Fallin' for You: The Echo of Love series

by Anna T. Pope

  It was like a dam broke, as memory after memory came flushing down and she gasped out loud.

  “It was Brian. He was the one who did this.”

  Stay

  “Who the hell is Brian?” Will asked, as a small spike of jealousy rose in his gut at the mention of another guy, but it was immediately followed by shame as his eyes fell on Aria’s battered face.

  The doctor had informed them before they were allowed to see her that Aria had suffered a small concussion, coupled with a few stitches on the left side of her head.

  But now, that he could see her, he noticed that her bottom lip was broken and swollen and by the way she favored her right side, there must be at least a couple of bruises on her ribs, hidden from view.

  It was clear to him that she must be in great pain, despite the brave face she was putting on for everyone.

  “Brian is a guy from school. He has asked me out a couple of times but I said no because I wasn’t interested in him in that way, and then last week I sort of yelled at him because I was angry about something. But I apologized today and we agreed to be friends.” Aria said and looked down to her hands laying clasped together in her lap.

  “Okay, so why did he do this if you agreed to be friends?” Meg asked, voicing Will’s exact thoughts and looking just as pissed off as the man himself was.

  “He asked me if I would like to go and grab a cup of coffee with him after class but I said that I…” she stopped, glancing at Will for a second as a pink hue spread over her cheeks, before clearing her throat, “That I couldn’t and that I had to go and that’s when he lost it. He started hitting me, screaming and calling me names... and I just...” she trailed off, unable to keep going as her voice broke and looked away.

  Will was by her side in an instant, wrapping his hands around her and holding her tightly.

  “It’s okay Ari. Everything is going to be alright now. I got you and I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.” he shushed her and kissed her temple, vowing to himself to keep that promise.

  ~

  Two days later the doctor came to check on Aria, just as Will was coming to visit her.

  After saying that she was okay to go, but that she shouldn’t be alone for a few days and that she needed to take it easy and rest, Will immediately jumped in saying that he would make sure that she followed those orders.

  Looking at her, he saw her ducking her head and blushing but when she made no objections, his heart soared as he realized just how much she was willing to trust him.

  Will packed all of Aria’s stuff while she signed the discharge papers and called Nura to let her know that she was being released.

  He then took her in his arms bridal style which made the girl squeal adorably and brought her to the wheelchair that nurse had left at the door, trying not to think about the fact that he could have wheeled it to her instead of carrying her to it.

  “I could’ve walked, you know, you didn’t have to carry me like some damsel in distress.” Aria said once they were in the car, but Will just pretended not to have heard her and started the car, ignoring her shaking her head at him in exasperation.

  ~

  Once they arrived at Aria’s apartment, Will put her bag near the coffee table and helped her into the bedroom, where he left her to change.

  After he made sure that she didn’t need anything else, he went in search of a kitchen deciding to make her something to eat, seeing as she was in too much pain to do it herself.

  After an inspection of her fridge, he settled on making a chicken soup that his mom used to make for him and Meg when they were sick and she was still around. He mixed the ingredients and turned on the stove, and then after he’d made sure that Aria was still in her room, decided to get a quick look of her home.

  He was pleasantly surprised by how clean and tidy everything was since Aria was a college student and they were not known for their affinity to cleanness, no matter their gender. But there was no dust in sight, which made him very happy since he hated messy people.

  The apartment was small but tastefully decorated, with one small bedroom and a living room with a comfortable green couch and a TV set across from it. But the biggest piece of furniture was an enormous bookshelf in the left corner next to the window that was overflowing with books and Will smiled in surprise since he wasn’t aware that Aria was a bookworm, but he was pleased with that fact.

  Her tastes ranged from classics to science fiction and everything in between, and it was apparent by their worn edges that most of the books were read more than a few times.

  “Will?” he heard Aria calling for him from the kitchen.

  “I am in the living room. I hope you’re hungry, I made some soup.”

  “You can cook?” Aria asked, popping her head around the corner with her eyes wide in surprise.

  “Yes, I can. Don’t look so surprised.” he said while rolling his eyes as she ducked her head down and grimaced.

  “Sorry, I just wasn’t expecting that from you. Thank you, but you really shouldn’t have bothered. I could’ve just ordered something.”

  “It’s not a bother taking care of you.” he said as Aria smiled shyly in reply and blushed.

  They settled at the round, kitchen table, Aria wincing a little in pain and making him frown worriedly. He was sure that she will be feeling the effects of recent events for several days.

  They ate and made small talk until it became obvious that Aria was in too much pain, sitting on the hard kitchen chair, so he made her go lie down in her bedroom while he finished cleaning up. By the time Will went in to check on her, the brunette was already half asleep.

  “Do you need anything?” he asked her while stepping closer to the bed.

  “No, thank you. I just want to sleep and forget that these two days have ever happened.” she said looking sad for a moment, before shaking her head.

  It must have been hard for her to know that someone she considered a friend could do such a thing to her, Will thought sadly.

