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

VI

Still frozen solid in her seat Suha was trying to imagine what on earth Daley could mean by "I will fix everything" was he going to stay well away from Aaron and this entire situation or was he going to jump in feet first and make everything ten times worse? Suha had a habit of over thinking every single little thing and imagining how things would be if certain situations arose and played the scenarios out in her head, always believing the worst, this scenario was the perfect time for her to go into a complete melt down. Panicking, she quickly sends several texts to Daley asking him what he means, what he's doing and where he is, but doesn't receive a single reply to any of them. She grabs her bag and shoves her phone in her pocket and then glances up through the window to see it still raining heavily and starting to get dark, the last thing that she wants to do is start walking home but she has no choice, she needs to get to Aaron before Daley does, or is it already too late?

The cold hard rain was bouncing off the pavement and the lights were being turned down low in London, it was fast approaching 9pm and all Aaron could do was stand outside the block of flats, scanning all of the windows and willing himself to make it inside. Soaked through right to his bones, shivering and feeling like this is the last place on earth he would like to be, he has no idea why his feet feel cemented to the floor and why his heart is pounding right through his chest. Aaron is distraught and all he wants to do is turn around and run but he knows he must face his demons head on, he closes his eyes and pushes the hair out of them and then runs his fingers through it, slicking it all right back. He inhales deeply before making the first step, he knows he has no other alternative but to make it into the building. He calmly walks up to the overwhelming glass double doors, all the while monitoring his own breath before pulling them open and reaching the lobby. He makes his way over to the elevators before pressing the button and waiting for it to arrive, the amount of times he has been stood here with Suha runs through his mind.

-
"I think we've spent most of the time we've been living here stood outside this bloody thing!" Aaron was trying his best to make Suha smile, this evening really hadn't gone the way he'd planned it and the only thing on his mind right now was making sure that Suha was still going to be asleep beside him when he woke up in the morning. The lobby was empty apart from the hum of the halogen lights above and the constant flickering of one of the bulbs, which Aaron swore he was going to speak to the landlord about every single time they were stood there. "yeah, well that's how we get to the flat Aaron, so?" Suha was blunt in her reply and in no mood at all to talk with Aaron about lightbulbs, or anything else trivial for that matter. When she was angry Aaron was definitely made to know all about it, but especially if he was the reason behind her mood. The elevator arrived and Aaron took a step forward before reaching out for Suha's hand, completely blanking him she walked into the elevator and pushed the appropriate number for their floor. The elevator was small, stuffy, really slow and now there was an atmosphere between them which Aaron simply couldn't shake. He had really tried hard to make sure that she had the best time, it was her birthday tomorrow after all. Aaron looked down at his wrist to see the time but suddenly the elevator stops and he is jolted forward, his eyes race around the elevator to meet Suha's "well that's just fucking great isn't it? I really do not need to be trapped in a confined fucking space with you right now Aaron"

This had all began in the restaurant when Suha first spotted Aaron's ex Colleen at the bar with her boyfriend Luke. The moment that she saw them she could feel her blood boiling and her mood instantly taking a dip, out of all the places in the world they really had to come here? Not only could she not tolerate the way that Colleen had ended things with Aaron and for cheating on him with Luke, but she despised him for acting so childishly after everything had happened. Shooting daggers across the room at the pair of them Aaron asks what's wrong "Your ex is at the bar and honestly? I want to leave" Aaron rolls his eyes before turning in his chair to face the bar. The restaurant is huge, mirrors line one wall and 3 chandeliers hang from the ceiling, there are black glass tables scattered everywhere and at 7pm it has to be one of the busiest places in town. The bar is the centrepiece of the room and it looks beautiful and as much as Aaron squints he can't make out where she is, he looks for a good few minutes before turning back to face Suha. "I can't see her, can we not just get on with our night?" Suha doesn't know how to react, she can't decide if Aaron rolling his eyes at her or his persistence to stay is making her more angry than the fact that she is walking over to their table.

