Fighting For Life (published)

What are you thinking about?

Aiden quickly pulled me into him wrapping me up in a warm hug while flinging his jacket over me. I could feel my legs shaking as he led me to the training room while supporting most of my weight. Still, it felt as if my body was getting ready to give out.

Aiden quickly had me sitting on the medical chair in the room and a blanket wrapped securely around me. After a while, and Aiden's warm cup of tea that he let me have, my insides soon began to thaw out and my shivers subsided substantially. Aiden still didn't speak until my breathing got back to normal.

"Aubry, you can't keep doing this... I'm picking you up from your house tomorrow," Aiden said seriously.

I went into panic mode. There was no way that he could pick me up from a house that I did not have. So, I said the first thing that came to my mind, "no it's fine!" I said abruptly jostling my body and hurting my ribs at the same time. My mind didn't even register the hurt due to my panic. "My dad doesn't go into work until six o'clock tomorrow morning so, I can probably just have him drop me off."

He opened his mouth to argue, but I cut him off before he spoke.

"It's fine, I don't want you to go out of your way. Thanks though!" I was trying to sound super convincing.

Aiden looked at me for a few seconds and then nodded. "Okay, I guess... I just don't want you to freeze."

I nodded and smiled putting on my best 'you don't have to worry about me' face. "okay let's get to work!" I said eager to get out of the tense room. I wasn't sure if I convinced him. In fact, I kind of had the feeling that he was even more skeptical of me than before.

Aiden let it go for the moment and indulged me in some harsh training. He was impressed with my increasing strength training, and he had absolutely no idea how badly I was hurting. The pain didn't matter though... I just had to improve. I was sure if Aiden knew the extent of my pain, he'd make me chill for a little while and rest. And god forbid Tommy finding out.

"okay we need to shower up and get ready for school, its already seven," Aiden told me while we both caught our breath. "Aub, you're doing really good..."

"However," I continued for him. I knew that there was going to be a however in there...

"I can tell you're hurting."

"What? Nah. I'm fine."

"No you're not," he said getting closer to me.

I shifted painfully, but held my expression blankly.

"I can see it in your eyes... just like now." He touched my cheek and smoothed out the lines next to my eyes. "You needed to give yourself time to rest..."

"I don't have time to rest!" I said frustratedly.

"You need to make time then!" He said back to me. "Or eventually your body is going to force you to..."

I sighed and nodded, "I'll relent a little." still... I really couldn't afford it.

Aiden smiled at me and nodded as we both made our way to the showers.

We both got ready for school silently. I was lost in my own little world thinking about how much time I had left and how much harder I needed to push myself... how little time I might've had left.

It was the first day of the new semester, my last semester of high school. Normal people would have been excited about it. After all, it should've been the doorway to a new adventure. I, however, was not excited. I was terrified; all I could think about was the money that I still owed... about how dead I'd probably be when the end of May rolled around.