What It Is

Chapter 14

"No." He gritted through his teeth.

"How do you know that?" I rasped out as Aaron visibly tensed up.

"Because what I saw, wasn't your fault." He continued angrily through a darker tone of speech. "You-you were covered in blood, beaten senseless and tortured for something that you never deserved." He reasoned.

"But I was late, they just got out of hand." Glancing at the ground stating lies.

"Look at me." A tight line was over his face, his jaw set, everything was cold as his brows furrowed and became pointed while his arm gripped mine and his fingers pointed my chin to face his.

My sky eyes finally gazed up to meet his, wide and innocent. Aaron immediately softened once we regained eye contact, moving his hand to my cheek instantaneously, a comforting gesture as his body was tensed up. He sucked in a large breath, trying to contain his temper as he glanced up at me again.

"This here." Feeling over my nose cast with each of his fingers intimidating. "You didn't deserve." Breathing in my ear softly as our proximity was shortened. I groaned in pain as he touched the middle of my nose, flinching while failing to make any attempt to stop him.

"I-I didn-" Aaron cut me short by tipping my head up and running each individual finger along my cheeks and down my neck at a painstaking pace, a throaty sound emerging from my throat that made his eyes darken suddenly as my pulse quickened.

"You bled along your neck..." Trailing his fingers along a certain line along my skin. "And it pooled at your shirt." Aaron spoke into my ear with a dark tone, his voice enveloping into a whole new level.

I was trembling, my mind was exploding with conflicting thoughts as he continued. My hand held his tightly while his other hand traced over the top of my gown, my eyes trying to avoid his but failing miserably. He had an intensity to his eyes that made the world crumble around us and cease. He glared at me as I shook my head and Aaron squeezed my hand tightly. His face was kept at my ear, his minty breath caressing my skin.

"And you deserved this?" He dared tracing over my shoulder. "You deserved someone stabbing you?" Lining the side of my cast. "You deserved this kind of pain and torture?" He whispered against my ear. "You deserved someone muffling your screams so they wouldn't get convicted for abuse, tying your hands together so you couldn't fight back, beating you to a point that you needed surgery?"

He lifted up my chin and our faces were only inches away from each other, our shallow breathing against the other. Aaron was hard, no longer playing but extremely serious.

"Never, ever tell me that you deserved that, ever." He stated dead. "Ever." He spoke in a commanding voice, searing his message in my brain that gave chills. "You are strong, and you deserve a better life. You don't deserve any kind kind of physical abuse, ever."

My throat was a hollow pit, unable to speak, unable to respond to him. Aaron held his gaze to mine as I stared at him, feeling hot and overheated suddenly. He stroked my cheek again with each finger as he realized how scary he just portrayed, trying to calm my nerves that just fractured, that were bent and contorted, twisted to pulled to break.

"How did you-did you know? How did you save me?" I whispered. "The officer said that it was you?"

Aaron took a deep breath as he continued to send sparks along my skin with his touch. I felt his thumb caress my palm and his fingers glide along my cheek. My head fell into his hand as it moved along the edge of my ear and neck, each of his warm fingers swaying along the side of my face. Everything frazzled around us, it was just us alone, nothing came into play anymore.

"Cleaning you up at the shack." He began slowly. "Watching you and your movements, your reactions to certain phrases, certain questions." Aaron continued.

"And because it's easy to know those who are afraid of going back home when you dig deep enough." He whispered in a low tone in reflection.

The door whooshed open at that moment to reveal the police officer. Aaron tightened his hold on my hand sending shivers down my spine as he turned his head to face the one at the door. The officer smirked at Aaron, shaking his head.

"West." Aaron smiled sickly, interrupting our moment in his brain.

"Oh little brother, how you work your wonders." Winking at him.

"I try." Sliding his hand off my cheek and turning his body in West's direction, his hand still grasped onto mine as my cheeks flushed rosy.

My heart fluttered, my brain was mush, but I had to snap back into reality, yet it was so difficult to do. Aaron squeezed my hand gently before he broke our grasp and stood up as well to West. They both turned away from me and began to whisper thoughts with one another. I ate the rest of my pancakes and other food on the hospital tray as they murmured and pointed at me discreetly. Anxiety pooled inside of my system, but yet I was silent and glanced down the whole time.

"See you soon." Aaron spoke aloud patting West on the back.

They spun around to face me and Aaron slinked out of the hospital room, winking as he left West and I alone. I flushed and glanced down at my empty tray, waiting to hear words from the officer before me, the tension breaking and tearing me apart alone.

"We have to put you into the foster system." He stated looking up at me. "I'm sorry, but you have no family, godparents or anyone that had relations with your parents who would take you in."

I gulped and nodded my head, fear coursing through my veins. My eyes drifted up to meet West's head as I stared up at him. He stood at the end of my bed and crossed his hands over his chest, trying to explain this to me while I quaked in fear.

"Does this mean-mean that I'm going to a group home?" I gasped out. West immediately responded, trying to calm my nerves.

"No no." He quickly quipped. "In fact I have a home set up for you." Making me glance down at the ground. "It's a single mother within the same school system as Aaron and Ryan, she has two boys, but you will get your own bedroom. The oldest is in your grade and the youngest is going in sixth grade." He stated.

"When-when do I move in?" I questioned hesitantly.

"As soon as the doctor clears you from the hospital. I'll allow you a week after you get settled in your new home and then you can go to school." West informed.

My head shakily nodded as I brought my gaze up to his once again. Yet my heart was pounding at an electrifying speed as my head spin on the earth's axis. He seemed to notice my worry and spoke aloud again.

"Jenn is a good mother, she will take care of you and love having a girl in the house." He grinned.

"Okay." I replied back.

"Oh and another thing Aurora..." West spoke aloud.

"Yes."

"She will be coming to meet you today as well."

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Author's Note

The last authors note wrapped up my thoughts and everything about why I'm updating today.

Next chapter you get to meet Jenn!

Jenn and Aurora connect on many compound levels throughout the book and it will explored more :)

Thank you guys for reading and remember to vote, share, comment, and follow :)