And The Show Begins

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

Ayden simply blinked up at him for a moment as she tried to gather her scattering wits once more. It took her a moment to even remember where there were. The dizzyness wasn't helping either, and it was making her head spin and pound like you wouldn't believe. Maybe standing hadn't been such a bright idea. But, Caleb was there. He wouldn't let her fall. She took comfort in that, clutching his shirt tightly as the room settled back into a resonable shape, one that wasn't tilting and making her feeling like she was experiencing some sort of earth quake. Ugh, her head hurt. She walked clumsily around the tables, putting most of her weight on him to keep herself from crashing into something or someone. The last thing she needed was to get hurt. But, then again, she probably wouldn't even remember it until morning, when she'd have to ask Caleb why the hell there were stitches or bruises across her body. "You can't let her come stay with us. She has to... to stay with him and-and fix things," she said quickly, shaking her head and squeezing her eyes closed as the room began to spin again. "No parents. Just us. You and me. No parents," she mumbled, trying to focus as she put one foot in front of the other. It was getting harder for her, and she was suddenly glad she hadn't wore some insane, killer heels tonight. That would've had disaster written all over it.

Truthfully, she didn't know why she'd though he meant Seattle. It hadn't been home since she'd moved out her with Caleb for college. But, talking to her mother, she had been calling it home a lot. And, her thoughts were always there lately, as was most of her heart. Besides, it was technically "home". They'd grown up there, it was were most of their childhood memories were. It was where her parents' paper was, where she'd fallen in love with music... her family was there, the one that was falling to pieces around her. And, she couldn't do anything to stop it. Or, at least, not while she was out here. If she went back to Seattle, maybe she could do something, anything, to convince her father not to go. And if all of it had happened because of Ayden leaving, hell, she'd do whatever it took to stay and bring her parents back together. They were supposed to be the perfect family, the perfect couple, the perfect parents. They weren't supposed to get divorced and break up the intimate family Ayden had thought they'd had!

Her head pounded as she watched Caleb hail a cab for them, only half aware of what he was doing as she leaned more against his strong side. The flashing neon lights and honking horns were grinding on her temporarily tender senses, making her wince and bury her face in his chest for a moment while she tried to block it out. Ayden wanted to block everything out, really. Not just the typical sights and sounds of New York City. She got into the cab, instantly glueing herself back to his side as he slid in next to her and slipped his arm back around her shoulders. He was warm and comforting... and he was so close to her. It was just a bit stunning how her mind kept rapidly switching between being worried sick over her parents, then to how much she wanted to kiss her best friend. Again. It went back and fourth between the two of them like some game, leaving Ayden even more confused and dumbfounded than before.

"Why won't you kiss me?" she asked, tilting her head to the side as she looked up at him with those eyes that clearly said she wasn't herself. This wasn't Ayden; this was the result of excessive stress and large amounts of alcohol. "Aren't I... aren't I pretty enough for you to kiss?" she said, stumbling over the words as she forced them out. Her eyes widened with the realization that maybe he didn't think she was pretty enough for him... maybe he didn't think she was good enough for that kind of relationship at all. True, she wasn't one of those blondes he'd been flirting with back at Gotham, but Ayden thought herself to be nice enough for him. He did help dress her most of the time.

This drink was really messing with her mind.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Gothem Comedy Club :D
WORDS: 811!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

She was rambling, or it would have sounded like some young girls' drunken ramble if he hadn't known her so well. At first he was confused, what 'her'? Who was 'her'? Who was 'him'? He was waiting until they were outside and it was relatively quiet. It was really starting to drive him crazy. It was a bit chilly outside, but Cal didn't feel the cold with Ayden clinging close to him. But it all made sense when he heard the last thing she said. Her parents were fighting? Of all the things Cal could have and did come up with, Mr. and Mrs. Steele fighting hadn't even occurred to him. Like his parents he thought them stable, reliable, funny and caring. He had always been welcome there whenever he needed to see Ayden, or needed some advice he just couldn't go to his own father about. He pulled her as close as he possibly could, hailing that cab, and rubbed her back, rubbing the chill away. He said calming words, soothing. He had to get his own mind around what he'd just pieced with the final pieces of that particular puzzle.

He didn't know why, or anything else, that was another puzzle. But this, now that he'd gotten that far, it was starting to make sense. Ever since she'd hung up with her mother, she'd been off. And there had been nothing he could do about it. "Oh, baby, no. I won't let that happen," he said, making a promise he would keep if it killed him. Her parents may have been able to rip her heart right out of her chest with only a few words and actions, but Caleb couldn't do that; not willingly, not by choice. If her mother showed up on their doorstep, Cal would pay for the hotel himself. He wouldn't, couldn't let her break her own daughter's heart even more than she already had. She may be able to live, seeing her daughter in a numb pain, but Cal couldn't. He loved her too much to be able to live through that and not be able to help.

Seattle may have been where they grew up, where he'd lived most of his life, but he didn't consider it home anymore. It was his hometown but it was his parent’s home now, just theirs. Whenever he thought of home, he thought of the two bedroom apartment he and Ayden had gotten thanks to his grandfather's connections. He thought of the living room where they most often than not fell asleep curled up in a corner together watching a movie, an empty bowl of popcorn sitting discarded on the coffee table. He thought of the knick knacks and odd little things that made a house a home scattered all over the place. He thought of the days they acted like tourists in the city they'd lived for almost four years. He thought of the souvenirs they'd picked up at those tourist attractions. He thought of the pictures they'd taken, the hours they spent finding the perfect diner, the perfect place for coffee. He thought of Ayden; not Seattle.

He could only imagine what was going through her mind. Caleb had never even thought about what would happen if his own parents called it quits. Would he go back to Seattle for a bit? Help figure everything out? Take time off work and school to be there with either parent. Would he try and glue them back together? Would he do this? Would he do that? He didn't honestly know what he would do. But he knew what he wanted to do right then and there. He wanted to follow through with his plans of getting Ayden home, getting her on the couch and curled up with food and a flick. He wanted her to spill everything, more than the mumbles that she'd been already slurring. He wanted to hold her close and tell her everything would be alright. And after, when she finally fell into dreamland, he wanted to sneak off onto the computer and book two flights. He wouldn't do the latter without talking to her sober first, but the former was easily in reach. He was holding her close in the cab, during the fairly short drive, and rubbing away slight chill that had followed them into the cab.

