"All of it," he croaked, "The help with my brother. The way you're always level-headed in heated conflicts. You had no money to give Marley, when you spent two hundred dollars on us at the arcade. The desperation for a scholarship. How well you understand my triggers and you never allowed all of my faults and mistakes to push you away, because you can see better than anyone how much of it's a mask for pain. It's seeing that message and believing the worst so you could leave before I could. Marley..." his fingers tightened around her hair before he released her in one fell swoop.
She dropped her hands and watched him pull his knees to his chest, an action so odd and unordinary that she didn't know what to do with herself watching him, "If I ever...when we kissed, fuck," he growled out, his chin on his knees and his eyes squeezed shut, "I was rough with you. I shouldn't have been. After everything you've been through I...fuc-"
"Aiden! You weren't, okay?" She scrambled in front of him and placed her hands on his, watching him flinch, "look at me, Aiden."
"I'm sorr-"
"Aiden. Open your damn eyes."
He finally fluttered his lashes, and she never wanted to see those stunning eyes this empty again, "Our first kiss was..." she felt her blush betray her, "it was the most magical thing I've ever felt. I'm glad you didn't know at the time, because you would've treated me differently and not like the Aiden Matthews I know and love. I don't want you to treat me differently because of what I told you. I'm the same person. You just know more about me now."
"I'd kill him, you know. And the guy that...I'd...fuck Marley. I can't even...I don't know how to feel this. How could they ever leave you? How could they do this to you? How could any man hurt you? You're such a goddamn angel despite the hell you were dragged through and it's not fair. It's so damn unfair."
Marley placed a hand over his shoulder and pressed it against the back of his neck, smiling softly, "But I'm here now. This camp was the best decision I've ever made."
Aiden's eyes flashed with realization, and his hold on his legs loosened, "You're not going home. You can't. You're seventeen and your father is gone. You can stay with me, I'll buy you a goddamn hous-"
She pressed a kiss to his lips to quiet him, and his body instinctively relaxed in her hold. Marley smiled into the kiss when he grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap without breaking contact. After a few more seconds he pulled away, pressing his forehead against hers.
Marley exhaled calmly, "I have a legal guardian who will take care of me until I'm 18 and I'm in University. The man I spoke about...his name is Detective Bryan. He was Officer Bryan when we met when I was eleven, and my father was arrested for the first time. He's helped me out financially, I have a place in his guest room anytime I need it. He's the closest I've ever had to a father and one of the most selfless people I know."
Marley watched Aiden's blue eyes tighten considerably, his arms lock around her sides, "You're not related. Marley. I can't-can't do that. I can't let you stay with him. You understand? I won't be able to sleep or eat knowing you're with a man who isn't..." Marley felt his hands trembling behind her back, his voice shaking.
Her eyebrows furrowed with worry as she placed her hands on his biceps on either side, feeling the shaking slow as she did, "Aiden. You can meet him and trust me, he's an amazing person. He's worlds a better man than my own father. He may not be blood, but he's my family. He's the only one who never left."
Aiden took a deep, trying breath and leaned his face into her shoulder, "I'll very reluctantly consider meeting him. A whole other hurdle will be leaving you alone with him for a damn second - let alone overnight. One meeting, maybe, is all I promise you. Nothing more."
"Aiden..."
He didn't lift his head, just tightened his muscled arms around her torso, "That's all I'm capable of giving to you, Marley. Do you understand? What happened to you...is going to haunt me. And as long as I live I will do everything in my power to make sure it doesn't again."
She wrapped her arms around him and held him like a child, a hand against the back of his head, "I love you, Aiden."
"I love you, too. I'll never leave you, spitfire."
"I know."
"I'd go back of I could, walk right up to you in school and be there so much sooner. I'd help you. I'd...take care of you. Beat those fucker-..." he exhaled calmly, "But, I was a stupid kid who didn't see beyond the parameters of my stupid world."
"Personally I think you swooped right on time, Superman," she joked softly.
"I'm no hero," he breathed, "Bur thank you for seeing and coaxing out whatever good is in me."
She sighed loudly, "I don't like heroes anyway. I've said that before."
When Aiden faced her again and opened his eyes, Marley watched the confusion dancing in them, "That night at the gazebo, you called me one?"
