That being said, hiding behind me did absolutely nothing to keep my family from seeing her. As soon as my grandparents walked into the room, my grandma introduced herself and gave her a big hug. My whole family were huggers. It was rather annoying, but also kind of sweet.
I saw Aubry stiffen up, and I immediately remembered her awful-looking ribs. I had to get her out of that hug. I knew that Aubry was too polite to decline, and I knew that my grandma probably didn’t even give her the chance to. She was hurting, I could see it in her body language.
I quickly jumped into action and pulled Aubry out of my grams’ grasp. I knew I looked crazy, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t stand Aubry being hurt. Everyone looked at me like a lunatic for telling my grandma to let her go so abruptly.
“Sorry, she hurt herself yesterday when we were working out. She didn’t want to be rude and refuse your hug. However, I’m sure that hurt her,” I clarified before everyone could get mad at me.
Everyone’s facial expressions softened quickly, and my grandma gasped. “Oh heavens! I’m so sorry Aubry! You should have told me.”
Aubry shifted uncomfortably at the attention as my mom thankfully changed the subject. She was talking about the sleeping arrangements.
Honestly, the genuine appreciation that Aubry had on her face, even when she was informed that she was being put on the couch, was so endearing and cute. I had it bad for the girl. What was wrong with me? Still, I couldn’t help but smile at her beautiful smile.
When my mom went to answer the door and everyone else was talking amongst themselves, she asked, “Where are you sleeping, Aiden?”
I couldn’t help the genuine smile that tugged on my lips. “On the floor . . . next to the couch.”
The healthy blush that lit up her face was simply adorable and one of my favorite things that I had seen to date.
She opened her mouth to retort, but the voice of my crazy uncle Chris boomed through the whole house. ”You must be Aiden’s girlfriend!”
Before anyone else could say a single word, he wrapped Aubry up in a way too tight hug. Her gasp was in surprise, but also extreme pain.
Shit.
“No! Chris, get off!” I said, pulling Chris a bit roughly making him let her go. Uncle Chris looked at me like I was a psycho but cooperated, nonetheless.
“Dude! I’m your uncle. No need to be jealous even though I am better looking, but that’s not the point,” Chris said as Aubry basically collapsed into my arms. Chris’s amused smile quickly vanished when he saw her in distress.
There were a few tears falling down her face. I quickly turned her around in my arms to face me. Her face was red, and her chest wasn’t moving at all as more tears began to form. I ignored everyone else in that room for that moment and placed my forehead on hers letting her feel my presence.
“Aubry, breathe.” Her face was getting even more red, and I held her a bit firmer. “Look at me.” Her tear-filled green eyes quickly found mine.
“Breathe, Aub,” I ordered firmly. “Take a breath, you’ll feel better once you get over the initial hurt. I know it hurts, but you have to breathe.”
She finally took a shaky breath in and whimpered in pain. A sob broke through her lips as her chest heaved with ragged breaths. She almost writhed in pain.
I pulled her very gently into me and let her lean on me as she caught her breath. My fingers instinctively found her hair as I ran my hands through it in hopes to keep her calm. I just let her breathe while leaning on me until she was breathing normally again.
After her breathing was calmer and steadier, she peeled her head from my chest. Both of our eyes widened when we realized that everyone was watching us in curiosity and wondering at our actions. I felt like I was under a microscope.
“So . . . Aiden underexaggerated a while ago. When he said that I got hurt yesterday, what he meant was that I broke three ribs while training,” Aubry explained and feigned sheepishness.
“What?” my mom gasped.
“It wasn’t that big of a deal,” she supplied quickly. “I was sparring with someone, and I took one too many steps backwards, then I fell off the platform.”
My mom’s eyes widened at her explanation.