Her words shocked him. In all honesty, he'd thought it would have ended up being him saying those exact words; at least, those first five anyway. His dark eyes went wide more out of absurdity than shock. How could she ever think that?! He was always saying little things like that. How she was so beautiful. How she'd turn heads. Caleb pressed his lips to the top of her head and squeezed her tight. "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," he said, laying his head on hers. "You've had too much to drink tonight. I think only one of those drinks for you next time," he said chuckling. "You really need that movie and some popcorn." And sleep. A lot of sleep and water; and coffee in the morning.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 857
LOCATION// Gotham Comedy Club
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}[/size]

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

Ayden didn't know why she hadn't thought of this before. He'd been working quite a bit this week; it would've been easy as hell to get hammered and begin spilling her guts to her best friend. But... she'd been trying to wrap her own head around things before she opened up to him. And, if she told him, it'd really be happening. It wouldn't just be some terrible, horrid dream her own exhausted mind had induced. The divorce would be real; her parents would really be splitting apart, tearing her heart to shreds by doing so. All she'd have left was Caleb, her best friend, the one her heart was currently craving more than anything else in the world. She wanted him to touch her, to tell her he loved her, to prove that she wasn't the cause of every bad thing in the world. Hell, she needed it. Ayden needed someone to love her, and not just the by saying it. She needed someone to make her skin burn as their fingers ran over it, to make her heart dangerously skip beats, to make her feel alive again. And she wanted Caleb to be the person to do it.

She stumbled along with him, still clinging tightly to his side as they got outside. "Caleb's here. He won't let anything happen to you," her mind kept whispering to her as the floor seemed to move every time she set her foot down. What the hell had been in that drink?! She couldn't even remember what she'd seen him put in, and there had probably been about a dozen other things she hadn't seen him put in. Her mind was too clouded and blurry to recall any of it though. Ayden barely caught what he said, but she nodded anyways. He'd always make sure she was happy, that nothing hurt her. It was why she didn't care about being so reckless, not when he was around.

But, could he really understand any of this? As far as she knew, he still had the absolutely perfect parents, the ones who were like her second family. And, maybe after this divorce bullcrap, they'd be her first. Ayden wanted to have what he did, what she'd had as of Sunday evening. She wanted the happy medium they'd had last week, popcorn, movies, and curling up on couches included. It was normal, she wanted normal. She also wanted Caleb to kiss her. Man, she wanted that more than anything at the moment. It'd feel wrong to go pick up some guy in the club, to ditch her best friend now. Not that he'd let her leave. Ayden knew he wouldn't, which meant he'd get stuck with this job. Plus, she wanted it to be him. She wanted him to spark her heart back into beating, to bring the sunshine back to the gloom she'd been living in for a week now. Ayden wanted to feel something, anything. As long as it wasn't depression.

Ayden cuddled up to his side, practically in his lap as she rested her head on his strong shoulder. As he answered, she tilted it up, her lips coming even closer to his now. Her eyes closed as those warm lips pressed to her head and she pressed closer as he squeezed her. "Then why won't you kiss me?" Ayden kept her eyes closed, enjoying being held in his tender, familiar embrace. Caleb was warm, so warm, and comforting and perfect. She wanted him, needed him, not a movie and popcorn. Just him; always him.

Shaking her head, Ayden pulled away slightly to look up at him. She rested her palms on his chest again, looking up into his eyes with her unfocused ones. "I need you. I want you," she whispered, leaning closer to him again. "Kiss me, Caleb. Please." Her lips hovered over his, waiting for him to move, if he even would at all. "Kiss me," she said again, slowly sliding her fingers up to twine into his hair, pulling him closer to herself. He still wasn't close enough, but it'd have to do. For now, anyways.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Gothem Comedy Club :D
WORDS: 741!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: Good luck resisting that ;3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

The cab ride was going to be hell, he could see it now. And no matter how much he seemed to try to keep her calm and his own thoughts in order, everything was going crazy. His mind was racing as all the puzzle pieces really fell into place. Her parents weren't together, if he'd gotten that one right. And she didn't want her mother coming to New York; he couldn't blame her there. As much as he loved the Steele's and Ayden, it really wasn't there problem. There was really nothing the young duo could do to mend the broken relationship. Pay for a marriage counselor, perhaps, but both parties had to be willing to go. He wanted to help, really, but how were they supposed to do that when they were on one side of the country and the Steele's were on the other? The most important thing to Caleb right then was making sure Ayden was okay. She needed to know it wasn't her fault, and someone had to be there when the dam she'd built finally broke; it'd be him.

He was going to fold. He was going to kiss her again. He could feel his resolve crumbling like a very old wall. Her words were like a jackhammer, bringing down that wall. She was so close, too close. He couldn't do it. He had to stay strong. He had to remember that she wouldn't in the morning. The entire night would be a blank from the time she started drinking. Her lips were mere inches away from his. It wouldn't have been all that difficult to just lean this way or that and have those hungry lips on his; giving as much as they were taking. He closed his eyes and groaned, wishing she weren't drunk, wishing this would all be remembered in the morning. Would he tell her what she'd done, what they'd done? Would he tell her about the kiss they shared at Gotham? Hell if he knew right then and there. His mind was blank. Her hands which were spread across his chest had moved up to tangle into his thick, dark hair. He felt that jackhammer hit the wall, and the wall fell, he started to lean closer, giving in. He'd deal with what came next later. He was about to press his lips to hers, when the cab stopped. It took Caleb a minute to realize they had actually stopped outside their apartment building and not at a red light. He sighed, feeling that wall rebuild itself. Slowly, Cal reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet and the fare for the short trip. "Come on, baby, we're home," he said, using the same little nickname he'd never used before with her. She'd always been his Ayden, his Little Fire as her name translated to.