She pressed a kiss to his lips and it surprised him considerably - she's done it twice now. He's always the one to kiss first, "You're my only exception, because you're the right kind of hero. You didn't just save me, you helped me save myself."
-
"Finish your...questions...Aiden," she breathed quietly, her hands on the front of his chest, attempting to shove.
"Aiden Matthews," he murmured, "can't come to the...phone right now. Please leave a...message."
She curled her fingers around his t-shirt, scooting closer to him instinctively even though her mind was telling her that their homework was more important at the moment.
She gasped when he lifted her in one sharp move from his hands on the bottom of her thighs, putting her on his lap, her knees bent on either side of his hips. He was sitting cross legged on the floor, and Marley felt the crinkle of his pages probably being ruined right now.
"Aiden your-"
He pressed his lips to hers, fingers lifting from her waist to her hair, tangling and feeling while he kissed her in a way that always shut her up successfully. Aiden smirked against her lips, dropping his hands to the hem of his shirt.
"Qu-questi-questions," she stuttered at she watched him slowly remove his shirt, knowing as soon as he did all rationale would be out the window.
"What was that?" He hummed, breathing against her lips before he was kissing her again. Her eyes fluttered shut as she allowed him to deepen it.
Marley's mind said 'screw the questions' at that exact moment, so there was nothing on her mind but where her hands were going. How did she get so lucky?
There was no way Marley could say no to him, no way she could think beyond this right now. Everything felt electrified with Aiden, her skin always burning like she was on fire in the most magical way possible. Everything he did, every move he made she felt, from the tip of her head to her toes. So she was acutely aware of the moment his fingers touched tentatively along the skin of her hip bones. The bare skin. Testing, asking.
But considering she had his shirt off and was definitely feeling him up, she nodded. Marley knew that he knew her boundaries the same way she knew her own, so she wasn't afraid when she felt him lift her shirt to caress up the sides of her hips.
And then a sense of déjà vu washed over the both of them as the door swung open, and they were interrupted by a person that had everything coming full circle.
"Ah! My virgin eyes!"
Aiden's hands slipped out from under her shirt, pulling it down while she quickly shoved him off of her, the two of them still panting loudly.
Aiden stood and turned for the bathroom while Marley scrambled up from the floor with cheeks flaming for a different reason. A blonde haired, green eyed reason who was leaned against the door jamb and smirking deviously.
Aiden turned his head to respond to Leo, "Virgin eyes. You see anything you've never seen before, I'll buy you another Ferrari."
For a second Marley wondered where Aiden was going as the door clicked shut, but the realization came quickly and made her blush deepen considerably.
"He'll be out in a sec, Marley," Leo said humorously as he headed for his bed on his messier side of the room, strewn with clothes and food wrappers on the dark hardwood, "he's just adju-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Marley screeched, scrambling away from him with a racing heart, "Please Leo! For once!"
Now she was certain she wouldn't be able to even look at Aiden now, because Leo's comment had just become the elephant in the room. For something to do with her hands, Marley started to gather together their papers neatly, they had been scrambled across the floor.
"I'd fix your hair too," Leo laid down on his bed, throwing his hands behind his head with all the causality in the world, "before Alec walks i-op! Too late."
Marley whirled around, gasping at the sight of Alec standing in the threshold looking like he's seen a ghost as he appraised her. Well, the combination of the swollen lips, tangled hair, and definite rapid breathing, Marley knew that she was glaring evidence of what her and Aiden were doing.
And then her boyfriend had to walk out, shirtless, at the perfect time.
"Hudson."
Smug. Of freaking course.
Marley stood and smiled shakily, wracking her brain for something to say to salvage this, "Hey! Um, we're just doing...um hey!"
Leo guffawed in the background, and Marley felt Aiden's body heat come up behind her as he grabbed his shirt off the floor. Alec's eyes flickered to the wall behind her head, his brows furrowing considerably.
"Marley. Hi, I don't mean to interrupt-"
"You did."
Marley whirled around and whacked Aiden on the arm, "Aiden I swear to god," she quietly hissed through her teeth, eyes locking on his to show she meant business.
She turned back around and ran a hand through her hair, trying to be natural about it. There was not a moment in history Marley felt more embarrassed than this one, and has never wanted to fall into a black hole and never return, more.
Jesus take the wheel. Seriously.
"Sorry about him," she apologized gently, trying to relax so her hot blush would cool, "What's up? We're just doing the homework. You can come in if you want?"
