Fighting For Life (published)

Calm Down -Aiden's POV

Aiden's POV-

She had been acting weird all morning long. I knew that she was feeling down, she had been since the new year... I wanted to help her, but I wasn't sure how to.

"Hey," I said firmly when I saw a frown go across her pretty face. I wanted to bring herself out of her mind. I knew firsthand how detrimental a mind can be. "What are you over there thinking about so hard?" I grasped her hand to remind her that I was still there with her... she wasn't alone.

In all honesty I had expected for her to brush off the question like she always did.

"Why do you do this? I mean this with me... Why do you care about me and go out of your way to do things for me? Especially when this whole thing started out with me blackmailing you... This whole thing was simply supposed to be more of a business transaction and now look at us. I mean... look at you and then look at me. It just- it just doesn't make any sense."

I couldn't form a coherent sentence in my head at her words. She was acting as if I was too good for her. That certainly wasn't the case... I just started to talk, letting words just fly out of my mouth.

"Aubry, I've never met someone like you before. You're so strong, yet so gentle and real. You're mean and feisty, yet you are the most caring person that I know. You're so small and fragile, yet I've seen you knock out grown men. You've shown me something in these couple of months that I can't even explain... Aubry, I care about you... and it's not just for you, it's for me too. I need you. I need to learn more about you and what you've been through. I need to learn from you. I see how strong you are despite everything that you've obviously been through... that's how I want to be. I care about you because... I need to. Please let me."

Her face flushed scarlet as she looked at me. She looked completely and totally surprised at my words.

"I um... Thank you. Thank you for caring," was all she said.

I couldn't hold back my sigh...

She side-eyed me uncomfortably and then just let it all out, "Okay... look, I'm not good at any of this stuff. I've never even had a friend before, and anything with emotions and feelings I've had to push away all of my life. But thank you, Aiden. Thank you for inviting me into your life and in turn your friends' and family's lives too. I've never seen or felt so much love before. I need to learn from you too... not only the fighting stuff, but how to be brave and let people in like you have. I mean, you have these amazing people around you that would fight the whole world for you. I had no idea that even existed before meeting you. It's going to take a while for me to let you in and trust you because I've been taught that everyone leaves me eventually, but just know that I'm trying. It's just that I have a lot of baggage that comes along with me. I'm afraid that when I start to unload it on you... you're going to decide that it's too much and leave me stranded to pick the pieces back up by myself. I promise that I really am trying. I've been conditioned my whole life to run away from people and feelings, so it truly will take time. Just... thank you for being patient with me."

I parked my car and was speechless at her words... but I also knew that if I didn't say anything, I'd lose the open conversation barrier that we had created. I definitely didn't want that to happen.

So, I just let my mouth speak once again... "I'll be here when you're ready, okay? I won't run away and leave you. I'll be here for you. It's okay to let me in, I'm not going anywhere."