'I'm beginning to think I imagined you all along'

I

"Aaron! Give that back!" Suha demanded. Aaron had sprawled himself over her side of the bed and snatched the phone from her hands. He rolled back onto his side and hid the phone underneath him. He had that childish grin on his face that Suha so adored, it was usually her one weakness, but not today. "This isn't funny! Move." Her hands shot around his sides while she clumsily searched for her phone. Aaron's smile only widened as he pulled Suha closer into him. Their eyes locked but Aaron's smile soon started to leave him "I've missed this, you know? I've missed us. I don't know where you've been.." -PING!- Suha's phone went off and vibrated, it was a text message, Aaron shuffled around the bed and grabbed the phone "Why are you so eager to have it? You're always glued to this thing" he looked down at the phone disheartened "Look, could you just give it back, I'm not playing around anymore, I'm going to be late for work and your silly games REALLY aren't helping!" Suha shot him a look and he knew that she wasn't playing around. "Okay, okay.. you don't have to get so worked up, what's eating away at you anyway? You haven't been yourself for a few days now. You know you can talk to me right? Baby?" He handed her the phone and the screen lit up, yet another notification. She smiled "baby?.." Aaron insisted. Distant and distracted Suha replied "What?! Yeah, whatever, I know, look I've gotta get showered and ready for work" she pulled the cover away from her and got out of bed, Aaron's eyes not leaving her once. He watched her as she walked out of the room without even looking back.

Aaron Ramsey was a footballer for Arsenal FC and Suha was a media runner and production assistant at rival club Manchester United, and it was almost instantaneous the way that Aaron fell for her. Suha rarely got the chance to go to many games because her job was so demanding but she loved attending the bigger games whenever she could, being the dedicated fan that she was the Arsenal match was definitely one that she couldn't miss. It was just her luck that her boss had asked her for some extra coverage and to try and get some interviews with some of the lads. Aaron always speaks about the day of their meeting like it was fate.

It was a chilly October morning in London and a piping hot cup of tea was the only thing that was going to get him through what already was going to be a difficult day. He made his way to the canteen with a couple of the lads, Ox, Olivier and Alexis when out of nowhere they were being pushed around and shoved out of the way by a large production team. "Hey! Heyyy! Do you want to watch where you're going mate?" Aaron yelled after just having his cup of scalding hot tea knocked all over him, he looked down at his shirt while shaking his head "I guess I'll be needing another one of these then!" He lifted his arm in the direction of the staff clenching his cup and raised his head, and there she was. A complete and utter firecracker, ordering everyone around and making sure that everyone was doing their job properly. Aaron couldn't help but smile to himself, such a beautiful and tranquil looking girl was bellowing orders at her workers "What have I told you about the equipment? How many times? Be, careful. You know how expensive it is!" She soon spun around to apologise to Aaron who was already enamoured by her, he didn't even care that his shirt was completely soaked through and his chest was burning. "Oh god, look at you! I am so so sorry, please, let me get you another drink and let me help" she grabbed some paper serviettes from the side and scrunched them all together before trying to soak up the tea from Aaron's shirt. Dabbing his chest Aaron looked on in awe. They both burst in harmonious laughter "I'm really not helping am I?" Suha said. Aaron put his hand on top of hers and released the wet paper from her grasp "well you definitely got some of it.. but I think I'm going to have to change my shirt. It's okay though, it was an accident, these things happen!"

Aaron found himself still firmly holding her hand, he was completely engulfed by her scent and he could feel everything around him blurring. The only thing he could focus on in that moment was the way she looked, and the way she was looking at him. The look lingered for far longer than it should have, it gave him time to really breathe her in. It was her dark and alluring eyes that really drew him in, he couldn't help himself but feel the strongest pull towards her when she looked directly at him. The way her cheeks bubbled up and flushed red when she laughed, the way that her laugh and smile reached her eyes.. those eyes.. "Rambo! I've got a clean shirt here if you want it pal?' He couldn't mistake the yelling of Ox behind him before Suha pulled her hand away from his, "I'll be five minutes, I need to get rid of this.." Aaron pointed at his soaking wet shirt which was now clinging to him "Will you be here when I get back?" he asked. "Yeah I should be, I've still got to try and arrange that lot" she nodded her head in the direction of her staff and smiled "I need to make them somewhat presentable and see if I can get them to act like normal human beings for the day, why?" Aaron smiled "well you did say you would get me a drink.. you definitely owe me" Suha laughed and obliged "Rambo, mate, stop chatting up the ladies and get your arse in gear. We've got training soon" Aaron went bright red but Suha just smiled at him. "Go on, or else we might have to take a rain check on that drink!"