With the cash passed to the cabbie, Caleb opened the door, got out and carefully helped Ayden to her wobbly feet. "Come on, just a few steps and we're home," He said, before dismissing his own words and picking her up off her feet to carry her into their home. There really was no way she'd make it up the stairs herself, and the elevator was temperamental at best, so there were the stairs to contend with as well. He managed to get the door; really it had been pretty easy since Ayden wasn't all that heavy. He pushed through the door, and walked up the stairs quickly, trying not to turn Ayden's stomach too much. When he got them to their door, Caleb set Ayden down on her feet but kept her snug against his side. He pulled his keys from his pants pocket and unlocked, knowing he'd have hell when they were alone behind the locked door. "Here we are. Go change and I'll put a movie on and make some popcorn," he said, stepping inside the heavy wooden door. Caleb let go of Ayden to turn behind them and lock the door. With that done, he turned around and leaned against the door, letting lose a long sigh.

Caleb took a minute to close his eyes and run fingers through messy hair. What the hell was he going to do now? He thought, shaking his head. He had to come up with something; a plan of some sort. He needed to get Ayden talking, spilling everything she’d been holding in the past week. First, he had to put a movie on, make popcorn and get out of his work clothes. When he finally opened his eyes, Caleb went straight to the kitchen to put a microwave bag into the machine and hit the button for popcorn, then he went into the living room and put in a comedy the two had seen a hundred times at least, before finally making his way down the hall to his own bedroom to change. He stripped out of his black pants and exchanged them with grey sweats that Ayden had a habit of stealing. The long sleeved white shirt was next to go, being replaced with a graphic tee that wouldn’t last the night. He just couldn’t sleep with a shirt on. Finally, he went back to the kitchen, grabbed the popcorn and put that in a big orange bowl and brought it out to the living room where the movie was already at its menu screen. As he waited for Ayden, he grabbed the blanket from the back of the recliner where he’d tossed it the other day and brought it over to the couch. And finally, Caleb fell into the corner of the couch, eyes closed as he tried to get his scattered mind to form a plan of some sort.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 959
LOCATION// Their Apartment
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}[/size]

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

Ayden was going through withdrawls at the moment, strongly mixed with the alcohol Caleb had been kind enough to give her as a motivater for crumbling. She'd barely spent any time with him over the week thanks to her own heartbreak and the lock on her bedroom door. But, now, now she was realizing just how much she needed, wanted, her best friend. It was amplified, thanks to the drinks she'd had, but it was finally real to her. It'd been there for years, but she'd denied it every time. Surely he wasn't in love with her? No, it couldn't have been true. Or, at least, that's what she'd been telling herself for years on end. Now, her drunken mind wasn't so sure about that. All the inhibitions were gone; all the insecurities vanished into thin air. All that was left was her pounding heart, the one that was strongly calling out for Caleb. Even if she wouldn't remember any of it in the morning.

As his lips moved closer to hers, Ayden could feel her breath stop in her throat. He was really going to kiss her again. Her stomach flipped with the thought and a tiny, hazy smile tugged at her lips. Caleb always gave into what she wanted, no matter what they were talking about. And, until now, she'd usually taken it for granted blaming it on the fact that he loved treating her, like she loved doing for him, even if he rarely let her. But, then his lips were suddenly pulling away from hers, making a pout appear on her face as she groggily realized they were in fact back at the apartment. She moved off of him as he paid and got out, smiling at the different term of endearment. Ayden liked the sound of it, coming from him, at least. Anyone else probably would've gotten smacked for calling her that, specifically if it had been one of the sex-driven boys from their college. From Caleb, though? Now that was an entirely different story.

Carefully, she got out of the cab, clasping Caleb's hand for dear life as the world spun around her quickly dizzying mind. There was no way in hell she was going to make it upstairs without falling on her ass, and possibly dragging him down with her. But, before she could voice that, he was scooping her up into a bridal style hold, making her giggle softly and cling to his chest as he walked up the steps to their apartment. Ayden liked that she was considerably smaller, so things like this were possible. It wasn't the first time he'd picked her up and carried her up these steps, though this time definitely was a bit different than the dozens of others. She took a second to gain her balance before unsteadily standing on her own, still leaning a bit on him to make sure she didn't fall over as he unlocked the door. Ayden walked inside, blinking at the bright light from the kitchen, the one she'd left on before leaving earlier. "You pick the movie," she nodded before stumbling the short distance to her bedroom.

Ayden walked through the doorway, smiling at the sleeping Kimmie sprawled out on her bed along with what looked like a chewed up teddy bear. Well, nothing new there. She went to her dresser, pulling out a pair of anti-typical short shorts, ones Caleb had bought her as a joke when she'd mentioned jogging in Central Park every morning. He'd said he wanted her to look like a "real" jogger, so he'd gotten her a pair of shorter running shorts and a tank top, both of which she was sure were picked out by a salesperson. Not that he didn't know her size in everything thanks to the fact that he designed half her wardrobe; but he still didn't go out buying her things like this. Shaking off the hazy memory, Ayden slipped off her jeans and t-shirt, pulling on the shorts and a tank top. She left her curls down loose around her face, not wanting to bother with a ponytail holder. It'd come out by the end of the night anyways.

She made her way back out to the living room, walking a little better but not by much. A smirk played on her lips when she saw Caleb on the couch and, before she knew what the hell she was doing, she was on top of him, legs on either side of his as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Kiss me," she whispered again, leaning close to him again with her fingers running through his hair. He had almost given in before; it shouldn't take too much to get him to now. Especially since they were finally alone.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Gothem Comedy Club :D
WORDS: 840!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: Annnnnd, let the jumping begin ;3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

Caleb only had one thought through out everything; what the hell was he going to do. The cab ride, carrying Ayden up the stairs, before, during and after that kiss, that was the only constant thought in his mind. And now, he really didn't know what do to. He'd been around Ayden drunk before; trips to clubs, trips to Gotham with her friends while he worked. All those times he'd watched over her, made sure she got home safe, kept the assholes at bay if she signaled him, and not once did she do this; did she make a move. And now all of a sudden she is and he was left more than a little dazed and confused. It could possibly be some psychological thing. Like if I give him a reason to stay, he won't leave me. But that couldn't have been it either, and a shrink Caleb was not. Caleb wasn't just going to up and leave, he was pretty sure Ayden knew that. He loved her too much, and would if the time came when he finally admitted his feelings and they weren't reciprocated, well, he'd still stick around. He'd rather be the best friend than nothing; or worse, regret. Caleb knew he wouldn't have been able to live with that particular title.