“It’s really not that bad!” Aubry tried to placate her. “I asked Aiden not to say anything because I don’t like people knowing when I’m weak,” she added when my mom’s heated glare turned to me. “We both just didn’t want to worry anyone. I’m fine, just sore . . . ya know, broken ribs suck.” The way she talked about it so easily was amazing. If I hadn’t known the truth for sure, even I would have believed her.
“I’m so sorry,” Chris said, immediately looking at her apologetically.
“It’s okay . . . You had no idea.”
Everyone looked at us for a while before my mom finally spoke up, “I thought you were going to tell me when things happened at the gym?” She looked directly at me with a frown. Before I had a chance to defend myself, she turned to Aubry with concerned eyes. “Do you need me to examine them? I am a nurse.”
Aubry shook her head at once. “No thanks. I went to the doctor; he said they’re healing. I just have to be careful.” She was sure to give a reassuring smile, making my mom relax a little.
Everyone looked around awkwardly for a few minutes, not knowing what to say.
“By the way,” Aubry finally spoke. “I am not his girlfriend.”
Chris snorted out a laugh and clapped me on the shoulder. “Dang, dude. You need to step up your game.”
And just like that, the awkwardness was lifted from the situation and everyone was at ease . . . including Aubry.
***
We did our normal Christmas Eve thing that night. We ate a big dinner, caught up, and told stories. We ate cookies and watched movies while drinking hot chocolate. Before long, it was past eight in the evening, and mom was telling us that it was bedtime.
She always made us go to bed early on Christmas Eve. She always said that it was because Santa wouldn’t come if we were awake, but we all knew it was because children, or Cece in that case, always tended to wake everyone up before six in the morning. She didn’t want anyone to be cranky that early in the morning.
My mom ushered everyone back into the living room with a big smile. “Okay, on Christmas Eve we all can open one gift.”
It was a long running tradition in our family to open a pair of PJs the night before and wear them to bed.
“Come here,” she said as she handed out presents to everyone.
Everyone got up and grabbed their wrapped gifts, except Aubry. Mom just handed me hers as well, and I went back to the floor by the fireplace. I smiled at Aubry who looked at me with an eyebrow raised.
“I could have sworn your mother said one gift,” she teased.
“She did.” I told her with a smile. “This one is for you.”
Her eyes widened at my words. “F-For me?” she asked, eyeing the package slowly with a look of disbelief.
I nodded and sat it in front of her.
Everyone opened their pajamas calmly with smiling faces. I watched Aubry as she slowly tore her gift open. The look of wonder on her face was so pure and loving in that moment. Her eyes widened when she saw the clothes that were waiting for her. Her PJ set consisted of polka dot green and red pants and a long sleeve bright red shirt. She smiled softly as she touched the clothes gently. She looked so genuinely happy at the gift.
“Thank you Dana! You didn’t have to,” Aubry said, clutching the fabrics in her hands.
My mom smiled warmly at the girl. “Don’t be silly!” my mom reassured her. “Okay everyone! Put the pajamas on and then off to bed! Santa won’t come if you’re awake!”
Aubry laughed at the saying. I helped her stand up as carefully as possible.
“I hope you don’t mind sleeping in here, Aubry,” Mom fretted again. Aubry instantly denied with a smile. “Aiden insisted on sleeping on the floor. However, if you’re not comfortable with that in any way, I’ll make him sleep
with me or Chris. Just say the word, Aub.”
Aubry chuckled at my mom. “Oh no, it’s okay. He’ll be fine here. He doesn’t bother me.” She then lowered voice in a stage whisper, “but don’t tell him that. He already has too big of an ego!”
My mom laughed heartily at her words, and the casual teasing joke. “Okay, but there better not be any funny business, Aiden,” my mom spoke sternly, making me roll my eyes.
When she walked away, I looked over at Aubry and chuckled at her reddened face. It was cute how awkward and shy she could be, but so fierce and honest at the same time. It was all just so purely Aubry.