"Studying really hard," Leo commented offhandedly, causing Aiden to snicker in the background and Marley to bury her head in her hands.
The two of them, she was entirely certain of by now, were a match made in hell.
"I just wanted to...but you're clearly busy..." Marley dropped her hands, dashing for him quickly.
"No! Wait don't go! We can go do something, Aiden needs to finish his share of the questions anyway. Right Aiden?" she said the last part through her teeth as she turned to glare at him, daring him to fight her on this or say another damn word.
Aiden's blue eyes flickered between them, jaw tight, but something seemed to make a switch go off and a calm expression to settle over his face.
"You're right," he conceded, "I do have to finish our questions. See you later."
Marley blinked in surprise, expecting some resistance, at least. Aiden and Alec used to talk and hang out as friends in their friend group, but now Aiden can't stand him. To the point where, somehow, the rest of the guys - Jason, Ryan, Brendan and Leo - iced him out of their bros crew or whatever it is they considered themselves.
Marley felt disappointed in Aiden because of that, and would be discussing Alec's 're-initiation' later; it's against what she believes in to allow Aiden to be the Regina George and control his little clique of guys.
But still, something was fishy about the way Aiden collapsed on the ground and settled in, grabbing his pencil and popping it between his teeth, blinking up at her and Alec expectantly with all the innocence in the world.
And this is Aiden Matthews, who hasn't been innocent since the Suite Life Of Zack and Cody.
She pursed her lips and decided to let it go, not wanting to think about his ulterior motives and discover something that would keep Alec waiting longer, while she chewed her boyfriend out.
After the door was shut behind Aiden and Leo, she turned to smile at Alec sheepishly, "Um, what do you want to do?"
-
Alec and Marley ended up going for a walk, Alec claiming he knew about a secret spot that had a great view and a waterfall. So they left the boys cabin and headed down the gravel trail, the opposite way from either the mess hall or the girls cabin. They walked side by side, Marley turning her head to study him.
His copper red hair was up in little tuffs on his head, stuck in every direction like he'd run his fingers through it. He had a slight stubble on his jawline, and was wearing a white t-shirt with plain, dark washed jeans over his muscled build. He was an athlete like Aiden and Leo, but Marley realized just now that she had no idea what he played. She's seen him play football in the past - but that was for fun. Alec's hands were in his front pockets, and his pale blue eyes flickered to hers at feeling her scrutiny.
"I missed you," she murmured, smiling at him and nudging her elbow against his arm, "It's been too long since we've talked."
His eyes scanned over her face for a brief moment, a smile on his lips that didn't reach his eyes, "Yeah. It has, hasn't it?"
They haven't been close since before Dalton's party, and that made Marley question whether he even wanted to be her friend anymore, "Do you, do you not want to be friends?"
His blue eyes widened into saucers, snapping his head towards hers, "Marley that's not it at all! Talking to you and being around you it's..." he trailed off, and Marley watched his eyes swirl with a thousand different emotions she couldn't pinpoint, "Matthews can be..."
Marley tensed at how dejected Alec looked. Aiden had a hellstorm coming for him later, that was for sure.
"Perfectly friendly to you from now on. I will personally make sure of it. It's not fair the way he's pushed you away from your own friends like that."
Alec let out a small laugh that Marley felt was condescending, "You can't tell a zebra to change its stripes, Marley."
She turned away from him, pushing down the urge to be defensive and decided to change the subject before this topic could go downhill, "Honestly, Alec. Even though we weren't talking if you ever needed me with...with Elena..."
She stopped when he did, right in the middle of the trail. He pressed the heels of his hands on his closed eyelids, "I-I was losing it, Marley. I was-" she strode towards him, her eyebrows furrowed in pain, "I was this close to being a father at 17 years old, I was so...so fucking close."
"But you're not," she replied calmly, steadily, watching his hands lower, "You're not a father and you don't have to worry anymore. This is Elena and Jordan's problem now, and you get to move on with your life."
His eyes scanned over her face, again, "How do you always know the right words? It's truly a talent."
They both laughed, but Marley sobered quickly when he took a step closer, "Do you mind if we...if I-" he reached for her, and as soon as she knew what he meant she threw her arms around him, pressing her cheek against his chest.
"Yes we can," she replied softly, feeling his arms circle around her waist and hug her tightly to him.
