Pay Up (Aaron)

[Skye Malizia]

Tristan owed her coffee, and he'd lived up to his end of the bargain. Eiji still owed her a party, but Skye still owed Elliot a visit. But there was something else someone owed Skye; a date. And that was Aaron Staar, the boy who said he'd call, and did so from a thousand miles away. The boy she drove all the way across the country to pick up. And he was still too shy, or too busy, or (what Skye feared most), too uninterested.

Schuyler Malizia wasn't an extremely pretty girl; not a conventional beauty by any means. But she knew how to dress and how to hold herself and how to act and flirt and charm. She knew how to do her make-up in the most flattering lines, how to position herself in the most flattering poses. She had a great walk, a great figure, and great hair. All that was more than enough to make up for her natural look.

But Aaron left her feeling insecure. Every boy she'd ever given her number to called. Right away. They didn't wait weeks to tell her that they left the school to rescue students and couldn't come back until they were cleared of all charges. They usually left a pleasant message on her voicemail, or sent her a charming text message, or if she chose to pick up the phone to an unknown number, they would flirt with light conversation.

She'd been on a couple dates with the young man who drove her Fiat from Missouri to Washington, but that wasn't going to go anywhere and they both knew it. Skye told him flat-out she wasn't really interested, and he buggered off pretty quickly after that. She loved her Fiat and everything, but she wasn't prepared to spend every conversation with him on car makes and technojargon.

Tristan was a really nice boy, but something about him told her to stay away because he seemed... occupied. He didn't give off the 'I'm taken' vibe, but he didn't open his arms in immediate acceptance either. He was older and he was gorgeous and he had the second most charming American accent (second only to Noah); he fit everything Skye ever wanted in an American boyfriend because he wasn't Italian, but she still couldn't bring herself to suggest anything. She wouldn't say 'no' if he did ask, but she wasn't going to hold her breath.

Noah was the beautiful New Yorker with the spectacular gift of flight. Skye wished she could keep up with him, fly all the way to see those city lights he talked about. He was fun, he was crude, and he had the potential of stealing her heart if she ever left it on the proverbial table. He made her feel pretty too, the way he looked at her and studied her and listened. It was rare to find a guy who actually wanted to hear what you were going to say, and he was patient with her infrequent miscommunications. Noah was a good friend, and she wished very much that she saw him more often.

And Leo. Oh boy, if fire was every to be personified it would be in the form of Leogare Lasteulf. He was so so so hot, and forward, and although he could come across as strong with all his flirting, he was by no means sleazy. He wouldn't make her false promises; everything was very straight-forward with Leo. He told you what he wanted, when he wanted it, and let her decide whether or not she was going to comply. He'd been darling enough to accompany her to pick up Aaron, and she would admit if you asked; there was sexual tension between them for sure. Leo was a boy Skye found herself fantasizing about when her mind wandered, but it was mostly because of his classical bad-boy appeal.

Skye let her mind wander as she herself wandered into the Why Not Diner. It was a favorite, and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't here to see if Tristan was in. Even if she wasn't planning on initiating anything between them, it didn't mean she would deprive herself of his presence. He was a great guy and fun to be around - she was walking aimlessly around Seattle and her feet guided her to where her heart instructed them to while her mind was too occupied with other thoughts. She picked out her own booth, not paying much attention to her surroundings. Tristan didn't look like he was in today, so she decided that maybe she'd just stay for a late lunch before she headed back to the Academy.

[aaron]

Aaron had been spending more and more lunch periods at the Why Not Diner lately. The atmosphere was noisy, but not nearly as noisy as the Cafeteria. And the diner's noise was more... white noise. Aaron could hear himself think at least.

Today, however, the Diner was relatively empty. There were only a few people poking about, and as a result his meal was prepared rather quickly.

Star poked at his lemon chicken, contemplating different cellphone brochures that were splayed across the table. His old one had fallen out of his pocket when he was chasing Kiri, and now he would like to contemplate his options before getting a new one.

Taking a sip of his water, he looked up to the sound of a door opening. What he saw made him choke on his water. Violently.

Skye. The Italian with the hand on Aaron's heart. Star cheered up considerably. He hadn't seen his friend since she picked him up with... the boy. What's-his-face Jealousy welled up in Aaron at the very thought of him. What did he have over Star? It couldn't be his looks. Star was a Faery, which automatically made him more handsome than any human (Minus Skye, of course. She had a beauty all her own). It clearly wasn't intelligence or personality. Was it because he was human? Did the whole species thing freak Skye out?

