"Elena?" A voice called out. "El, where are you?" I looked at my surroundings and remembered that I had fallen asleep in a tree on top of Jayden. It's a good thing we knew this thing could support us! By now it was almost pitch black, so we must have been up here sleeping for a good couple of hours. "El come on, I know you’re over here somewhere!"
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcwjvN7Kjx
Shoot! I thought. He found me! How did he know I ran over here? As if sensing something was wrong, Jayden began to awaken, yawning loudly and beginning to say, "What's with all the racket El-"
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7ONoe6XOq
I quickly shoved my hand over his mouth, shushing him so he wouldn't give our whereabouts away. He looked at me confused until he saw the fear in my eyes, understanding taking over his features. Knowing he wouldn't make a sound, I slowly took my hand away from his mouth. But it seems to be that it was too late.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwo2Uln41R
"Elena?" he yelled in the direction of the tree I was hiding in. In an attempt to conceal myself further from his view, I attempted to creep higher into the tree. Suddenly, I felt one of the branches give out from underneath me, and I let out a little shriek.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqdtYTJNNt
"Elena!" I heard from somewhere below me. I couldn't tell if it was Jayden or Aaron, and I didn’t know who I really wanted it to be. If it was Aaron he might still…no. If he cared about me at all he wouldn’t have cheated on me like that. "El!" the voice yelled again, and this time I knew it was Aaron from the fear in his voice. Jayden knows I can take care of myself, especially when it comes to trees.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAolUqBHeT
"Go away!" I yelled down.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMgmm0yj41
"Aw come on El, I didn't think you hated me that much," a calm voice joked.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq58TOZYNYg
"Not you Jay! The idiot standing at the bottom of the tree, thinking he can do something to help! You know, I doubt he could make it halfway up this tree!" I mocked. "Now help me find the branch so I can get down Jay!"
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFF69iS1psp
"You snapped the branch!" the unwanted visitor stated.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3BqHl5uW3
"Obviously, idiot! I meant the other branch. You know, the one that’s probably three feet below me and to the left of this tree?"
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gjdSWhgrC
“Well you seem to know exactly where the branch is, so why don’t you just jump from memory?” Aaron idiotically asked.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GPb7aH3rI
“Do you want me to get myself killed? Obviously I can’t just jump from memory because there is a large chance I will miss and crack my head open!” Geez! This was starting to get me exasperated. Where was Jay when I needed him to jump in and save me? Oh right, laughing his butt off at the base of the tree.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn17DT2j8j9
“Of course I care! Why would I want you, the love of my life, dead?” Aaron said, with a concern I thought was fake. He was an actor, after all.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQFflOBfOr
“Well you didn’t seem to care when you did the same thing to my heart,” I coldly replied. “I took a leap of faith, and I completely missed, with you leaving me with a broken heart. Now Jay, could you please get me down from here?”
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8teXaF2D3
"A little to your left, get a little momentum going, than release to the front. I'll catch you there," my savior calmly directed me. I quickly obeyed his directions, wanted to get out of this uncomfortable hanging position as fast as possible. Taking a deep breath, I swung myself forward one last time before releasing the branch and flying cleanly into Jayden's arms, as I've had to do so many times before.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1YtHKi4P1
"Moved on from me already," a hurt voice sounded from the bottom of the tree, seeming to finally acknowledge Jayden’s presence.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9OI6atfrd
“Yeah, moved on from the guy that I fell so deeply in love with that it took everything I had to get out of bed in the morning knowing he wouldn’t be there for me because he ran off with some other girl after repeatedly telling me he loved me. Totally moved on,” I replied sarcastically. Aaron gave me an injured look, like he actually believed me. Rolling my eyes I added on, "Try my cousin, and would you really be that surprised? I mean, you cheated on me," with those last words, my voice started to crack.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSdXH3OGNA
"I knew you still loved me! You crying over me just proves it!" Aaron yelled up to me. "Come on El," he said a little softer. "Just come down and let me explain."
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrD4JBNVOIO
"There's nothing to explain! Just stop calling me El and leave me alone!"
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzS1l5msW7
"But I thought you liked it when I called you El. At least, that's what you told me-"
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBhAkcPs3m
"When you actually cared," I bluntly finished. "El is a nickname reserved for people who actually care about me!"
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CUoD3yZZp
"But-"
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lvGhSaWYf
"She said to leave her alone," Jayden cut him off, leaping down from the tree to stand in front of Aaron. In the dark of the night, Jay looked pretty intimidating. His black hair, dark eyes, and his 6'5 broad shouldered build made him one of the most intimidating people I know, especially in the dark.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGy3Hz8rIy2
"And what are you, her sworn protector?" Aaron mocked, pulling himself up to his full height of 6'1, Jayden still with a few inches on him.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWvJ1M1owq
"Let me think-yes, I am. Who was the one who was there for Elena when you weren't? Me! Who has known her their whole life? Me! Who sends her a text everyday just to ask how she's doing? Me! And who has sworn to both Elena and themselves that they would always be there to protect her or just be a shoulder to cry on? Me! So yes, I am her sworn protector!" Jayden defended me with such a fierce determination that I was stunned. Nobody had ever tried to protect me like that before. If it had been a boyfriend doing that for me, I would've fallen head over heels for him, but since it was just Jayden, I saw it as brotherly love. Jayden was the closest thing I had to a brother after my blood brother was…I prefer not to talk about it.
687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtTYn7YAqK
"Why don't we ask Elena herself what she thinks? If you are her sworn protector or if she would like to come down and talk to me. Oh dear god, they're making me choose, I thought somewhat sarcastically. If this had been just a few short months ago, this would’ve been one of my hardest life choices. Now this was the easiest decision I will ever have to make.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
