Traveler - The Premonition (Book 2)

CHAPTER 22

There were days when I missed the music, the moments when I was sitting on the porch with a cup of tea in my hands and the headphones on. I missed the evenings when I watched a good movie, reading a good book, the quiet and clear nights when I was sitting on the rocker and forgot about myself for hours. I missed the nights when we gathered around the campfires and danced near the lake, when we were telling scary stories, without knowing some of them could have been real. I missed my innocence, Crista's smile, my parents, even Nadia and Robert. Shortly, I missed my life from before. I couldn't be ungrateful, though. What I had at that moment, I wouldn't have had if I haven't gone to play tennis that evening. I had lost a lot of loved ones, but I had gained experience, love, new friends, family. There was nothing that could have replaced what I had lost, but at the same time, I didn't want anyone to take away from me what I had. I haven't had only sad moments until now. I remembered how Andy asked me to dance for the first time or when Crista had gone madly in love with Stefan, how I saw the happiness in her eyes. I had gained a sister, Kate, who would have done anything for me, a friend, Ivy, who would have walked on fire for me too, and a love that I haven't had until then: Aaron.

Of course, my feelings went nuts since the moment he pointed that gun at Kate.

"Aaron, what the hell was that?" I asked him, after two hours I haven't said a word to him. 

"You can't say that I wouldn't have stopped this madness if I had pointed the right one!"

"You wanted to kill my sister!"

"And I didn't do it! And she's going to kill you, Josephine!" he shouted.

"Now we're talking to each other by the full name?" I ask irritated.

"If it comes the day when I have to do the right thing, I will do it without thinking twice!"

"I forbid you! How can you say this?"

"You can't forbid me! I will do what needs to be done!" 

"There's nothing right! Don't you see how far we've gone? What you're saying and doing because of me?"

"Not because of you, but for you!"

"Do you think it's normal what we're doing here?!"

"Tell me that you wouldn't have done the same and I will take into consideration the fact that I have gone mad!" 

I remained silent, staring at him for I couldn't tell him what he wanted to hear.

"Tell me!" he screams.

"I burned a whole fucking village for you, so I can't tell you this because I would do the same! Damn it, Aaron!" 

He stopped yelling. I had said something that I wouldn't want to say ever, but it was too late to take it back. I didn't know if what we had was chaos, passion or love, but things were going mad in a way too crazy even for me. Maybe it was a combination between all of these, but it wasn't healthy.

"Oh, God..." he says.

"See? What we have here is toxic! It's broken! We are crazy people!"

"If you want to stop this, just tell me! If you want me gone, just say it!"

"I..."

"See? You can't say 'no'!"

"What are we doing here, it's not normal!"

"From what I can tell, you're saying you're better off without me! And I'm starting to believe you!"

"Don't put words in my mouth!"

"You don't have to say anything more," he says and turns his back on me.

"Aaron, don't you dare leave in the middle of our discussion!"