And You Sold Me

Aiden stepped out of the yellow taxi cab, her heels hitting the asphalt and a frown on her lips. It was just so hot and muggy. She had grown accustomed to only a short ride to the beach, not hundreds of miles of desert in either direction.

Los Angeles was hot, but there were so many things going on that it wasn’t really on everyone’s minds. But in Tempe there weren’t always people around you keeping you distracted, so you were only left with your thoughts and the heat.

Two things Aiden had been escaping for four years.

“Come on, baby,” Eric said, grabbing her hand, “Don’t be nervous.” He led her up the steps to his house, reading her apprehension as nervousness of meeting his parents, when really it was just fear of the memories in this city.

Eric entered slowly, placing their bags down and shutting the door behind them, “Anyone home?”

“Eric Halvorsen, get over here,” a petite woman said as she rushed over, engulfing him in her arms.

“Mom, this is Aiden,” he said, gesturing to his girlfriend.

She smiled warmly, embracing her without a second thought, “I feel like I’ve known you for years.”

“Same here,” Aiden said, “You have a beautiful home. Your son isn’t so bad either.”

“He’s nothing compared to you,” her mom scoffed, drawing protest from Eric.

“I knew this would happen,” Eric shook his head, “I knew everyone would love you better than me.”

“Don’t introduce her to John,” Mrs. Halvorsen laughed.

Aiden smiled, slipping her arm around his waist as he slung his arm over her shoulder, “Love you.”

He kissed her forehead, “You too. Now, mommy, what’s for lunch?”

She rolled her eyes, “Go find your dad.” The woman linked her arm with Aiden’s and led her to the kitchen. “Aiden honey, I’m so glad you decided to come home with Eric. He is literally all you speak about.”

“I’m not going to lie to you Mrs. Halvorsen, I would do anything for that boy,” Aiden said honestly.

Mrs. Halvorsen smiled, “Call me Macy, sweetie.”

“Macy, I love your son,” she said.

“Honey, I already consider you as a part of this family.”

“Where is she?” Aiden turned towards a booming voice entering the kitchen. The aging man was built thin but muscular, his hair graying, making Aiden hope that was what Eric looked like in his fifties.

“Dad, this is Aiden,” Eric said, sitting next to her at the kitchen table.

Mr. Halvorsen shook her hand, staring into her eyes, looking completely dumbfounded, “Why are you dating my son?”

Aiden’s laugh filled the room, “It’s really not so bad.”

His dad smiled, “Welcome to the family.”

**

“Justin, what are you doing!?” Eric exclaimed.

“I’m teaching your girlfriend how to play bass so that she can replace you,” he said simply, turning back to Aiden and talking quietly to her.

Eric rolled his eyes, walking over to her, “Baby, we’re having a party tonight, please come.”

“What else am I going to do?” she laughed, “Who else will be there?”

“All of my friends. You can meet everyone,” he said excitedly.

“The Maine just got back, right?” Nick asked.

“Yep,” Eric replied, “Aiden, you can meet John Oh!”

Aiden’s mouth went dry and she hoped maybe she had misheard, “John Oh?”

“Yeah, my best friend that I always tell you about. He’s excited to meet you,” he said.

She nodded her head, “Eric, I think I should go to my house. I’ll get ready there and you can pick me up.”

He agreed, taking her hand, eager to pull her away from Justin. As they sat in his car Eric glanced at her wearily, “Are you scared?”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” she said quietly, “But just in case, I’ll introduce you to her when you pick me up.”

“Whatever you want, sweet thang,” he replied.

Aiden kissed Eric goodbye before walking up to the average house slowly. It was two stories high and simple, a small garden out front and a chestnut tree giving shade.

Aiden only stared in front of her, knocking on the door quietly. After a few seconds it opened and Aiden was taken aback by the woman in the doorway. Her hair was dark, obviously dyed to keep the gray invisible. She was fit and her boobs were fake, making Aiden wonder where she had gotten the money for that.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“Um, it’s me, mom,” she replied stupidly, knowing she should have expected her not to recognize her immediately.

“Aiden?” she whispered, tears coming to her eyes. Her mother studied her daughter’s size two frame, so small and petite.

“Yeah, momma,” Aiden said, her voice cracking as tears formed in her own eyes.

The woman embraced her daughter tightly, silently noting that she could fit her arms around her. She ushered her in, frantically fanning herself, as if to dry up the tears.

Aiden studied the old home that had barely changed. The same pictures hung decoratively on the walls, the furniture was all in the same place, the same candle scent still filling the house.

But the woman in front of her was so different. Her face was plastered in make-up, her outfit clinging tight to every curve. She was one of those women who looked as if they had never realized their actually age, and attempted to forge that age wherever they went.

“You look so different, mom,” Aiden said.

