Between the Lies

18| Close

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Close

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Chapter 18: Close (Aaron's POV)

Vanessa and I stood near the pillars, me on the right and her on the left of it. "Who is that again?" she asked, pointing shamelessly to a man who walked past us. 

I reached forward, grabbing her hand and pulling it down before he noticed. "That's..." 

Who is he again? 

"Didn't you say you're good with names?" She smirked, leaning forward and looking at me. 

"Theodore something... I think." 

She clicked her tongue. "No. Wrong. Ricky. Ricky Everton. He isn't in the publishing industry, but the production industry. Maybe I am better than you at everything. Even remembering names." 

I ignored her. "What do you mean by the production industry?" 

"He helps books be produced into movies." 

"Huh," I mumbled. 

"What about her?" She pointed again. 

The lady looked over in confusion. 

I pulled her hand down again quickly, shooting the woman an apologetic look as she walked past. "Vanessa, what is wrong with you?" I kept her hand in mine, keeping it away. 

"No? Her then?" She lifted up her other hand. 

I pulled her on this side of the pillar, spinning her so her back was to it while I grabbed both her hands, holding them between us as I pinned her against the pillar. "Vanessa," I scolded. 

She stared up at me blankly. "Relax. I'm messing with you. You get embarrassed so easily." 

"You're trying to embarrass me, aren't you? Well, it's working." 

She eyed me for a minute. "You haven't changed since college." 

"What do you mean?" 

"You still care too much about what people think of you. You're always trying to prove a point. That you're better than everyone. It doesn't work that way. You can't make everyone happy." 

"You ever think it's not everybody that I'm trying to make happy?" I lifted a brow at her. 

She blinked in confusion while I dropped her hands and stood upright, going back to watching the room and the crowd. She stayed quiet for what is possibly the longest I've ever seen her remain quiet. "Who is it then?" 

I turned to her in confusion. 

"Who do you want to make happy?" 

"Somebody." 

Anybody. Anybody who cares enough.