  “You should go home and rest since I’m feeling better now, and, besides, I am sure you are tired after spending all day with me, and probably have other things to do.” she said as Will shook his head.

  “I am not going anywhere, Aria. I am going to stay here with you until you are completely healed.”

  “I really don’t mind, and it would make me feel better to know that you are okay, so please just… just let me stay” he added when Aria looked ready to protest, but at his words she closed her mouth and reluctantly nodded.

  “I’ll be in the living room, so if you need anything don’t hesitate to call me. Good night, Ari.” he said to her and almost raised his hand to caress her cheek, but he thought better of it in the last second and just turned around to leave.

  He was almost out of the room, when he heard her whisper his name.

  “Yes?” he asked and saw her fidgeting with the edge of the blanket, looking everywhere but at him.

  “Could you maybe stay with me? Just for a little while, until I fall asleep?” she finally asked timidly, obviously anxious about Will’s answer, with a blush staining her cheeks.

  Will smiled, as his heart swelled in his chest since there was nothing he wanted more than to stay beside her, but managed to not let out just how happy her question made him so as not to scare her.

  Instead, he just nodded, with a whispered ‘of course’ and made his way back. He sat on the floor beside her bed, leaning his head back and closed his eyes with a sigh.

  And if his heart made summersaults at the feeling of Aria’s hand slipping into his, he never let it show, but for the smile gracing his lips for the rest of the evening.

  “I’ll stay for as long as you want me, Ari.”

  Playing House

  Aria woke up early the next morning, feeling very sore. She slowly moved, trying to find a more comfortable position when her hand bumped into something making her freeze. She glanced down, her eyes going wide at the sight of Will sleeping soundly agai
nst her bed.

  He had stayed the whole night?

  Aria slowly turned around, wincing at the sharp stab of pain in her ribs, and looked down to Will’s face. She found herself enjoying watching the man sleep, which was definitely creepy, but Aria couldn’t care less. Will’s face was relaxed and his mouth slightly open, as warm breath tickled Aria’s hand on his every exhale. His eyebrows moved and his nose scrunched a little telling her that he was dreaming. Aria thought that he looked rather adorable, and that was a word she never thought she would use to describe a man like Will.

  “Morning.” he mumbled as his eyes opened slowly.

  “Good morning.” she whispered while hiding her head deeper beneath the blankets, feeling embarrassed at being caught ogling him once again. “You stayed.”

  “Yes.” was the man’s only answer, to Aria’s unvoiced question.

  She willed herself to look up into those eyes that she was sure will be her doom one day, but the feelings she saw swirling in them took Aria’s breath away and she blushed and looked down again. If this continued, people were going to start to think that she had a skin condition or something. Sure, she was shy by nature, but this man could make Aria blush and squirm with just one look.

  “Would you like some breakfast, or do you need to go right away?” Aria asked him, even though she would be sad to see the man leave.

  “I told you last night, I am not going anywhere until you’re healed completely.” Will said making her look up in surprise.

  “But what about your job? Don’t you have work to do?”

  “Perks of being the boss.” he said and winked, while stretching which brought him closer to her, making her stop breathing.

  They were so close, just an inch separating them, and Aria could help but glance down to his lips, remembering the last time they were this close.

  They haven’t kissed since the night of the date and Aria would be lying if she said that she hadn’t imagined it happening again.

  Will looked torn as he sat there on her bedroom floor, a mix of emotions swirling in his troubled eyes, and for just a moment he started to lean in, making her breath hitch, before he cleared his throat and stood up.

  “I’ll make breakfast. Eggs okay?” he asked from the doorstep and Aria nodded, feeling slightly disappointed, before she too got up and went to the bathroom.

  After breakfast, they watched TV, although feeling embarrassed to admit, Aria may have spent more time watching Will.

  They talked and laughed and Aria realized that she had never felt more relaxed and comfortable in another man’s presence.

  The thoughts of Brian and what he did to her stayed firmly in the back of her mind as the day flew by. She knew that she would have to deal with him soon but that didn’t matter at the moment. All that mattered was how good it felt to spend the entire day with Will, chilling on the sofa, eating junk food and watching movies.

  ~

  The next few days flew by in the same fashion.

  They would get up in the morning, eat, and then spend the rest of the day in each other’s company. Sometimes they would talk and sometimes they would sit in comfortable silence and read.

  Aria liked that they got on so well; in some way, it almost felt like they were an old married couple. But there was just one thing that kept bugging her; the fact that Will kept her at a distance.

  The only time he touched her was that first night when she had asked him to stay, when he had held her hand until she had fallen asleep. After that night, he went to sleep on her sofa, and she felt too embarrassed to ask him to stay with her.

  So, they would go to sleep separately, and then Aria would lay there in the dark for hours cursing herself for being a chicken until finally falling into a restless sleep filled with dreams of Will.

  It was stupid, of course, since Will was doing exactly as she had asked him that night; he was being her friend. But as the days went by, and she got to spend so much time in his presence, Aria was beginning to regret her decision.

