Let Me Open Your Eyes

Chapter 25 - Illusion

{"You must have a honeycomb for a heart 

                                                                how else could a man be this sweet?"}

Aspen was shaky on the phone, refusing to tell me what was wrong. Fear crept through my body as I imagined all of the scenarios he could have gotten himself into, but none of them seemed like anything Aspen would do. He was the best person that I had ever met, and the idea that he was in danger or hurt was making me feel physically sick.

While I waited for him to arrive, I paced the floor nervously and my mother popped her head in while she was getting ready for work. She put her coat on and glanced at me nervously, scanning the surroundings.

"Everything okay?" she asked with concerned eyes.

"Yeah" I breathed out, continuing to pace, "I'm just worried about someone, that's all."

"Is this the reason for the constant smile on your face?" she asked with a small grin as she wrapped her scarf around her neck.

I looked down with a small smile. "You notice that?"

"Of course I do" she shook her head with a small whisper, "Sweetheart, after you told me what has been happening with you over these years with those awful girls, I could never imagine missing anything ever again. I feel like I'm going to be constantly watching over you, making sure that you're okay."

"M-Mom..." I felt myself get choked up with emotion.

She stepped forward, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I-I can't help but feel like I have failed you somehow...as your mother" her voice shook, "I...I let all of those terrible things happen to you and if I had just been there, then maybe you wouldn't have-"

"Mom" I interrupted her gently, my eyes wide, "...please don't ever say that. I was the one who let it all happen...there was nothing you could have done to stop everything, it was all my own fault..."

She gathered me up in a hug and rubbed my bag. "Oh, no it wasn't baby..." she cooed, "It wasn't your fault at all, but I'm not letting you anywhere near them. We can look at other schools in the area or even moving away if that would make you more comfortable with your father and everything-"

My face fell as Aspen flashed through my mind. The idea of moving away would have been a blessing a few months ago, but after everything that had happened, I couldn't imagine being away from him.

She noticed my face with a knowing smile. "Someone keeping you here?"

I smiled sadly at her. "I just can't imagine not having him here, Mom...we have been through so much and he has helped me through everything despite how much I wanted him to leave me alone at the beginning...and now..." my voice trailed off softly.

"You love him" she squeezed my shoulder.

I nodded and smiled at the ground. "I do."

"Am I ever going to meet him?" she grinned, picking up her bag and I gave her a weird look, smiling hesitantly.

"You already have" I reminded her softly, "He said that he bumped into you and helped carry your bags to the car. He uh...knows me from school."

She shrugged, throwing her bag over her shoulder. "Must have been a while ago, I don't really remember...anyway, I really need to go to work."

I frowned. "He said that you spoke for a moment, about a couple of weeks ago outside the house before he came in? Tall? Dark hair, bright blue eyes? Like really blue?"