We both changed into our pajamas. By the time Aubry had come back into the room, I was just getting done setting up my pallet next to the couch. It was an involuntary reaction to smile at how cute she was in her too-big PJs. I wanted to chuckle at how much they swallowed her up and how innocent they made her look.
“Ready for bed?” I asked, even though I already knew her answer. The girl was always tired. It made me worry about her, but I had to trust that she was okay. I had to trust that she’d ask for help if she needed it.
She nodded eagerly and practically jumped onto the couch, covering herself up with gusto.
I laughed at her reaction and settled into my spot.
“Goodnight Aubry . . .”
Aubry yawned and then sucked in a breath. “Aiden, thank you,” she whispered. “For all of this . . . You’re a good friend.”
I grimaced at the word ‘friend’. It mocked me. Had I really been friend-zoned?
“Goodnight,” she said sleepily as her hand grazed mine gently.
The thing was, her touches didn’t feel friendly. They felt like much more than that. I couldn’t be the only one that thought that, right?
No, that simply wouldn’t do. I had to get myself out of the friend-zone. I had never been friend-zoned before, and I surely didn’t want Aubry to be the first. I had never felt the things that Aubry made me feel before. I certainly didn’t want to lose those feelings to a simple friendship.
Aubry and I could be much, much more if we allowed it.
Was this me accepting my feelings for her?
Chapter Twenty-Four
The Best Christmas
Aubry
I was screaming, but no one was coming.
“Help me!” I kept saying, but no one was there to help me. It was just me and him.
Kill me. Kill me now.
I turned over to try and get away, but he was quicker than me. Everything was working against me. It was as if the bedsheets were swallowing me whole, trying to help him. Every time I thought I got a hand free; he’d grab it and put it over my head. The darkness was holding me hostage as my body was being manipulated by someone other than me. My salty tears were pouring into my mouth making me gag.
“I’ve been waiting so long for this, little girl!” his voice said, sending chills down my spine.
I let out a loud sob. No one could hear me anyways. I was so close to death, yet so far.
“Aubry!” a voice said from far away, yet I was still fighting with the menacing figure on top of me.
I tried to scream, but it was as if there was something inside of me stealing my breath. My heart was pounding as if it was going to beat out of my chest.
“Aubry!” the voice said again. That time, the man on top of me disappeared and my eyelids fluttered open. My breathing was ragged as I was searching for something, something familiar, something to calm me down.
Finally, my eyes met his, and I instantly felt calmer. His fingers were buried in my hair, stroking it softly as I tried to calm myself.
Was it even real?
I reached my hand out to him, and my fingers grazed his face in a whisper of a touch. I touched his messy bed hair. His forehead smoothed out his clenched eyes down his prominent nose, and finally, my fingers grazed over his soft lips. I almost reached my lips out to touch his, almost, but I caught myself before I could even if it wasn’t real. I shouldn’t let myself indulge.
“Aubry,” he said in a slightly panicked voice. That was when I finally realized that he was really there with me. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he asked while wiping the tears that were still falling.
As I thought back to the dream, my heart rate went back up, and I began getting clammy. “I-It was j-just a-a-a dream,” I said, even though I was hyperventilating wildly.
“Yes, it wasn’t real. Just go back to sleep,” he said comfortingly.
Except that was the thing. It was real.
He began to get up from his seated position on the couch, but I quickly grabbed his hand.
“W-Will you lay with me?”
The look on his face was one of shock.
“Just until I fall asleep, please?” I was desperate. I needed something to calm me, to keep me sane, to remind me that I was here. That something was Aiden; he always made me calm.
Without a single word, Aiden laid beside me on the small couch with his body facing me and mine facing his. His warm arm went around my hips hesitantly, and he pulled me flush against him ever so gently. His bright blue eyes were staring into my green ones, and he studied my teary eyes carefully.
“I’m here,” he whispered simply.
I let out a pent-up breath and buried my face in his chest. I didn’t care in that moment about what a stupid thing I was doing. I didn’t care that I was getting too close to him or that I was developing feelings for him. None of that mattered in that moment, all I knew was that he was protecting me, even if it was simply from myself.