He loved her, really loved her. Caleb would do anything for her and Ayden knew it. But, he just could do what she asked. He couldn't kiss her while she was drunk and foggy. If she were sober and coming to this conclusion, he was more than willing to oblige. But right now? He couldn't bring himself to hurt her that way. Besides that, she wouldn't remember any of this in the morning, and he couldn't have that on his conscience. Hell, he was still trying to figure out what he was going to tell her in the morning and what he was going to leave out. And how he was going to tell her. Make light of the kiss that he felt to his bones? Brush it off? It was a debate that was going to keep him up most of the night. Who knows, maybe he'll just spill it all over coffee and lack of sleep. He smirked at that thought as he took a minute to relax. He'd picked the movie, and prayed that it would be good enough. It wasn't like they were going to really watch it anyway. There was bound to be a few minutes of mild interest before everything went to hell and he was consoling a heartbroken Ayden.

He had a feeling if either of them made it past the living room in search of a bed, it would be a miracle. Caleb wasn't going to get any sleep. His mind was too busy racing around what little she'd already said, and what else could she have to say. His eyes were closed as he sat comfortably in the corner of the couch, but sleep was so far out of his reach, the mere thought of it was a dream in itself. Caleb scrubbed his hands over his face before letting his head fall back, one arm fall across the back of the couch and the other to fall as it may on the arm. He really wanted to have some other thoughts whirl around in his brain, but everything was Ayden and helping her. He took a second to just let his mind go as blank as possible. He thought of other nights sort of like this. Both them curled into the couch and each other, falling asleep watching movies, and waking up with Ayden snuggled so far into his side, they were practically one person. Other nights when she fell asleep and Cal carried her to her room, tucked her under the blankets and stayed watching as she curled into the pillow with Kimmie's soft snores one of the only noises in the room.

Caleb's eyes snapped open and he instinctively moved his arms around Ayden's waist so she wouldn't fall. Her hair was left down and he had to fight the urge to run his fingers through it. What the hell was she thinking? She was going to kill him. She had her fingers in his shaggy hair. Now, his mind didn't need help going blank; it had done it all on its own. Fuck, he thought, trying to keep Ayden in focus as she moved closer to him. Someone in the universe seriously didn't want him sleeping tonight. Caleb had a pained expression on his face as he turned his head away from Ayden's advances. They were both in for one hell of a night. "No, Ayden," he said at last. "I'm not going to," he said simply. He couldn't do this to either one of them. He didn't regret that first kiss, but he wasn't going to give her a second until they were both sober and knew what was happening. "You're drunk and this," he paused, tugging on a loose curl, "This isn't going to happen again, not until you're sober," he said, ending on a whisper and hoped she missed that last part. It was more than he'd wanted to say, but at the rate all of this was going, she wouldn't remember that either. And if she did, she'd probably think it was some odd dream or hallucination thanks to the amount of alcohol she'd consumed.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 909
LOCATION// Gotham Comedy Club
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}[/size]

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

Ayden needed someone to show her that they loved her. And really mean it. No more of this bullshit from her parents about how "it wasn't her fault" and "we just fell out of love, but we still love you with all our hearts". She wanted someone to tell her they loved her and actually back it up with actions. Be there for her, cuddle close to her at night and keep her safe, glue the pieces of her crumbling heart back together as it continued to crack. She wanted someone like Caleb. If he left... Ayden didn't know what she was going to do. Go back to Seattle and try and find out what had really happened with her parents? Run off to some foreign country, change her name, and become an entirely new person? Or would she stay in New York and pretend everything was alright, like every other person on the planet? What would she do? Go insane, most likely, without Caleb there to keep her back from some of the reckless plots she'd no doubt conjur up. Sky diving, bungee jumping, white-water rafting; she'd probably come up with more dangerous and risky ones. And, without someone there to hold her back, Ayden would carry through with each and every plan. Maybe, just maybe, they'd take away a bit of this loneliness she'd recently developed as she pushed everyone away from herself.

And, Ayden had pushed more people than just Caleb away. She'd basically bitched out both her parents through two different phonecalls, then one nasty one to their paper, as well. The poor reception lady probably thought the girl had lost her mind, but, in a way, Ayden had. She'd been going nuts with how many reasons she had to go back to Seattle and help her parents, then going over the reasons to stay in New York. School, for one. And Caleb. She couldn't just up and leave him here. But, Ayden knew he wouldn't let her do that, anyways, even if she repeatedly begged him to stay. He'd sneak off after her, then she'd be cuddled up to him on a plane while she most likely cried her eyes out. Yeah, great plan. Sure.

A giggle fell from Ayden's lips as his arms wrapped around her. She kept hers locked around his neck, fingers teasing through the shaggy hair she loved so much, even without the alcohol making her mind fuzzy. She did love Caleb in more than just their best-friend way. She really loved him; but she'd never had the guts to say that out loud before, or even admit it to herself. "B-But... why not?" she asked lamely, pulling back and staring at him with widened eyes. They held hurt from his words, and a ghostly pain that she had thought the alcohol had erased. "I'm s-sober enough," she said defensively, though the stuttering and slurring of words was not helping prove her case in the slightest. "I want you to kiss me," she pleaded, turning those big puppy-dog eyes on him again. Her lip quivered every so slightly as she looked up at him. Ayden wanted him to give in, to kiss her, to make her heart beat with something other than anguish. She wanted to feel again. "Please, Caleb... please," she whispered, slowly leaning in towards him again. Ayden moved closer to him, one of her hands freeing themselves from his hair to press against his warm cheek. She traced her fingers over his skin, enjoying the contact. "Kiss me," she mumbled again, her lips now hovering dangerously above his.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Gothem Comedy Club :D
WORDS: 650!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

Shit. Cal knew he couldn’t keep this up. His feelings towards Ayden were too strong and he was pretty sure that deep down inside her somewhere, she knew he loved her they way he did; as more than a friend or brotherly figure. He wanted her to the point it was primal need. A feeling just deep down, but one he knew he couldn’t satisfy until they were both on the same page. He couldn’t do that to her, or himself. But damn if he didn’t want to just give in to those big baby blues and do whatever she wanted. He couldn’t do that naturally. His moral compass may not always point due North, but he did have his strict points here and there, and taking advantage of Ayden in this state, even if she was the one egging him on, was just not done! She would forgive him, he knew but he would never forgive himself, which is why he was thinking about something else, anything else and not the beautiful, stunning, completely breathtaking girl currently sitting in his lap. He was a dead man.

