[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/201209/15a34439c01740b7f62cd686c3be8f27.png[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/dDI8lNu.png[/img]
[b][i]A [@Venus] & [@Melissa] Collaboration
Featuring [color=CA5F95]Fiamma Giannulli[/color] & [color=#307CD0]Aiden Howard[/color][/i][/b]
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[color=darkgray][indent][indent]The time Fiamma had spent alone in the safety of her vehicle had been anything but boring. After the initial anxiety about the first day had dissipated somewhat, she’d decided to put her time to good use and to retouch her makeup. She had just finished adjusting the sun shield windshield cover when she glanced at her rearview mirror and caught sight of her very own Prince Charming sauntering confidently (then sprinting)  in the direction of her Fiat. 

It took every fiber in Aiden’s being to not break out into a sprint towards Fiamma’s car that sat across the parking lot. He had to remember that all eyes were on him, especially Marcos’ and Richie’s, so he had to play it cool, calm, and collected as he made his way over. Every slow step that he took pained him, but as soon as he saw his two friends disappear towards the decrepit main building of Rosefell, he booked it the rest of the way to the Fiat. 

A very uncharacteristically loud, high-pitched squeal of excitement escaped from Fiamma’s throat and echoed across the small vehicle. Aiden Howard looked every bit as perfect as he always did: with his shaggy blond hair in that sweet spot between groomed and unkempt, his sun-kissed skin glowing after the trip with the boys, and his preppy casual outfit as impeccable as always. The butterflies in Fiamma’s stomach that had been dormant during his absence were now going off in a frenzy, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest. With her hands now shaking for all the right reasons, the redhead moved her belongings from the passenger seat and to the backseat to make space for the young man, while wrestling with the overwhelming urge to get out of the car and jump straight into his muscled arms.  

He arrived at the passenger’s side door within seconds and scooted into the seat next to his love. Not wasting another second, Aiden’s hand instinctively found the back of Fiamma’s head and pulled her in towards him, their lips meeting passionately. He smiled into the kiss and let it linger before drawing away and gazing into her eyes. [color=2D7DD2]“Hey, baby.”[/color] The blonde boy smirked as the two were finally together once again after a long week apart. 

It never failed to amuse Fi just how easily Aiden was able to disarm her. It only took one look from his jewel-colored eyes, one kiss from his honey-sweet lips, one phrase with his masculine voice… And she was done. Just like that. Melting into a big old puddle of warm feelings at his feet.

Today wasn’t the exception. The second Aiden’s lips were on hers, the redhead’s racing heart finally settled back to its regular pace, and her body slowly drifted into that blissful sensation of peace her prince charming always brought to her. She allowed herself to get lost in the kiss for as long as he allowed it to, and felt her heartbeat speed up again when he drew away and allowed his eyes to bore into hers. But when he greeted her, Fiamma didn’t bother with a verbal response right away. Instead, she cupped her boyfriend’s face with both of her delicate hands and pulled him back into another deep, passionate kiss.

She would’ve thought that, after five weeks apart when she’d attended that string camp, they’d learned to deal with the time zones and love at a distance. But it was just like the saying: [i]absence makes the heart grow fonder[/i]. And the time they were separated had only served to solidify Fiamma’s love for Aiden, while fueling the craving to be between his arms once again.

It was only after the heat on her cheeks became feverish that Fiamma finally pulled away from her boyfriend’s lips. [color=#CA5F95]“[i]Hi[/i],”[/color] she said breathlessly, her flushed face breaking out into a radiant, beaming smile as she ran her fingers through his blond hair. [color=#CA5F95]“God, I’m so glad to see you. I’ve missed you so much.”[/color]

Aiden smirked as Fiamma went in for another kiss- hell, he would have taken her right there in the parking lot if the whole student population of both Rosefell and Liberty was not surrounding them. But, he showed an immense amount of restraint and relaxed back into the cushioned seat as he glanced at his girlfriend who was simply glowing. He loved it when she blushed and he loved it even more knowing that it was because of him that pink graced her cheeks. 

[color=2D7DD2]“I missed you too- The Hamptons were a blast but I sat there most of the time wondering what you were up to. I wish you could’ve been there.”[/color] He replied honestly, taking her nimble hand in his and stroking the back of it with his thumb. The blonde boy let his eyes run over his beautiful girlfriend. Over the past eight months he had memorized nearly every feature of her face- every freckle and every curve- but nothing was better than seeing her in person in front of him. But today, something was new, and he tried not to break out into a laugh as he pointed it out. 

[color=2D7DD2]“Now where’d you get this?”[/color] Aiden asked, leaning forward and grasping the diamond cross necklace between his thumb and index finger. 

[color=CA5F95]"Oh, that old thing? I stole it from a shady pawn shop during my Vienna trip while my parents distracted the salesman. I think your recklessness is starting to rub off on me, babe,"[/color] she joked with a small laugh before shaking her head and telling the truth. [color=CA5F95]"It was a gift from my parents. They gave it to me this morning as a 'beginning of senior year gift' or something like that. Said it would be a nice replacement for the lost purity ring…"[/color] she explained, smirking suggestively at her boyfriend.

