As soon as the car stopped Aiden got out with Adina in his arms. His eyes were red after crying so much. With a cold and stern expression he made his way to the south wing where his grandmother resided with Ian on his heels trying to stop him but Aiden was having none of it.
With a kick, the door to Michelle's bedroom opened with a loud thud making her awake. She smiled looking at her grandsons and got out of bed. She got confused to see Aiden's expression but then her eyes landed on the person he was carrying. She said frantically, coming towards them,"Oh my God! Who is this poor girl? Did you kill her Aiden?" Her eyes were as wide as saucers.
Aiden snorted then grit his teeth saying,"Oh so you don't even know her?"
Ian came in between them before Michelle could say anything,"Aiden look at me. Please go to your room. This is not the time. You aren't thinking rationally."
"HOW? HOW CAN YOU EXPECT ME TO THINK RATIONALLY GODAMMIT!! My love, my life, my Adina died in my arms. I couldn't save her." He looked at his grandma who couldn't understand a single thing and said,"I will never .. mark my words... never forgive you for this. You had no right!" Tears again filled his eyes. He turned around and left.
Ian sighed and turned around facing his grandma who asked,"What happened Ian?"
"Adina-... the girl you told David to take away from here... was not just ANY girl grandma... Why didn't you talk to me first?" A few tears escaped his eyes which made Michelle worried.
"I-.. I was coming to surprise you both but heard Aiden shouting and all and came to know about that girl so I though she was some kind of intruder or something that you two had caught and she knew about our truth. I thought she was creating problems so I told David to take her back home and solve the problem. But-"
Ian wiped away his tears and said,"She was Aiden's girlfriend. They ... they just got into an argument earlier so Aiden was furious."
Michelle was shocked to hear it,"Oh my! I had no idea. I- I wouldn't have done it if only I had the slightest idea. But how did she-"
"Sh-She got into an accident. I'm sorry I can't explain right now. Aiden needs someone. I'll go now."
"I.... o-okay. Take care of him. I did a big mistake. He must hate me right now, I'll try talk to him later" Ian nodded and hurried away.
Aiden reached to his room and put Adina down on the bed upon the crumpled up sheets. His room was in the same condition he had left it but he couldn't care less right now. He caressed her hair oh so lovingly and gripped her hand in his. Her body was cold and pale. Aiden pecked her lips but getting no response made him cry. He bopped her nose with his and joined their foreheads together while crying. His tears staining Adina's pale cheeks. He kept whispering,"Come back. Please come back. I can't bear this pain. Get angry on me, shout on me, slap me ... just come back. I'm sorry. Come back. Please." His tears kept flowing non-stop. He sat back upright and looked at her face then caressed her cheeks, wiping the tears away while he himself couldn't contol the tears.
Soon the door to his room opened and closed. Aiden knew who came but didn't make a move. He just sat there caressing Adina's hair and staring at her while tears kept flowing. Ian came and kneeled down on the floor in front of Aiden. He looked up at him and it broke his heart to see his brother so broken, so fragile. He said in a very slow tone,"Aiden?"
Aiden looked at him and then back at Adina's face,"It was my fault. It was all my fault. If only I hadn't been such a jerk of a boyfriend none of this would've happened. I would've been able to protect her, wouldn't have let grandma send her away. It's my fault. She's punishing me for my fault Ian". The light had gone from his eyes and he was speaking as if he was a lifeless person, like his soul had left his body.
"No. No it wasn't. It wasn't your fault Aiden. Don't blame yourself. None of this was your fault. In fact it wasn't anybody's fault. It's... it's just... her fate. it wasn't your fault." Tears again pooled Ian's eyes. He couldn't bear watching Aiden like that. A few minutes passed but Aiden neither replied nor spared him a glance so Ian said,"Aiden? Talk to me."
A minute later Aiden whispered,"Can you go prepare for her funeral ceremony?"
Ian didn't know how to reply but said at last,' I .. I will".
"Now. Please."
"O-okay."
"Hmm". Ian left the room understanding that Aiden wasn't gonna talk to him anytime soon.
After instructing David to make the preperations for the funeral he silently made his way to his own room. He glaced at Adina's bedroom door once before entering his own room. He slid down on the floor, pulled his knees to his chest and put his head on his knees. He cried. He let it all out. He lost his friend, his best friend to be precise. It wasn't easy for him but he had to stay strong for his brother. He cried and cried and cried for hours until there were no tears left to shed anymore. Nobody knew this but in the starting he did develop feelings for Adina which he ultimately had to supress after knowing Aiden's and Adina's feeling for each other. He did not want to be selfish. He loved his brother way more than anything but now none of it all was of any use now. His brother was broken to the core and Adina was dead. There was nothing he could do.
It was around 9 at night when David knocked on the door. Ian stod up, wiped his tear stained cheeks and opened the door.
"The preparations are done", David said. Even that guy was dejected at the news and was guilty. He blamed himself for not being able to speak up before things went downhill. He was scared to die but now his fear became the reason for somebody's death.
"Mmhm. I'll tell Aiden. You may go." David nodded and left.
A while later~
Ian took few deep breaths and entered Aiden's room. His heart broke at the sight yet again. Aiden was still sitting in the same position staring at her face with her hand in his. His tears had already stopped and he just sat there like a body without its soul. He was dead inside. Ian said,"Aiden.... everything is ready. If you allow, Tanisha will change her clothes while we can go."
Aiden nodded once and bent down to give a peck on Adina's forehead. He whispered,"I love you", stood back up and left the room and so did Ian. Tanisha came in with puffy eyes and runny nose. Her lips trembling as she sobbed. She had been crying the whole time. Adina was a pure soul and she didn't deserve an end to her story like this and that also so early and above all Tanisha and her were friends.
Aiden stopped in mid of the hallway and asked,"Where's the coffin?"
"In the living room... I guess. Should we do the last rituals in the morning...?" Ian asked hesitantly.
"Hmm.. but I don't want anyone there. Just you and me",he said in a dejected voice.
"I'll see to it "
They stood there in silence which broke when Aiden's bedroom door opened. They turned back to look at Tanisha who hung her head low and said,"It's done."
"Okay. You can go Tanisha." She nodded and left.
Aiden looked down at his clothes which were stained with blood. "I'll change then put her in the coffin. We'll take her to our family graveyard in the morning." Saying so Aiden entered in his room.
Ian sighed and said,"Take care... Aiden." He then went to his own room.
Aiden washed up and changed in black shirt-pant for the funeral then took Adina in her arms in bridal style and left for the living room. Putting her in the coffin, he bent down and pressed a long kiss to her forehead saying,"Sleep well chérie(sweetheart). Je t'aime(I love you)." He sat there the whole night willing for his love to come back even when he knew in reality she will never. He just couldn't believe that it was the end of the most beautiful chapter of his life. He didn't even get to live the dreams he saw with Adina.
The next day they completed the funeral rituals in the early morning and returned back home with heavy hearts. Nobody dared to break the silence . Aiden locked himself up in Adina's room for days. Ian tried but he couldn't get through with him. When that door finally opened nobody knew things were going to change in such ways.