[center][h3][color=00A651]Aaron Schofield[/color][/h3][/center]

Aaron walked. A lot. It was something even an toddler could do comfortably, but he liked to believe that he was better at it than most. Blindfold him and he'd still be able to navigate the walk from the school gate to his house, no sweat.

He reveled in this almost-night silence. The sounds of leaves crunching underfoot, distanced cars and chatter. The dim orange of sunset added a nuance to the peaceful scene. Aaron loved autumn a lot more than he should have.

Then the car pulled up.

[color=f26522]"You're out late,"[/color] Henry called out, poking his head out of the green Ford. He'd paid for it himself.

Resisting an instinctual frown, Aaron climbed into the passenger seat, dumping his backpack in the seats behind. [color=00A651]"Yeah."[/color]

...

Crap, he was supposed to say more. "Elaborate". He always forgot.

[color=00A651]"There was a field trip today. With the Book Club."[/color]

Henry overlooked the lull with deliberate pep, flashing teeth and crinkled eyes doing nothing but stirring a familiar discomfort in Aaron's gut. Effort lavished on a lost cause. Blurs of orange were prettier than Henry's forced smile so the boy turned to the window instead. Camberton Street. Just five more blocks. Good.

[color=f26522]"Oh, I think I remember that one! State Library, right?"[/color] Henry pressed on.

[color=00A651]"Mmyeah."[/color]

[color=f26522]"Did you get to see the workbook from that kid in 1830? The one with a drawing that looks like Jimmy Carter."[/color]

[color=00A651]"Uh, I think we missed that one."[/color]

[color=f26522]"Your tour guide didn't know what he was doing then, skipping past the best exhibit. We laughed for a three minutes straight when we saw that thing."[/color]

[color=00A651]"Oh. Uh, maybe we'll get to see it another time?"[/color]

[color=f26522]"I think I took a picture of it. I'll show you when we get home. Speaking of, did you take any?"[/color]

[color=00A651]"I didn't bring a camera."[/color]

[color=f26522]"Ah, you should've told me about your trip! I would've lent you mine."[/color]

Aaron didn't feel like pointing out that the reminder for the Book Club excursion had been scrawled on the fridge calendar for weeks now, though he couldn't blame him for overlooking the highlighter yellow print that always seemed to disappear into the white page. Yellow for Aaron. Blue for family events. Green for Dad's assignments. Bright, bright red for Henry's commitments, a shade that demanded your attention even if you were merely giving the fridge a passing glance. There seemed to be a red reminder every two or three days while the yellow text dimpled a square once a week, politely squeezing itself in the Saturday boxes, the meager space underneath Henry's tutoring sessions.

[color=00A651]"Yeah...sorry."[/color]

[color=f26522]"Don't apologise, kiddo. It's just a camera. Hell, I probably took enough for the both of us when I went."[/color]

[color=00A651]"...Yeah. Sorry."[/color]

A sigh escaped Henry's lips, one he'd incorrectly assumed would go unnoticed by Aaron. Guilt and weariness hit the younger boy with equal force.

[color=f26522]"Did you have fun at least?"[/color]

[color=00A651]"Mmhmm."[/color]

Elaborate, dammit.

[color=00A651]"It was nice."[/color]

Pitiful silence filled the car for only a few seconds before the driveway mercifully made itself seen. Past the impeccably painted fence. Past the lawn that Aaron had trimmed himself. Aaron and Henry stepped into the house, a humble, single-floor property. It seemed far more spacious, more modern than it actually was, thanks to the careful eye of their mother.

[color=f7976a]"You're out late,"[/color] David Schofield looked up from the television, looking pointedly at his youngest son.

[color=f26522]"Field trip,"[/color] Henry explained before Aaron could open his mouth, [color=f26522]"They went to the State Library."[/color]

Aaron nodded in affirmation, the usual disappointment and relief colouring his senses as the patriarch turned back to the evening news.

[color=f7976a]"Mm. Did you learn much?"[/color]

[color=00A651]"Yeah, it was nice."[/color] Aaron managed a reply and began moving to his room before he could overthink his vague response. While he walked, he could hear his mother in the living room with Henry, asking something about Jared Gleeson's son and tips on college essays. Last week it had been Barbara Diaz.

As for Aaron, he walked a little faster. He wasn't stopped for further questioning.