Aiden couldn’t help but laugh at his girlfriend’s attempt to sound a tad bit rebellious- Fiamma didn’t have one bad bone in her body and he knew that all too well… which is what he loved so much about her. The blonde inched closer to the redhead, a devilish smirk curving into his cheek. [color=2D7DD2]“Right, right, you know cause you’re still...”[/color] He let his lips find their way to her right ear, whispering ever so quietly to finish his sentence[color=2D7DD2] “[i]pure[/i].”[/color] The boy moved away quickly, relaxing back into the passenger’s seat with a chuckle before she could have the chance to react in a way that was anything but. 

A shiver ran down the redhead’s spine at the feeling of his warm breath tickling her ear. Aiden knew [i]exactly[/i] how to push her buttons-- which he used to his advantage at times like these. [color=CA5F95]"You are such a tease!"[/color] Fiamma whined loudly, playfully shoving her boyfriend’s shoulder. [color=CA5F95]"But I'll get you back-- you just wait for it…”[/color] she warned Aiden, glaring at him for a few seconds before she giggled sweetly. [color=CA5F95]“And [i]speaking[/i] of getting stuff, would you be the sweetheart I already know you are and get me the baby wipes from the glove compartment? I think I accidentally stained my skirt at breakfast.”[/color]

Aiden threw his flustered girlfriend a flirtatious wink as he laughed at her reaction, [color=2D7DD2]“Oh I know, and you [i]love[/i] it.”[/color] He stated all too knowingly, having figured out every trick in the book by now that got Fiamma going. With a sigh at the pivot in discussion, he nodded at the redhead’s request and leaned forward to grab the packet she needed. But as soon as he pulled the handle of the glove compartment, what was revealed was not the baby wipes, but instead a neatly wrapped box with a ribbon bow. Confused, he looked over at his girlfriend. [color=2D7DD2]“Did your parents get me a cross necklace too? Come to think of it though, it’d definitely make my blue eyes pop...”[/color]

No matter how hard she tried to keep a straight face and give Aiden a scolding look, there was no avoiding the way Fiamma burst out laughing at his comment. It took the better part of a few minutes until the girl finally regained control of herself, wiping off the tears and taking in deep breaths. [color=#CA5F95]“Oh God… You know what? They actually did. They also told me to let you know they expect you at church at 9 o’clock sharp this Sunday for your abstinence pledge ceremony. It’s going to be great.”[/color]

Aiden’s face paled, [color=2D7DD2]“I’m out.”[/color] He stated simply before turning to open the car door and make a break for it.

His panicked reaction made Fiamma snicker. [color=#CA5F95]“Just open the freaking box, Aiden,”[/color] she almost demanded with a smirk, jerking her head towards the box and nearly holding her breath with anticipation.

The blonde hesitated, but after a moment reached into the glove compartment and lifted out the box. He nimbly ripped off the wrapping before lifting up the lid to reveal something that was definitely [i]not[/i] a cross. Sitting inside on a small cushion was a [url=https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net/external/NfpwyhoUE9jS_Hz35iNLdQQoHnCdC1i4CrKQT_6NC-U/%3F%24sfcc_fos_large%24/https/fossil.scene7.com/is/image/FossilPartners/BQ2261_main]handsome leather watch with gold detailing[/url]. A surprised expression forming on his face, he glanced over at Fiamma. [color=2D7DD2]“And what would this be for?”[/color] Aiden asked, not having expected his girlfriend to get him such a nice gift.

[color=CA5F95]“[i]Well[/i], I know how much you like the Rolex your parents got you for your birthday last April. But I also know you don’t like to wear it except on special occasions because you’re afraid of getting it damaged in some way. So when my cousin Mika and I were walking around downtown browsing through the stores and I saw this watch on the window display, I knew immediately I [i]had[/i] to get it for you,”[/color] Fiamma explained softly while she took the watch out of its box and carefully placed it on Aiden’s wrist. [color=CA5F95]“Now, you have a nice watch to wear for special occasions [i]and[/i] a nice watch to wear every day. And since I couldn’t take you to Vienna with me, I thought this was a neat and useful way I could bring a little bit of Vienna to you.”[/color]

As he listened to his girlfriend describe the story behind the gift, Aiden couldn’t help but grin widely. It was moments like this where the blonde haired boy felt so fortunate and lucky to be dating someone (even if it was in secret) as compassionate and caring as Fiamma. She didn’t even have to think of him while she was away on vacation or go even so far as to bring him back something, which made the watch all the more special since she kept him in mind. To a boy who always felt like he was second string, that meant the world. He leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. [color=2D7DD2]“Thank you my love. It’s perfect, absolutely perfect.”[/color] The boy replied, admiring the watch now sitting on his left wrist, showing it off. [color=2D7DD2]“How does it look?”[/color]

[color=CA5F95]“It looks just… [i]Perfectly splendid[/i]!”[/color] the beaming Fiamma declared in a fake British accent, imitating the little girl from one of the Netflix series they had binged together over the summer. Well, [i]tried[/i] to at least. There was only so much binging you could do when your attention was constantly being called away from the TV screen by your incredibly attractive and very [i]enthusiastic[/i] boyfriend.