Star pushed such jealous thoughts out of his head. If he was so lovely, why wasn't he with her now? He longed to hear Skye laugh like she did the very first time he met her. Something magical was in order here.

Star ducked under his table, careful to make sure Skye couldn't see him. Star concentrated on a memory from months ago. He concentrated very hard, working on making the best glamour he possibly could. He asked the sunlight streaming through the windows to assist him in making the most perfect glamour he could.

When he was convinced he got it just right, he released it to Skye's table. She would see a glittering, miniature snowman on her table, and flying around it, trying to melt it with her breath was the Faery illusion Skye showed him the night they met. A miniature Skye with Faery wings, buzzing around the snowman.

[Skye Malizia]

Skye was looking over the menu, even though she knew she'd probably wind up ordering the caesar chicken wrap like she always did. Something flashed just behind her menu though, and she lowered it very slowly. The strange image of the snowman made her have a huge case of deja vu, and she sat as far back in her seat as possible. The girl looked left and then right, for the master of the joke, but didn't see anyone.

"Che?" The Italian said aloud, so shocked that her tongue resorted to its most comfortable language. Skye tried brushing the snowman off the top, unnerved by it. She wasn't thinking clearly enough to determine that someone was playing with her the same way she liked to play with other people. Image projection... she should have recognized it immediately, but she didn't.

When the snowman didn't budge from her efforts, and in fact she felt nothing at all in front of her, she understood. Her brows loosened and she stood up and stared over her booth right at Aaron. Her mouth opened but she didn't say anything. Instead, she abruptly sat back down and lifted her menu up so she wouldn't have to look at the snowman or the faery version of herself.

She wrinkled her nose as she thought of how Aaron would walk over and sit across from her. If he wanted to get his head bitten off, he'd ask her what was wrong. He should know what was wrong! Boys did not treat girls this way! He was constantly pulling and pushing her, leading her around on a string! Did he like her or didn't he? Why couldn't he just act like the other boys? The sane ones?

She huffed indignantly and in her current mood, she tried shooing the snowman and faery away with her plastic menu, to no avail.

[aaron]

Aaron smiled as Skye looked up at him. She remembered! His smile quickly fell flat as he noticed that she wasn't laughing. Or smiling. In fact, she must have taken a wrong turn when trying to smile, or something, because her mouth was doing the opposite. Yes, there was a distinct downward curve to her lips, that would signify that she was displeased. Now why would Skye be frowning.

A look of concern painted itself on Star's face. If it was that car-date-boy, there would be hell to pay. If anyone was bringing Skye down, or hurting her in any way, there would be hell to pay.

Star glanced at Skye, to try and see if there were any clues as to why she was not smiling. He saw her waving her menu, which obviously had to be a signal to join her. Aaron left his untouched lemon chicken and cellphone brochures, and walked over to Skye's booth, his look of concern only half disguised.

"Mind if I join you?" He shook away his detailed glamor with a negligent shake of his hand. Obviously something very serious was going on in Skye's life, and Aaron wanted to help in any way he could.

[Skye Malizia]

Of course. Of course he would come waltzing over as though nothing were wrong. Of course she minded if he joined her! But Skye could never be intentionally impolite, so she gestured to the seat in front of her, mouth set in a grim line. It looked like she would rather eat a lemon than let Aaron sit with her. But her heart sped up despite her desire to be indifferent. Skye told herself it was because she was upset with him.

"Why do you want to?"

Although she wouldn't be rude, that didn't mean she couldn't be sour. Her immaculate manicure left tiny crescent moon indents in the laminate of the menu. Later she would feel bad about it if she noticed, however now she was too preoccupied to care. A boy who showed clear interest in her had the nerve to ignore her. If there was anything Skye hated, it was being ignored. It was one step away from being forgotten, and the Italian girl refused to be pushed to anyone's past. She made quite the effort to be a big part of everyones' lives. What irritated her was that Aaron seemed to be putting no energy into whatever it was they had. If he couldn't spend time on a friendship, Skye wouldn't waste hers on a fantasy.

"Caesar chicken wrap please," Someone had come to take her order, and they disappeared, though not before eyeing Aaron's lemon chicken at the other table. They looked like they were unsure whether or not to take the plate, but opted against it in case he should come back for it.

She went back to ignoring Aaron, as though whatever he said she couldn't hear.

[aaron]

Aaron half-smiled as he slid into the booth. Skye had presented Star with the perfect opportunity to be charming. Star had been trying to tone down his compliments to Skye. The last thing he wanted to do was be too forward and scare Skye off. The girl seemed like she was having a bad day, however, and so some cheerfulness would be in order.

