Beside You

3 - hostile introductions

Trent played a few more songs, some of his own, as the entire town beamed with pride. He was the one who made it out of Hayfields. Became famous. He was the town's star.

Aria was determined to keep dancing, so Hudson volunteered, spinning and swinging her round the dance floor as her giggles could be heard over at our table.

Once he finished singing, he greeted people, took photos. All of that. Antonio came up behind my chair, placing his hands on my shoulders as he leaned down. "I know it's charity. But do I have to accept his money?" He asked me, making me erupt into laughter.

He sat next to me in Hudson's empty seat, handing me a drink as I gulp it down. "I still don't like him." Antonio huffs as I rest my head on his shoulder, my eyes fixed on my daughter who was having the time of her life dancing with Hudson. He really was perfect with her. Which you would not expect from him.

He was 'the player' kind of guy. The bad boy. But he had a heart of gold which he reserved for a small number of us to see. Her being one of them.

"Me neither.." I reply to my brother as Ellie and Grace return to the table, hands filled with drinks. "We figured everyone was in need of a few more." Ellie laughed which made me smile at them. "Definitely!" I laugh, picking up a new drink.

"Why do you think he came back?" Grace asked and I shrugged at her. "I have no idea. He disappeared eight years ago without a single goodbye and is now deciding to come back?"

My eyes flicker back over to the dance floor when my eyes widen. "Excuse me one moment." I hiss, standing up from my chair as I storm over. Trent approached Hudson, who was dancing with my daughter, greeting his old friend.

As I approached, frustration coursing through my veins, Trent lowered himself down to Aria's level. "And who is this princess?" He asked Aria, a smile on his face. "She yours?" He looks up at Hudson who ran his hand through his hair. "Well..." Hudson began as I stopped beside them.

"Momma, look! The singer man called me a princess! I told you I was a princess." She giggles as I scoop her up into my arms. "And the prettiest princess you are too!" I smile at her before looking coldly at a shocked Trent.

"Trent, meet Aria Romano." Hudson says awkwardly. "Your daughter?" Trent asks in shock as I rolled my eyes. His eyes flickered between me and Hudson which made me laugh bitterly. "She's not his." I butt in, making him almost relax in relief.

"I had no idea..no one told me you-"

I cut him off. "Yeah, well when you disappear for eight years and leave everyone you love behind, you tend to be out of the loop when it comes to life changes." I hiss at him, walking away from them with Aria in my hands.

Mr Rhodes walks on stage once again. "We've already tripled what we raised in TOTAL last year! So get out on that dance floor and dance the night away!"

Aria yawned, her head burying itself into my chest. "I'm all danced out momma. I don't think my feet could spin anymore!" She says dramatically which made me chuckle. "Aunt Hannah is taking your cousins home. You want to go with them? Have a sleepover?" I ask her and she sleepily nods.

After handing her over to Hannah, I give my baby a kiss on the head as they drive away. I take a moment alone, sitting on the wooden bench under the stars. The cool breeze gently colliding with my skin as I take in the large stretch of greenery and trees which surround me.

"She's beautiful.." a deep voice snaps me out of my peace. A deep voice I knew too well. "She looks exactly like you. Don't know why I didn't piece it together right away." Trent says, sitting beside me as the distant music echoed through the night air.

"What do you want, Trent?" I ask, not wanting to engage in small talks with him. He sighs, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I want to talk."

I scoff, amused at his comment. "You want to talk?" I snap, now looking at him in annoyance. "Okay. Let's talk about how you promised to spend the rest of your life with me. And then the next day, I wake up and you're gone! Let's talk about how you didn't even say goodbye. How you abandoned me. Abandoned all of us. All for the fame!" I yell at him as we sit in silence for a moment.

"You don't understand.." he sighed, making me laugh in frustration. "You're right, Trent. I don't understand."

"It wasn't easy for me to do, Gee."

I snap my head towards him. "You don't get to call me that. Not anymore." I stand up, taking a few steps away from him. "It was easy for you. Because if you held as much love for me as you claimed to have, then you wouldn't have walked away from me like you did. I couldn't imagine doing that to anyone. Not my friends, my brother, my daughter.."

"Hudson told me how you raised her alone..you should be proud. I always knew you'd be perfect as a mother. You had a good one to learn from." He said quietly, making my heart ache for a split second.

"I didn't raise her alone. I had my family. Granted, her dad wanted nothing to do with either of us, but she's never had to grow up alone. My brother and his wife, they treat her as their own. My parents see her when we fly out for holidays. They call all the time for the rest of the year. Her cousins are practically like her siblings. Grace and Ellie? They treat her like a queen. Bring breakfast every morning. Take her out on girly dates. And Hudson? He treats that girl as if it's his own daughter. I know deep down he'd give up everything just to see her smile. Those people were the friends we grew up with. They're family. You were family once. You were home to me. But clearly none of us meant as much to you as you did to us." I said bluntly as I finally turn to look at him after my long speech.

"You're still as feisty as I remember." He said with a slight smirk on his face which made me roll my eyes. "You're unbelievable!" I snap, leaving him alone outside as I storm back into the party.

I slide down into my chair again, downing the rest of my drink. "I hate him." I hiss, making everyone look at me. "What did he do?" Antonio asked, defensive over me as I sigh. "Nothing. I just..updated him on what he was missing." I hissed, earning amused looks from my friends. "Which is?.." Hudson asked curiously as I smile at everyone.

"How he made a huge mistake, because he missed out on this family."

A lot of hostility there!
What are we thinking? Will she make it easy on him? Will she forgive him anytime soon?
Maybe she will when she learns the reason why he left!