Chapter 143: Unspoken Moments.

AARON. The way her eyes lit up when she laughed, even when she tried to act annoyed with me. Every inch of her had me hooked, and I couldn't pull myself away. I didn't want to. But how long could this last? How long before she realized how completely she had me? Before she realized I was hers, entirely? Would she run? Would she laugh it off, the way she always did? Or maybe… maybe she'd stay. As her breathing shifted, a small sigh escaping her lips, I wondered if she could feel it. The way my heart raced whenever she was near, the way my mind went blank every time she looked at me. Did she know how much she meant to me? How much I needed her? I doubted it. Helena was clueless like that, oblivious to the effect she had on me. Still, I held her close, unable to stop myself from savoring every second of this. I closed my eyes, letting myself fall into the warmth of her body, into the steady beat of her heart. I was completely lost in her, and I didn't care. Maybe I was obsessed. Maybe it was too much. But if being this close to her, feeling her skin against mine, breathing in that sweet apple scent every morning meant I could keep her, then I'd gladly stay obsessed. Because for once in my life, everything felt right. I didn't care what the elders would think, more less my mom or dad. Their opinions wouldn't matter when it came to matters of my heart. And then, slowly, she stirred, her body tensing slightly as she woke up. I grinned to myself, already planning what I'd say to her when she realized where she was. HELENA. I blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling, my heart racing for reasons I couldn't quite place. The bed was too warm, too soft, and definitely not mine. As I shifted, I realized I wasn't alone—Aaron's arm was draped across my waist, his breath steady against the back of my neck. What the hell? I tried to move without waking him, but his grip tightened slightly. A rush of heat crept up my neck, embarrassment mixing with confusion. How did I even end up here? My mind raced, trying to piece together the events from the night before, but everything was a blur. The last clear thing I remembered was Quincy walking in on us. The shock on his face, the teasing tone of his voice—it had been enough to make me bolt out of the room like a startled rabbit. But after that? My memory was patchy. Had I run straight here? I wasn't sure. The soft rise and fall of Aaron's chest against my back made my thoughts scatter. I was in his bed. His. Bed. How did I let this happen? I sat up carefully, untangling myself from his hold, and glanced down at myself. I was still fully dressed, which was both a relief and a reminder that whatever happened last night probably wasn't as bad as my overactive imagination was making it out to be. But why didn't I remember falling asleep? I racked my brain, sifting through the fog of sleep and the awkward tension from the night before. There had to be something—some moment that would explain why I was here, why Aaron had pulled me into his bed and not let me go. I sighed, rubbing my temples. Clearly, it wasn't going to come to me that easily. Then, it clicked at once, a rush of images flooding my brain. Quincy. His smirk. Me bolting down the hallway like I was running from something far scarier than embarrassment. And then Aaron—chasing after me, calling my name. I paused as the memory came rushing back in vivid detail. I had stormed out of the room after Quincy's teasing, my face on fire, and made it all the way to one of the rooms before Aaron caught up to me. I had barely shut the door when he knocked, his voice soft, almost amused, through the wood. "Helena, are you really hiding from Quincy?" he had asked, laughing. I remembered opening the door reluctantly, feeling ridiculous. "I just didn't want to deal with his smug face." I didn't even know who he was, and I could already tell he was like a second Veronica. Aaron had leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, the teasing glint in his eyes remaining. It was making it clear he wasn't going to let me off easy. "He's going to tease you anyway, you know." 'I know," I had grumbled, stepping aside to let him in. 'But maybe if I avoid him for long enough, he'll forget." Aaron had chuckled, shaking his head. "Doubt it. But I can keep him off your back for a bit." I had smiled at that, the tension from earlier melting away as we talked. We hadn't even realized how late it was getting, not until the playful banter had drifted into comfortable silence. I had sat on the bed, leaning back against the pillows, feeling a strange sense of calm in Aaron's presence. He had stayed with me, sitting beside the bed, his head resting on his hand as we drifted into quiet conversation. At some point, my eyelids had grown too heavy, and I'd fallen asleep, lulled by the warmth of his voice and the safety I felt being around him. That's how I ended up here, I thought with a small smile. He hadn't carried me to his bed—I had just fallen asleep, and he must have pulled me closer without waking me up. Feeling more at ease, I glanced back at Aaron. His face was peaceful, the tension he usually carried nowhere to be seen. For once, he looked completely relaxed. Maybe waking up here wasn't such a bad thing after all. I tried to sneak out of the bed, but it wasn't long before Aaron stirred behind me. His arm, still draped over my waist, tightened slightly, pulling me back against him.