But didn’t she know that she didn’t have to throw herself at him like this to get in his pants?! Really, all she would have had to do was ask; and spill her own feelings, but those were simple in the long run. Caleb closed his eyes a minute, more to block out the hurt look in her glassy eyes than anything else. He couldn’t look at her like that, all sad and lonely and keep his guard up. Hell. He was screwed; royally. And the wall he’d been trying so hard to rebuild was starting to crumble at the foundation; again. “Come on, Little Fire. You’re not, and I would never forgive myself if anything happened tonight,” he answered her in a whisper. That part was true. He wanted both their feelings out in the open and he wanted her to be sober, he wanted them both to be sober enough to remember everything from their night together; their first night together. He wanted that memory to remain even in a hundred years when they were old and grey sitting on a front porch swing, watching the sunset and their grandbabies playing in the yard, yelling and screaming and having just a grand old time at their grandparent’s house.

He groaned when he opened his eyes and her baby blues were wide in what could only be a puppy dog plea. He agreed to anything when she looked at him like that. He’d been trying to get some self control over that little flaw of his, and so far it had seemed to be working. Unfortunately, he hadn’t foreseen her parents mess back in Seattle, and he hadn’t thought in a million years that the love of his life would keep something so important from him, so the little doggy eyes were tearing at his heart. He wished, sincerely, that she would have told him sooner. Okay, he would have tried to get her on a plane, but at least if she’d told him like the night it happened or a day or two afterwards, they could have come up with a plan or something to figure it all out. As it was, he’d been left in the dark with a very distraught Ayden, while she ran around in a dizzying blur trying to do everything herself. It was a hard blow to take to the heart, but it was one he would survive and strive to correct! In the morning! “What you want and what you’re going to get are two very different things, Ayden,” he said, hoping there was some truth to his words.

He was losing it. He turned his head into her hand on his cheek; his lips just grazing her palm before he turned back to her. The whispered plea, the gentle sweetness, he couldn’t pretend like those didn’t get to him; like those gestures didn’t hit him right in the heart and melt everything he’d built up. She was too close. It was the thought that raced through his mind as the final piece fell away. He was so freaking screwed. It was like time was moving excruciatingly slow. The seconds that ticked by seemed like hours to Caleb as his hands moved up her back from her waist to tangle in her loose curls. Hours, maybe minutes, sped past as his hands fisted in her hair and pulled her closer to him. Her lips were inches away, then closer and closer still. It was like watching a movie run on slow motion but finally, there were only millimeters between them, and then there was nothing. His lips pressed into hers, his eyes wide at what he’d just done and his mind blank of any and all thought. There were no consequences for these actions; it was just them there in that moment.

Before he knew what he was doing, a hand delved deeper into her thick curls, while the other took a torturously slow trip down to her lower back to crush her to him. He couldn’t do this; it wasn’t right, but at that moment, he didn’t give a damn either. He would surely end up in one of the shallow pits of hell, but he was perfectly okay with that. Involuntarily, he made a soft noise, barely a groan if you could call it that. But, it was enough to bring Cal back to the present and the situation at hand. Shit, he thought again as he pushed Ayden away. He was mad at himself, not her, for letting himself get so carried away. “No. This is not happening,” he said aloud, but talking himself down. Caleb removed his hand from the back of Ayden’s hand but moved it to her lower back; more specifically, her side. With the other already resting there, Caleb carefully picked her up, turned around and unceremoniously dropped her back onto the couch before pacing the length of the room.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 1012
LOCATION// Gotham Comedy Club
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}[/size]

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

For the first time in her life, Ayden had felt alone. She knew she could've had Caleb's comforting arms around her in half a second if she'd told him, but she just couldn't. Admitting it to him would truly, absolutely make this real. Her family would be ripped down the middle, leaving her racing between two very demanding parents while trying to keep her head on straight and not allow her grades to plummett at school. It was already overwhelming the poor young lady, and it had only been less than a week. She was being driven inside of herself, facing fears and feelings she'd never known she had. The biggest was being left entirely by herself; no friends, no family, nobody. Just Ayden, and that was it. And that would drive her totally insane. But Cal wouldn't leave her, right? Right? He couldn't leave her, not now, not ever. Ayden was realizing just how much she wanted him to stay, to hold her, to smile at her or make her laugh. Even before the wall-crumbling result of the alcohol, she'd been painfully slowly coming to terms with it. Now, when she wasn't in her right mind, she was letting it show. It would only be moments before she was an emotional wreck.

Ayden moved closer to him in his lap, her chest nearly pressed against his as she looked up into his eyes once more, trying to make him give in. Her large blue pools spoke wonders for her on a normal basis, and she'd become used to using them to plead for things, especially with her best friend. Hopefully, they worked now. "Forgive yourself for what? I am sober and I w-want you to kiss me," she said again, drunkenly trying to convince him that she did in fact want him to kiss her. And, well, do a lot more than that, though the remaining part of her brain was telling her not to voice that aloud. It'd only give him more reasons to lock himself in his room and leave her to sleep off the large amounts of alcohol he'd given her.

"But you always give me what I want," she said haughtily before giving him another puppy-dog look. If she kept this up long enough, Ayden knew he'd give into her. He always did. And, right now was one of those times where she wished he'd just shut up and do what she wanted; they both knew he was going to anyways. Or, she was hoping that was how it was going to play out, at least. If he went and locked her in her room all alone, Ayden didn't know what she was going to do. She couldn't stand being alone anymore, not tonight at least. Between her own magnified fears and the pent up emotions she'd been hoarding all week, there was sure to be some sort of dangerous breakdown if she was left to her own thoughts and devices. Cal couldn't leave her now.

