“El. Come on El, you need to see this.” A hand shook my shoulder, trying to wake me up. I groaned in response, not ready to get up on a Sunday morning.
“Go away,” I mumbled, lazily throwing a pillow in the direction of the voice.
“I’m serious. It’s about…him. He’s on Celebrity Gossip Central right now,” Jayden said, careful not to say his name for fear I would start crying again. I wordlessly shot out of bed, running downstairs to turn on the TV. As much as I don’t care about Aaron, whatever he says could make or break him, and I was hoping to ruin his life with that video. Immediately when the TV was on, I turned to the celebrity news channel.
“-and I came here not to win her back but to apologize. She just misunderstood my intentions,” Aaron said, looking at the camera.
“Well that’s not what you said yesterday!” I yelled at the TV screen. “You little bastard! How could you practically beg for me then say it was all a misunderstanding??”
“Calm down El,” Jayden soothed me, touching my shoulder from where he stood behind me. Taking a deep breath, I turned back to the TV.
“So you’re not denying that you dated this girl?” the reporter asked.
“No, but I am saying that I never meant to hurt anyone. I didn’t think she took our relationship that seriously. I thought that she was just here for the summer, and then we would part ways when she went back to Massachusetts. When I saw the look on her face before she left, I felt like I at least owed her an apology, as she thought we were much more than a summer fling.” His words stung. Just a summer fling? If I remember correctly, he was the one who said that we shouldn’t think about me leaving because he didn’t want our joyous memories to be clouded in grief. He also said he would call every day and never forget me. All lies. The hot tears streamed silently down my face as Aaron continued to talk about how insignificant our relationship was.
“Does this mystery girl have a name?” the reporter asked Aaron.
“Not one that matters,” he easily replied. “She is just another girl, not worthy of being bugged by the press.”
“That’s it!” Jayden yelled. “Go get dressed and meet me down here in five minutes. Anyone who says you don’t matter deserves to have their life ruined, and I will gladly be the one to do it.” He was mad. Very mad. Knowing Jaydon would help me do exactly what I’ve wanted to do since I came home; I ran upstairs and came back down two minutes later looking presentable.
“Let’s go!” I shouted, running to Jay’s car. From what we could gather on the TV, Aaron was currently in the forest where we had our big fight just two days before. The car was barely parked before we leaped out of it and ran to where Aaron was standing with a very surprised Celebrity News reporter. I guess she hadn’t been expecting visitors, let alone two extremely angry ones. Aaron just looked shocked. I suppose he had thought I would be too upset to come find him, if I could find him. He seems to forget just how strong a person I am, and that I know this town like the back of my hand.
“So I’m just another girl not worthy of being bugged by the press?” I demanded, stalking over to where Aaron stood. “Is that really what you think of me?”
“Ladies and gentlemen, it appears that the girl Aaron described as ‘a summer fling’ has just appeared. Are we about to see yet another Aaron Cage smack down?” the reporter narrated, keeping the viewers up to date. “Would you care to give us your name? And maybe the name of this handsome young fellow with you?” she requested, gesturing to Jayden, who was standing just as angry next to me.
“My name is Elena Stone and this is my cousin Jayden,” I clearly stated, not moving my glare from Aaron, who was beginning to look uncomfortable. “I was watching Celebrity News this morning when I heard Aaron say something about me being a summer fling. I wonder…do you tell all your flings that you love them? Have you told any of them you hope they will one day be your wife? Or is this all a little game you play? Who falls first and who falls the hardest.”
“I-I-“ Aaron stuttered, trying to come up with a logical response to my accusations.
“It looks to me like this was a little more than just a fling,” the reporter commented, enjoying the gossip that would undoubtedly get her a raise.
“Trust me, it was,” Jayden cut in. “I only saw them together from a distance, and I only met Aaron through the quarrel these two had in this forest, but there was never any doubt in my mind that these two were in love.” Aaron blushed a little, but it soon went away and his expression shifted into a glare.
“I told you, I never loved her,” Aaron spat, directing his glare at me. “Especially after this little stunt she just pulled.” A sudden realization dawned on me. Not once has Aaron said my name to the reporter, not even after I introduced myself.
“Say my name,” I quickly said.
“What?” Aaron asked. Everyone looked at me curiously.
“Say my name,” I repeated.
“But why?” he asked, looking slightly nervous.
“Just do it,” I replied, rolling my eyes at his reluctance.
“Okay, El. There. I said it.”
“My full name,” I demanded, my strength fading. “Then I’ll know-“ my voice began to tremble. Regaining my composer, I continued, “Then I’ll know if you ever loved me.” Aaron grimaced, not seeming to be comfortable with doing this on live television. It was silent all around us. Whatever conversation may have been taking place ended when I made my simple request. “Please,” I whispered. “If nothing happens, I’ll leave you alone forever. If either one of us feels something, at least I’ll know we had something.”
Everyone turned to Aaron, anticipating his response. “El-Elena Grace Stone,” Aaron stated, his voice slightly shaking. It was barely noticeable, but it was enough. “Now please leave so I can get back to proving my innocence to the world, and so I can get back to my job, which does not include you.”
“Thank you for your time,” I whispered to the reporter, tears glistening in my eyes. I couldn’t believe he could be so cruel. I know he felt the same thing I did, and now he was kicking me out of his life. Turning back to Aaron I said, “I’m done with you. You think you’re Mr. Perfect with all your fans who think you are the best thing to happen to this world. I’m just here to tell them that they are so wrong. The truth is you’re a lying, cheating, no good dirty little man who would gladly make a fool of an innocent nobody. I’m sorry I ever loved you.” For the second time this week I had just told Aaron the same thing I had said before leaving him for what I had hoped would be forever. The difference was that this time, both of us knew this was happening for real. My voice was scarily calm, and both of us felt the finality of my words. Grabbing Jayden’s hand, I walked back towards the car.
“Elena!” Aaron called behind me. “Elena please, I can’t do this again!” I ignored him and kept walking. He had the nerve to practically tell the world I meant absolutely nothing to him, and yet here he was, chasing after me yet again. “Elena, please! You know how I feel!” He was beginning to sound desperate. Not like I care, I thought. Let him make a fool of himself begging for my forgiveness. I’m done with him. “Elena I-“ his voice broke. “I can’t live without you.”
“Then you should have thought of that before,” I stated with a cold finality, not turning around for fear I would go running back into his arms.
“Elena-“ he started, but was stopped when the impossible happened. The great Aaron Cage fell to his knees sobbing, ruined by a broken heart.
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