An Open Sky

Chapter Three ~Aidan~

There’s a new girl in town. Alexa, I think. I knew Jay would find her. It was his work. He had to. And it was my duty to keep her safe. She was awake all night, tossing and turning like there was no tomorrow. I saw her talking on her phone, but I didn’t realize she called Jay until, to my surprise, he’d showed up at her door.

                I followed them. Jay tried to throw me off his trail by veering off into the woods, but he didn’t realize I’d gotten better at following him. I’d gotten better at not giving up. I watched her. I memorized the way she walked, the way her hair covered her shoulders, how she smiled, the soft, delicate sound of her laugh, all of it.

                I watched him lead her down to the water, and for a split second I wished that could have been me. It could have been me that almost kissed her… It could have been me.

                Distracted by my thoughts, I’d made a mistake. I came too close. He saw me. I recoiled back into the forest. She couldn’t see me. Not yet. I watched him bring her to the open field. I watched how she gaily trotted behind him, completely unaware of the danger she was in.

                Layla used to be like that. It pained me at how much they were alike. The memories, all those memories that I’d pushed away were resurfacing. Layla, I’m doing this for you. I won’t let it happen again. I promise. There was a deeper promise I was making in those words. One that I made only to myself, not daring to communicate it to her through my thoughts.

If I didn’t promise her, I wouldn’t have to fear breaking it. I promised myself that I wouldn’t fall in love again. That I wouldn’t fall for her, but deep down I knew I might have already fallen.