She could see him breaking now, giving into what she'd wanted for the last hour or so. Finally. His lips tingled against her skin and she couldn't help a happy, triumphant smile as she saw him leaning closer to her. Her breath caught tightly in her throat as she felt his hands tangling themselves into her loose curls, and she needed no help moving her body closer to his. Ayden pressed into his chest, her eyes closing contentedly as his lips finally pressed against hers. Her hands wove themselves back into his hair, and Ayden reveled in the shivers and sparks that coursed throughout her body as Cal continued their kiss. This was what she wanted, what she needed. Now, if he only wouldn't stop. A tiny, breathless giggle left Ayden's lips as she heard Cal's noise of what she hoped was pleasure. She started to move even closer to him, her arms still tight around his neck. But, before she could, he was pushing her away from himself. She blinked up at him with what could only be heartbroken eyes as he spoke and tossed her onto the couch, leaving her all by herself.

Tears of harsh rejection glazed over her eyes as she looked at him for a long moment. He didn't want her afterall. The thought stabbed Ayden straight through the heart. If he didn't want her... she had no place else to go, no one else to go to. She couldn't go home by herself, not in a million years. Nobody else was as close to her as Cal was; nobody would let her live with them for awhile, and it wasn't like she could afford the rent on an apartment all by herself. She needed Caleb.

Ayden hiccuped loudly, curling up into a ball in the corner of the couch with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. The tears streamed down her cheeks, that dreadul loneliness engulfing her like a tidal wave. She was alone now; she wasn't even good enough for Caleb to want to kiss. She wasn't good enough for her parents to stay together for.

She wasn't the perfect lady everyone expected her to be.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Their Apartment :D
WORDS: 900!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

She was getting too close. He loved her and wanted to be with her, but she’d had an exceptional amount of alcohol at the club, and she was slurring her words; something Ayden didn’t do even when she was 3 sheets to the wind. Clearly, there was more alcohol in that drink than he’d originally thought. If this didn’t kill him, he was on the fast track to Godliness. If he didn’t give in, he would pass that finish line and actually become a God. It would definitely take one to refuse Ayden’s advances. He was so tempted to tell her the full truth behind his reasoning, but semi-truth was probably better. What if she remembered and didn’t feel the same? What if he finally poured out all his feelings and she didn’t remember any of it? And when the hell did he turn into some teenage girl lusting over some boy in a manga? He really needed to get a grip on the situation.

Caleb laughed, but it was pained. He really felt like he wanted to lock himself in his room with his sewing machine; get all his aggressions out with fabrics or maybe sketching. But no, he couldn’t do that. He knew Ayden too well, and knew that all the drinking was a cover to get her to spill. He’d seen it before and he’d probably see it again. This time, however, it meant a little more than her accidentally breaking his sewing machine. It hadn’t even been her fault, really. The thing had been old and Cal had really needed an upgrade anyway. Plus, he’d been planning to throw it in the back of his closet, just to keep there for a memento, a reminder of high school. “Little Fire, you need sleep, and water, and a movie,” he said again, hoping this time she’ll just give in.

Hoping, but not believing that in the least. They knew each other too well. She knew that if she kept at it, he’d give in; whether to a point or completely was based on situation. And damn it if she wasn’t wrong either. He’d give her anything if he could. As it was, he could only go so far, which was a small reason behind him getting an apprenticeship with a high end house, before opening his own fashion house. He wanted to give her everything he could, even if his affection wasn’t on that list. He could live with that. But right now, he was trying desperately to not give in. “I’m trying very hard to change that, tonight,” he muttered under his breath, looking away, just passed Ayden to the TV. Maybe if he got her attention somewhere else, she’d relent.

Oh who was he kidding, really? He was no God. He should have just given in, in the first place. How long had it been since he’d really wanted this? Years; it had been years. And now, to have it within his grasp and he just couldn’t do it. It would feel… well, it just wouldn’t be right. He wanted that to be perfect, for Ayden and for him. And this, this would be the polar opposite of that. He just couldn’t do that to Ayden. When he finally tore himself away, he could help but feel horrible… again. This time because he’d just dropped her and walked off. Everything she was going through and with the way her mind tended to run off, it probably looked like he was leaving her too.

He made it to the opposite end of the room before he stopped. Caleb shoved his hands through his hair, leaving it where it stood before dropping his hands and turning around to look over at Ayden. She was curled up in the corner of the couch, crying. His heart broke. Without thinking about anything, he raced back over to the couch and crouched in front of her. He didn’t know what to do. He raised his hands to… comfort her; something. And yet, he didn’t let his hands touch her bare legs. He closed his eyes, unsure where to go from here but finally just laid his hands down carefully and dropped his chin onto her leg. “I’m so sorry, Ayden. Tell me what happened,” he whispered so softly he wasn’t even sure she’d heard him.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 725
LOCATION// Their Wonderful Living Room
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}[/size]

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

The flickering lights from the TV were hurting her eyes, even if she wasn't looking directly at it. They burned and made her head spin more as she cried, the tears like fire against her skin. Ayden covered her face with her hands, curling in tighter on herself and waiting for the sound of Caleb's door slamming shut, proving that he had just got up and left her, too. Hell, she was expecting it now, anticipating it even. She'd pushed him away so much this past week, it'd make sense for him to walk out now. It wasn't typical for her to do things like that, and she thought he knew that. Apparently, she'd thought wrong. But, he wasn't solely there to be her vent for everything, not even if she liked to think so most of the time. Maybe he'd gotten sick of her taking him for granted so much.

She was holding her breath as she awaited the echoing slam, but it never came. The sound of footsteps padding towards her however, did. Why the hell was he coming back? He didn't want her; he'd left her here, on the couch, rejecting all the advances she'd made towards him tonight. Sure, she was drunk. But, hell, let's face it, Ayden was drunk a good once a month after she'd partied a little too long and too hard, and Caleb put up with her each and every time. He always took care of her. This time, he'd dumped her on the couch. She didn't want him to come back now; not even though her heart was screaming for him.

