Entwined fire | #Wattys2016

I lost my everything.

The drive was silent back to Aaron's house and I didn't miss the unmistabkeable white knuckled clutch he had on the steering wheel. I kept quiet as I got out and followed him into the house. I made my way to his kitchen knowing this would be where we had our showdown..

Or shouting match.

He tossed his keys onto the side and gestured for me to sit down, I took a seat as he remained standing.

"Want to tell me what the hell you are playing at?" He asked.

"I don't know what you mean..."

"Don't make me spell it out to you Ria.. The doctors, leaving and Zak?! I think we have plenty to talk about. Don't you?" He asked.

I lowered my head at the tone of his voice, I guess he was right.

"Where do you want me to start? Actually. I'll start from yesterday the other day... Did you know Zak was using me?" I asked folding my arms.

"No. You two had an arrangement but I had no idea it was for me to keep my head in the game for lockdowns."

"I heard you both talking in the kitchen, at his house the other day. I know how the conversation went."

"Then you'll understand why I'm more confused then ever to see you two together in his house! You put his cell phone in the fish tank and now you're wearing his clothes with love bites on your neck?!"

"Well... After I left his house I decided to go home. To England."

"Home is in Vegas." He snapped.

"Is it? For you it may be but home is where your family is."

"I'm your family as well Ria. I told you mom I would look after you. Hell I even promised your dad I would keep those jackasses away after he finally accepted I wasn't trying to get into your panties."

My dad was determined that Aaron and myself would walk into the sunset together... Despite myself and aaron telling him numerous times that we weren't that type of friends.

"Yes, yes you are my family Aaron. You are right. But you are not my dad, I'm an adult I know how things work, I know about sex and I know about ba-"

"Don't tell me you're pregnant now?" He asked making my eyes widen.

"No! I have the implant in my arm. You went with me?! Remember?"

"Well I don't know half the shit you get up to these days, you could have had it removed."

"I don't want a baby. And certainly not one with Zak." I replied.

"So he met you at the airport.." He pushed for me to carry on.

"No, he showed up. Met implies that I knew he was coming but I had no idea.. I didn't expect anyone to be there because I never told anyone."

"No, just used my stuff to get you to where you needed to be." He muttered.

"You're going to begrudge me of paper and printer ink now? After all the stuff I do to help you? Aaron I've been at your house for 13 hours before helping you sort tax forms and also help you pack big steppin' orders. I think I should be allowed a little paper and ink."

"I'm not saying you cant use it! I'm saying that you used me as your escape plan and you weren't even going to tell me goodbye.. To my face?!"

"I was coming back!" I answered a little louder.

God... I'm clearly never allowed a holiday.

"Zak made me miss my flight, and then he swapped our passports, after some arguing we went to Lake Mead, he was taking me back to the airport but wanted to swap cars. So we went to his house."

"Right." Aaron answered keeping up.

"He explained how he felt and well.. I feel the same too."

"What? What do you feel? Because we're talking about the man who used to make you so angry you would storm in my house close to tears some days. The man who used to make your skin crawl. The man! The man who scarred your face!"

I glared at him "That was low... Even for you."

"It's low but true... God you don't know how much I regret doing it. Every time I see your cheek I regret it. You smile and laugh but it's still there. Something I caused."

"Oh Aaron you didn't throw the bottle." I answered.

"No he did and you end up in bed with him?!"

"I have forgiven him! I made him angry, I pushed him to that level of anger." I replied.

"And when you two argue... Is that the excuse you'll use when he lashes out?"

"He doesn't hit women Aaron. You know that."

He nodded "I do, and I trust him with my life. But I don't trust him with yours."

"What's so different between me and you?"

"Besides the obvious? Uh height? Strength? The fact that he could throw a punch and I could take it? He would break your neck!"

"He wouldn't intentionally hurt me."

"But unintentionally is okay right?" Aaron asked.

I sat back and sighed shaking my head, I wasn't getting anywhere with him on this subject.

"What are you so afraid of here?" I asked him.

"That you'll get hurt and I'll lose my best friend." He answered.

"You work with Zak. You won't lose him." I scoffed.

"I meant you!"

"Oh." I mumbled.

"Yeah. Oh," He repeated. "Explain to me what is going to happen when this fuckbuddy session comes to an end?"

"Then we will go back to how it was before."

"What? Tearing strips off eachother, me having to physically split myself in half to keep you both happy?" Aaron asked.

I rubbed my face annoyed, "Aaron I didn't plan on falling for him okay? It just kinda happened. I don't even know what I feel is love right now! All I know is that I don't want him to be with anyone else, I-"

"He doesn't do relationships Ria! He's just using you for sex right now and you are falling for it!"

"I'm not an idiot!" I fired back standing up to defend myself. A simple move like standing up made me feel a little more powerful.

"No you're just easy!" He shouted.

I slapped him across the face before letting out a cry and grabbing his hands. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" I apologised prefusely as he pulled his hands away.

"Aar- Aaron no don't push me away."

"Get out."

"Aaron pleas-"

"Go Maria.. Now." He spoke calmly making me pull my hands away and cover my mouth to hold back my cry that was building in my throat. He meant every word to use my full name...

"I'm sorry Aaron I didn't mea-"

"Go."

I nodded and scurried out his house, he slammed the front door behind me leaving me to sit on his doorstep and cry until my heart was content. I lost my best friend, my little big nerd, my older brother and my soul mate.

A soul mate wasn't someone you had to be romantically connected to. A soul mate is someone who loves you for you. You change to be a better person than before, because they inspire you. A soulmate is someone who knows you better than yourself.

And I just lost mine.