(Chapter Four Part Five)

She rolled her eyes as Lavont made his way over and nervously, she scanned the crowd in front of the bus stop for Jon. Where was he this morning? They'd had a good night last night, they hadn't fought or broken up like she'd feared, when he'd told her his good news. They'd sat out on the fire escape over half the night, talking about it, and making out, and then she'd went inside.

She kept waiting on the other shoe to drop, she was used to that happening, and the way the two of them fought, it could happen at any figured that with their combined luck being what it was, that when the time came, they'd be split apart by different paths taken in life. The thought had her scowling as she took a bite of her chocolate chip muffin, her mother's increased warnings about Jon ringing heavily in her ears.

She balled the paper up and tossed it at a garbage can, and waited.. if he didn't hurry, the bus would be here at any second. She bit her lip, wondering if she should go up the fire escape to his room, and she'd turned around to do so, when she felt his arms going around her from behind as Jon said quietly, "I hit the snooze button." in her ear.

"Lucky you. I can't do that, Mama gets pissy." Aurora said as she sighed and then asked, "Are you training today?"

"Nope.. The guy's got some thing.. But I'm gonna come watch ya dance.. Hell, maybe if ya nice, I'll even help ya do that lift. Since that pansy instructor can't."

"Funny, Jon. Real funny. Lucky you're so damn cute or I'd.." Aurora trailed off as she caught sight of his face and bit her lip, swearing. "What the fuck happened?"

"Nothin, damn. I'm fine." Jon lied as he looked at her then said "Ya cold?"

"Not really."

Two of the girls in their class strolled by, winked at him. He tried not to react, but Aurora saw them and then turned to look at him. Internally, he groaned.

"Just who in the hell were they?" she asked, her temper flaring as her hand went to her hip and she tilted her head to one side, looking up at him, waiting on an answer.

"Those are two girls I wouldn't piss on if they were on fire."

He held on tighter, looking down at her, waiting. She had this look about her lately, almost as if she were counting the days until something happened, or he fucked up.

"Go ahead, walk away." he said as he stepped back, his eyes going cold.

Aurora looked at him, her brow raised, her mouth turning up into a sort of smirk as she said "If I were going to do that, Jon.. Don't ya think I'd have done it a while back?"

"I dunno, Rory."

"You really have no faith in anyone, do ya?" Aurora asked, her stomach churning, her heart racing.. Was he really about to end it now? Her mind was in a panic, and the overwhelming urge she felt to grab him and hold onto him, beg him not to do this, if this was what he was intent on doing scared the living shit out of her.

She was only 18, too young to know what love was, according to her mother, her grandfather.. Yet, if she really thought about it, what did either of them know about really loving someone?

She just knew she loved him, she wouldn't and couldn't lose him like this. She backed away also, and then turned after letting out a small hurt sigh, genuinely confused.

Jon grabbed her wrist and said quietly, "I'm sorry, damn." as he turned her back around, facing him. For a minute there, he'd seen his entire life passing him by, and he'd realized that if he didn't do something now, she would walk away, hurt, thinking he'd never trust her.

He didn't fully trust anyone, but he was getting closer to fully trusting her. He couldn't lose that, this one good thing in a life full of shitty ones.

"C'mon.. we'll ditch today. It's senior ditch day anyway, only reason I was gonna go was to see ya, because I knew you were too damn nerdy to skip." Jon said as Aurora growled playfully, her heart rate slowing down, her stomach unclenching from the dozens of nervous knots that they'd been in for a while now, just waiting on him to end it with her, or be taken from her somehow.

"And just where the hell will we go if we ditch?"

"Didn't think that far ahead." Jon said as he practically dragged her through the alley. They climbed the fire escape to his room and he helped her in the window.

"We can just stay here." she muttered as she pressed against him, looked up at him, raking her hand through his hair, messing it up.

"Damn it."

"What?"

"Ya know I hate that shit, babe." Jon muttered as he leaned in and kissed her, then said calmly, "Sorry about that.. I'm just.."

"What?"

"When ya went to walk off, I freaked out.. I didn't hurt ya wrists or nothin, right?"

"I'm not made of glass. Besides, I'm glad you stopped me.. I was freaking out myself."

"Why?" he asked as he flopped down on his bed, pulling her down with him.

"Because, the end of school's gettin closer, and I know how important wrestling, this shot you might have is to you and... I'm afraid..."

Jon nodded and said "And so am I.. I mean ya might get into that art school... And you might go there, realize everyone back here was right, I'm not worth a damn."

"Don't say that, to me you're more than worth it.." Aurora muttered as she leaned over him, kissing his lips, trailing slowly down the side of his neck, smiling when she felt his hands grabbing her hips holding her in place, as he growled up at her.

"Am not."

"You are so, damn it." Aurora glared at him as she moved in even closer and then said "You're the only person I ever let get this close to me..."

"What's that mean?"

"This.. us.. I don't ever really let people get to me like you do." Aurora admitted, biting her lower lip as she looked at him. For now, they were alright... But the end of the year was getting closer and closer, and she was scared to death of the thought of this all being over, them going their seperate ways.