B-LTA chapt 3

"What?" Aaron asked looking me directly in my eyes. It startled me
because I didn't realize I spoke and the fact that I did and was
overheard was slightly unnerving.

I looked back at him and blinked. "I was thinking aloud. I do that a
lot, sometimes too much."

He just laughed and winked at me.

Which just unnerved me even more. Did he hear what I said and
understood? You are just being paranoid. I thought to myself.

I went back to watching the video I became immersed in it. I could feel
the characters on the stage. They became real concrete people, instead
of first year acting students like my fellow classmates and me. They
were the people they portrayed and I was envious. Could I ever be that
convincing? Is this something that I had the ability to do? I certainly
knew Aaron has that ability. I smiled at the thought of Aaron and I
rehearsing our scene. I was envisioning the two of us on the stage
acting, and trying to make a real concrete person from a character that
is from the pages of a script. Seeing Aaron getting all huffy about a
hole in the ceiling of our apartment. Our new home, was not all it was
cracked up to be. And it was my job to calm him down and tell him that
it's not that big of a problem when in reality it was. I used all
tactics to convince him. I eventually quiet his fears a little by
kissing him. We embrace, and kiss passionately and then the curtain
goes down. At that moment I feel a nudge to my arm.

"Hmm?" I said, looking over at Aaron who was smiling at me.

"I thought you said that next time you were going to daydream you were
going to invite me along?" He said good-naturedly. "You didn't even
realize we were done with class did you?"

"Sorry, I didn't invite you this time. We're really done with class?
Jeez, I really have to stop daydreaming in class." I said shaking my
head.

"Daydreaming is good for you though. Not necessarily good for your
class work though. Come on let's go." Offering his hand to help me up
as he talked. I took it, and remembered the warm and safe feeling I
felt when I was leaning against him and smiled. "What's that
for?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." I said joking.

"Oh really? What about pretty please with whipped cream and a cherry on
top?" He asked sweetly.

"Nope. Not even whipped cream and a cherry will tempt me."

"What if I tickled it out of you?" He said with a glint in his
eye.

"No! Don't!" I protested but they fell on deaf ears as he started to
tickle my sides. "Stop please!"

"Not until, you tell me why you were smiling." He said tickling the
back of my knees.

"Never." I said and started to tickle him back on the back of his
neck.

Soon we were both breathing hard and on the floor. "Will you give up?"
Aaron asked with his hands in the air ready to do more damage.

"No, will you?" I replied.

"A-hem." A voice at the door said. "You guys realize class is over
right?"

I looked at the door to see Rose smiling at the sight she saw before
her. I stood up and helped Aaron up to his feet. "Yeah, we were just
rehearsing our scene." I looked at him to make sure he understood where
I was going with it.

"Yeah, it's going to be a fun scene." Aaron said, winking at me.

"I bet." Rose said rolling her eyes, because she saw through the act.
With that she left us.

I just started to laugh as I saw her leave. Aaron joined me in the
laughter.

After the laughter died down a little we walked out of the building and
toward Aaron's car. When we reached his car Aaron unlocked the car
doors and got in. I paused for a second and smiled thinking about what
had just happened, and what could have.

"One of these days you'll have to tell me what is behind those smiles
of yours." Aaron said spotting my expression on my face as I got into
his car and buckled my seat belt.

"Someday." I said making my heart skip a beat at the thought of telling
him the truth.

"I'll hold you to that. Just remember I have my ways of finding out the
truth." Aaron replied tickling my side before he turned the ignition
on.

"I'll try not to forget. You might have to remind me if I do happen to
forget." I said smiling to myself. I was playing with fire I knew, but
it was a whole lot of fun.

"That I promise you, you won't forget that fact." He said as he drove
the car up the hill.

"I hope you do." I said half aloud and half not.

"I heard that." He said as he stopped the car to let me out.

"Oh did you now?" I said looking at him, challenging him with my
eyes.

"Oh yes, and I also heard what you said down at class." He said
touching my shoulder and a big grin was forming.

I looked directly at him my eyes never leaving his. "If only you could
read my mind." At that I got out of the car and walked to the door of
my building. I didn't even look back, I didn't need to, and I knew what
expression he had on his face. Utter and complete astonishment.

On the way to my room I ran smack dab into Ashley. She looked at me and
smiled. "Hey, Monkey! What's that look for? You look like Sylvester
after he tried to eat Tweety."

"Just got back from acting class, Aaron just dropped me off." I said
nonchalantly.

Ashley's eyes got wide and her mouth dropped open slightly.

"You know if you stay like that, you'll catch flies." I laughed.
"Nothing happened. If you're thinking something along those lines. I
was just sharing few laughs with a friend."

