My Protector

Too Much, Too Soon

"Alright, you should be good to go."

I smiled gratefully at Aydan as he put the gas pitcher back into his car's trunk.

"Thank you so much. I'm sorry about my.. well.. bitchy attitude before."

I looked away, somewhat embarrassed of the way I was acting. At the same time, I didn't regret anything I said because I was only trying to protect him.

I heard him laugh and my eyes wandered back to him, watching in awe as his hazel eyes sparkled and his dazzling teeth glittered. I couldn't even shift my eyes away, he was such a sight to look at. Something about him was just so intriguing.. almost mysterious. At the same time though, he seemed like the sort of person that was an open book. It's hard to explain..

"Don't apologize. I don't blame you after everything that happened."

He gave me a genuine smile, one that had me almost falling to my knees, and slammed his trunk closed.

"Right, well I guess we should be on our way."

Snapping out of my daze, I slowly nodded in agreement at his comment. Honestly, I'm going to be selfish and tell you I didn't really want to leave. I was afraid of what would happen if I left this alley. My life hadn't been easy, but I have a feeling it's going to get a whole lot harder after this.

"Alright, I'll see you around Avalon." He gave me a small smile along with a nod and got into his car. Panic rose inside me, for reasons unknown. I didn't want him to leave. I was afraid to let him leave, and damn that freaked me out. I didn't; know what it was. The fact that I was afraid of being alone, or the fact that I wanted him to stay here with me. Either way, they were both unacceptable on my part. I shouldn't be thinking like this. Not when I just met Aydan.

"Wait!" I yelled out, jogging to his car before I even realized what I was doing. I actually jogged to his car, like some crazy fool in those cheesy movies with the slow motion and the sad music in the back ground. Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic Avalon.

 He put the window down and gave me a questioning look, his eyes sparkling and his lips tugging up at the corners, almost as if amused.

I looked down, completely embarrassed. You want to know what else?

I blushed. Me, Avalon Damani, blushed because of this man. I haven't had heat rise to my cheeks in a long time, and now look at me. All he had to do was give me that damn look and I was already falling to my knees like a girl out of some romantic novel.

"I-I'm sorry.. It's just.." I stumbled on my words, trying to think if an excuse as to why I didn't want him to leave. Any excuse right about now would do, but of course I blanked.

The real reason? He kept me from being alone. Right now, I'm scared of being alone, because I know that fear will creep into my stomach and that stupid scene of the man stomping towards me will replay itself again and again in my mind. I refuse to admit that though, not to anyone. This fear is a weakness, and when people know your weaknesses, they use them to their advantage. I learned that the hard way.

"You're scared."

I looked down, letting my hair fall and cover my face to hide from his knowing stare. It wasn't a question, it was more an observation. He saw it.  I felt my eyes moisten, tears slowly forming in my green irises. I tried to force the tears down, to cover them from his sight. I hated this feeling. I hated being scared. I hated being weak in front of other people. I felt like Aydan could help me though.. like he could be there for me.

"Look at you, you're already depending on Aydan."

That voice in my head snapped me back to reality.