"Why would I want to? Why, the same reason everyone else wants to be near you. Your personality, the way you laugh. Your beautiful accent, the way you look at things. The way conversation around you can never be dull." Aaron directed a piercing gaze, looking directly into Skye's astonishing eyes.

"If nothing else, just the chance to look into your eyes." Star took that chance, and got lost in the simple complexity of blue upon blue for several seconds. Then he shook himself, trying to gain back perspective of what he had set out to do in the first place.

"Forgive me... I'm being incredibly corny right now. Skye... you look unhappy. And when you're unhappy the entire world is unhappy. As a civil service to the rest of the world, I must cheer you up again. So why are you unhappy?"

[Skye Malizia]

She blanched. If Aaron was trying to tone down the compliments, he failed. And Skye was not in the mood for compliments, at least not from him. They meant nothing, because Aaron meant nothing. He was unreliable and inconsistent, and his words were just as meaningless.

She coughed, choking on her surprise at his cheesy line about looking into her eyes. He was worse than Italian boys! Did he not understand that his attention was unwanted right now? Maybe she should let him know.

"Aaron," she said, the tone of her voice flat, "Stop." It was all she could say without being insulting. She wanted to bite his head off for treating her like this. But she didn't want to beat around the bush, didn't want him following her like a lost puppy wondering what he'd done wrong. She wasn't a mean girl, and Aaron was probably a sweet boy when he wasn't being an ass, so he deserved the truth.

"I am unhappy because you are very frustrating. You act like you like me when you are with me, but what happens when you are not with me? Nothing! If you like me you ask me out. You do not wait for me to walk into the same room as you so you can talk to me," She huffed, slapping her menu on the table to emphasize her irritation with him, "So please stop."

Then waitress delivered her wrap to her, looking very impressed with her speech. Not all girls had the guts to actually tell someone what was bothering them. Skye didn't think too hard about it, and instead picked the wrap off the plate and bit into it. One might wonder if she was imagining Aaron's head as she ruthlessly chewed her food.

She wasn't nearly as attractive when she was pissed off. Aaron might even be turned off enough by her wrinkled nose and the snarl on her lips to stop pursuing her. She wasn't sure if that would be a good or bad thing.

[aaron]

Skye's speech left Aaron, for the first time in his life, without words. Her words were like ice, digging into him. He had been vulnerable, he had no defenses up. His face grew deathly white, his lips staying tightly closed. He didn't even have enough feeling or dignity to wipe the tears that sprang into his eyes, ready to fall.

He wanted to reply. To tell her how much he loved her. To tell her that he knew that he loved her from the very beginning. But he had no words. He had no words for the girl he still loved, the girl who scorned him. His breath grew shallow, and his hands were balled into fists.

He looked one last time at Skye, and his look was one of pure despair. Nothing resembling human intelligence glinted beneath those eyes, only hurt. How he wished that he could have been back on the floor of that horrible underground place again. How he longed that he had been lost forever.

His tongue untied itself enough to utter "I won't bother you anymore." This words were not laced with contempt, but loss. Aaron stood up violently and walked out of the diner. He intended fully to fly away, but he couldn't bring up the energy. He stood at the entrance of the doorway, shaking, then mustered what little dignity he had left and fled to the side of the building. Aaron collapsed on the dirty concrete floor of the alleyway and sobbed like a brokenhearted child.

I live to let you shine.

[Skye Malizia]

Skye was prepared for an indignant reply. She was prepared for Aaron to start spouting more compliments and corny lines. She was prepared for him to beg for another chance. What she was not prepared for was tears.

So taken aback by his watery eyes, when he managed to speak through the tightness of his throat, Skye's stomach jolted. Immediately she felt guilty for turning Aaron into the victim. Sure it wasn't fair that Skye had to go about her days feeling like he didn't care, but if he actually did, and she said everything she said...

"Aaron!" She exclaimed after swallowing her mouthful of chicken wrap, and she watched as he suddenly picked up and left. It was again something she hadn't expected, and she was a good ten seconds behind him because her skirt got caught in the table as she tried to follow. But when she got outside, she was alone, having no idea which way Aaron had gone. For all she knew, he leapt off the sidewalk and into the air. She couldn't follow him.

Frustrated, guilty, and left with a torn skirt, Skye slowly returned to her table at the diner and sat down heavily. Conflicted, it only took one waitress to help make up her mind.

"Where'd he go? He didn't pay for his chicken."

