New Neighbors (Part 4)

Before Aaron could continue, Jasmine stopped him.

"Wait... please don't say what I think you are about to say..." said Jasmine, her eyes tearing up. "Aaron, despite everything that happened, you are still our friend! We didn't realize how stressful it was for you...we aren't exactly...normal...I am so sorry..." said Jasmine as they all nodded. Aaron flinched at her apology, guilt rising in his chest. 

'I hate seeing Jas cry,' Aaron thought.

Dean was next to speak. "Listen... you are our friend... human or not, we value you," said Dean.

Brianne felt she needed to say something. "We care about you, Aaron. We are like family! Each one of us would do everything in our power to keep you safe. You have to believe me," said Brianne.

Adam nodded, agreeing with the sentiments. "Listen, you guys are more important to me than literally everything else. I would do anything for you. You're my brother, and I don't want to lose you. I am sorry... I didn't know how taxing this was for you," said Adam. You could see his regret reflected in his eyes.

"Yes..." Aaron turned his head and noticed Michelle, her eyes downcast. "I was incredibly insensitive and rude, and I don't expect things to go back to normal between us, but they don't deserve to be written off for something I did," Michelle said.

Jason was confused, but he felt compelled to say something even if he wasn't there when it all happened. He hadn't spoken to Aaron in a while either.

"Yeah, man... like... what they said," said Jason, scratching his head.

Aaron had a sad expression on his face until he heard Jason. He cracked a smile. "You guys had it all wrong. I was about to apologize to you," said Aaron as they all stared at him, confused.

"I was the one who messed it all up. I was the one who said all those things... even if the ritual did have some sort of effect, which I am pretty sure it didn't; otherwise, you guys would have warned me about it. I was just hurting and lashed out at you guys... I am especially sorry to you," said Aaron as he looked at Jasmine.

"You definitely did not deserve to be at the brunt of my verbal assault... neither of you did, Adam. You already did so much for me; all of you did so much for me, and I just threw it in your faces. I couldn't even handle rejection like a man," said Aaron as he glanced away from them. He found it quite difficult to make eye contact.

He looked at Michelle. "You don't have to apologize. I am the one that's sorry."

Jason chuckled. "Oh, everything is all good then!" He smiled. "Everyone is making up!" which caused everyone to smile.

"You can say that," said Adam as he held out his fist to Aaron. "Friends?" asked Adam as Aaron smiled.

"Brothers," said Aaron as they connected fists in a fist bump.

He turned and looked at Michelle. "I am sorry... I hope we can still be friends?" asked Aaron as Michelle smiled.

"Of course," she answered softly. Adam cleared his throat, trying to gain Aaron's attention.

"Glad we could patch things up," said Adam as Aaron nodded. They all smiled at one another, finally defusing the situation.

The day went by relatively fast. Before he realized it, the day had ended, and he was on his way back to the parking lot. He got into his car and sat still for a couple of seconds before a voice startled him.

"What's with the thoughtful expression?" asked Adam as Aaron turned and looked at him with a glare.

"You know, I realized that you seem to be glaring a lot these days," said Adam as Aaron sighed.

"And sighing a lot," Adam continued as Aaron glanced at him, his expression screaming, 'You don't say.'

Adam laughed, and Aaron chuckled as well. "As I said, Aaron, it will take some time to get used to this, but before you know it, your life will feel normal again," said Adam. "Or at least it will slow down."

"I'm just trying to get my life in order again. I've made new friends as well, relatively normal ones that I intend to keep away from you guys..." Aaron started, it sounded a bit harsh but he had good reason.

"For you, it may seem a little different because I know about your powers and all, but to me... it's still a lot. I mean, I have to keep myself in check so that I don't accidentally talk about it in public. And since the ritual, I have to really keep myself in check, lest I want to break something... or someone. I have been feeling different, and it's not very comforting. I would like to keep them from learning about the supernatural," said Aaron. Adam sat quietly.

"You made new friends?" Adam asked as he looked back at him.

"It's not like I'm throwing you guys away. You'll always be my closest friends... but I need a little bit of normal," said Aaron as Adam smiled. "Last time I checked, you may just be the most abnormal out of us all."

Aaron snickered. "You wish," 

Adam looked at him, smirking. He gave Aaron a fist bump and disappeared.

Aaron waited for a short while, listening to music in his car until he saw Bell and Leo approach. He waited for them to get in before starting the engine. This time he saw Bell get in the front.

"What happened, Leo? I see you're in the back now?" chuckled Aaron as he reversed out.

Leo grumbled angrily, but Bell explained. "I called shotgun. He couldn't believe he forgot about it," said Bell as Leo huffed in the back.

Aaron laughed. "Oh, the shame of being beaten to shotgun," said Aaron as he drove through the parking lot. He passed his friends at the park near the gate entrance without realizing it. He was laughing so hard it slipped his mind.

He left the school grounds and headed home.

With the group...

Jasmine and Dean looked at the car as it drove away. "Who was with Aaron just now?" asked Jasmine as Dean shrugged. "No clue, must be some other friends," she shrugged.

"I guess," said Jasmine as she continued her conversation with Brianne. 

Michelle, however, couldn't get the image out of her head. The only person she could see was a girl laughing, her fists clenched.

With Aaron...

Aaron pulled up into his driveway, letting Bell and Leo out. "I'll be here at the same time tomorrow, so I'll carpool you to school if you want?" Aaron offered. Bell nodded.

"Thanks, oh, and h-here are our numbers..." Bell stammered as she held out a piece of paper. "For if you need to contact us..." she finished. Aaron smiled and took it.

"Thanks," said Aaron as he put it in his pocket.

Bell nodded and got out of the car with Leo. "See you."

They walked towards their house next door. Aaron could have sworn he heard Leo say, "Smooth," to which she smacked him upside the head.

Aaron chuckled and drove into the garage, locking it and heading in. He arrived in an empty home. Of course, his parents were still at work. He went to the kitchen and got a snack out of the fridge. Heading to his room, he dropped down on his bed. He had a real smile on his face, one he hadn't experienced for a while after a day's adventures were over.

He felt strangely at peace with himself. Today was truly a healing day for him. He was on speaking terms with his supernatural friends, and he now had normal human friends. 

He sighed as he turned over in his bed and shut his eyes. It was still in the afternoon, but he was tired. 'At least we are back on speaking terms Michelle.' Maybe confessing was a mistake he shouldn't have made.