Bare Trees

Chapter 10

Harley Johnson

I was enjoying my time with Aria, I felt alive. I haven't felt this way since I left them.

I took my shower, put on Kevin's clothes and went into Aria's room. She wasn't there, I guessed she'd went ahead and took a shower in her other bathroom.

I folded my clothes, sitting them on the chair she had in the corner. I walked around the room, looking at the pictures she had on her dresser. I saw a picture of her and Mr. Jim. I picked it up, smiling.

This was my family.

Now it's a man who's a murderer. I hated him, I hated everything about him. He was a liar, everything that comes from his mouth may as well be a lie.

I felt her arms wrap around me and I turned around.

"How was your shower?" I mumbled. She rubbed my face worriedly.

"It was good. Is there anything I can do for you, Riley?" She asked, referring to my troubled look. I rubbed her back, smiling,

"You already are. Let's just talk more. I'd love to get to know the new you as well." She shrugged, going to sit on her bed. I crawled in beside her.

"I didn't change much." I rolled my eyes.

"How was college? How has life been?"

"College was good. I had lots of friends, went to lots of parties, you know?" I nodded, raising my eyebrow at her.

"Yeah, keep going." She sighed.

"For a while I was upset at you. I thought you would call, I thought I would hear something from you. Then I got worried, I was convinced something happened to you. There was no way you'd just disappear. You wouldn't just not talk to us anymore." I looked down, feeling bad. "I went wild for a bit. Going out, partying, random hookups. I just wanted to forget about you, but I couldn't. I don't know Riley, things got better. I graduated from college a year early, I met Kevin and we moved back." I felt like she skipped a lot but I shrugged.

"You must not talk about yourself much anymore." She looked down at her fingers.

"Honestly, it's just embarrassing because these past four years, I've been just obsessing over you. The guys I've been with were a distraction so I wouldn't think of you. After so many times my relationships failed because I would compare them to you, I gave up on it being serious. I felt pathetic, I still do. It's been four years." I picked her face up, rubbing her chin.

"You don't have to be embarrassed. What we had was real. I don't know many people who can say they've felt love as strong as we had. Yeah, we were kids, but I would've done anything for you. I still would." She stared up at me intensely, leaning up to connect our lips. I closed my eyes as she melted into me.

Damn, man. I would miss this love. I'd miss having such a beautiful soul with me.

I'd hoped to get the last bit of love I could get from her before I lost it forever. This would be my last time being the man she loved. After she leaves, I'll be the man my father expects me to be. I'll have to get used to the methods he used, the drugs, the malice. I'd have to get used to the loveless life ahead of me.

She pushed me back onto the bed, straddling me again. Her boldness when it came to this got me hot. I rubbed her, feeling her body underneath her shirt. Damn she was sexy.

I felt goosebumps pop up along her body as I touched her. I pulled back and she stared at me, confused.

"I don't think we should do anything right now." I mumbled to her. "It's not that I don't want to, trust me I would love to. But I just want to get to know each other again." This took a lot out of me, to make a decision like this.