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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"WE'RE SO CUTE," I say to Aaron, taking his hand as we enter the main plane seating area, where everyone but Nazeera sits.
Aaron doesn't say anything but he offers my hand a tender squeeze and I know that's all he can bring himself to do in front of the others. He's shy when it comes to me and showing affection publicly. Not that I mind—the man is my favorite person, as far as I'm concerned, he can do anything he wants to as long as he includes me.
"Is that a synonym for disgusting?" Kenji beams at us, sarcastically sweet.
I blow him a kiss and go to sit beside him on the sofa opposite a second sofa, on which Ella and Isaac, sit, curled up next to each other. If anything, that's revolting but I'll keep my mouth shut. Unlike others.
Aaron sits next to me and I flick Kenji's forehead. "Don't be an ass. You're being rude to someone who totally saved you."
Ella chuckles. Kenji gapes at me. Says, "Saved me? Woman, we saved you. If we'd not shown up, you'd have died."
"Actually," I correct him obnoxiously, secretly infinitely grateful for his and Isaac's help. "If Ella and I hadn't gotten rid of the biggest threat, then none of us would have been able to escape. We'd all be dead. So. You're welcome."
Kenji is blinking at me while Isaac and Ella smile at us like amused parents. "You're actually not real. I just decided that."
"Cool," I grin. "I take that as a compliment."
"Anyway," Ella buts in before Kenji can get another word in, her eyes sliding from his to mine, "how are you? Feeling any better?"
A pit forms in my stomach despite me not knowing why. I've nothing to hide. Nothing to feel guilty about. So why do I feel like I do?
"I'm fine," I tell her as confidently as I can. She can probably see right through me. "No idea what happened but I'm good." When literally every single one of them shoots me concerned, disbelieving looks, I emphasize, "I'm fine. Really."
Aaron thumb strokes the back of my hand and I rest my head on his shoulder. The others could spit in our faces for showing the tiniest bit of affection, for all I care. I turn into an absolute idiot when I'm around the Chief commander of Sector 45. And I think he might feel the same.
"Do we have food?" Ella perks up.
Isaac leans back and reaches behind the sofa, grunting. "Yeah. Not that you can exactly really call it food. It's pretty gross."
"Um," Kenji says, offended, "I'll have you know that Naz and I took our time picking that shit out, okay? Options for rations were pretty damn limited, Meyer. Damn. Be more grateful."
Isaac flips him off.
But Ella and I both say in unison, "Naz?" While Ella sounds excited and shocked, I can't help the grossed out confusion that seeps into my tone.