"G-Go away!" she hiccuped at him, pushing herself away from him and trying to get up off the couch. Her head spun rapidly, taking the room with it and making her stumble dangerously. "I d-don't want to talk to you," she sobbed again, giving up on trying to make it to her room. It was too damn far away; the recliner, however, wasn't, and that was what she chose to crash onto. Ayden curled her knees back up to her chest again, wrapping her arms around them and crying into them. "You're just like them. Y-You're leaving too. You're n-not sorry. You don't want me," she mumbled heart brokenly, shaking her head and squeezing her knees closer to herself, trying to shrink into invisiblity. Ayden didn't want to be see right now, or heard. She didn't want anyone to talk to anymore, though she probably needed it more than she'd ever admit. There was only one thing she wanted now. She wanted Caleb to want her.

No, scratch that, she wanted anyone to want her. It didn't have to be Caleb anymore. Just someone who wouldn't leave her stranded in the middle of the couch, or drop bombs like a divorce on her like they were nothing. Ayden wanted to feel love again, have a connection with someone, anyone. And, even though she would've taken a total stranger, her heart kept screaming for Caleb. Because, well, there was only one thing her dizzy, heart broken mind wanted.

She wanted Caleb to want her.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Gothem Comedy Club :D
WORDS: 600!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

He was such an idiot. How could he just do that to her? Caleb was well aware of how Ayden was. This, none of this was normal. He’d seen it, but he’d wanted more than anything to not give in to her advances. The temptation was there and it was slowly killing him. He loved her, damn it! He wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but he was scared. That’s what it all really came down to. He was the one pushing Ayden away now because he was scared that she didn’t love him back. What kind of guy, no, what kind of person does that? Clearly one not in his right mind! But then, so much had happened in the past week. He’d gotten his ass handed to him by some girl he didn’t even know; admittedly, he pretty much started all of that though, with his “I don’t give a fuck” sarcastic attitude.

He’d royally screwed up now, and he honestly didn’t know what he needed to say or do for Ayden to forgive him. They were usually so good together. He really didn’t want to lose her, and he sure as hell didn’t want to leave her. He had too much love for her to ever do that. Surely Ayden was going to kick him out onto the street because of all of this, and he would be left alone then. Cal didn’t think he’d be able to live through that. It would be the beginning of the downward spiral he never wanted to imagine. He knelt down in front of her, wishing and praying to whichever God or Goddess chose to listen to get his little fire to listen to him. He had a feeling he knew what he had to say to get her to forgive him. But could he really lay his heart on the line like that? Sure, it would prove without a doubt that he would never leave her. He’d never even said those three words to any woman aside from those related by blood. And okay, he’d said them to Ayden before, but he knew she didn’t take them at face value; she didn’t take his words to mean what they really, truly meant.

Caleb fell back against the coffee table with her words. They cut so deep, he could do nothing but crouch there for a moment. It was Ayden, trying to get up and move around that finally jostled Caleb into action. Hell if he knew where this was going, but he knew the night would end with Ayden spilling her guts and Caleb his. Finally, he stood to his full height and met his best friend, the love of his life barely five feet from where she’d started. “You don’t want to talk, too bad. I’m going to get the whole story from you Little Fire. No matter if you hate me afterwards or not,” he said, sitting down on the edge of the recliner. The seat was big enough for the two of them; they’d sat there together before and right now, he wanted nothing better than to just slide down the arm of the chair and curl in next to her, hold her close and let her cry.

Her next words rocked him to the core. Leave her?! Clearly she couldn’t read him as well as he’d thought. Here is was, thinking his love for Ayden was so damn obvious she was going to get sick of his affections and finally turn him away! He laughed, the sound harsh even to his own ears. Forgetting to be kind, Cal slipped down the side of the chair’s arm down into the actual seat. He didn’t care about being gentle or caring, he tugged at Ayden and pulled her onto his lap where he could sort of see her face. “Ayden, I will never leave you. I love you too damn much to leave you. Haven’t you noticed at all?” it wasn’t as though he ran around New York spoiling every girl he saw. That was solely reserved for Ayden and Ayden alone. His words were harsh, so he took a moment to calm down; a moment to just breathe. Slowly, Caleb leaned his head down until it rested on Ayden. “I love you, Ayden,” he said again, softer, hoping she’d remember this in the morning, she’d say it back and she’d believe it and take it as it was meant to be. It wasn’t how he wanted all of this to transpire, but if it would help the stubborn girl in his lap understand, it was the best time in the world. He let out the breath he hadn’t been aware of holding, almost thankful the words were finally free, as he waited for Ayden to say something. With his luck lately, she wouldn’t remember this, but there was always a small chance she would.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 819
LOCATION// Their Wonderful Living Room
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}[/size]

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

Ayden was painfully slowly coming off of the high the alcohol had left her with. Sure, she was still dizzy and a bit out of it, but she'd stopped slurring her words as much, at least. She couldn't walk for the life of her, but she was starting to realize where she was and what was actually happening. Things were still blurry and she was still kind of dazed, but it was going away with each tear that continued to fall down her already soaking cheeks. They were all pushing her more towards being decently sober, and, frankly, Ayden hated them with everything left in her. As long as she was drunk, she wouldn't remember this, she wouldn't remember breaking down or this pain that was eating at her heart more than ever before. None of this would be real for her. It'd only be a foggy and faded memory that she'd probably never recall for the life of her unless Cal described every single moment in detail. But, even then, Ayden didn't think she'd want to remember.

"You already know the whole story," she defended weakly, talking into her knees and inching away from him as she felt him sit down on the edge of the recliner. Ayden didn't want to talk anymore; not to him, not to anyone. He'd didn't want to know, anyways. He'd only drop her somewhere again and leave, reject her. And, Ayden didn't know if she'd be able to take the rejection now. She'd listened to her friends tell her for years that they could tell Caleb liked Ayden as more than just a friend. But, each and every time, Ayden had turned down the idea because she hadn't wanted to lose him over something as trivial as what could turn into a failed relationship. Finally, how many years later, she was beginning to accept the fact that maybe, just maybe, she was in love with him. And that he somehow, miraculously loved her back in the same way. Or, at least, she'd been thinking that until this load of hell had been dropped onto her usually strong shoulders.