Aiden laughed, as that was the only line or real thing he remembered from the show. He had been preoccupied with…. other things. In the back of his mind, he hoped that Richie and Marcos wouldn’t notice that he now was wearing a fancy watch, and prayed that they didn’t ask any questions about it either. Speaking of his two friends, he looked out the window in the direction that they had walked in. [color=2D7DD2]“We should probably get going, they’re gonna start wondering.”[/color] Aiden stated in a paranoid manner, back in the mindset of keeping things completely secret and hidden after a relaxing summer of just being content in his relationship.

The happiness and excitement that had been present in Fiamma’s face was washed away in an instant as a dark rain cloud settled over her. The summer spent together in complete freedom had been liberating-- a breath of fresh air for a couple so suffocated by their regular routine. But now that Fi had a taste of how things could be if she and Aiden were public, going back to hiding and sneaking around was already proving to be a challenge.

The young woman let out a long, sad sigh. [color=CA5F95]“Do we [i]have[/i] to go in?”[/color] she genuinely asked, her pink lips puckered up in a sad pout while she looked up at Aiden with the [url=https://38.media.tumblr.com/4a8bc128e71c5900533566afd2a37167/tumblr_n6eqs3zDQn1s0t9k2o2_250.gif]puppy dog eyes[/url] that she knew brought him to his knees. [color=CA5F95]“Why can’t we just ditch this whole stupid tour thing? I’m sure we can find our own way around the school. It’s just... I haven’t seen you in a week, and my parents aren’t home, and all I really want to do is spend some time alone with you…”[/color] she trailed off, tightly hugging her boyfriend’s muscled left arm and resting her head on his shoulder.

Aiden knew [i]exactly[/i] what Fiamma was trying to pull as she threw him the pouty face, and anticipating her doing it until he agreed to whatever her bidding was, he raised an eyebrow back at her and shut it down. [color=2D7DD2]“You know we can’t do that, Fi. I bet the guys are already suspicious as it is.”[/color] The boy replied, trying to be the responsible one for once. [color=2D7DD2]“As much as I’d love to have you all to myself, It’s the first day of school and we really need to be there. I’ve really got to kick it into high gear if I want to get offered athletic scholarships and you know that.”[/color] He pressed a light kiss to her forehead. [color=2D7DD2]“But both my parents are MIA so we can go to my house after school and spend the whole night together, I promise.”[/color]

As much as she hated it, Fiamma knew Aiden was right. This wasn’t the time to act rebellious. Not only was it a terrible idea to attract attention to themselves in that way (with both the faculty [i]and[/i] their parents), but it would probably set off unnecessary alarm bells in their friends’ heads. That is, if they weren’t going off already, with the amount of time they’d been in the car… Fi pushed away the thoughts as quickly as they came.

[color=#CA5F95]“Ugh… [i]Fine[/i],”[/color] the redhead sighed in resignation, snuggling closer to her boyfriend and kissing his cheek. [color=#CA5F95]“Guess I’ve already got a ton of homework to do at Niki’s place overnight...”[/color] she snickered, making fun of the bogus excuse she always gave to her parents in order to be able to stay at Aiden’s place. If it had worked all throughout the summer, there was no concern that it wouldn’t work now too.

[color=2D7DD2]“That’s my girl.”[/color] Aiden smiled at Fi, matching her kiss on the cheek by his lips tenderly meeting her forehead. [color=2D7DD2]“Just means we have something to look forward to at the end of today.”[/color] He winked cheekily before getting his things together and checking his reflection in the mirror in the sun visor. It was hard to focus on going to class when he had a whole night with his girlfriend ahead of him, but he knew he needed to get down to business and fast. Taking a deep breath, he looked back over at the redhead. [color=2D7DD2]“You ready, love?”[/color] The blonde asked, moving to open the passenger side door. 

[color=#CA5F95]“Wait!”[/color] Fiamma suddenly cried out, reaching out to grab the arm of Aiden’s that was seconds away from opening the vehicle’s door. As soon as his attention was back on her, Fi grabbed him by the jaw, pulled his face towards her and passionately locked her lips with his. She didn’t stop until her lips were hurting. 

After she pulled away, the redhead took a second to stabilize her pulse and breathing while admiring the young man beside her. [color=#CA5F95]“I love you,”[/color] she told Aiden, looking up at him with the sparkling, loved-up doe eyes of a young woman who was nothing but crazy about him.

[color=2D7DD2]“I love you too. Now get you ass out of this car before we start fogging up the windows…”[/color][/indent][/indent][/color]