“It’s been four years, I can say the same thing about you,” she replied, taking a sip of the whiskey in her cup. It was only four o’clock in the afternoon.

“Still in real estate?” Aiden asked, not really sure what kind of conversation to make with her estranged mother whom she had never had anything in common with.

“No, sweetie, I stay at home now.”

“Any boyfriends?” Aiden asked.

Her mom smiled guiltily, “Too many.”

Aiden chuckled nervously, not liking the images in her head. “Where is Savannah?” she asked.

Her mom pointed down the hall towards Aiden’s old room, drawing a smile from her lips; of course that had changed, Savannah loved that room.

She knocked on the door before quickly opening it, not able to wait. “Oh my God.”

Aiden smiled at her little sister as they tackled one another in a tight hug, giggling as they did so.

“You’re so beautiful,” Aiden said, smoothing her sister’s hair.

“I’m pretty sure you win,” Savannah laughed as they both sat on her bed.

“I missed you, baby sis.”

“You could have visited,” Savannah said.

Aiden shot her a sideways glance, “No, I couldn’t have.”

“Eric didn’t come?” Savannah asked, disappointed, having heard so much about him.

“He’ll stop by later, I was a little bit worried about mom,” she told Savannah honestly.

The brown haired girl sighed, “She’s horrible, Aiden.”

“She’s trying to take care of you,” Aiden said.

Savannah frowned, “I don’t really want to talk about it. How is life, Miss Fashion Designer!?”

“Currently unemployed,” she rolled her eyes, “That’s why Eric made me come back.”

“Well, I’m glad then,” Savannah said, “I’ve missed you.”

“How are you doing? Are you partying it up like a normal, insane high schooler?” Aiden asked.

Savannah rolled her eyes, “As cliché as it is, yes, I do have a game to cheer at tonight, unfortunately.”

Aiden frowned, “Why is that unfortunate?”

She let out a sigh and spoke quietly, “I’m the fat cheer leader, they talk about me.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Look at me, A,” she said, gesturing to her body, “I don’t fit in.”

Aiden studied her sister’s body. Her bust was average and her waist not large at all. She had thick legs that were all muscle from her years of soccer and volleyball as a child. Her shoulders were defined and she was about 5’4”.

“Are you joking?” Aiden scoffed. “You weigh what? 145? 150?”

“So? The girls I go to school with all wear size zeros, that’s what boys like,” Savannah shrugged.

Aiden’s eyes once again trailed her sister’s body, making her utterly envious. If she had looked like this in high school, maybe things would have been different. No, they definitely would have. She wouldn’t have been called the awful names that she was, or been shunned for her short stature and large waist.

“Don’t you dare, Savannah,” she said, annoyed.

“I know this is super sensitive for you, but it’s true,” she replied.

“You’re hurting other people’s feelings by saying that you’re fat. You’re not, so shut up,” Aiden told her.

“It’s hard being that girl on the sideline that everyone only notices because she’s the fat one,” Savannah said.

Aiden rolled her eyes, “Oh, poor Savannah, she’s so popular, but she weighs five more pounds than the girl next to her.”

“Aiden, I’m sorry but you can’t seriously expect me to be okay with a body like this! I mean, you’re not like that anymore, I hate this,” she said.

Aiden turned away from her sister, facing a wall packed with pictures. It showed Savannah with various friends, doing different things, all with big smiles, having the time of their lives.

“There are people that don’t have this, Anna,” Aiden said, “People like you. They’re able to see past your thicker waist and they love you. The minute you start hating yourself is when others follow suit.”

“And eventually you have no one but a stupid, ugly tree, right, A? I know, I watched you go through high school,” Savannah retorted.

Aiden took in a breath, trying to not let her anger get a hold of the best of her, “You’re right. And I don’t want that for you.”

“You’re not over it, are you?” Savannah asked.

Aiden bit her lip, “I’m going to go call Eric.”

She left the room, sending a text to Eric, eager to have him come get her. She told him to come in an hour giving her time to get ready for the party in just a couple of hours.

But as she stood alone in the living room she found her eyes traveling out the window, and eventually her feet were carrying her there as well.

The tree was the same, of course. The leaves of fall were turning a pinkish orange, and she became anxious. It was almost the worst season of the year. She placed her hand on the bark, closing her eyes as she did.

Her stomach filled with butterflies and her heart beat wildly in her chest. She looked up at the house next door to hers, a single tear falling down her cheek before she wiped it away hastily.

The leaves of that tree knew all of her darkest secrets and held them tight in the branches. That old Chestnut was the only thing she missed in Arizona, but also happened to hold all of the horrible memories of the exact reason why she left.

And that’s why she hated the season of fall, because it gave that tree a reason to drop all of her secrets to the ground, leaving her cold and exposed for the world to see.