If I Could Gather Up the Nerve
Chapter Eight
I stood in front of him, as he sat on the park bench. The sun was setting, and I knew I needed to get back home, or at least away from Aiden.
He wrapped his hands around my wrists, pulling me closer until I was sitting on his lap. His breath turned shallow, as he rested his forehead against my shoulder and sighed, “I really, really am sorry.”
“I-I know,” I hesitated, closing my eyes, “It’s fine, Aiden, really.”
He shook his head, “No, it’s not. I was such a sick fuck. You didn’t deserve it—any of it.”
“Riley?” Ethan’s voice broke, forcing me to turn towards it. He furrowed his brow into rage, upon seeing the lap of the person I was sitting belonged to, “The fuck?”
“Ethan,” I breathed, getting to my feet as Aiden ripped his arms away from me, “Don’t,” I stepped in front of Aiden, knowing Ethan was going to hit him or something.
“What the hell are you doing, Riley?” he screeched, placing his hands on my shoulders, “You do realize this is the same dude that raped you when you were six, right?” he hissed in my ear.
My eyes welded with tears, as I nodded slowly. I clenched my fists, sucking in a deep breath, “He-he was apologizing, okay?”
“He can’t just apologize and act all friendly,” Ethan growled, pushing me out of the way. He stepped up to Aiden, fists balled at his sides as his limbs shook with fury.
I stepped in front of Aiden once more, just as Ethan's fist connected with my right eye. I doubled over, stumbling back into Aiden’s arms. He steadied me, as I held my face.
“Riley,” Ethan’s voice softened immediately, as he leaned down to me, “Shit, what’d I do? I’m sorry,” he bit his lip, “shit, let me see.”
I stood back up, feeling it already beginning to swell. I hissed under my breath, glaring at him, “Just take me the hell home.”
- - - -
“What’s up with your face?” Garrett tilted his head, watching me, before backing off.
I shot him a dirty look, knowing it wasn’t his fault, but I couldn’t help it, “I ran into my bed post, after I tripped trying to get my shoes on.”
“Aw,” his lips curved upward, as he tried not to laugh, “A shiner on a girl always has been hot,” he chuckled.
I allowed a grin to break through, as I watched his face. I shook my head, giggling quietly.
Why was he the only one so willing to turn the other cheek and act as though there were nothing wrong with me? I mean, I wasn’t that special to the world, so why act as though I was?
He wrapped his hands around my wrists, pulling me closer until I was sitting on his lap. His breath turned shallow, as he rested his forehead against my shoulder and sighed, “I really, really am sorry.”
“I-I know,” I hesitated, closing my eyes, “It’s fine, Aiden, really.”
He shook his head, “No, it’s not. I was such a sick fuck. You didn’t deserve it—any of it.”
“Riley?” Ethan’s voice broke, forcing me to turn towards it. He furrowed his brow into rage, upon seeing the lap of the person I was sitting belonged to, “The fuck?”
“Ethan,” I breathed, getting to my feet as Aiden ripped his arms away from me, “Don’t,” I stepped in front of Aiden, knowing Ethan was going to hit him or something.
“What the hell are you doing, Riley?” he screeched, placing his hands on my shoulders, “You do realize this is the same dude that raped you when you were six, right?” he hissed in my ear.
My eyes welded with tears, as I nodded slowly. I clenched my fists, sucking in a deep breath, “He-he was apologizing, okay?”
“He can’t just apologize and act all friendly,” Ethan growled, pushing me out of the way. He stepped up to Aiden, fists balled at his sides as his limbs shook with fury.
I stepped in front of Aiden once more, just as Ethan's fist connected with my right eye. I doubled over, stumbling back into Aiden’s arms. He steadied me, as I held my face.
“Riley,” Ethan’s voice softened immediately, as he leaned down to me, “Shit, what’d I do? I’m sorry,” he bit his lip, “shit, let me see.”
I stood back up, feeling it already beginning to swell. I hissed under my breath, glaring at him, “Just take me the hell home.”
- - - -
“What’s up with your face?” Garrett tilted his head, watching me, before backing off.
I shot him a dirty look, knowing it wasn’t his fault, but I couldn’t help it, “I ran into my bed post, after I tripped trying to get my shoes on.”
“Aw,” his lips curved upward, as he tried not to laugh, “A shiner on a girl always has been hot,” he chuckled.
I allowed a grin to break through, as I watched his face. I shook my head, giggling quietly.
Why was he the only one so willing to turn the other cheek and act as though there were nothing wrong with me? I mean, I wasn’t that special to the world, so why act as though I was?
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Sorry I haven't updated <3