These Lights

Sixteen: Ein

"Hey..." His smirk faded when he saw me, replaced with a shy smile, I was in shock, but that quickly subsided into anger.

"Why the hell are you here?" I was shaking, I had to hold myself back not to lunge at him, I heard Aaron growl next to me, I didn't even realize he was there.

"I know your still mad at me! Please, just let me explain I-" I lost it, this was not happening, not now, he broke my heart and years later he expects me to forgive him?

"Explain? Explain!? You don't have to explain anything to me! I already get it! You took a girl into our bed and had your way with her. It's been years! Years! And you decide to come back now! When I've moved on?!" I had tears in my eyes and I was yelling blindly at him at this point, I felt Aaron's strong hand on my shoulder, he pushed me behind him protectively.

"Why are you here? Your presence is unwelcome." His voice was low and business-like, Ein didn't look phased, but he did step back from the door.

"Who are you? Why are you in Aph's apartment?" Aaron didn't have his bandana on, but his eyes shut for a moment, and he extended a hand to me.

"Her Boyfriend. And this is my apartment." Ein's face fell, and then twisted into one of frustration.

"Boyfriend? I'm her boyfriend!" I laughed out loud, pushing past Aaron and raising my voice again.

"You stopped being my boyfriend when I left!" Aaron grabbed me forcefully, but not roughly, and pushed me back from him, I still wanted kill him, but I sat down at the counter and looked away so I didn't have to see him.

"Pal, Buddy, I don't appreciate you here, and neither does she, if you care about her at all, you'd leave." Aaron was not making eye contact with him, in fact he was flexing his fingers and actively avoiding Ein's eyes.

"I gave you space! That's what you said you wanted! I broke off ties I even stopped drinking." He kept directing his words at me, He knew that if he addressed Aaron he'd likely get sent to the hospital.

"Have you gotten a job?" I asked him calmly, and immediately I saw his demeanor change entirely.

"Yeah..."

I raised my eyebrow, unconvinced.

"I don't care, I've moved on. And you should move on. Get out." Irene I was so angry, I was seeing red.

"Wha- Babe." I glared at him and jumping from my feet a grabbed the edge of the door.

"Piss Off!" I slammed the door in his face and stood there fuming, Aaron covered his eyes with his hands, and after a moment, embraced me.

"He's not worth it Aph.... Calm down." I felt the soothing warmth radiating off him and slowly slowed my breathing and stopped shaking.

I sighed... Leaning back into him.

"Why now.... after all this time?" I asked in a whisper, I still had a few tears, but I felt Aaron wipe them away.

"It's not coincidence, we've gotta keep an eye on him. I think that was just to put you on edge." I huffed and looked up at him, when did I feel so safe around him? When did I start relying on his strength?

"Well, it worked... I-I'm definitely O-n edge." I stammered, Aaron continued to embrace me for a couple seconds, my heart eventually started to beat normally again.

"Did you see his buttons?" He asked as he hesitantly released me, although he was no longer holding me, I still felt his comfort.

"I was too busy yelling my heart out." I replied, I was drained emotionally, and even though It's was only about four in the afternoon, and I just got up, I was already tired.

"It was the same as the button we found in your room." My brain wasn't functioning properly, but I still slightly remembered what he was talking about.

"I thought you dropped it." I replied, looking back at him.

"I did, but I took a picture." He showed me the picture in his phone before flipping it to a recent one.

"And I managed to get a picture of him too." He zoomed in on Ein's shirt and there it was, the same exact button.

"Smart." I complimented And he nodded gratefully.

"Ein doesn't have enough money to pay for a gang to trash my place though." I think aloud, and I hear Aaron's throat hitch.

"I don't think he did." He showed me the picture at full zoom, and that's when I noticed it.

He was missing a button.

"I think someone hired him." Aaron finished, humming in thought.

"When you asked him about a job he seemed awfully nervous.... and those are the buttons of my father's partners..." He was trailing off a little, but he suddenly bounced back.

"You know his last name?" He asked suddenly, and I tried to remember.

"His Full name his Ein Christopher Escalante." Aaron grinned and typed in his phone then handed me it.

There was his picture, along with employment status which said confidential.

"Looks kinda sketchy for a computer company." He grinned, and he took his phone back.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he put his phone up to his ear.

"Calling a friend." He went into the other room and came back with a smile on his face.

"My sister is flying from Italy to help us." He announced to me while I was tapping away in my phone, and I jumped a foot in the air.

"Sister? That's who you were calling?" I was not ready to meet more of his family, especially if they were like his father.

"How's she gonna help?" I asked, and he leaned against the wall.

"She's gonna sneak us into Dad's office." He smoothly smirked, then disaster struck for him.

He slipped off the wall, tried to catch himself, but only spun in a circle before falling on his head.

It sort of looked like a break dance with very little dance and a while lot more of break.

He looked up at me, and his face went red.

"I meant to do that."