I wake up the next morning to him lying on the floor by my mattress, curled up with a blanket.
“Aidan?” I whisper, seeing if he is awake.
His eyes snap open and he gasps, “Yea?”
“Are you okay?”
He nods and sits up slowly, I see bruises covering his neck and frown, “Did you get a shower last night?”
“No...” Aidan looks away.
“Come on, get in the shower and then we can talk. Can you get up?” I ask.
He attempts to push himself up but falls back down quickly. I see frustration and tears hit his face, so I get up and help him. Supporting him, I help him limp his way to the bathroom and he sits down on the floor slowly.
“I’m going to get you towels and clothes, just stay here.”
“Why are you being so nice?” He asks.
I don’t answer. Instead, I just walk with him, trying to dodge the question.
I don’t know why I have memories of this, I mean it has been over 7 years, yet I remember it just as if it was yesterday. He is asleep though, heart monitor beeping away as his bpm goes at a somewhat normal level.
“Alex.” He mumbles.
“Yea?” I sit up and look at him.
“Do you think that I’ll ever be better? Like, able to function on my own and not be scared or anything 24/7.”
“It is very possible, just takes a lot of hard work and dedication. You have to be willing to stay off the streets and believe that you deserve better.”
“I’m sorry I left you that night.” Aidan looks down in embarrassment.
“You were 16, and terrified. You left, and that wasn’t okay, yes, but you did it because you were scared and confused. You did call in ambulance though, so you did do something good.”
“I know, but you almost died, and they could’ve found you and taken you back a- “
“They didn’t, Aidan. What matters now is you trying to pick up the pieces of your own life and trying to cope with what happened, alright?” I reassure him.
“When are you off clock?”
“Currently, actually. Just... Here is my number and address, I’d give you a phone, but you probably shouldn’t get one right at this moment. I’ll get you one though, you can call me off the hospital phone though if you need someone, alright?”
He nods, and I get up to leave, but he grabs my wrist, “You are acting like when you first met me, what happened?”
I look away for a second, before sitting down, “I mean I just got a blast from the past I’ve been trying to forget. Out of all the things I’ve forgotten, I couldn’t forget you, not saying I wanted to, but I tried. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, but here we are. Honestly, I’m afraid, and you know I don’t like admitting that to you, because I’m used to keeping you safe. I am very afraid though, because you bring my past with you, and it isn’t you, it is just what you remind me of. Aidan, I missed you, yes, but I’m utterly terrified of this future. I don’t want to bring back the past for either of us, and yea...”
“I missed you, and every day for 5 years, I spent wondering if you were dead how do you think I felt? I loved you, I really did. I still love you, and you know that. I’m so tired though, tired of the life I lived, and I want out. So, yea, how do you think I feel?” His voice has the edge to it like it did when he was about to cry.
“Aidan... I- “
“So, yea, go ahead and just leave, leave like everyone else decided to do when they got enough of me. It is okay, just leave.” Tears go down his face as he hiccups those words out through a choked voice.
“I’m not leaving you; I don’t want to leave you either. I’m not gonna leave when you get upset or take a couple steps back. I didn’t leave you when you weren’t sober, and I’m not gonna leave you now.”518Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2ogoWgqVs