"Sure. I'll believe you now." She said, and then she looked down at her
watch. "Oh shoot. I have to get to Dr. Matway's we have a meeting about
the freshmen seminar."

"Ok see you around." I said as she started to run up the stairs.

I go up the elevator and walk down the hall to my room. I plop myself
on my desk chair and open up the top of my laptop. I click on my AOL
away message to make it clear to people I'm back. I look to and see who
sent me messages, and I am shocked to see a message from Aaron.

Artboy: Hey! Slowpoke!
Alley8199: It takes a lot of energy to go up that elevator. Besides
Ashley stopped me. How the heck did you get home so quick?
Artboy: I have my ways ;-)
Alley8199: So I've noticed. What's up? I mean what is new since I've
seen you what five- ten minutes ago?
Artboy: Nothing. Just hoping that you'll cave and tell me what's behind
those smiles of yours and your oh so cryptic under the breath
mutterings.
Alley8199: :-) Oh you think I'm just going to tell you what goes on in
my head just like that. It's for me to know and for you to Never find
out.
Artboy: Aren't you a sly one.
Alley8199: I try. So when do you want to rehearse our scene?
Artboy: Don't change the subject Allison. But while we are on the
subject how about tonight? I don't have to work so I'm free all
night.
Alley8199: I didn't really totally mean to change the subject, honest.
It just popped in my head. Anywho. I'm free any time after 5:30. I have
British writers before that. So how about 7 down at St. Mary's?
Artboy: Sounds good to me. So are you going to tell me?
Alley8199: Nope.
Artboy: Not even a hint?
Alley8199: Not even an inkling of a hint.
Artboy: No little tiny morsel?
Alley8199: No crumb for you.
Artboy: Ok I'll give up for now. But not all together. Well I have to
get going. See you at 7.
Alley8199: See you then.

I closed the window for Aaron's conversation, and looked at my watch;
11 o'clock time for lunch. I got up from my desk chair and started to
forage for something to pop into the microwave for lunch. Beefaroni,
Beefaroni or Beefaroni? I guess it's Beefaroni for lunch; I really have
to go shopping for food one of these days. I fixed myself the Beefaroni
and ate it in front of the computer typing a message to some of my
friends every once in a while.

After lunch I decided to actually do my homework for class. Reading the
Canterbury Tales in its original form just doesn't sound like how I
want to spend my afternoon. I started reading a few lines and I felt
like my head was going to explode. I don't have this much trouble with
Shakespeare with its thee's and thou's. However this example of British
Literature is just ghastly. It didn't resemble the English language.
Can I just scream now? I forced myself to read the rest of it until it
was time to go class.

Class came and went and I felt my eyelids droop every other minute or
so. I like the professor but she just goes on and on about one topic
and you just fall victim to boredom and your only choice to escape is
to fall asleep or doodle in your book. I have many pages of little
pictures to prove it. And probably numerous drool marks on my notebook
too.

I went to dinner with Ashley and some of my other friends in the class
and I caught a look in Ashley's eyes that told me something was going
on with her.

"Is everything ok?" I asked.

"Just a little down."

"Anything I can do? You want to talk about it?"

"No, it's a RA thing."

"Ok, I'm here you know." I said looking at her and knew it wasn't just
an RA thing it was something else but I didn't want to pry.

We chit chatted some more then I looked down at my watch and it said
6:30.

"Well, I have to get ready to go down to St. Mary's. I'm meeting Aaron
for rehearsal at 7." I told Ashley.

"Spending a lot of time with him aren't you?" Ashley said surprisingly
cold.

"We do have to rehearse our scene. I mean we have coaching for these
scenes next week. Then the week after that we perform them in front of
the class." I explained trying to defend myself without knowing exactly
why I even had to.

"What about Tom?"

"What on earth are you talking about? Tom and I are kaput." I said with
a little too much conviction.

"Oh."

"What is going on?"

"Nothing, I'm going to go visit him this weekend. I didn't get to this
Friday but this weekend I will. So if you want me to say something to
him I will."

"No, I have nothing to say. Look I have to get going. We'll talk about
this later ok." I said desperately wanting to leave.

"Ok."

I dumped my tray and ran up 4 flights of stairs to go up to my room and
get my script and jacket. Then I practically ran down the hill to St.
Mary's so I could get there on time. I got to the building and calmly
opened the door and slowly walked up the stairs exhausted both
physically and emotionally. I thought I was over Tom. Why did Ashley
bring him up now? Especially now, when I might actually be happy. I got
to the door to the classroom and tears were stinging my eyes. I took
one look at Aaron sitting there looking over his lines and just started
to cry.

