Asterism

34. sober thoughts

MARLEY woke up the morning of Halloween with a wide smile on her face before she even opened her eyes.

Something about the holiday's always cheered her up, but most especially since she and Aiden started dating. He's made it his life's mission over the past almost-year to give her back the joys she lost in her childhood.

Her boyfriend wasn't in their room when she woke up to her alarm, but she knew he was somewhere in the apartment. She had one of her weekly therapy sessions this morning, and he's already insisted on walking her to and from every session.

Quickly washing her face and brushing her teeth, Marley cheerily dressed in a simple pair of blue jeans and her Jack Skellington-themed crewneck sweatshirt. Sliding on her Sally-themed socks, she quickly returned to her phone, opening a few Snapchat streaks from her friends before sending a photo of her festive feet. It was still a early for everyone back home to be awake, so she decided to wait until they texted her first before wishing them Happy Halloween. Bryan texted her last night that he'd call her after her therapy session.

Marley tucked her gratitude journal and workbook into her purse with her iPhone, before heading down the hallway and into the kitchen.

"Aiden! It's Halloween! Happy Halloween! Look at my sweater!" She said excitedly. "It's got Jack Skellington on it..."

Marley trailed off as she laid eyes on his kitchen.

She blinked several times in disbelief.

She rubbed her eyes.

But still, there Leo Kahn was, sat on one of the barstools while Aiden took out more mugs for the humming coffee machine.

Both boys looked over at her when she gasped in shock.

Aiden smiled, while Leo lifted his head from the counter, his green eyes tired until they locked on hers, a pure-white grin spreading across his face in the middle of his growing, dark blonde beard. "Finally you're fucking awake. Jesus. I had to get up at one goddamn am just to get here before the jet was needed in Tokyo, and imagine my surprise when only this ugly fucker," he jutted his thumb towards Aiden, who scoffed. "shows up at the airport. I would've appreciated a nicer welcome back to Providence than stick-up-his-ass over there-"

"Shut up!" Marley cried, dashing across the apartment to launch herself into his arms.

The bar stool almost tipped over but Leo managed to steady them in time, his body rumbling with laughter as he held her to his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I missed you too, sis."

Marley's eyes prickled with happy tears. This is the first time she's seen anyone from home - apart from Gabby - since school started, and Leo reminded her of every good feeling that accompanied the rest of their family in California. But it wasn't just that. In the months after returning from camp, she and Leo had gotten closer - mostly given the fact that he and Aiden were together a lot of the time. But even beyond circumstance Leo has let Marley see behind every mask and wall and ridiculous comment that comes out his mouth, showing her the real him who would do anything to make the people he cares about smile.

He's become someone that Marley can trust, confide in, and have fun with. She's glad to call him one of her best friends now, too.

"Oh Leo," she sniffled into his shirt, inhaling a deep breath of his strong cologne that had never been such a wonderful smell before. "You're here!"

"That sounded a lot less disappointed than Matthews at the airport. 'You're here,'" Leo mocked in a lazy drone. "Like fuck me, I apologize the plane didn't crash on the way."