Aiden
The morning is early and bright, the light shines on my face as I exit the gym, my body sweaty and my muscles aching.
I need to be in best shape if I want to win the next game, a recruit is coming to watch and nothing will get in my way of getting their undivining attention, I need this.
A call coming from my phone disturbs my train of thought as the sun hits my face.
My eyes narrow as I see the caller ID to be Tess.
"Tess?" I ask confused through the phone.
We've only ever texted each other twice with the words 'hi' expressed.
"Aid-en," she says urgently her voice breaking at the word.
I stop in the middle of the car park, "what's wrong?"
"I think you know Aiden," she says distressed and my mind jumps to the conclusion of one thing.
Alyssa.
My heart drops into the pits of my stomach, "what happened?" I ask, my voice quivering.
"She-s gone," she chokes out.
"Gone? What the fuck are you talking about Tess?" My voice heightening.
"You know her Aiden, you know what I'm talking about."
I look around, my head asking someone for answers to this call that I can't understand, don't want to understand. Why is Tess calling me? Out of all people?
"No I don't," I snap, "I really don't know what your talking about."
"Alyssa, she has this border enclosed around her which you can't get into and once you your terrified!" She says with care and desperation laced through her words. "- she's sensitive Aiden, she is so strong but some things no one can fight and the demons make there way through."
I block one of my ears, "Tess I have no fucking clue what your talking about right now."
She sighs and I swear I can hear the tears clogging down her throat, "have you ever seen her come out of the bathroom crying? Or she's there but she's not there or something?"
All the interactions I've had with Alyssa flood through my memory.
When she ran out of the lecture into the bathroom.
Her disassociation when we were at her apartment.
She ran out of the bookshop.
The fight in the rink.
Another fight.
Her panic attack.
So many pieces in the puzzle that didn't add up.
"What's happening Tess?" I choke out.
"She's going back home,"
"Yes, I fucking know that, what the hell does that have to do with any of this?!" I ask impatiently.
"Everything," she breaths, "absolutely everything."
I can hear my heart beat faster by the second, "your speaking in riddles Tessa, talk please just fucking talk."
"I can't- I can't tell you it's not my place," she whispers.
"Then why call me?" I ask, "why tell me any of this?"
"Because it's you," she says pleadingly.
"What- what does that mean?" My voice full of pure confusion.
She manages a choked laugh out of pity, "fucking hell Aiden! You are so dense I swear."
"What?"
"You like her," she says and I can hear the small smile playing on her lips no matter the sadness of the topic, "you always have, haven't you?"
My eyes widen and my hands become clammy, "how do you know?" I ask.
She groans, "ugh Aiden, honey I've known from the very fucking beginning when I 'met you' in that library. It really doesn't take a genius to figure it out, you two are just fucking idiots."
"But-" I begin my legs shaking with an unknown feeling crawling up my spine, "-but she doesn't know? She doesn't remember me? Only you do,"
"Oh my god," she doesn't even try to repent her frustration and small amount of glee coming out of this conversation, "of course she fucking knows you dumb-ass, you literally tormented her all throughout elementary and middle school. I never heard the end of your shit," she sighs, "she hated you for it."
Great.
"I'm not sure she does anymore though-"
My heart rate picks up in a different direction to before.
"- every time she talks about you she has the ghost of a smile on her face, and every time she see's you-" she chuckles lightly, "- I can tell she most certainly doesn't hate you, and-" The line cuts out and I'm met with a blank screen with her profile picture.
I stare at the screen for a while before googling the nearest plane trip to new jersey.
---
Thank you so much for reading! I love grand gestures, I'm practically putting every living trope in this book
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All my love, Willow <3
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RomanceHockey player Aiden Peters used to torment Alyssa Davis all throughout middle school because he hated her, right? It's Alyssa's first year of college, a place she told herself she would have a fresh start. But what happens when she bumps into a hock...
