Ink & Intrigue -jaden hossler

Chapter Eighteen: The Space Between Us

Londen's POV

It had been a few weeks since Jaden had come into my studio, his presence a mixture of familiar comfort and painful uncertainty. We hadn’t spoken much since that day. He kept his distance as I asked, giving me the space I desperately needed. But even in the quiet moments, I could feel the weight of his absence—and mine in his life.

I had been working on a series of new tattoos, focusing on designs that expressed strength and resilience. It helped to distract me, to pour my emotions into my art. There was something deeply cathartic about it. Each line I inked, every design I perfected, felt like it was slowly stitching together the parts of me that had been torn apart by Jaden.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t escape the question that kept haunting me: What happens now?

---

It was one of those long, quiet days at the studio when I finally decided to reach out. The weight of the silence between me and Jaden had become unbearable, and I was tired of pretending like it didn’t affect me.

I grabbed my phone, my fingers trembling slightly as I opened the messaging app. I stared at the screen for a long time, wondering if I should even send the message. Was I ready for what might come next?

After a few moments, I finally typed:

Hey, I was thinking... maybe we could talk?

I hit send before I could second-guess myself. Immediately, I regretted it. My heart thudded in my chest as I stared at the message, waiting for his reply. What if this wasn’t the right time? What if he wasn’t ready?

But then, my phone buzzed.

I’d like that. Can I come by the studio tomorrow?

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I typed back quickly: Sure. Tomorrow works.

And just like that, we agreed.

---

The next day felt like it took forever to arrive. I kept busy at the studio, finishing up a couple of smaller designs for clients, but my mind was constantly on the meeting with Jaden. What would we talk about? Would he have answers to the questions that had been swirling in my head?

When he finally showed up, the doorbell chimed, and I looked up to see him standing in the doorway. He was wearing a black hoodie and jeans, his usual laid-back style. His eyes locked with mine, and for a moment, it felt like we were back to where we had started—before the distance, before the hurt.

But this time, it felt different. There was a new tension between us, like we both knew something had shifted but didn’t know how to address it.

“Hey,” he said softly, walking in. His voice was tentative, almost like he was trying to gauge how I was feeling. “I’m glad you texted.”

“Yeah,” I replied, giving him a small, uncertain smile. “Me too.”

We stood there for a moment, the silence stretching between us. It wasn’t the awkward kind of silence, though. It was a quiet understanding—like we both knew there were things that needed to be said but didn’t know where to start.

Finally, I broke the silence. “How have you been?” The question felt almost too simple, but it was the best I could come up with.

Jaden shrugged, his eyes flickering away from mine for a moment before meeting my gaze again. “I’ve been... thinking. A lot. About us. About everything.”

I nodded, feeling the same way. “Yeah, me too.”

He stepped closer, his hands shoved in his pockets. “I’m sorry, Londen. I know I messed up. I should’ve never pulled away like I did. I don’t expect you to forgive me right away, but I just... I wanted you to know that I see it now. I see how much I hurt you, and it kills me.”

I felt the familiar sting in my chest, the ache of old wounds reopening. But this time, it didn’t hurt quite as much. It was still there, but it wasn’t as sharp as before. I had processed so much in the past few weeks, and I was no longer that girl who depended on Jaden for validation.

“I know you’re sorry,” I said quietly, but firmly. “And I know it wasn’t easy for you either. But I can’t just let things go without understanding what happened, Jaden. I need more than just apologies. I need to know if you’re truly ready for this. For us. Because I’m not going to keep putting myself in a situation where I’m not sure where I stand.”

Jaden’s eyes softened, and I could see the regret written across his face. “I get it. I do. And I’m not asking for you to just trust me again in an instant. But I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it right. I just need the chance.”

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words sitting heavily in my chest. “I need to figure out if I can give you that chance. If I’m ready to open up to you again.”

There was a long pause as Jaden processed my words. He didn’t look frustrated or upset, just... resigned. Like he knew that the ball was in my court now.

“Take all the time you need, Londen,” he said, his voice low. “I’ll be here. Whenever you’re ready.”

---

Later that evening, after Jaden had left, I sat in the silence of my studio, letting everything he had said sink in. Part of me wanted to run back into his arms, to tell him that I had missed him and that we could pick up where we left off. But another part of me, the part that had learned to stand on my own, was more cautious. I didn’t want to be swept up in something that wasn’t solid, something that might fall apart again.

I had learned to trust myself in ways I hadn’t before. I had learned that I was enough on my own, even without Jaden. But did that mean I was ready to let him back into my life?

I didn’t have the answers yet. But I was getting closer to finding them.

And for now, that was enough.