It had absolutely nothing to do with anything, but Skye used it as a means of self-protection. She quickly threw down some notes to pay for both the meals, picked up her chicken wrap to go, and left in a rampage.

How dare he have the nerve to tear up and tear out of there? He was the one not pursuing her. Did he expect her to come running to him, begging to be his girlfriend? She wouldn't date a princess, and that's exactly what Aaron was acting like. Didn't any of his guy friends tell him it wasn't cool to cry in front of a girl? Boys in Italy learned that in preschool!

But Skye didn't want Italian boys. And if there was anything Aaron could have done to repair the damage he'd already inflicted upon her shaken ego, he hadn't done it. Instead, Skye now saw him as a self-absorbed, over-sensitive pretty boy with zero sense of decency. She stomped off in the opposite direction of Aaron's side alley, soo ready for a night out to blow off some steam.

[aaron]

Aaron lay in the street, hands curled above his heaving chest. He was crying hard and fast, but after the first few seconds of wailing, he quieted down. The tears were flowing just as fast, but it was a silent weeping.

He could now hear the diner door open, then close. He could hear footsteps clearly stamping in the opposite direction.

Aaron’s first thought was that she didn’t care. Here he was, brokenhearted and shriveled, and she didn’t care the slightest. She was probably off to go have fun, meet some other guys. Probably go have fun with her car loving boyfriend.

How dare she. After all she put him through, after all that he had endured for her. She was the one he immediately called to help him. She was why he came back to the school instead of fleeing for home. She was the reason he was in such a hurry to get a new phone.

Would Star have broken down in front of any other girl? Wouldn’t Star have dropped any other girl like a hot rock after seeing that they were already taken? She had accepted a gift he made for her, a gift that was unique, that no human could hope to recreate. Star had a filter, could stop himself from being so unbelievably cheesy with any other girl… but Skye. And was he just… a toy? Some little pawn in an elaborate game she played? Did she have no idea of love? Her powers were just like her. Devious little trick that could confuse, make you believe something that wasn’t.

Did he even love her? Or was that a little mind game of hers too?
Star stood up. He would most likely never see her again, even at school. She would avoid him, and he would avoid her. This was his last chance to say what was on his mind, and he fully intended to tell Skye what he really thought of her.

Running out of the alley with newfound strength, Aaron ran until Skye was within earshot.

“SKYE!” He yelled through the night. All of his anger, his frustration and contempt were boiling inside him. Every strong feeling Aaron had for Skye boiled longed to be free, to be out in the open air.

“SKYE!” He repeated, louder. He wanted fully for her to hear him.

“I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU!”

Star was baffled. That was not what he had meant to say…

… Was it?

[Skye Malizia]

When she heard her name the first time, she continued on, determined to get out of there. But he called to her again, and this time he sounded closer. She turned, her mouth opened to tell him to go away, but then he yelled at her. Yelled that he loved her.

She remembered to close her mouth so she wouldn't look like a goldfish gaping at him. She was silent for a very long time. What did he want from her? Did he expect her to burst into tears of delight and fling herself at him? Did he think she would admit long suppressed feelings for him too, and return his love? Skye certainly felt like crying. Crying with frustration.

Appetite completely lost, she threw her chicken wrap in Aaron's general direction (her aim was terrible).

"You cannot tell me this!" Skye exploded, and her mood matched the furious color of her hair, "You cannot love me. You know me for too little time. I could be terrible person but you do not know!" She skipped non-essential conjunctional words in her hurry to express herself, and she had difficulty thinking in the same language she was throwing at him.

She had no idea how someone could love her after knowing her for so short a time. It wasn't possible. Sure, she suspected he'd had a crush on her, despite thinking he may have no interest. Oh, this was so confusing. She needed time to process all this. It would have been smarter to walk away and then talk to him later when she understood it all. Right now her head was reeling.

"Please let me think," She said, much quieter than her previous words.

[aaron]

That was the problem. Aaron didn't exactly know why he was in love with Skye. She was pretty, yes, but physical attractiveness meant nothing to Aaron, who had been constantly surrounded by the perfect features of the Fae. Her accent was alluring, yes, but there were plenty of Italian girls.

Star pulled at his hair in frustration. "I don't know! I don't know at all! It's... look, I know I'm being ridiculous. I have no right to say this, and you don't deserve to be put on the spot. I..." Aaron took a deep breath.

