Lear takes off as soon as his shift is over and sees Aaron. He's awake and doing well. He talks and make sure he's ok. In typical Aaron fashion, Aaron is not worried about himself. He asks Lear if anymore deliveries had been made or if there is any leads.
"Aaron" Lear says. The look on his face is concerned.
"Yes?" Aaron knows what's coming.
"You're in this hospital bed because of worrying and taking care of others. I need you to stop. I have to draw the line somewhere as a parent and I should have a long time ago. Take it from a person that worked himself crazy dealing with other people and is just now getting to live life. Take a minute to relax. Do it while you can ok?"
"Yes sir" Aaron says. He knows it's just tough love.
"Speaking of living your life, college is rolling around the corner. What have you thought about doing?" Lear asks. Aaron wonders why everyone is asking him about college. Does he come off as someone who won't go?
"A little. I never thought I would make it to college so it's just taking me by surprise. I have a lot of stuff that I need to do before I'm even recognized for college.
"Does that means you want a scholarship?"
"If it's possible. With all that has happened and is still happening, I don't know if it's even possible." Aaron says. He so badly wants a basketball to toss up in the air. It will distract him and he tends to like things like that to distract him when having conversations about himself.
"Your grades look great, I m sure you'll have no problem getting a scholarship with them."
"I mean a basketball scholarship." Aaron says. He actually looks at Lear this time.
"Oh, well I haven't seen you play but I'm sure you're great. It's going to be tough but anything is possible with you. You made it through so much that I bet you'll cruise right through that too." This leaves a smile on Aaron's face. Lear's not done talking to him yet. He has to get it in this boy's head that he is important and that there's nothing wrong about talking about himself.
"Why do you look so nervous?" Lear asks. Aaron looks away again. His emotions have never been able to be read like this. He didn't even know he was acting nervous but he sure that his constant looking away a twiddling of his thumbs gave him away. He sighs.
"Uh i'm just not used to talking about me. It's uncomfortable and a feel selfish." Aaron admits. Lear finally got it out of him.
"It's ok. We're going to fix that because you need time and you need to care for yourself. You can't give everything that you have then you will have nothing yourself. Then your back here. At the ends of the day you still get hurt. I want you to live. You're free now."
"It's like I have Stockholm syndrome. I'm still attached to my old ways even though I don't have to. That's why I hate taking about myself because I have to face these demons. I'm sorry." He says
"Sorry for what. You don't have anything to be sorry about. You did nothing wrong. You did everything right and now it's time for everything to do right by you. You let everyone else shine. Roni's clothing line, Nessa's whole attitude, Kian's secret family,Mariah and Alex's whole life, and I'm sure many more. That's how many people you've changed and how. You let them shine and now it's your turn. As soon as you get out of that bed it's your time." Lear says. He looks at him and pats his shoulder. Aaron thinks of the words and lets them repeat in his head. He thinks that he better get some rest so he can leave.
Alex goes to Lauren's house. While everything is calm for a moment he wants to talk. At least to see what's going on with her. He rings her doorbell. Her mom and say went out of town. They had a family emergency in Canada, where they're originally from. Lauren makes her way to the door and looks out the peep hole. She opens it when she sees Alex.
"Hey" she says as she opens the door. The more she sees him the more she thinks about her conflicting thoughts. She's really leaning towards staying. It so much going on and he needs her. She need him.
"Hey. I just came to check on you and talk to you." He walks through the door with a bag in his hand. Inside there's two polar pizzas for the both of them.
"Aww Alex, baby you didn't have to" she says looking at the desserts.
"Just a little apology gift." He says. He picks up both of her hands. "Look, I'm really sorry about the other day. I didn't mean to freak out and be aggressive like that. It brought out a side of me that I hate. It's not your fault and has never been. With all that's been going on you're the only thing that has been helping me. I'm sorry that I haven't been that person for you. I have some things that I need to work on and I'm in the process of it now. I hope yo-" he goes on to say. Lauren stops him and gives him and kiss.
"Two play a part in what happened and I'm sorry I acted like that. I love you and nothings ever going to change that. Thank you for apologizing and please accept my apology." She says.
"I accept" He picks her up and places her on the kitchen counter and starts kissing her there. She leads him upstairs. This is what she was talking about. The reason not to to leave. She know that she would get her feelings overshadowed by something and here it was. She was ok with it though. What she doesn't realize is that she's falling back into the same cycles. Of course everyone makes mistakes but sometimes that get overshadowed by the temporary fixes.