Then There Was You

Chapter 17: Brently?

"SERIOUSLY XAV! I. AM. FINE." Ari said for the tenth time It's been a week now and the event was tomorrow. She wanted to go home and have enough time to get settled. "Alright fine I believe you. I just wanted to be sure." "You told me to only stay with you for two days that was six days ago. As nice as this has been. I need to go home. I need to get into my own clothes. I need a different bra Xav. Let alone different underwear I don't have to keep rewashing the same pair. It's time Xavier. I could have solved this problem if you would have let me go home or let Chloe bring me a bag from my house." She told him gathering what little she had brought. "You sure?" He teased her. "I thank you for all you have done and I will see you tomorrow. Call your mama." She said walking out to her car before he could follow her out she stopped him with a warning with her finger. "See you tomorrow." He waved, smiled and nodded.

The drive to her house was quick and easy. Taking an uber. Finally showering in her own shower changing into her own clothes. She fell on her couch and started to let the week set in. Not only did she have to talk to her own parents every day since the mountain thing but also the video chats from Xaviers. It was actually kind of nice seeing how many people showed love and care. She noticed the flowers and other things delivered to her door waiting for her when she got here. Some from friends and some from Vincent. Co-workers sending their thoughts. Her heart swelled as she sent everyone thank you texts and put her phone down before her shower.

Looking around she finally heard it. It was strange now. It didn't set the same now as she was listening to it. The loud sound of silence all around her. The sound of actually being alone. Normally she never felt alone when she was alone but now as she was drowning in the silence she noticed just how loud it actually was. Her heart started to flutter. Looking at Brently's picture smiling at the camera as he hung on to her closely. "How did it get like this so quickly Brent? Do you think maybe I'm going crazy? You are the only one between the two of us that probably ever thought I get this far. Maybe not with this type of partner but still." She said putting down the frame.

Hearing her phone go off she looked down. Smiling to herself. 'What are you doing?' 'Did you get settled in ok?' 'Do you need any help?' 'Did you eat?' 'It's so quiet here now. It sucks. I miss you.' Smiling to herself. Looking after the text after text. 'I got to say Mr. Holden never took you for the clingy type. Lol j/k. I thought for sure you would be catching up on all that work you missed out on while caring for me. I would like to take you out and treat you to a nice date to thank you for all you have done. Really Xavier thank you.' Thinking about it she decided to send another text. 'You're right though the silence is a little deafening. I never knew silence could be so loud.'

It didn't take long for her to get a response back. 'It feels a bit sad to me. I never noticed how sad it was around here. By myself. All alone. I've always been perfectly fine on my own. I was never lonely being alone. You spoiled me with your presence now see this. I blame you. You got me used to you being around.' Shaking her head looking at the phone laying in her bed. 'So you blaming me now? What exactly did I do?' While stretching out to get comfortable. 'You made me catch feelings. Now I can't stand being alone. I think of you more then I should admit. I can be working and randomly wonder what you're doing if you eaten yet?'

Aria was staring at her phone lost in the words she was reading just re-reading them when the phone started ringing. "Hello." "Did I scare you?" Xavier asked her in a soft voice. "You stopped responding. Was I. Was that too much?" "No. no it was fine. I'm sorry. I wasn't avoiding you or anything. I was just taking what you said in. No one ever said anything like that to me before." She told him in a shaky voice. "You was living with someone for three years and never had anyone tell you something like that before. Well damn baby girl I apologize on the men species for being dumb as hell. But I mean what I said. I love having you around me and my home. I hate the emptiness you leave behind though. It's practically paralyzing." She could feel the loneliness in his tone almost as if he could hers.