"When those kids were kidnapped, when I left to protect a little girl I barely knew... I couldn't stop thinking about you. When you kissed me, on this cheek." He placed a finger on the exact spot that her lips had touched his skin. The very thought of it made him braver. "I melted. I am completely convinced that what I felt in that kiss was..."

Aaron cut off, and laughed bitterly. "I'm being incredibly stupid, now aren't I? How would I know what love is. Love has eluded some of the most brilliant minds in the world. How arrogant of me it is to to have claimed to have felt it's embrace."

Aaron's emotions were changing so confusingly fast. He was a passionate person, that much was clear. His emotions were next to impossible to hide, and whatever popped up in his heart at the moment was what he displayed for all to see. His unreasoning affection for Skye was one of the only emotions that was constant throughout his character.

Aaron was about to put himself down a little more, but Skye requested silence to think, and Aaron obeyed.

It's raining, It's pouring
Staar's feelings for Skye are adoring
What has been said
Has been misread
The suspense here is really soaring!

[Skye Malizia]

He was using complicated words she hadn't learned yet, but she assumed he was still describing his pain and adoration which she was responsible for. Despite how hurt he was, despite how self-depricating he was being, Skye was flattered. But more than flattery, what she felt was a little bit of dread. It's that same feeling one gets when their partner says 'I love you', and you can't respond in kind. She massaged her temple.

"Maybe is because I am a girl?" Skye attempted to explain away his affections, "How many girls do you know here?" She added as an example, figuring that the number wasn't very much, "I am sorry I flirted with you. If I knew it would make you feel like this, I would not have," or maybe she would have. Aaron didn't know her well enough to discern the truth, and she wondered if she was lying too. She was a girl who liked the good kind of attention. She wanted to be famous, not infamous, and garnering a boy's feelings was a good kind of attention. Maybe even if she knew how Aaron would feel, she would continue to flirt with him.

"I cannot make you happy," Skye insisted now, because although she'd hurt Aaron, she couldn't consciously lead him on now that she knew how he felt, "I am not the right girl for you." He could read it any way he liked. He might assume there was another boy in the picture, and he wouldn't be entirely wrong. He may think a number of other things, try to read between the lines, but the original statement would not change.

Skye just wasn't interested. And it sucked, for both of them. Aaron was a good guy. He was a little naive and extremely happy-go-lucky. He was forward and kind and he held a certain charm no other boy would be able to pull off. He was also beautiful, but Skye was naturally attracted to the typical rugged American than to the smooth contours of a Botticelli angel. They may be the same age, but Skye was drawn to a certain maturity Aaron with all his faery innocence did not possess.

"Aaron. I am sorry." This was her response.

[aaron]

Aaron shook his head. "I have never felt this way about anyone before, Skye. Just... just by being around you, I'm happier. I can't explain it. It's... it's like something out of a fairytale." in spite of himself, he smiled. "Then again, I'm something out of a fairytale, so I guess it's fair." A sense of security cleared Aaron's head. Skye didn't seem to be mad at him anymore, and so he brightened up.

"You've already made me happy, Skye. And I think, if you give me a chance, I can make you happy." Aaron was becoming determined, determined to let Skye know how he truly felt.

"And you have nothing to be sorry about. Even if you were to walk out of my life right now, you would have nothing to be sorry about. You never have to apologize for how you feel, or how you make me feel." Aaron's eyes were still red from his little breakdown, but his face regained it's color and his mouth was curved in a half-smile.

Aaron looked at Skye, adoration in his eyes. The thought of losing her was unbearable, but the thought of making her unhappy was worse. Surely he could avoid both...

[Skye Malizia]

This boy is crazy, Skye thought to herself. How on earth could he 'fall in love' with her? She would have to keep her flirting in check for a while. She still wasn't happy with Aaron, but she knew she had to tread carefully with him. She didn't want to upset his feelings again and have him crying in front of her.

"You are a crazy and silly boy," She told him, and the urge to leave really quickly overwhelmed her. Be gentle, she warned herself. "I do not want to be happy... no. I mean to say, I do not want you to make me happy." Which was worse? Telling him flat-out she wasn't interested, or leave him with some hope that she might consider him after all this? He was delusional, and had to be set straight.

"I do not love you Aaron. I know you can make many other girls happy, but me I think no." That should be okay. Shouldn't it?

She held her breath, trying to recall a moment this strenuous in her life. She couldn't. This was it. In Italy there were a couple boys interested in her, but she had never dated. Only when she came to America did she start, and that was all just experimental. She didn't want something exclusive, and something about Aaron's passionate claim told her if she said yes to him, he might not be very happy if she said yes to another boy.