Boy was this girl touchy-feely Aubrey thought to herself but she secretly enjoyed it. Chloe's sudden hugs and grabs made the blonde's heart race. Blood rushed to her cheeks and made her blush but Aubrey always managed to hide them.
The two walked to a cafe nearby their dorm after the fair. The redhead was anxious to learn more about Aubrey. They took a seat at a table outside. The blue skies looked so similar to Chloe's eyes and the sun added to the redhead's fiery locks. How could someone look so heavenly without even trying? Aubrey thought to herself. "So Bree," Chloe began before noticing the blonde's distaste in the nickname.
"Is it okay if I call you that?" Chloe had never been one to care about boundaries but quickly noticed Aubrey didn't like hers crossed.
"It's just that my father used to call me that." Aubrey said uneasily, almost whispering.
"Then Aubrey it is, Ms. Posen." Chloe giggled.
"But Bree sounds nicer coming from your lips." Aubrey blurted out before turning bright red. There was no where to hide now.
Chloe smirked, noticing the blonde's embarrassment, but quickly halted enjoyment when she saw Aubrey's eyes begin to flood themselves with tears. While the blonde mentally slapped herself, Chloe struck up a new topic, not wanting to force anything since they had just met. Chloe's kind blue eyes reached deep into her, patting Aubrey softly on the shoulder. Aubrey avoiding tell her about her father, but knew it would have to come sooner rather than later. Just not at a cafe Aubrey thought to herself.
After spending a few hours at the cafe, talking and laughing about their high school memories, the girls recognized the sunset was creeping across the sky and agreed that they should walk back to their dorm.
The two friends walked in silence, breathing in the college around them. A couple lay on the grass, hold each other passionately as they kissed. The last of the parents were departing the campus, sharing hugs with their kid who wasn't so much of a kid anymore. Aubrey's eyes filled with pain as she saw the parents leave, she couldn't get her father out of her thoughts. Her walk suddenly slowed and Chloe picked on her sadness immediately. "Aubrey?" This was the least bubbly the blonde had seen her all day. Aubrey hesitated for a moment. "Can we sit down for a moment?" Chloe nodded and the two girls took a seat on a bench nearby. Aubrey took a few yoga breaths before speaking," When we were talking earlier, in the cafe, about family. Well my dad left me when I was 15. He just exploded on my mom one day. It was a Tuesday in the middle of September. My first week of sophomore year. I came home to find my mother crying on the couch. She told me he left and that he wasn't coming back. His ring was on the counter. The last thing he said was "I l-love you.'" Aubrey barely managed to finish the story before bursting out into sobs. Chloe said nothing as she held the fragile blonde in her arms. Although they were smaller than Aubrey's, she felt protected, as if Chloe was her blanket, shielding her from the harmful world around her. Aubrey Posen always was a solid rock, an image of perfection to everyone, but one day with Chloe Beale and she became putty.