-
The lights start flickering in the elevator and Suha presses the call button in the hope that they can get assistance soon or at least the elevator starts working properly again. This is the third time in the past week that it's happened, only this time the thought of spending another second in Aaron's personal space makes Suha wish the ground would open up and swallow her. "What do you want me to do, Suha? I can't help it if we all end up in the same restaurant. I was trying to make this night so special for you.." He looks down at his watch and realises that it's not much later than 12pm "it's your birthday now and I don't want your day to start like this" He reaches over to brush her hair from her face but Suha's expression makes him think twice, so he runs his hand down her side instead and cups his hand around her waist. He turns Suha to face him and looks into her eyes in the hope that they will soften but they don't and her jaw clenches, Aaron feels helpless. "Aaron, you have been texting her. I know you have. I've let it go because I can't handle the thought of arguing with you, but what you did tonight.. the way that you just let me walk away from you so you could make her feel better? That I don't fucking like" Aaron shakes his head but doesn't break eye contact with Suha for a second, "it's not what you think" he whispers at her "it really, really isn't" The sincerity in his voice follows through in his expression, his grip tightens around Suha's waist as he brings his other arm up parallel and holds her. "She was helping me, I had to get something for you, something important.." Aaron is nearly on the brink of tears, he can feel his throat clenching as he's searching for the words. This girl means absolutely everything to him and to think that there could be another girl that fits him as perfectly as Suha does is unfathomable. For him there is never anybody else in the room, even when she isn't there. Right here in this moment even if tensions were rising it was still so precious to him because it's just him and his girl, that's all he ever wants. Suha feels herself falling for Aaron all over again with every whisper, with every breath and with every single second that she gets completely lost in his eyes. She can never stay mad at him and he has probably figured out by now that his stupid half smile, sparkling eyes and puffed up hair are her weaknesses. Aaron's aroma is filling the elevator and Suha cannot stay focused, she is soon snapped back to reality when the elevator starts moving once again and they are forced apart by the momentum. The icy front returns. The doors open and Suha storms out of the elevator with Aaron not far behind her, he reaches to grab her hand but Suha swings her arm in resistance and her hand catches Aaron across the face. She turns around to look at him as he clenches his jaw, his eyes full of sorrow, Suha's words hit Aaron like arrows "Do you honestly think that you can wrap your arms around me and everything is going to be alright? Think that i'm going to just look into your eyes and you can tell me how much you love me and it makes up for it? I am not a fucking idiot Aaron Ramsey, so do not treat me like one" not savouring any time Suha turns her head and starts walking away from him.

-
Aaron reaches the second floor and the elevator doors open, he makes his way down the corridor searching his pockets for the keys to the flat as he goes, as he's checking his pockets he feels his phone vibrating and pulls it out, it's Suha. Already feeling like he isn't ready to face it all he ignores the call and carries on walking, he arrives at the front door and puts the key in the lock and turns it to before pushing the door slowly ajar, memories come flooding back to him and he can't take the first step into the room. Is this really what he wants? He finds himself questioning whether he can forgive and forget and wonders if it would really be easier for him to turn around and walk away for good. Still standing outside the door with only a small gap away from closing Aaron places his hand on the door to enter the room when he hears someone calling his name he shoots his head around to see who it is, his eyes widen, still calling out to him they ask "can we talk? I know i'm probably the last person that you want to see right now.." Aaron pushes the door to the flat wide open and walks in only to be followed, he turns around and squares up to the person standing in the corridor, their faces are inches from touching "are you fucking joking?" Aaron spits the words out "I don't want to see your face around here, you need to leave" he steps back and slams the door shut, he turns around to face the room and takes a deep breath before taking his phone from his pocket. He searches for Suha's number before calling her, she takes no time at all to answer "Suha can you come back to the flat? We really need to talk"