And With A Twist Of Fate...

Chapter 13

Stella's POV

She'd been right from the start. She never really stopped believing it but the way he'd kissed her that day made her want to believe. She really, truthfully, with all her heart wanted to believe he didn't start dating her because he felt sorry for her. 

But it was so painfully obvious now. He couldn't even talk to her after he'd broken down, yet she'd broken down every hour on the hour for about a week straight and he was there. She always came back. He on the other hand went running. 

She grunted frustratedly and threw her pillow across the room. It hit her dresser, shaking the lamp to the ground. Sighing she crawled out of bed and along the floor toward the lamp. Gathering the pieces she reached up scooting the disoriented lamp onto the dresser, refusing to get on her feet. It was noon but she'd been up since 9 just laying in bed, thinking. 

She tried her hardest not to cry last night but her will was broken as soon as she got through her bedroom door. For hours she shivered and compulsed loads of tears they were doing nothing to fix the mess she was in. 

"Dammit Aiden." She grunted, picking up the pillow and wacking it down to the ground forcefully and repeatedly. "Dammit Dammit Dammit. Why do I even care?"

She continued whacking at nothing until her arms got tired. Then she collapsed on top of it, her face hitting the soft fabric. She laughed at her little tantrum, she laughed hard, unnecessarily. So hard she began to cry. And then she really began to cry. All the bad things flooding back into her mind and making her more miserable by the minute. 

Mid-sob, her door flew open. She buried her head in her pillow not wanting anyone, not even her sister, to see her face. She knew for a fact that all her makeup was gone, her many pillow cases soaking up what was left it sometime last night. She hadn't taken a shower and she still hadn't eaten. 

Another sob escaped her and that's when she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders. She gasped slightly.The broad figure beside her had definately taken her by surprise, definately was not her sister, and definately could not see her like that. 

She turned her mouth away from the pillow so her words wouldn't be smothered. "Aiden, or Kieth, or whoever you are, I can't talk right now. So just go away."

"Go away?" The voice she heard confused her to say the least. He sounded mock hurt and immensely familiar to say the least. "Now that's a real sisterly greeting there." 

She wouldn't have mistaken his voice if she was a blind deaf half mute. If that made any sense in any way possible. She was surprised she even mixed up his presence. Her older brother, Caleb, was the single most important man in her life and he was unexpectedly sitting right next to her. She wanted to scream. "Cal?" 

"If you get your face out of that pillow you could see for yourself." He said softly into her ear. She did as she was told and there he was, blonde and beautiful like he's always been. Smiling down at her and rubbing soft circles  into her back. He'd changed a bit sense she last saw him, his golden blond hair a tad bit shorter than before, his lips were pinker, plus his skin was tanner.  And he seemed bigger somehow. Taller maybe? 

She didn't care. He was here and that's all that mattered. She threw her arms around him and burried her her head into his neck. He squoze her tight like her didn't want to let go just as much as she didn't. He patted her back but she wasnt letting go. She felt the tears welling up inside of her again. At first they were happy, her brother was home of course she was happy. But then she started to remember again. And she broke apart once more. 

"Hey, hey." He pushed her back far enough to look at her. She hadn't looked into those eyes in nearly six months. They were so blue it was like she was swimming...In her own tears. He shook his head then as more tears rushed down her face. He looked completely confused. "What's wrong S?"