The sun had been at the coffee shop window all day while we sat at our table enjoying the served coffee. Clouds had disappeared for the day and people outside began to leave the nearby stores as it finally began to darken around us.
My father and I had talked for hours. There were many things we discussed like his job, his interests, stories of Gabriel and he returned all of my questions with a pleasant grin.
"I should get going," My father said when he looked around the half empty café.
"Right. I'm sorry I took up so much of your time... I can imagine you have a lot of things to do." I look at him with an apologetic smile and quickly remove my eyes.
"No, no don't apologize. You didn't take any of my time, on the contrary, I enjoyed being here." We walked to the counter where I went to pay for coffee but he refused and opened his wallet, taking out a shiny credit card and swiping it on my behalf.
After he pushed the door and held it open for me, we both walked quietly into the parking lot where our cars were spaced out.
"Are you okay to get home?" He stopped in front of his car.
"Yes, I'm driving my car." I point to the old thing with a shy smile.
"Okay," he fixed the collar of his black coat and took out his keys. "Thank you for meeting up with me today... I know it couldn't have been easy for you." I stayed silent, knowing that he was going to say something more. "I understand if after today you don't call me again... but, if there's any chance that you do, it would mean a lot to Barbara and I if you stopped by the house sometime. I'm sure Gabriel will be so excited to meet you." His face fell slightly as he looked away to his dark grey Mercedes. "We're only one call away if you ever do decide to talk to me again."
I watched silently as he climbed into his expensive car with hands deep in pockets.
I stood there in the parking lot, thinking about today with a little smile. The soft engine turned on and purred a few feet away from my small figure. I didn't know how or why but for some reason, I walked myself over to his car again and knocked on the window gently; I was afraid that if I hit it a little harder, the high-priced glass would break.
My father's face seemed more than surprised when he rolled down his window to meet me once more.
"Is something wrong?" His brows creased in worry.
"No," I let go of my weak smile and looked down at the concrete beneath me. "I do want to meet them..." I tell him truthfully. "We might not have the best relationship, but I would like the opportunity to know my brother and maybe... work our issues out, too... if that's what you want, of course." I spoke timidly through the space in the window.
"I would really like that." He nodded. "Is it okay if I call you sometime soon?"
"I look forward to it." I step back from the car, smiling, relieved I said what I did.
When my father had waved me goodbye one last time, I began to walk back to my car a few feet away. After I reached it, I noticed that I didn't have my bag with me anymore. Worry hovered over me like a personal thundercloud above my head as I searched around, even looking through the window of the passenger seat to see if it was there. But it wasn't. I must have left it inside the coffee shop. I thought.
With a sigh, I turned on my feet again and headed back to the café, each time pacing quicker, worrying that someone might have taken it by now. I took my steps back to the table, however, as soon as I turned the corner that revealed the table we were at, I almost tripped over my own feet trying to stop so quickly.
I observed for a moment as Aiden ran a hand through his dark hair and swallowed the long sip of coffee he took. His other hand held up my book, flicking through the pages as if it was his.
For a moment, I entertained the idea of forgetting the damn bag and leaving, but I reminded myself that I couldn't get home without my keys... and the keys were inside the bag... and the bag was sitting in front of Aiden...
I cursed at whoever was up in the clouds for putting the biggest scumbag in the world in front of me right now, and walked over to the table by the window, each step growing less and less confident.
"Um, excuse me, that's my bag." I stood in front of him.
Aiden lifted his eyes from the page and met mine briefly. His smirk tugged back at his lips and his eyes lowered again without a word, but when they noticed something on my face he looked up again.
"Did you not hear me? I said-"
"Oh, I heard you... I just chose to ignore you." He shut my book with a thud and took out the bookmark, placing it on top of the table.
I rolled my eyes and reached for my book but his hands were quicker and took it again.
"Give it back." I demanded.
"Have you been crying?" He searched my eyes further.
What?
"Aiden, give it back." I insisted.
He sat back into his chair and seemed to give up the search party he held on my face.
"Or what?" He threatened with a thick voice.
I bit down on my tongue, infuriated by having to talk to him again after being insulted just last night. He was acting as if it never happened and it maddened me further.
"Please, just give it back." I sigh, dejectedly. "You already made it more than clear to me last night that you are not interested in being my friend. So if you can give me my book, I can leave."