  Will was wonderful. He was smart and funny, not to mention absolutely gorgeous and with each new day Aria fell more.

  She kept picturing what it would be like if he was hers, the memory of their short kiss invading her every waking thought so much so that she was barely able to look at him without going Nura.

  They were currently seating at the couch, watching some comedy, and she couldn’t keep her eyes of him. She tried, she really did, but every time she started getting into movie, he would laugh out loud, a deep, rich sound that made her toes curl up, his eyes crinkling in the corners and his smile so wide and beautiful, and just like that she was once again back at the beginning.

  “Why are you looking at me?” he suddenly asked, making her realize that she had been sitting there staring at him like a fool not even noticing that the movie had ended.

  “I… I wasn’t looking….” she stuttered, looking down and letting her hair fall over her face as she blushed in embarrassment.

  “Look at me.” he said quietly, the couch dipping as he scooted closer. She shook her head, feeling slightly silly at acting so childish, until she felt his fingers beneath her chin urging her to look up.

  “Hey there.” he said, a worried frown on his face, his eyes so green that it made her breath hitch.

  “Are you okay?.” he asked, his brows scrunched up in confusion, and that’s when it finally hit her.

  What was she doing? Here was this great guy, who obviously cared about her, and who liked her for some crazy reason and she kept him at bay simply because she was scared.

  But that’s just it. That’s what love was; scary and overwhelming and yet the most beautiful thing in the world.

  So, instead of answering him, she did something she had been only dreaming about for the past months. She grabbed his sweater with her hand and pulled him closer, before she kissed him.

  How do you know?

  “Is everything okay, Meg?” Will asked his sister as they ate their weekly lunch at Meg’s house. Meg had been distant and lost in thoughts for the last two hours, which made Will worried because Meg never acted like that. She was usually cheerful and relaxed, so to see her like this raised several red flags.

  Meg looked up at the sound of his voice, but Will could see that she hadn’t heard a word that he had said.

  “Did you say something, bro?”

  “I asked if everything was alright. You seem like you’ve got something on your mind. It's not Aria, is it? Because I already told you that I am serious about her, so there’s nothing to worry about. I’ve finally managed to get her to agree to date me, so I’m not going to do anything to screw that up.”

  “No, no is not Aria. I just have a lot on my mind today. Don’t worry about it.” she said, dismissing his worries. Will was not satisfied with that answer, but he would never pressure his sister. When she was ready, he knew that Meg would come to him like she always did.

  They finished their meal in the same fashion, as Will talked and Meg stared through the window like it held all the answers to whatever it was that was bothering her. Biting his tongue, Will acted like everything was okay, and after finishing their meal went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

  “How do you know that you’re in love?”

  Will was startled by the question, which made him almost drop the plate he was washing when he heard Meg behind him since he had thought that the man was outside by the pool.

  “What?”, Will asked him, not sure if he had heard her correctly.

  “How do you know if you’re in love?” Meg repeated the question, enunciating every word like she was talking to a child. Will threw a glare her way, before thinking about the question.

  “Well, I don’t know. I guess it’s when you find yourself unable to stop thinking about them, when you wake and fall asleep with them on your mind, when you missed them when they’re not there and no amount of time is enough when they are. I don’t know, stuff like that.” he finally said, feeling a bit sill
y, before looking up at his brother. Meg was once again deep in thought, seemingly unsatisfied with the answer. What was this all about?

  “Why do you ask? Is my little sis finally in love?” Will asked and then started to laugh, before the look of pure panic on his sister’s face shut him up quickly.

  “Meg? Are you really? Who’s the lucky guy or a girl? he asked but his sister just looked at him with a pained expression on her face and sighed.

  “No one. Just forget about it.”

  “Why? I mean it’s great that you like someone.”

  “I don’t! It’s just a stupid crush that’s all. I don’t do relationships, you know that. But the first time I met him it was like I couldn’t breathe... I… I don’t know.” she trailed off with the lost look still on her face, so Will took pity on her and sighed.

  “Okay, you don’t do relationships, but you could. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be happy, and you of all people deserve to be happy.” he said before throwing his arm around Meg’s shoulder.

  “But I can’t Will, I just can’t. Can we talk about something else, please? This mushy stuff are giving me a headache.” she said while standing up and walking out of the kitchen.

  Will felt more confused than ever by her reaction, but eventually decided to let her figure it out on her own just like they all did. So, he followed her outside and they spent the rest of the day in the sun, swimming and not talking about the one thing that they were both dying to talk about

  ~

  “Will, please!” the girl was begging him while writhing on the bed beneath him with her arms gripping the headboard.

  Will moved the tip of his tongue from Aria’s neck, over her collarbone and all the way to the little pink nubs, taking one of it into his mouth, as he sucked and bit it making it harden, while he played with the other with his hand.

  “What do you want, baby? I want to make you feel good, so all you need to do is ask me.” he whispered before continuing to kiss down the girl’s stomach, his tongue dipping into her belly button and making her moan louder.