to see if we're alone. "Ask what question?"
