11.
A loud cackle belched out from Aiden’s Impala in a middle of a boredom inducing melody playing on his radio. I heard him curse some profanities that would definitely make my Aunt Elvira cry out to her God almighty.
I decided I would glare at his direction and give him my signature brow-raise-forehead-scrunch look that could easily be translated to ‘what the fuck is going on?’ I wince a little at the image of Aunt Elvira forming in my mind, uttering the ‘f’ word would definitely make my great aunt wail. I could see her lecturing my parents on their poor parenting skills. The thought made me shiver.
“Hang on, I got this,” Aiden said with all the bravado he could muster I suppose, but then again a huge part of me was saying this is hopeless and that I’m perpetually stuck in the middle of nowhere with Aiden freaking Walker.
I watched Aiden as he endlessly stepped on the gas and twisted his key in the ignition and in that moment, I was highly convinced that this would be the end of me, but then again I was also just highly overreacting.
“Let me start the engine, you go out and push this thing,” I said quite suggestively, but Aiden shook it off without second thoughts.
“This car has an automatic transmission A, my car will have to be towed,” he answered with controlled patience, a hand still planted firmly on the steering wheel.
“Right,” I replied, quite embarrassed. Of course he can’t push this, how can I be so stupid? Still I sighed in exasperation, this can’t be happening now. I could vividly imagine my father’s face, his brows meeting in the middle, a good indicator of his disapproval.
I thought about calling any of my family members for help, only to realize that calling any of them would be an extremely horrible idea. Crazy questions and speculations would be raised as to why I ended up getting a ride home from Aiden Walker, or worse, I could get asked as to why I got stuck in the middle of nowhere with the said guy.
“Can you like call a friend of yours or anyone to pick us up?” I asked, trying hard to sound less pissed than I already am.
Aiden dug into his jean pocket to retrieve his phone, and I watched as he tried to check his phone unfortunately what’s left of his hopeful smile turned into a glum frown, and seeing the frown on his face dampened my spirits even more.
“Well?” I said just to break the silence.
“I believe we have problem numero dos,” he replied with a guilty looking smile. Did he think he could compensate his stupidity by trying to pull off a cute smile? That’s it, he just ranked first at being the biggest idiot.
“What do you mean?” I asked through clenched teeth, maybe I couldn’t hold my anger much longer.
“My phone is dead,” he replied with a shaky laugh.
‘You are so dead,’ I thought. Seriously I couldn’t see what’s so funny about this predicament.I mean look at the possibilities of getting mobbed at a dark isolated place like this.
His expression then changed all of a sudden, as if realizing that he has sort of gotten a bit too far and that I was actually genuinely frightened, he reached out his hand to mine like he was silently comforting me or something but my reflexes made me pull my hand away.
I felt sort of bad, pushing him away like that. I don’t hate him, or at least I think I don’t, but for some reason he appears at my untimely moments, he was always the one to be there and save me from my own self-inflicted demises. Whenever I get myself in some weird situation, he would suddenly pop right out of the blue. I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I don’t want to owe anyone, especially him, Aiden Walker.
He pulled his hand back as well, which was a good thing because it would be more awkward if his hand hung there not knowing what’s its next move, “so uhm, how about your phone? We can call your broth-“
“No,” I replied abruptly, I knew for a fact that calling Claude is a bad idea, for reasons I already mentioned, “but you can call a friend of yours to come pick us,” I continued as I handed my phone over to Aiden, who took it gingerly in return.
I watched as he dialed his friend’s number on my phone, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious as to who he was going to call but I think he’d be calling Ethan. I mean they’re best friends right? And the last time I checked Aiden fancied him.
“Hello?” He spoke into the phone.
“Hello? Aiden is this you?” A female’s voice spoke back. So Aiden turned the loudspeaker on, how nice of him, but for some reason I wasn’t as comfortable as I think I would be if it were Ethan Aiden was talking to right now.
“Yes Hayls, I’m on Asia’s phone,” he replied. Was that a tone of hesitation I heard as he said the part about me and my phone?
I heard a squeal from the other end of the line, and Aiden had to pull the phone away from our faces just so we wouldn’t get hearing impairments.
“So Aid, how’d it go, tell me tell me tell me!” Hayley replied enthusiastically.
“God, Hayley would you please stop squealing, you’re on louds speak, God,” Aiden replied.
I noticed Aiden hit a button, shutting of the loudspeaker, now I couldn’t hear their conversation, which made me feel even weirder, like I want to pull Hayley Young’s silky smooth black hair.
“Listen Hayley, I need a favor,” Aiden said. There was a short pause, Hayley’s reply which I couldn’t hear anymore most probably.
“Can you, uhm…Can you pick us up? There’s some sort of a car problem and yeah can you please help us?” He said. I rolled my eyes at him, of all his friends he had to call Hayley Young, cool and beautiful Hayley Young.
“That’s the problem, we do not know where we are,” Aiden said as he gave his head a scratch.
“Really you can do that? Wow, thank you Hayls you are the best,” Aiden said, his smile was reaching both ends of his face, and I wanted to punch him.
I wanted to hate myself at that moment, why the hell was I feeling that way? It almost seemed like I was jealous and for the heck of it I wouldn’t be jealous and I wouldn’t give a damn about who Aiden Walker is interested in. The moment our deal ends, he is free to be with his Hayley.
Aiden faced me, the smile still etched across his face, “Asia, our problem is solved! Hayley said she could get her brother to track our location and she could get to us via GPS. How cool is that?”
“Yeah sure,” I replied, my arms crossed in front of me. I didn’t expect it to come out as unenthusiastically as it did, but I just couldn’t help it. Maybe I’m just so mad that I had to be in this crazy situation.
“Asia is there something wrong?” Aiden asked, his smile slowly fading away.
