The Life Of Aaron Prescott

[37] I'm Sorry

The Life Of Aaron Prescott
Journal Entry Thirty-Seven; August 31st

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

A A R O N

My head aches as I rise my head from the warm pillow. The room spins, the cream walls fade into each other with hints of grey and spots of black. Where am I?

I look down at my arm to find a bandage placed over my arm. Plate, Walter. My mind feels fuzzy. I reach up towards my forehead and touch two fingers to yet another bandage before moving them towards my swollen eye.

"You're awake."

Turning my head before -slowly so I don't get sick- I see Lindsey walk in with a smile, glass of water and two Tylenol. She places the glass and pills onto the bed side table. "For you're head and wounds."

I nod, taking the pills and placing them on my dry tongue before quickly swallowing them down with the cold water. With a relived sigh, I gently put the glass back onto the table and look back over at Lindsey. She's dressed in her usual sweats with her hair pinned back and light bags underneath her eyes. She must have not slept last night.

"Are you okay, you look like you haven't slept?" I ask, taking my hand and swiping loose strands of hair away from her face.

Lindsey shakes my hand a away. "You don't need to worry about that." She dismisses me. "I should be asking if you are okay, Aaron. Jesus, you looked awful yesterday. You do look awful."

Lindsey's hands reach out and trace against my bandage. I laugh looking down at my arm then back at her. "Thanks." Then I realise she said she saw me yesterday and my mind blanks, I don't remember seeing her yesterday. "Wait, what do you mean I looked awful yesterday. Was I here?" Did I really get drunk at Lindsey's?

Lindsey's face turns worried in seconds. "You don't remember?"

I shake my head. "I barley remember yesterday, everything's blurry."

Lindsey sighs, taking a seat next to me on the bed. "You never answered me all day," she starts. "I had this feeling, something was off I knew it and Rose asked if I had talked to you. I knew you would text me if something came up or you would charge your phone and wait for it to come on before texting me. So I-" Lindsey sends me a shy smile. "Please don't get mad."

I raise an eyebrow. "I won't get mad."

Lindsey pauses, even with my reassurance. "I went to your house-"

"You did what?"

Lindsey side eyes me with her head down. Sighing, I rub a tired hand down my face. "Sorry, I'm just... shocked I guess. I didn't think you knew where I lived."

"You mentioned it once," Lindsey shrugs. "I just have good memory."

When I realise that Walter could have been home, I turn frantic, my hands on Lindsey and checking her for bruises. "Was he there, did he hurt you?"

Lindsey hands lock around my wrists. "Hey, hey It's okay, I'm okay," she assures. "No, he never hurt me. I saw the cracked knuckles and already knew what he did to you. The beach came to mind instantly since you said it's the place you get away so I drove there." Lindsey's grip loosens on me. "You were wasted and had blood on you so I took you here after some convincing."

My breathe catches in my throat. "Did I hurt you?" I sound weak, vulnerable and hurt all at the same time. The thought of me ever laying a hand on her makes me sick, makes me think that I could be like Walter.

Lindsey looks alarmed and confused. "No, God no, Aaron." Both her hands slowly raise to my face. "Listen to me, you are not like him-" I sigh, but Lindsey doesn't let me speak.

"No, I'm talking here. You are not like Walter, Aaron and you never will be because unlike him you understand that this is wrong and what it can do to a person." She points her index finger in my face. "You are an amazing person and you always have been, you have friends that think the world of you, you dropped everything to come help me with my family problems because you are amazing and the best boyfriend I could ask for."

"I need you to know that, okay? Please know you are so much better than that insult of a man. Please know that I'm so proud of you for being so strong. Please know Ryan, Mason, Jordan even Rose all enjoy hanging out with you. Please know your team members look up to you. Know that you," Lindsey's voice breaks as her finger digs in my chest. "You, Aaron Prescott deserve so much fucking better than this."

I'm speechless when Lindsey's done, a solemn tear running down her face that she quickly wipes away. What did I ever do to deserve this girl? I feel tears fall down my face, I've never gotten a better speech from anyone in my life.

I wrap my arms tightly around her as I pull her in for a hug. "Thank you, querida. God, I don't deserve you but I'm happy that I got you."

Lindsey crawls into my side as I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her towards me. I press a kiss to her lips, to her forehead and to her cheek. "I'm sorry for scaring you."

"It's okay," Lindsey sighs. "But don't thank me for this, this is the bare minimum. And you do deserve me Aaron. We both deserve each other because we both made it."

With a small hum, I fall asleep in Lindsey's guest bedroom with her hands wrapped around my waist and the sound of the TV turning on fading into the background.