"Thank you," he breathed with his chin on her head.
She hummed in return, the two of them remaining that way for another minute before Alec loosened his hold. Marley followed suit, and she was glad to see his expression was a lot happier than before. She was glad that she could help.
"The waterfall is a couple more minutes away. You're going to love it," Alec gestured for her to follow beside him.
"I've never travelled anywhere apart from family emergencies and stuff, so it's a guarantee that I'll love it. I've never seen a waterfall in person, either."
Alec's eyebrows raised considerably, "Seriously?! Me either! This camp is kind of like-"
"My first vacation," Marley finished, and the both of them laughed. "It's no Bora Bora but it's proving to be awesome," Alec nudged her with his arm right back.
"Where you headed in the fall?" Marley asked him curiously, their voices the only sound besides the occasional crunch of leaves and the constant trilling of nature around them.
"I'm not an early acceptance kid like you guys, I'm going to Cali State for History, if the stars align."
"History?"
"Not what you were expecting?" He teased gently, earning a sheepish smile, elaborating quickly, "well I guess I'm one of those people who believes that learning about the past can help us learn about the future. I also want to minor in Biological sciences, that's why I'm here."
"So you're going into teaching, I assume?" She asked, watching him shrug his shoulders.
"Maybe? I don't know. I just like learning. I suppose that could carry over for a desire to teach others in the future. You're going full science, right?"
"Pre-med, Brown hopefully. I'm working on getting myself a recommendation letter that'll help me stand out beyond my average and my community involvement, as well as this program."
Alec clicked his tongue, his expression turning blank as they broke off into a separate, smaller path, "Aiden's going to Notre Dame."
Marley sighed, her heart aching, "Yeah. We both have our dreams. But at the end of the day I guess you just have to have faith that everything will work out the way it's supposed to."
"That's a good mentality. You've got the kind of charisma and...gentleness? I guess, to be a doctor. Just the calming presence you have. Beyond your crazy intelligence, that'll take you far."
Marley flushed in embarrassment at the 'crazy intelligence' part, "You like cars though," she blurted, desperately wanting to steer the subject another direction, "You don't want to go into mechanics or something?"
"You remembered," Alec shot her a pleased grin, "And I do have a passion for cars, but driving them and knowing their specs and stuff. Not getting my hands dirty with the engines and all that. Owning a sports car one day is definitely the dream."
"What's the best...brand I guess? Of car? I know Ferrari but that's about it. I live far from that lifestyle."
"Well I did say we could talk about cars one day, didn't I?" He smiled, referring to the night of Dalton's party, where they were sat together on Marley's bed, "It's a hard toss up to consider one make of cars from another. Public opinion really does vary. But my dream car would definitely be the Lamborghini Huracán Spyder. It's got all the great specs of a sports car but there's a soft top to turn it into a convertible. 0-100 kilometres an hour in 3.4 seconds." Alec's eyes were brightening considerably now, his hands flailing everywhere excitedly. "It can reach 610 constant-velocity, 449 kilo watts at 8.3 rpm - which is revolutions per minute - and at top speed 324 kilometres per hour. Flying. It would literally feel like you're flying."
Marley was so interested in his words that she wasn't paying attention to the path in front of her. The toe of her converse caught on a tree root sticking from the ground, and she shrieked as she lost her balance.
"Marley!" Alec shouted in a panic from beside her, diving for her as she fell foreword.
He grabbed her arm as he stepped towards her, but she ended up tripping on his foot with her other foot, circling a hand around his bicep. He grunted as she took him with her, and Marley gasped as the wind was knocked out of her when she hit the ground. Her eyes were closed, intense heat covering her as her head spun.
"Ow," she groaned, "I'm so clums-"
When Marley's hazel eyes flew open, she cut off her own words when she found herself inches away from Alec's face. He was hovered over her, their legs tangled together. It took Marley's slow, muddled brain a few seconds too long to realize that she had no desire to stay in this position with him.
She let go of his arm and placed her hands on the front of his chest, shoving, "Alec."
"Marley."
No. No. Marley's heart began to race in panic at the look in his eyes as they fell to her lips, "Alec. Alec please. Can you get off-"
"Not until I do this," he breathed out, pressed against her, her hands still on the centre of his chest, shoving as best as she could.
And then Alec Hudson kissed her.
***