Aiden's World

Part Three: Love and Hate

FADE IN.

INT. FOOD COURT - MORNING

The light from the sunrise seeps through the tent fabric and awakens VALERY, her eyes opening slow. She takes a deep breath before sitting up and noticing the empty sleeping bag next to hers.

AIDEN (IM)
I can't remember the last time I've had a crush on anyone.

She stretches before hearing a crackling sound from outside her tent. She slips out of the sleeping bag and exits the tent.

AIDEN
I don't want to rush anything, but I think I like this girl.

AIDEN, sits at a small campfire, a pot sitting in the flames. He stokes at the fire and stirs the pit occasionally. It steams and obviously smells amazing.

VALERY
Good morning.

AIDEN
Morning. How'd you sleep?

She winced at her arm as she raises it to stand up.

VALERY
I slept okay. Kept waking up to my arm hurting.

Aiden ruffles through his bag and pulls out a small white tube and a piece of fabric. He walks over to her, kneeling down beside her.

AIDEN
Here, some antibiotics and this:

He unfolds a change of clothes and hands her the tube of medicine.

AIDEN
I rummaged around the mall this morning. Thought you'd want to change out the blood and guts. Also, the medicine should help.

Valery takes the medicine and unwraps her arm, applying it and rewrapping it.

VALERY
Thank you, Aiden.

AIDEN
And food will be ready soon. Go ahead and change.

She crawls back into the tent as Aiden goes back to stirring his breakfast in the pot.

AIDEN
All my time alone, I can't tell if I genuinely like her or if it's simply because there's someone here.

She crawls out a few minutes later in clean clothes and Aiden has a bowl of steaming stew ready for her. She sits down next to him and begins eating it.

VALERY
It's pretty good.

AIDEN
I've been doing this for a long time, I've got pretty good with the whole cooking with just canned food thing.

They sit for a moment, simply eating together in silence, until...

AIDEN
Oh, hey I forgot.

He pulls out a metal chain from his pocket and hands it to Valery.

It's a necklace.

VALERY
What's this for?

AIDEN
It's from that store you were looking at yesterday before... well ya know. I just thought you'd want to keep it to remember your childhood.

She puts it around her neck, looking at the dainty pearl charm on the gold chain.

VALERY
Thank you, Aiden.

He smiles before going back to his bowl of food.

She sits silently, still looking at her necklace.

VALERY
Do you think it's still possible to love?

AIDEN
What do you mean?

VALERY
In this world, do you think it's possible?

AIDEN
I think so. Might be hard, but it's possible.