A Few Days Later
" Guys you have got to come to Sabrina's wedding no buts. " Stacy said as we sat in her spacious living room . Sabrina was Stacy's sister and her forthcoming nuptials were all she could talk about.
" Why don't you tell Sarah about the part where your mom invited Aiden to the wedding as well. " Candice interjected.
" What ?!" I couldn't help but gasp in shock.
Stacy turned to me sheepishly. " I told her not to invite him but she said we were already short of guests on the bride's side and he's the biggest contributor to her charity. "
" Then there's really no point in my coming. You already have a lot of guests to deal with as it is. " I said feeling bummed.
" No please Sarah. Sabrina only has one friend coming to the party. Mom had a quarrel with her sisters so they and my cousins won't be coming either. It's going to be so embarrassing cause the only people we are inviting are mom's colleagues or acquaintances like Aiden. We are not sure they are even going to come. " Stacy looked pleasingly at Candice for some support.
" Look how about this, you act at the wedding just like you do at college. Pretend that Aiden just doesn't exist. We'll just stay away from him and focus on spending quality time together. " Candice said. Stacy gave me the puppy dog eyes and I gave in.
" Did I tell you that you are an awesome friend ". Stacy gave me a tight hug.
" How did your sister's interview go ?" Candice asked.
" Great ". I said. Sasha had been invited on T.V where she shared how Dr.Sheridan mishandled our father's case and the hospital took no action against him, as conveniently for him the hospital's ceo was his wife.
" So you think Aiden had something to do with it ?" Candice asked.
" Yeah it's too much of a coincidence. " I leaned my head against the sofa backrest. In these past couple of days I saw Aiden in class but I didn't speak to him. I don't know what he was thinking. Did he think I would go up to him and confess to crimes I did not commit?
" Elisa Sheridan is a highly influential woman. She's not going to let her husband go to jail all that easily. Only a guy as powerful as Aiden could stand up to her. " Stacy remarked.
" But why is he doing all of this?" Candice asked.
" I am praying it's because he has finally grown a conscience. " I replied knowing how ridiculous I sounded.
Two Weeks Later
The day was finally here. Sabrina looked stunning in a pretty short sleeve lace vintage style wedding dress. When she walked down the aisle with her father I couldn't help the ache in my chest.
My father wouldn't be present at my wedding if I ended up getting married. My wedding day would probably be a torture. Most of it would be spent mourning the things I had lost forever.
All of the bride's maids were dressed in identical lilac colored dresses. The groomsmen in matching black tuxedos. After the bride and the groom's dance it would be our job to take to the dance floor.
Even though I was a clumsy dancer I had nevertheless promised Stacy I would dance at the wedding reception. I was paired with Lucas one of the groom's friends. He was friendly and I had felt comfortable around him during the wedding rehearsal. But as I looked for him I found that he was nowhere to be seen.
" Um Stacy I just got a call from Lucas. His brother's in the hospital. He won't be able to make it today. " Chris the bestman explained sheepishly to a fuming Stacy. I gave an inward sigh of relief. Now I could just sit down and munch on some of the delicacies.
" But Sarah doesn't have a partner !" Stacy was busy giving Chris an earfull.
" I will dance with her. " Someone spoke from behind me in a silky smooth voice.
Stacy's mouth opened as if to say something then closed. Her eyes round as a fish. So after days of avoiding him I finally had to face him afterall.
I contemplated refusing or just running off but then I thought how embarrassing it would look for Stacy and everyone. Plus I didn't want to give him the impression that I was too afraid to face him.
I turned to him plastering a fake smile on my face. He took my hands in his warm strong ones and led me to the dance floor.
Up close he looked even more intimidating. He was so tall he literally towered over me my eyes were on the same level as his lips.
Up close I could smell his perfume and I was shocked and a little disturbed to find that it smelled just like the one my father used to wear, Dunhill's Desire Blue. It reminded me of the good times when life was simpler.It only made everything feel more surreal.
Aiden placed one hand on my waist and took my other one in his. I tried not to notice how dashing he looked in the black tux. Our close proximity was already overwhelming enough for me.
I tried not to look at him but just then my clumsiness kicked in and I stepped on his expensive looking black loafers. " Sorry " I muttered. He gave a huff of indignation and rolled his eyes.
All the other couples around us were busy making small talk. We were the only ones looking awkward and stiff as we tried to look at anything but each other. Finally Aiden broke the silence.
" What happened with my mom that night ?"
" Duh she got drunk ". I said shrugging my shoulders.
"Something must have happened before that to make her behave this way. You were working there that night weren't you ? You must have seen something."
