03 | Remember Me ?

I wake up to my favorite smell of pancakes flaring my nostril.

I must be daydreaming about food since last night I fell asleep empty stomach or what's even the probability of having pancakes being cooked by Aaron?

Negligible.

I reluctantly get out of bed and walk downstairs to get a pill of Advil for my throbbing head.

But the sight of what lies ahead of me, makes my stomach do a back-flip. Aaron is standing in the kitchen just in a pair of trousers! He's too engrossed in plating the pancakes to notice my arrival.

I find myself in awe of the lean and muscular structure he has. His blond hair matches with the pale complexion of his skin. I try to tear away my gaze from this magnificent boy, but it is of no use, and I am crushing over him again! His devilishly handsome features shift into a friendly smile as he catches me staring.

"Are you hungry?"

I can't remember words anymore, so I nod passively.

"Take this first..." He passes the tablets of Advil to me, "...your head must be hurting."

These words of his make the very hair at the back of my neck stand upright. He knows that I went to sleep hungry yesterday. Ever since I was a child, I was never allowed to skip my meals because the headache which followed after that often left me in tears. Luckily now the adversity has lessened over time.

Did he remember me? I stand shocked questioning myself. I wish I could ask him out loud.

A gut-wrenching feeling comes over me. He did all this to make it up to me. Guilt fills me!

I came here uninvited, messed up his kitchen and his girlfriend left early last night. All because of me! Now he's cooking for me thinking that he's at fault.

"Aaron.." I look into his eyes, holding him for a moment, "you don't have to do this. I know you feel guilty of...."

"Hold on, Rose! I didn't do all this out of guilt or anything." The truth in his eyes is evident. "Actually..." He runs his hand through his hair giving me a lopsided grin, "I munched all the cookies you made."

"Yeah?" I look at him suspiciously.

"Yeah."

***

Aaron offered me a ride to the Fall High School and I gladly accepted it. My driving license is due this month, so I guess I'll need to find an alternative soon. I can't ask him any more favors.

I look at the clear sky which holds the glimmering morning sun. There's no possibility of rainfall. I close my eyes and feel the sunlight delicately brushing my skin. I missed this so much.

Some things preserve us so better than time does. I look around at the houses passing by, the roads I tripped over while riding my bicycle... It's overwhelming to look at the pieces of the person I used to be scattered here and there.

I immediately wipe off the tear that wells up in my eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes! It's just dust in my eyes."

After a few more minutes of this silent journey, we are at the school. I am excited and yet so terrified about my first day here. The pathways are brimming with students. The atmosphere is buzzing with mixed energies - both good and bad. It's hard to believe, but days, weeks, or months from now some of these strangers are going to be my friends.

I unbuckle my seat belt and smooth the frills of my floral middy. Dad bought me this on my sixteenth birthday. The print is even though old fashioned, but it feels like I am carrying him with me.

Before stepping out of the car, I look in the rearview mirror and rub my lips together to get them a little color.

Aaron is looking at me keenly all this while with his lips turned up at the corners.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just let me know if you need anything."

"I am not a pro at telepathy yet!" I say shyly, batting my eyelashes at him.

"What?" He asks surprisingly.

"I don't have your number, silly head! How am I supposed to reach you?"

The bell rings and interrupts me to continue any further. I step off the car and turn around to close the door. To my surprise, Aaron is still seated and smiling at me.

"Silly head! Huh?"

"I... I mean...I mean I didn't..." I stutter while looking at his lips.

They are thin and symmetrical, yet appealing to kiss. I wonder what it would be like to kiss them?

"It's okay Rose!"

I actively close the door and turn around to block him from looking at me with my absurd thoughts.

What the hell is wrong with me?

"Hey, Rose! It's okay to tell me that the dust that made you cry were memories." He utters these words loud enough for me to hear as I walk away.

There's a bunch of girls, eyeing me from top to bottom as I make my way to the school gate. The girl from last night is even there too. She appears to be jealous. It looks tempting to me to go to her and let her know that

'Aaron, my friend is never gonna consider me more than a tenant habiting his house. So just calm down. You may have him all to yourself. ' But rather than executing another imaginary plan of mine, I continue to walk.

I pull out my cell phone from my jacket to check the time and simultaneously it receives a message from an unknown number.

Hello neighbor!

Aaron moved with his family to my neighborhood, when he was six. One fine afternoon, he was playing in his backyard with a ball that made its way into mine. He came over to ask for it and found me. I was picking flowers for the new vase from our garden. Since he didn't know my name, he addressed me by, 'Hello Neighbour!'

I was so offended by him for not calling me by my name, I replied to him with a 'Hello Silly Head!'

I smile at the screen while remembering the day we met.

"You remember me...."