Dazed

Chapter 10

I'm dedicating this chapter to my amazing friend @madi_3 for an amazing cover AND Taylor_Mai_Styles because HER BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I shall proceed to the book now:

Aiden's POV

I pull into my driveway and look over at Addison. She's still staring out the window. I don't blame her. A lot just happened. I clear my throat, "Uhm, Addison? We're home." She looks over and smiles. "Oh, sorry. Thanks." She opens the car door and walks across the yard to her house. I just follow, knowing I'd need to make sure she's okay and talk to her mom.

She walks up to the door and hesitates. "Go on." I encourage. She opens the door and walks in. I follow and close the door behind me as her mom rushes in. I take a deep breath, ready for the worst. "Addison! I saw the news. You got mobbed?! Are you okay? Who pulled you out?" She hugs her daughter and waits for an answer.

"I'm fine. I guess I'm a little famous around here." She chuckles. "I'm fine. Thanks to Aiden." She gestures behind her at me. I awkwardly wave and suddenly become interested in my shoes. Surprisingly, Ms. Zands hugs me. "Thank you." She says while she nearly squeezes the life out of me. I thought she didn't want me to see Addison yet? Shouldn't she be mad?

I look over her shoulder at Addison, who's laughing. "Help me." I mouth. "Okay, mom, you can let him breath now." She giggles as I take in a deep breath.

"Sorry Aiden. Thank you for helping Addison. We are grateful to have you around." She smiles and I nod. "I guess I'll leave you two alone, since eight months ago you guys were inseparable." She winks and walks back into the kitchen. Addison grabs my hand and drags me upstairs.

We walk into her room and it's just like she left it. We used to come in here and just watch movies every Sunday. We'd alternate who picked the movies every week. I miss those Sundays. They were the best start to my week. "I want you to read these." She says, snapping me out of my thoughts. I scrunch my eyebrows and she explains. "These are my reports for court. I really want you to know everything that happened, but I can't say the words anymore. They hurt too much. I know I will have to eventually, but for now I need to forget about it all. Although I can't because everytime I look in the mirror, I see my hair and my scar. and they're my reminder that what happened is reality. So, just read it. You can sit in here or go home or whatever, but I'm going to shower." She gives me a half smile, handing me the file full of papers.

I nod and plop on her bed as she grabs her stuff to shower. Once she leaves the room, I open the file and start on the first page of the report; the first thing she remembered.

_____________________________________________________________________________

I'm finished reading Addison's report before she got out of the shower. I sat in her widow seat, waiting to talk to her. As I was sitting in silence, I hear her singing in the bathroom. I smile, close my eyes, and listen. She's always been a great singer. I, on the other hand, sound like a dying whale combined with a kid who just hit puberty on steroids; not good.

She walks into the room in sweat pants and a t-shirt. "Encore!" I yell.

"What?" She turns to me with her hairbrush halfway through her hair.

"You heard me. Encore! Sing for me again! You sounded great in the bathroom, but I gotta hear it again." I wink as her face turns shades of pink.

"Very funny. You're hilarious. Nope. Not happening." She crosses her arms and shakes her head.

"Pretty, pretty please sing for me?" I ask. "I'll beg on my knees."

"Do it!"

I get down on both my knees and fold both of my hands in front of me. I look up into her blue eyes, "Addison, will you pretty pretty please with cherries on top sing for me?"

She pretends to think for a minute. "Nope." She says as she turns back to the mirror to finish brushing her hair.

'Come on! Not fair! I got on my knees, that required energy. I'm lazy." I sit back up in the window seat and stare out the window. I see her smiling out of the corner of my eye.

"Fine. What song?"

"You pick." I say and face her.

Addison's POV

I grab my phone and scroll through my music until I land on a particular song. One that played on the radio while I was in the car with Taylen earlier and it brought back so many memories. Memories of her and I turning the volume all the way up and singing along to this song everyday before school. I hit play and start singing Good Girls by 5SOS. I sing until the end of the chorus and then stop.

"What's wrong?" Aiden asked. "You sounded great."

"You were staring at me!" I say, burying my face in my hands.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you. I've just missed you."

"I wish I can say the same." I say as the song ends on my phone and continues to the next.

"What do you mean?" Aiden stiffens.

"I don't remember! I can't remember our relationship. I really want to and I'm really trying but I can't!" I half yell as tears slip from my eyes. "I'm sorry." I whisper.

"You can't force it on yourself, Addison. It has to come naturally. Don't worry about it." He says while pulling me into his arms. I start humming to the Hunter Hayes song playing from my phone. There's something about this song...

I lift my head off his shoulder in a sudden movement, "This song, it's Somebody's Heartbreak."

"Yes?" He says more like he's expecting me to say something more.

"It's our song!" I shout, making him jump. I'm shocked with what I remember. It's such a little thing, but it's a huge step in the right direction. Just a song.

Aiden smiles and nods. He hugs me and whispers, "See? Naturally."