An Open Sky

Chapter Fifteen ~Aidan~

I let the door close behind her. I let the walls keep us from each other. I stood there by the door for the longest time; imagining her running down the stairs and smiling at me all over again. The throbbing on my face soon reminded me of what I should have been doing.

I slid my shoes off so I wouldn’t get any more dirt on the carpet. I hoped she knew how she was going to explain that to her dad. I thought about how casually she said dad. She said it like it was no big deal; like he was just a person, just a father. Then I reminded myself that not every family was like mine. I walked into the living room, focusing my thoughts on the soft gray carpet that squished down under my feet as I walked.

I grabbed a bandage from the kit and set out to find the bathroom. I walked into the kitchen. The pots and pans were all hung neatly on a rack and the sink was empty of dirty dishes, except for the plate I’d eaten off of which was right where I’d put it before she left. Everything in this house had a place. It had order; it felt safe.

There was a picture on the counter. I assumed it was Alexa’s school picture from last year. She was expertly posed with her head tipped slightly to the right. Her left eyebrow was raised vaguely and she wore a very confident grin, careful not to show her teeth. I grinned; all of my pictures contained me in a similar pose, but I didn’t look like her. I wasn’t even close. Her long brown hair was styled in many careful spirals that surrounded her face and went down past her shoulders. I smiled, wondering why my school pictures never turned out that good. Her warm, brown eyes were looking directly at me. Her appearance made her seem like a rebel, but her eyes told a different story. They showed a different side of her; a side that’s been long buried. I hadn’t seen it since I’d known her.

I kept walking, examining the light blue tablecloth and matching rug in the dining room. The bitter smell of fresh paint was still hanging in the air as I made my way down the hallway. The bathroom was directly on my left. I hesitated before I went in; I wanted an excuse to keep examining the house.

I flicked on the light and stepped on the puffy brown rug directly in front of the sink. I examined the dark red cuts on my face. My eyes were specifically drawn to the large one that went from the top of my ear to the corner of my mouth. I layered the bandage on the deepest part and walked back to the living room.

My body itched to explore upstairs; I knew her room was up there, but I was pulled back to the couch where she’d sat me down only a matter of moments ago. I sat down carefully in the exact place I’d been before when we’d almost kissed. I turned my head and imagined her sitting there again, only inches from my face. I could feel her lips brush against mine. The rush it had sent through my body scared me. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine what it would feel like. It’s been so long. I wanted it to be me, and it was. But I blew it. I was so close, but I couldn’t let Layla down like that. I couldn’t betray her. I pulled away. I knew it was only a matter of time before I couldn’t control myself anymore.

I loved her.