More Than Meets the Eye

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Addison's Point of View

"I'm telling you- I'm fine" I say to Aubrey, exasperated. She had be waiting on me hand and foot since my release from the hospital. I was only kept for a day so they could monitor me, and despite being a little banged up, I felt fine. I had a concussion, just like Freddie had told me. But as far as how it happened? I was still clueless.

"And I'm telling you, I want someone here to look after you. Just in case" she tells me sternly. I had to take the next couple weeks off work, which I felt was overkill. Everybody was worrying about me for what I felt like was no reason; but none of them saw it that way, of course.

"Fine. So who's on babysitter watch today while you're at work, then?" I ask, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. She had been off the last few days and refused to go anywhere; Morgan didn't even come around, which I found odd. They did just come back from a road trip the other day, which made me really believe he would be around.

"Well, it was going to be Freddie but-"

"Buuut?" I don't let her finish her sentence. Not going to lie, I'm bummed it was going to be him but now wasn't.

"But he got tied up with something. So Auston is coming" she looks at me strangely. Well, having Auston around for the day wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

"Cool" I say, shrugging. I get up from the couch, and begin to pace the living room. "Are we confined to this apartment or...?" I wonder aloud, turning back to face her.

"I know I'm being overprotective here, but please, just get where I'm coming from" she pleads, and I know the answer.

"Fine. But only because I love you" I grumble, and she lets a smile overtake her face for the first time. It's not I realize there has to be something going on with her and Morgan. "What's up with you, anyway?" I ask, cocking my head to the side. In all the kerfuffle with my accident, I haven't had the chance to see how she's doing.

"Oh- fine" she mutters, and I know she's lying instantly. "Ok, fine, not fine" she adds, exasperated. She takes a seat at the kitchen table and I take the spot across the table from her, waiting for her to explain.

"Is everything okay with you and Mo?" I ask her when she doesn't offer any additional information.

"Not really, no" she finally says, and I'm fully surprised at this. I know she keeps a lot to herself, but I thought for sure she would tell me if something was up. Maybe I was so caught up in the drama of my own love life, I didn't stop to think about hers.

"What's going on?" I ask, the guilt overtaking me.

"Just a little argument, nothing huge" she tries to brush it off as nothing, but her body language tells me otherwise.

"I don't think you realize I can read you better than that" I muse. "It was obviously something, otherwise you wouldn't be taking this so hard" I gesture to her facial expression. She sighs, feeling annoyed though I can tell she's happy to be talking about it.

"I forget that sometimes" she mutters, before looking down at her hands. "I told him I loved him the other night"

Her confession stuns me. At first I think awh, that's so cute! I'm so happy! But then I remember she's upset. He didn't say it back. She knows I draw that conclusion, so she presses on.

"It slipped out, but I meant it. We talked about it, and he just didn't say it back" she tells me the short version.

"Did he say why?" I ask, confused.

"Just that he wasn't ready. I didn't take that well, so we fought. I know if he's not ready I can't pressure him, but he doesn't understand why it hurt me so bad" her voice cracks at the end of her sentence, and I can tell she's on the verge of tears. I can't hug her from this position so I grab her hand from across the table, just holding it tightly, letting her know I'm here for her.