“Aside for the fact that we’re stuck in the middle of nowhere?” I scoffed.
“Look I didn’t ask for this to happen okay?” Aiden said in an exasperated tone that gave me a hint that he didn’t want to argue any longer.
“Yeah, I understand,” I said, and I almost hesitated but it just rolled out of my mouth and that’s what they say about words; Once you release them you couldn’t take them back. “I knew you would rather be with your precious Hayley than to be stuck here with a person who dislikes you.”
Aiden was having that expression which was caught in between amusement and horror, for what reasons I do not know. “No A- that’s not what you think I do not like Hay-“
“Alright save it Aid, you can wait for Hayley here by yourself,” I said as I opened the door and ran away from the Impala and Aiden.
“Asia, where are you going…hey!” I heard Aiden scream from behind me but I didn’t dare stop running and I didn’t know why.
~
There were two things that amazed me tonight, the first one was that being impulsive can definitely get you lost and second, was that in a street named Beaver, there are no houses nor any signs of civilization which meant if you lived in Beaver St. it’s either you’re a frog or a homeless quack doctor.
I paced around unknowingly, waiting for some sort of miracle to come through which made me curse myself for being so stupid and let’s just admit it, being jealous.
I wanted to call anyone, even Aiden (even though his phone was dead) but unfortunately I left my phone in Aiden’s car during my “escapade” so I decided to just sit on the curb right below a lone street lamp, which at that moment was the only thing keeping me secured.
I was sitting there for quite some time now, until I heard footsteps getting nearer. I perked my head up in high hopes that it was Aiden but I couldn’t figure out who the person was, because the only thing I saw was a silhouette.
“I’m so glad you found me,” I said as I stood up, I still couldn’t see the stranger’s face, but the moment I did. Oh God, how I wished I just stood up and ran as fast as I could.
“Well I guess you shouldn’t be,” the stranger said in that very maniacal tone of voice, which made the hairs on my nape stood up.
I gulped in horror, this is so bad.
The stranger was probably in his late twenties, he looked so rugged for someone so young. His arms were greatly inked, which left no room for his skin to be shown. A couple of piercing adorned his face, and that nose ring definitely made him look like a bull, a very creepy bull, and the worst part was, I think I was the red flag.
‘Shit, what have I gotten myself into,’ I thought as I hurriedly turned around and ran to the best of my capability.
His footsteps were heavy and based from what I could hear, he was getting closer. I could hear my heart beat harder against the cloth of my shirt and there was nothing else I could think right now but to thank the heavens that they spared me a few of my brother’s running abilities.
I wanted to hide or climb a tree or something, but sadly this place was as bare as a desert. I could almost feel myself losing balance, my legs were tired of running and it felt like my lungs were not getting as much oxygen anymore.
‘Run A, just run,’ I thought to myself, trying to push myself further because the creepy man was still right behind me.
I closed my eyes, this time hoping and praying for some Divine Providence to come and save me when all of a sudden I felt myself bumping into something and the next thing I knew I was falling to the ground.
“Asia?” A familiar voice spoke, so I allowed myself to open my eyes and I was so glad to see ocean blue eyes. This was definitely the right time to thank God for Aiden Walker.
“Oh my God Aiden!” I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck, “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“It’s alright,” he said as he momentarily pulled away from our hug and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead. I wanted to say ‘ew’ but nevermind because I could hear footsteps advancing towards us and as much as I wanted to stay there in his safe embrace. I still need to get us away from creepy piercings and tattoos dude.
“Aiden we have to go, now!” I said as I pushed Aiden away so we could get up and run.
I was getting so tired and my knees were so wobbly I think I couldn’t bear to stand any longer, but thanks to Aiden who was running and pulling me by the wrists. I could still manage to force myself to put one foot in front of the other. A little while longer, I couldn’t hear the guy behind us anymore.
I allowed myself to grasp as much air as I could, to fill my lungs and to get myself together, Aiden was doing the same as well. The sweat falling from his hair and the look of his tired breathing was making me feel guilty that I even ran away like that.
“I’m so sorry Aiden,” I said in between breaths.
“It’s okay A, I should be sorry too, for getting you into this situation,” he replied as he took a step closer to me, “I’m just so happy that nothing bad happened to you.”
I couldn’t help it, but tears were starting to fall down my face. I was happy and scared and relieved at the same time, my emotions were all jumbled up like the earphones inside my pocket that the only sane thing I could think of was to hug Aiden, again.
“Thank you,” I said, “who knows what would’ve happened if you hadn’t found me.”
Aiden was silent, and I didn’t mind. We just comforted each other in that embrace until we heard a car’s honk.
“Hey,” a girl’s voice spoke, which made Aiden and I turn around at the same time, “are you just going to stand there ‘til dawn or does any one of you want to go home? Because I know I already want to,” Hayley Young said through the lowered window of her mean looking ride.
Aiden and I smiled at each other before we approached Hayley. I gave her a smile as I walked towards her black car, “wow Hayls, is this a Corvette?” I asked as I ran my fingers along its exterior.
“Yeah A this baby actually is,” she said with pride in her voice, “but do not touch my baby with your hands full of Aiden filth,” she added with an evil smirk.
“Hey I’m right here,” Aiden said as he invited himself into the backseat. A wave of relief flooded me because he didn’t choose to sit beside Hayley in the front seat.
“Asia, you could take shotgun,” Hayley said with a wink, and man was I so happy to be riding front seat inside a Corvette.”
Hayley was driving quietly, which I was actually thankful for because I still was recovering from shock.
“A, you should answer this,” Aiden said from behind me as he handed me my phone. I looked at the screen to see Dad’s caller ID popping out, I sighed.
'This is going to be a long, long ride.'