"What's wrong?" Aaron asked as he saw me enter the room.

I just walked to the stage where he was sitting and started to bawl. I
shook my head to signal that I would be ok in a few minutes. He put his
arms around me and allowed me to put my head on his shoulder. He
stroked my hair softly, but he didn't say another word. He just waited
for me to quiet down, and to tell him what was wrong.

"I'm sorry. I thought I was over it. I thought I could just go on with
my life again." I said trying my best to sound coherent but failing
miserably.

"Does this have anything to do with Tom?" He asked.

I just nodded and he held me tighter. A new flood of tears came from my
eyes and soaked his shirt. I calmed down a little more and wrapped my
arms around Aaron. It felt good for him to hold me and for me to hold
him. I felt safe, secure, and happy despite the tears that were
streaming down my face.

"It's going to be ok, just let it out Allison." He said after a few
minutes.

"I thought it was over. I mean it wasn't like he was a total asshole,
but I felt like I didn't know what he wanted, or what I wanted
anymore." I said looking Aaron
in the eyes. "I guess I thought I could just turn off my feelings for
him, bury them forever. I thought I was moving on."

"Are you okay now? I mean do you think the waterworks are done? You
know you made my shoulder awfully soggy." He said gently taking my chin
in his hand and looking at me smiling.

I started to laugh despite the hurt inside of me. How could I one
minute feel like I'm the lowest creature in the world and in the next
instant feel like a princess? I hugged Aaron tightly not wanting to let
go, but knowing that I had to.

"Thank you." I said kissing him on the cheek. He hugged me back and
held me a moment before I broke the embrace. Immediately I felt that
warm safe feeling slip away as it did earlier that morning. "Come on
let's run our scene a few times."

"You sure you're up to it?" He said looking me in the eyes.

"Yes. Let's make good use of our time here shall we?" I said standing
up.

"You are something else." He said smiling.

"Why because I won't let a little set of waterworks stop me from
getting something done. " I said shrugging my shoulders.

"You are one tough cookie."

"You help me be that way. If it wasn't for you I'd probably be up in my
room making my pillow overly soggy or worse." I said gravely.

"Allison, don't talk like that." He said standing in front of my and
taking my hand in his.

"What the fact is it's true. If I didn't come down here to meet you I
don't know what I would have done." I said shrugging my shoulders and
blinking away the new batch of tears that were fighting their way
out.

"Allison, I want you to make me a promise ok. If you ever feel like
this; just call me, e-mail me, Morse code anything I'll be there for
you. I don't want to see you hurting but if you are I want you to know
that I'll be here. Now are you totally sure you want to go on with
rehearsal? We can just sit here and talk if you want," he said
squeezing my hand.

"I promise. Come on let's get to work." I said my smile slowly
returning to my face.

"There's that smile." He said giving my hand another gentle squeeze
before he let go.

We set up the scene; even if it was only one piece of stage blocks and
went through the scene. I went through it in full character soon I
found myself losing myself into the character. Everything but the scene
at hand and Aaron fell away. Before I knew what was happening Aaron and
I were embracing and our faces were only a fraction of an inch away. My
heart began to race slightly. I abruptly broke from him, I realized I
was holding my breath and I let it out quickly.

"I'm sorry." I said, then I looked at his face and I knew I didn't have
to apologize. He understood what was going on.

"We'll be fine with this. Let's call it a night. It's not like we don't
know all of our lines and blocking." He said putting a hand on my
shoulder.

"Ok. Yeah, I think I'm not quite up to this. Although I really did get
into the character that time." I said smiling at him. "Well I think
I'll just go curl up in my room until tomorrow afternoon."

"I know just what you need." He said grabbing my hand and pulling me
to the door.

"Um...Should I be scared?" I said just going with him.

"No, trust me." he said taking me to his car.

"Ok."

So we get into his car and he starts it and drives out of the parking
lot and turns right instead of left to go up the hill to main campus.
We then turn left at the bottom of the drive. Another left at the light
and then I realize where he was taking me. We pulled up into Brusters
and I just started to laugh.

"Thank you." I said unbuckling my seat belt.

"No problem. Get whatever you want my treat." He said smiling at
me.

"Man it's been a long long time since I heard those words in one
sentence." I said laughing and looking at the menu board. "Butter
pecan, waffle cone with a spoon."

"Any sprinkles, or whipped cream with a cherry on top?" Aaron said
smiling mischievously.

"No sprinkles, no whipped cream, and no cherry. You know you are a
sneaky devil. You really thought you could just slip that in
unnoticed?" I said punching him gently on the arm.