Being wrapped up in his arms made me slowly relax. It was the most protected that I had ever felt. I knew that I could finally sleep soundly and not worry. I knew that he wouldn’t let anything happen to me.
I slowly began to drift off to sleep once again. When I was right on the brink of consciousness, I felt his soft lips on my forehead. When I snuggled deeper into his chest, I heard him whisper to me, “Sleep tight, beautiful.”
It was all the coaxing I needed, and I was quickly sound asleep.
***
“Merry Christmas!” Cece exclaimed, making me wake up with a start and jump in surprise.
The real surprise I got was when I tried to move, and there were two giant arms, restricting me from doing so. I almost screamed, completely freaked out, but I saw his face and smiled instantly.
Aiden.
His bright eyes were open as he smiled at me.
“Aiden, I thought you were sleeping on the ground?” Cece asked innocently.
Aiden groaned at her question as he extricated himself from me. I almost frowned at his warmth being gone, but I schooled my expression quickly. I sat up slowly from the couch and tried not to groan in pain.
It was still dark outside so there was no telling what time it actually was. It was before six in the morning, that was for sure.
Cece still looked up at Aiden expecting an answer from him, so I saved him.
“He was,” I answered softly. “But I got scared, so he had to protect me up here.”
“Scared? Scared of what?” Cece asked.
“I had a bad dream, but it’s okay. Your brother made it all better!” I said lightly while touching her nose playfully.
Aiden came back into the room, presumably from using the restroom and looked absolutely mouthwatering. His festive PJ shirt was tight against his abs, his hair was messy, and his bright blue eyes looked so much bluer that morning. He was a gorgeous specimen.
I instantly felt inferior next to him, and immediately rushed my way into the restroom to brush my teeth and use the restroom. I took in my looks when I looked in the mirror, and I had to laugh. My long hair was messy and tangled, my cheeks were pink and tear-stained from my cries during the night, and my eyes were bloodshot and still watery.
All in all, I looked like a complete disaster.
Who was I fooling by having feelings for the hot guy who was waiting for me in that living room? He would never want me . . . no one w
ould.
“Except dead,” the voiceless whisper went through my mind, making me take in a sharp breath. I shook my head to rid myself of the thought. It was the truth, but I didn’t want to think about it that day. I was there to celebrate. I just wanted one good day. Was that too much to ask for?
When I exited the bathroom, I stopped short in the hallway. I could hear that the whole family had woken up, and they were all in the kitchen. I wanted to go in, but I also didn’t feel like messing up family time for them. I felt like a complete outsider as they joked and laughed with each other on the beautiful Christmas morning.
“Come on!” Cece exclaimed at me when she walked into the hall that I was standing in with Aiden in tow. She was dragging him from the living room quickly, then grabbed my hand. We all entered the open floor plan kitchen right away.
“Merry Christmas!” everyone said simultaneously while smiling at me. I couldn’t help smile in return.
Aiden quickly handed me a plate with some sort of ooey gooey cinnamon toast stuff on it; it looked so delicious. I thanked him appreciatively and then joined them at the crowded breakfast table in the only chair left that they all saved for me.
“So, Aiden, how did you sleep? Was the floor okay?” Dana asked, pouring herself some coffee.
“Oh no, Aiden didn’t sleep on the floor,” Cece answered for him as he came and stood behind my chair seemingly by instinct. “He slept with Aubry on the couch last night.”
Both Aiden, and I froze at her words. After a moment, I shoveled a big bite of food into my mouth and avoided everyone’s gaze on us.
No one said a word for several moments.
“She had a bad dream!” Cece added helpfully.
I certainly wasn’t going to be the one to talk first, so I shoved more and more food in my mouth. Before long, I looked like a guilty chipmunk.
Fighting For Life Page 25