He sat up straight and hunched over the table, his leather jacket crinkling at the shoulders.
"I'll give you the book on one condition," He pressed his lips into a thin line. "Tell me why you were crying."
"I wasn't crying,"
"The stained mascara on your cheek says otherwise, Emma."
"Why do you care?" I half scoff with a tinged frown.
"What makes you think I don't?" He argued back.
"I remember you saying that everything about me disgusts you... I doubt that you could possibly care about me." I looked down at his hands where the book laid comfortably and sigh. I don't need to explain myself to him. "Just keep the book..." I picked up the bag from the table and turned on my heel but I didn't make it far when his hand latched onto my arm and jerked me back to him.
"Don't walk away from me." He muttered through his teeth. "Just answer the question and I'll leave you be." His pensive gaze sunk into the grey of his eyes, each second seeming to turn darker.
"Or what?" I mimic his tone. "You'll call me worthless again?" He huffed in annoyance but still didn't let go of his grip on my arm. "Tell me, if I'm so bad, what does sleeping with Will's girlfriend make you?" I wasn't sure what I was doing or why I was being so defiant towards him all of a sudden... I wasn't trying to be mean... I was just trying to get home unnoticed.
"Just to be clear, I never slept with his girlfriend." He stated matter-of-factly. "I slept with a girl. It wasn't my fault she never told me about her petty boyfriend."
I held my gaze for split second longer than I should have, and when I realised, I tore it away quickly.
"Now will you answer my question?" He spoke softer, yet remaining his overbearing self.
I look around the café, the people, the counter, everywhere but his eyes.
"I met with my father." I muttered out.
"The man with the grey Mercedes is your father?" He laughed out mockingly. "What, your rich daddy didn't let you have your weekly allowance?" He snickered.
I tried to wiggle out of his grasp but he held on, though he was careful not to hurt me.
"Do you know what it's like for your father to leave and never come back? Promising you he'll be home in a few hours and not seeing him for eight years?" His brows creased downward and his grip loosened. "I didn't think so... May I go now?"
He didn't answer me with words but his hand letting go of my arm was all the response I needed
"Why would you want to see him again after that?" He looked at me as if he didn't understand. "People don't change. He'll probably leave you again."
"People deserve second chances." I tell him.
"Some don't." He stared behind my shoulder towards the door.
"He's family." Why am I still discussing this with him?
"Right." A sarcastic smile laced across his features. "Oh, and by the way? You're running low on tampons." My eyes went wide and my mouth dropped open at his bluntness. Redness stretched across the skin on my neck to my cheeks quicker than autumn days turned to winter.
"You went through my things?" I raised my voice at him and caught the attention of everyone drinking their coffees quietly too. Aiden shrugged as he finally dropped my book on the table.
"Honestly, I didn't know the bag was yours until I saw the keyring of your name. Figures someone like you would own such a god-awful item." He scoffed one last time before brushing past me with a hateful look. Jerk! I curse him in my thoughts, a place he shouldn't even be in.
I waited a few minutes after Aiden left before exiting the café myself. I didn't want to accidentally run into him again while trying to get into my car, which he'd probably make fun of too since to him, my life was already pathetic enough.
I look forward to never speaking with him again...
***
The apartment was empty and cold when I arrived late in the afternoon. I wasn't surprised to see that Myra wasn't home. She had been in between apartments with Lars since I got here, but I found it nice they spent so much time together. I just hoped everything was fine between the two of them now. Seeing her upset and drunk the other night worried me, especially when she began to throw up a few hours later and I held her hair away from her face, rubbing her back to soothe her as best as I could.
I slip into my room with my bag and book in hand. I place both down on my single person desk and stare down at the pages that Aiden held open with such little interest. I looked at my bag and lowered my eyes onto the zipper. I need to get rid of that damn keyring. I thought
The entire drive home I wondered about the grey melt of Aiden's eyes and what I had accidentally let out to them. I never meant to tell him about my father... now he was probably planning his next conversation with me, detailing every word so he could make fun of me in the most laughable way he knew. Who am I kidding, he wouldn't waste his time planning... nor would he need it.
I laid down on my bed, rolling onto the side with my eyes closed in a crate of annoyance.
I prayed for some sleep, urging that the sun would come up soon so I could move on with classes and forget I ever met Aiden in the first place. Forgetting him was probably the best thing I could do for tonight. However long that would last.