Black Rose

Chapter 6: The Proposal

Author's Pov

Aiden sat alone in his room, pacing back and forth, his mind racing. He couldn't get her out of his head—couldn't stop thinking about the vulnerability he saw in her.

Why do I even care about her? She's not worth it. Oh God, why can't I just get her out of my head? She doesn't need my help anyways.

He groaned in frustration. What was I even thinking?

Aiden shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to shake the thoughts from his mind.

Damn it, get her out of your system, she ain't worth it.

Aiden pulled up the latest video from Black Rosé, hoping it would help distract him. He watched, letting the rhythm and energy of the dance wash over him. As expected, his mood lightened, the music pulling him away from the frustration that had been gnawing at him.

But just as he started to relax, his phone rang. He rolled his eyes when he saw who was calling.

What do you want, man? he thought as he answered.

"What's up with you?" Kyle's voice came through the phone, already laced with his usual teasing. "You're answering with all the warmth of a brick wall."

Aiden groaned. "What do you want, Kyle? Miss me already?"

"Miss you? In your dreams, man. Seriously though, why the hell did you leave like that?" Kyle's voice shifted, sounding more concerned than playful.

Aiden sighed. Should've known he'd call about this. "I should've known you'd call me out. Why don't you ask your friend? Isn't she there with you?"

"She is, but she didn't say anything. I wouldn't have called if she had. So, what's up with all the drama?" Kyle's voice softened, clearly looking for an answer.

Aiden felt the irritation creeping back in. "Damn, you really like playing mediator, huh? Fine. If she didn't say anything, then it's not worth talking about. Let's just leave it."

Kyle sighed on the other end of the line, the sound carrying a mix of frustration and concern. "I get it, but I've known you long enough to tell when something's wrong. I see it in both of you. Neither of you is okay. She's pretending, but I can see through her. You guys have got to work through this. I don't care if you fight, but don't leave it hanging. What's going on with you?"

Aiden paused, his frustration building as he tried to sort through the mess in his mind. "Fine, you want to know? I just... I was trying to help her. I asked what was bothering her. I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to do something after she fainted. I felt guilty, I kept thinking about the things I've said to her. I felt like I made her pain worse. But honestly, I don't hate her. We just clash a lot. And yeah, sometimes I enjoy it, but I care, okay? I tried to talk to her, but she just—"

"Let me guess," Kyle interrupted. "She didn't take too kindly to it, huh?"

Aiden's voice hardened. "No. She blew up at me, called me out on all the shit I've done. Said I was just some guy who plays with girls' hearts. It's not that simple. I'm not a monster. But she... she doesn't get it. She doesn't even try to understand me. All I did was try to help, and all I got was insults."

Kyle was quiet for a beat, processing Aiden's words. Finally, he spoke, his tone softening. "I'm surprised to hear you care about her. I thought you'd just brush it off, you know? But you really did try to help her. And I'm sorry she said those things to you. She's not good at opening up. Hell, it took me forever to get her to talk about the shit she's dealing with. She's tough to crack, man. It's not easy."