" I knew you wouldn't dance with me without a good reason. Specially since you consider me a walking talking biohazard. Tell me do you have that bottle of handsanitizer with you ? You will need loads of it now ?"
" Sarah will you please answer my question ?" I sensed that he was deep down more anxious than he showed.
So I told him everything that happened that night. His expression seemed to darken specially at the mention of the man who had been with Anna that night.
" Thank you ". He said after I had finished. He didn't seem like his usual self which was either cold or aggressive. Infact he seemed rather subdued.
The dance ended right then. As Aiden started to walk away I suddenly remembered the articles.
" Aiden !" I called out to him.
" Huh ?" He turned towards me.
" Those articles about Nathaniel Victor you sent me those rights ?" I asked.
" What are you talking about ?" He asked looking utterly confused.
I told him everything about the strange mail.
" Nathaniel was my father's older brother. He had died in a car accident. I have no idea who is sending you these articles and why."
We stood in silence. I was feeling a little freaked out. What was the sender of those articles trying to achieve ?
" Sarah could you please show me those articles ?"
" I don't have them with me right now. "
" It's OK. How about we meet up tomorrow at the Café Fiona ? Could you please bring me those articles there ?"
He was actually using 'please ' and trying to be polite with me. He must be really desperate. I contemplated it but could see no harm in his request.
" Alright then ". I said.
It was Sunday morning so there was almost no traffic. It would only get crowded on the streets in the evening after everyone had slept to their hearts content. There were only a few pedestrians besides me.
Café Fiona was at a walking distance from my home so I didn't take our old prius. As I enjoyed the cool morning breeze a woman shrieked behind me.
I saw a black four wheeler coming towards me. It's driver was leaning out of the window a gun in his hand. I managed to register that he was aiming for me just in time to duck but not before the bullet managed to get embedded in my arm.
I fell to the floor clutching my arm to my chest as my eyes filled with tears due to the pain. Another shot rang through the air. It collided with a street lamp. The glass shards rained down on me.
The four wheeler was coming closer to me. I could even make out the light stubble on the driver's face. It was over.
Just then a black sports car appeared from a side alley and crashed into the side of the four wheeler sending both the cars sliding across the road until the four wheeler crashed into the side of a building.
Everyone stood in shock as smoke rose in the air from the cars. The door of the sports car opened and out stepped Aiden.
There was blood pouring down his forehead and he was clutching his arm to his side but he otherwise seemed unharmed.
The four wheeler had literally dug itself into the wall of the building it had crashed into and we couldn't make out it's gun wielding driver.
People were on their phones calling the police, an ambulance and I heard someone probably a reporter calling his newsstation.
Me and everyone else rushed to Aiden's side.
" Are you alright ?" I asked as I neared him.
" I'm alright I guess though I think I will need a visit to the hospital ". Aiden sounded breathless.
Then his eyes widened as they fell on me. " Your arm!" He said horrified.
Up till now I was so distracted by what was happening I had forgotten about the bullet wound on my arm.
Just then I heard sirens wailing. Police vehicles followed by ambulances approached us. We were told to go to the hospital where after we were patched up a bit we will be questioned by the police.
The bullet had been embedded in my arm and the bloody metal thing being extracted from my arm was a sight I would never like to experience again.
Aiden's arm had been fractured and was in a cast. He had also received stitches on his forehead but otherwise he seemed unscathed.
One of the first questions we were asked was whether we knew the driver of the four-wheeler. The guy was unconscious so it was impossible to question him.
When I was asked if I had any enemies who would want to hurt me the two people who came to mind were Dr.Sheridan and Aiden himself.
Perhaps he had sensed this as he ducked his head and seemed very preoccupied with looking at the floor. But considering how he risked his life to save mine I couldn't suspect that it was him.
Just then the mysterious articles came to my mind. " I don't know if this has anything to do with it but I received these strange articles recently..,. " And so I told them everything.
But as I rummaged through my bag I found that the articles weren't there.
" This is strange they were in here. "
I frowned.
The police officers just promised to investigate it further and left. Until the creep who tried to kill me woke up we couldn't know for sure who ordered the shooting.
I thought to give my mother a call when I saw Aiden leaving the room. I could have been just as ungrateful as he had been when I put my life on the line to save him. But I wanted to be better.
" Hey, I don't know why you did it. Especially considering how much you hate me. But thanks for saving my life."
" You saved my life too so I was just paying you back. And to be honest I am not sure if I should hate you anymore. "
His last words surprised me.
" Does this mean you are willing to consider the possibility that I may not be working for your enemies?"
" Maybe." He said before walking away.