She flinched as she felt him slide down next to her, filling the empty space in the chair they often shared. Ayden pulled back against his arms at first, not wanting to move or be held by him. But who was she kidding? She did want him. She'd always want him, even if he did reject her. She slowly cuddled into his chest, burying her face in his t-shirt and sniffling again as his harshly spoken words scraped against her ears. Ayden ran them over in her mind a few times, trying to process what he'd just said. He... he loved her? This wasn't the typical little "I love you" they gave each other either, and she knew that. But, how could he love her? He couldn't possibly, not in a million years. Before she could say anything, however, he was repating those four words again.

"I love you, Ayden."

"You-You can't though," she whispered back lamely, shaking her head to try and bring it back to reality. Ayden had almost repeated those three dynamite-like words back to him. Almost. But, her better judgement had kicked in. Maybe this alcohol was really starting to wear off. "You wouldn't kiss me... you said it wouldn't happen," she said, her voice filling with more sadness as each word left her lips. "You can't love me, Caleb," she said again, shaking her head and covering her face with her hands again, trying to hide the devastated tears from him this time. Ayden couldn't let him see how much each of those words stabbed at her heart. He couldn't even stand kissing her; how could he love her? No, it couldn't be real. It couldn't be. Could it?

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Gothem Comedy Club :D
WORDS: 700!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

He wanted to badly to comfort and console, but he knew that dropping her on the couch like that was basically a slap in the face. You’re parents didn’t want and neither do I was what it probably said to her, but that was as far from what it meant as any one action could get. He was literally being driven crazy with her so near. It was odd, after how many years of being around her; it was now that her hair, her perfume, her humour and personality were finally taking effect. He wanted to hold her, but he wanted to keep a little distance, keep in control. It was futile, in the end, because there was no way he could be without her. It was almost borderline co-dependent. They could live without each other, but then, they couldn’t. “I want to hear your side of this story. I can put the rest together myself, Ayden.” He said softly. He really was out of his depth here.

Cal shook his head, wanting to laugh but knowing it wasn’t the time or place. He couldn’t love her? And all because he had said that he would kiss her. Clearly, he’d gone against that rule already tonight, it may as well have been taken right off the table. Cal held her closer, rubbing his cheek against the top of her head. He chuckled because if he didn’t, who knew what he would do. “Yes, I can. Ayden, think about that please. I didn’t want anything to happen because chances are; you won’t remember any of this. And if we’re going to be together, or I’m going to confess what I’ve just confessed, I wanted you to remember it.” He closed his eyes, held his breath for a beat. “This’ll probably ruin a lifelong friendship, my confession, and I don’t want to lose you but I’d rather have you in my life as my best friend than not at all, as horrible romantic comedy as that sounds; it’s true. I’d much rather you forget this and things stay the same than you remember it all and break my heart.” He’d already said the three words he’d been holding back for so many years; why not just lift the weight completely?

He wouldn’t mention how long exactly that he’d been in love with her, but it was quite obvious that it had been a while. After all, when he thought back, he always went to Ayden for help with his designs, modeling them, getting fitted for them; it was always Ayden. All the friends in their circle could probably tell, no matter how subtle he tried to be. But how could he help it? He’d figured out his feelings for Ayden a long time ago, and ever since then it was more of talking himself out of love with her than anything else. He almost didn’t want to love her for fear of the inevitable rejection. Ayden loving him back was not one of the scenarios he’d gone through in his mind throughout the years. He wished and prayed it was true, but he rarely thought about the probability of her saying those three words back to him. It really came down to him not wanting to be even more broken if he pictured that image up, built up and then had her knocking it all down like a wrecking ball. Cal sighed, it was too late to go back now; it was all out in the open now.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 586
LOCATION// Their Wonderful Living Room
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// Ugh, it's short >.< I feel bad xD}

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

Ayden kept her arms wrapped tightly around her tiny frame, barely keeping herself from breaking on the spot. Mentally, she was reliving every moment of that phonecall with her mother. Physically, her head was spinning at a hundred miles and hour and giving her the worst damn headache in hell. She couldn't think straight between the two pains, both of which were tearing her down the middle now that someone was demanding they be released. Ayden still couldn't admit it to him... she just couldn't. "My head hurts, Caleb," she mumbled, turning her face into his warm chest. She tucked her head under his chin comfortably, closing her eyes and wishing this night could've gone a lot differently. She wished she hadn't kissed him. But, she couldn't let those other girls steal her Cal, could she? No, not in a million years. He was hers, and that's how she wanted it to be; just the two of them with nobody interfering. "Can you make me some hot chocolate?" she asked, turning her head slightly to look up at his face. There were tears glistening in her eyes again, desperate tears that were trying to cause a distraction. If she didn't admit it... it wouldn't be real. But, then again, if she spilled now, she wouldn't remember it. He'd known and it'd be totally painless to her... or at least, it'd be painless in the morning. Now, though, now it'd probably cost her a lot.

"But I love you, Caleb. Why would it ruin our friendship?" she asked after he finished speaking, totally confused. If she loved him and he loved her, how would it ruin things? Sure, if they broke up or something, things would definitely be hanging on the edge of a cliff, but, Ayden had a feeling they'd over come it. They'd fought in the past, and look at where they were now. So, how could being in love break all of it up?

He was right, though. Ayden was most likely not going to remember this, or only remember bits and pieces that seemed more like dreams than memories. Their kisses, though, how could she ever forget those? She would, no doubt, but she wouldn't have if she wasn't so hammered and not thinking straight right now. If this would've happened when she was sober, who knew where it could've gone.

But, with their luck, it hadn't and they were stuck in this situation now. Ayden wanted to know how Caleb could love her; she'd spent years denying it ever being true. And yet, here he was, saying he loved her and that it'd ruin their friendship that had been going on for as long as she could remember.

She loved him, though, even if she was drunk and he probably wouldn't believe it. Ayden loved Cal. But, what was it going to take to prove that? And how many more distractions could she pull up before he finally got her to reveal the dramatic nightmare occuring both in her heart and back in Seattle?

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Gothem Comedy Club :D
WORDS: 547!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3