"I love you too," Aiden giggled as she pecked her boyfriend's lips for the final time that night.
Sighing, Tanner reluctantly withdrew his arm from around her as she sat up straight in his car, sliding back over to the passenger seat. Both were giddy with raw excitement, grinning ear to ear.
Aiden couldn't be happier than she was at that exact moment; although the two had only been seeing each other for about six months, they were absolutely infatuated with the other and simply couldn't get enough. Kindhearted, intelligent, and quick witted, Tanner was all Aiden could have ever asked for.
Running a hand through her messy hair, she giggled once more as their eyes met. She wanted so badly for him to stay longer. However, it was getting fairly late and the two both had their own responsibilities in just a matter of hours.
"I should really get going," he sighed once more, reaching over his shoulder to fasten his seatbelt. She knew this was inevitable, however she couldn't ignore the slight sting she felt in her chest. Aiden knew that she shouldn't take it personally; boundaries and space were normal and healthy. She had repeated that over and over to herself over the past few months, but she couldn't help but let the dynamic of her previous relationship seep into her thoughts.
He's just the same as Kyle.
Breathing deeply, she tried to quiet her thoughts.
You'll never be good enough for anyone.
Aiden gritted her teeth.
He's going to leave you, just as everyone always has and always wi-
"Babe,"
Her inner monologue was cut short. Grasping her hand in his, Tanner gave her a slight squeeze.
"Goodnight, Aiden." He smiled gently.
Taking a deep breath, she forced as casual of a smile as she could possibly muster. Luckily for her the only lighting was a dimly lit street lamp outside and Tanner didn't seem to notice her change in demeanor.
Aiden stepped outside of the car and wrapped her arms around her torso. Fall was approaching much faster than she had anticipated and the air felt uncomfortably crisp.
She began the journey to her apartment building which was about a three or so minute walk from the parking lot. Glancing down at the time she rolled her eyes.
"Shit." The girl whispered frustratedly.
The time read 2:47am.
Picking up speed, she was determined to get into the warm and cozy studio apartment she called home. That was until she heard a noise.
Whipping her head to the right, she could see a mangy-looking cat quietly hissing at something in the grass. The feline occasionally pawed at its prey, his groans getting louder each passing second.
"Probably a poor rat." Aiden observed, returning her attention back to her original route.
Another noise.
This time it was no longer the cat. It was a squeal of some sort that almost sounded... human?
Out of sheer curiosity, Aiden stopped dead in her tracks and began to approach the cat. She could feel her heart began to pick up speed in anticipation and wonder.
As she neared the cat, she could barely make out a small shape struggling under the wrath of its paws. Although it was too dark to make out the figure clearly, Aiden could tell it wasn't a rodent. It seemed to be standing on two legs and... fighting back?