Suha had just finished showering when Aaron knocked on the bathroom door "I'm making breakfast, is there anything I can get you?" He was feeling a little out of sorts after what had happened this morning but tried to put it to the back of his mind "no, it's okay I think I'm going to get something on my way to work" Suha opened the door to see Aaron standing there looking completely lost, like he didn't know where he belonged, not knowing what he'd done wrong and it tugged on Suha's heartstrings "well I guess a cup of tea wouldn't go a miss?" She said, feeling bad for the way she reacted this morning. "okay, anything for my girl" Aaron said with a half-hearted smile. Suha sighed and reached for Aaron's arms, she pulled him into her embrace and gently rested her head upon his chest "I'm really sorry for the way I've been acting recently.." Aaron closed his eyes, wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on the top of her head "things have been very hectic at work, I've got a lot on and I've been taking it out on you. I know that" Aaron squeezed Suha reassuringly "It's okay, honestly, I understand that I really do. You just have to talk to me and tell me these things. I need to know what's going on in here.." He released one of his arms, pulled Suha's head up and tapped gently on her forehead "and more importantly I need to know what's going on in here too.." He traced his hand softly down the side of her face and his hand arrived firmly upon on her chest. Suha could feel her eyes brimming with tears, a lump was forming in her throat and she wasn't really sure what to say. "What is it? What's wrong?" Aaron asked with concern dashed across his face. Tears escaped from Suha's eyes and Aaron brushed them briskly away, he couldn't bare to see her this way. "Aaron I.. I, I have to go to work, I'm already late" she placed her hands on either side of his face, his beard tickling the insides of her hands, his warm, loving and molten brown eyes beaming directly at her with concern and worry and his beautifully sculpted lips almost curling to a frown. She leaned in to him and their lips met softly, perfectly.  "I have to go now" Suha pulled herself away from him but Aaron didn't want to let go, he was so afraid that if she walked out of the flat that she wouldn't be coming back. "Suha.." he called out to her as she met the door and she turned her head to look at him, tears were pricking Aaron's eyes, his voice broke ".. I love you" Suha felt conflicted and confused. Aaron was the one she loved, right? He was the one that made her feel like the only girl in the room, like the only one that ever mattered. He was the one that could melt her heart with a single smile, that could make her laugh until her belly ached, he was her best friend that has been there for her through everything. He was the one that gave her the confidence to believe in herself after Daley broke her heart.. so why was she finding it so hard to tell him that she loved him? More importantly why was it Daley that kept terrorising her thoughts and her feelings. "I know.." Suha whimpered, "I think I love you too" and with that she opened the door and left.

Aaron's head was absolutely swimming with all kinds of thoughts, what did she mean i 'think' I love you? He kept replaying the last few weeks through his mind, their days out to see the London Eye and the anniversary meal they had in The Shard, the Maroon 5 concert that he'd taken her to for her birthday, when they went up to Manchester and they enjoyed a night out with all of her friends and so many memories came flooding back, he felt so overwhelmed by how much he adored her but only to be interrupted by the sound of a monotonous buzzing - it was Suha's phone. In her rapid exit she had left it on the coffee table, along with her car keys and purse too. Already angered by the damn thing going off this morning Aaron grabbed it off the table with much haste to see who so urgently wanted to get in contact with her. As he picked it up it went off again, the screen lit up and Aaron's heart plummeted to the floor, he slumped himself onto the sofa, feeling wounded he read the text over and over again "Baby, why aren't you answering? Are you okay? I can't wait to see you again. Daley x"