When We Were Lost

There was a knock on Aimy's bedroom door, she rolled of her bed and pulled it open "John?"

He smiled, "your, ugh, stepmom let me in."

Aimy stepped back so he could walk into the room, then shut the door behind him.

John turned back to face her "I wanted to apologize about yesterday, I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's ok."

He shook his head "no,it's not. I've just met you, I shouldn't be trying to break down your walls."

"John, really, it's fine."

"I just wanted to let you know that I promise not to keep asking you all these questions."

She hesitated before saying "actually, Tim kinda talked me into telling you."

"only if you want to."

she laughed nervously as she walked over to her bed and sat down "I'm only ready because you're stupid enough to care even though we've known each other for a week." she patted the bed, inviting him to sit with her.

He sat down and looked at his hands, shocked that she was willing to open up.

"So, it's kinda intense, I understand if you never want to see me again after this" she sighed "I guess I start with my mom, basically she left me and my dad when I was 3, he brought me up on his own til I was 11 then he married Georgie, Georgie had my little brother, Alex when I was 14."

John nodded "so he's 7?"

"8, my 22nd birthday's in a couple of weeks." she half smiled, then let it drop "so, that's all there is to know about my mom, I don't really remember her."

"What about your dad?" John encouraged

She sighed "his name was Sam Knox." she looked at John through her hair

He gulped "the murderer?"

"Yeah, well no, he didn't do it." she pushed at finger to her eye to stop tears spilling "he was a Doctor, he found he guy in an alley on his way back from the shop, he was trying to help him but someone had already called the cops and by the time they arrived Dad was covered in the guys blood. He was trying to stop the stab wound bleeding but without having all his stuff from work it was difficult. Anyway, the police assumed it was him and arrested him. It was all over the news for weeks until his trial, after they viewed the security tapes and found he was innocent he was released but because they hadn't tracked down the real murderer they never officially released a statement saying Dad was innocent, he wasn't allowed back to work because it would have caused so much shit and the public gave him hell. He got depressed and shrinks refused to treat him, it got tough for me in college too, everyone knew I was Leah Knox, Sam Knox's daughter so people used to be really harsh to me, I got beaten up by a couple of girls from my dorm block too so I dropped out. Dad couldn't cope with how it all changed for the entire family, Georgie got up one morning and found him in the bathtub, he drowned himself."

John pushed her hair behind her ear and wiped her cheek with his thumb "if anything, I just want to know you more now, Aimy, I can't promise I'll always know what to say, but if you ever need to talk, you can talk to me." he smiled "and if you ever need to shout or punch something, I'm your man."

She let out a half sob, half laugh "I couldn't hit you."

"Sure you could." he lifted her hand and made her tap his arm "thank you for opening up to me."

"Thanks for not judging me, I guess"

He smiled again "you've officially just won the title of the bravest person I know."