The Not-So-Bad Boy Next Door

Chapter 43

Aiden's POV

I decided that to let off some steam I would take a run. It's practically dark already, being that there is only a hint of light coming from the sky, but I don't mind running in the dark. I'm currently running through the park and from the corner of my eye, I see Claire walking through, with ear buds in her ears.
It's been a good month since we were on good terms. Well a good month since I screwed up big time. I tried to talk to her at Maddie's party, but she just pushed me away. I mean yeah I kind of expected it, I just didn't think it would hurt as much as it did, but then again I probably hurt her more than words could explain.
I jog up behind her and fall into step with her. She turns and her mouth shifts into a sad smile. She pulls out her ear buds and places it in her bag. "Aiden I don't want to talk."
Wow. That hurt. I look down at the ground and scruff my feet on the sidewalk. I stop and she stops and turns around. "Will you ever forgive me?" I ask in a pleading, vulnerable voice. She takes a deep breath, "Eventually. With time."
I nod and turn around and start jogging. I hear a few drunks slur some words behind me. I turn around and see four guys crowded around Claire. I start sprinting towards her when I see them grab her and touch her. She tries to push them away and kick them, but she isn't strong enough to take care of them by herself. I instantly deck the one who wasn't holding her down. One of the ones holding her lets go of her and tries to throw a punch at me. I dodge it and grab his arm and knee him in the ribs. He falls to the ground with his other friend, and then other two come at me.
After I made sure none of the guys were able to get to Claire, also known as them running away.
I turn back to Claire and see her shaking. I reach for her, but she flinches. I look at her face and her eyes are frosted with tears. I slowly inch towards her and wrap my arms around her. She protests a little, but after a few seconds she wraps her arms, securely, around my torso. She continues to shake and I say, "You're okay. I'm here. You're okay."
After she stopped shaking, I wrapped her up in my sweater that I had on, because it was a little cold, and carried her back to my house.
She lightly cries into my chest and grips a fistful of my shirt in her hands. Her cries are soft and every so often I wipe the tears off of her face. I open the door and walk her up to my room. I toss my keys into my desk and sit down on my bed with her in my lap.
She continue to cry, but I wipe every single one of her tears. Slowly, she starts to fall asleep. She falls asleep clutching onto my shirt and her face snuggled into my chest. I shift and lightly lay her down my my bed. I tuck her into bed hop into the shower and come back out in my boxers. I slide into the other side of the bed, and pull the covers over my torso. I turn and kiss her temple. She hums and moves over and wraps an arm around my torso. She lifts her head and places it where my arm and shoulder meet. I wrap my left arm around her and rest my head by the top of her head.
I look up at the ceiling and think about what just happened a mere 15 minutes ago. I kiss Claire's forehead and close my eyes. I open them back up and think. What am I going to say to her? What the hell can I say to her? I really fucked up and kissed her because of was jealous of you and the nerd? No she would just scoff. What the hell am I supposed to do?
I lied awake for a while and by the time, I was actually ready to sleep, it was already 10:30. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

Claire's POV

I woke up and felt arms around my waist. My head was on something solid, but soft. I opened my eyes and looked at Aiden's sleeping figure. I know I should cower away and probably scream at him, but I just want to lay here and be in his arms. I feel this sort of comfort and security from being near him. I know he hurt me, but I can't help but want to be here right here and right now. I miss him, and I might as well dwell in this moment while I'm not being defensive towards him. I snuggle closer and his arms lock around me. I close my eyes and fall back asleep.

I wake back up and see Aiden sitting at the edge of his bed. I act like I had no clue where I was and then place my lips into a firm line. I clear my throat and slide out of the bed.
"Uh, thanks... for yesterday. If you didn't intervene then I'd probably be waking up somewhere else right now. Um, thanks." I grab my bag off of his desk and turn around, almost running into his solid figure. I try to side step him but he moves and stands in my way. I clear my throat and he stands his ground.
"Aiden can you please move out of the way. I need to go home." I state calmly, barely holding onto that calmness. He shakes his head and looks at me, "Can we talk?" I sigh and throw my head back. "I don't want to Aiden. I haven't wanted to."
"Fine could you hear me out then? Please? Five minutes? Please," he asks while taking a small step back. I look from him to the door and back to him again. "Please?" he asks again. I frown and then walk over to his bed and take a seat at the edge. "You got three minutes. Make it count." I say while dropping my bag next to me.
"I don't even know where to begin..." he says while starting to pace the room. I look at my watch, "2 minutes and forty-five seconds." He turns to me and starts rambling. "Okay, so I don't know what the hell happened to me. I don't know why I kissed her - how I got in that situation in the first place. I... I was just in some kind of trance or something. I didn't mean for it to happen. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't mean to hurt myself. This past month has been... hell. I know it's selfish of me to say that, but I truly mean it."
He takes a deep breath, "I can't give you up because this is another thing I'm being selfish about. I want something that I can never have. I've wanted you for a while and everyone told me to stay away from you for your sake, but I couldn't. I was selfish like always. I was an ass and a bastard and every other fucking word you can think of, but I couldn't stay away. I tried, but I couldn't."
"One minute." I state while looking at my watch, fixing my gaze on the ticking of the clock. "Claire, look at me?" I look up and set my lips in a firm line. "I was selfish, I'm still selfish, but I can't let you go. You make me a better person and you make me happy. I know I screwed up, but I just want you to know that it killed me when I saw your face when I got out of the trance or whatever I was in. It killed me and I haven't been or even though of a girl other than you for a while now."
"Five..." I said looking back down at my watch.
He blabbed out, "I just-"
I cut him off, "Four..."
His eyes widened and he said, "I died."
I cut him off again by saying, "Three..."
He took a step closer to me and said, "I need-"
"Two..."
"I love you," he rushed out before I could say one. "I. Love. You. I'm in love with you." He said looking at me with sincerity and all. "I'm in love with you, Claire. I've been in love with you. That's why I can't let you go. That's why I won't let you go."