My veins were fire. My body, one breath away from becoming a battering ram. If Aiden wasn't Tate's cousin... If I wasn't trying to solve problems with words... If I didn't want to fight to be better, then I would have already smacked his stupid grumpy face and knocked him on his butt...
I clenched my fists as I stomped out the door, trying to keep my breathing steady, even as it came out in quick angry puffs, like a lady dragon on the verge of setting a village on fire.
Once we were back in the garden, I turned and glared at Aiden, furious. "What is wrong with you?!?"
It took a lot of effort to keep my voice from revving up into a full-blown shout. I didn't want the others in the dining room to sit in silence, eavesdropping while eating pizza and taking bets.
"You asked me to come to your mom's house, and now you are being a jerk. Either you want me here, or you don't. Which is it? Because I am done playing games with you."
He crossed his arms, quiet for a long moment, staring back at me with a dark expression. I thought he was just going to stand there in a silent protest but then he began to walk away. "Come on. I have something to show you."
We walked deeper into the garden, the green world growing thicker, cutting out the last slivers of light. I began to wonder if he was just looking for a better location for us to break out into a full-out brawl when he surprised me by stopping in front of a small tree.
"This stupid ugly plant is an eyesore," Aiden said looking over the tree with a look of disgust.
It took me a second to understand why he had brought me here to stare at a tree, but when I did, I couldn't help but smile. It was Uggo. He was planted in the center of a set of grass, in a place of honor. Vines had begun to snake up its base, small buds on the verge of blooming.
I was speechless. In awe of Tate's ability to take the ridiculous, the unlovable, and see its beauty. He thought it was good enough to plant in his aunt's garden... The gesture made my chest ache.
"I know," I replied to Aiden's declaration of the plant's physical features.
"It's a ridiculous plant that's just taking up space!"
"I know." I smiled wider. I couldn't seem to stop staring at Uggo. Stupid plant. Stupidly wonderful plant. It didn't look as hideous as before, or as ridiculous. It looked like it belonged in the garden, even if it still looked a little strange.
"And he insists on keeping it around and alive!" Aiden continued. "He stops by and waters it every day!"
Aiden stopped, swearing quietly as he rubbed his temples. "He cares about you so muchâ" his voice cracked with emotion, surprising me. "And it's hard to watch him deal with unrequited love."
"Unrequited?" I repeated, looking up at Aiden.
"Yes." Storms filled his eyes, angry and wild as he took a step towards me. "You don't give off the impression of someone who cares, and it's hard to watch. So yes, I want to find who hurt Iz, and I need your help to do that, but I don't want to watch Tate get hurt."
"I don't want him to get hurt either!" I took a step forward, hands rolled into fists, no longer listening to the doubts that tried to convince me that it was inevitable. That I would continue to hurt Tate until I let him go forever. I was done letting doubts decide what I deserved. It was my decision, not the ones whispered to me in the dark when my brain was too tired to decide what was real and what was fear brought to life like a taunting chant.
"And just because I'm hard to read, or not very vocal about my feelings, doesn't mean I don't care!" I offered him a pointed look. "You should know. I'm pretty sure you struggle with the same concept."
He rocked back on his heels, silent. But I could see the war in his eyes. He hated how much he agreed with me. We were a pair of stone walls that only let a select few through.
I crossed my arms. "Did Laliana know?"
"Know what?"
"How long did it take you to tell Laliana that you wanted her? That you loved her?"
He paused, a pained look crossing his face. "Too long."
I nodded, looking back at Uggo. "I am sorry about what happened to Iz. But you need to stop being a pain in the ass!"
I sighed, closing my eyes. "I need you to like me Aiden. And I have NEVER needed ANYONE to like me." I leveled him with a fierce look, needing him to understand. "I think it's an overrated concept! But I need you to because I am in love with your cousin and if I want even a small chance for that to work then Iâ"
I froze, suddenly mortified. Replaying my admission in my head, suddenly wanting to barf. I had just admitted to loving Tate, and Aiden was the first to know.
Oh my gosh...
Aiden stared back at me, eyes wide, no longer an unreadable grumpy wall. "I bet you wish it was anyone else in the world that had heard you instead of me," he said after a moment.
"I would be lying if I said I didn't."
He nodded, a ghost of a smile crossing his lips.
I swallowed, staring back at the plant, in no mood for potential gloating. "But... It's something you should know. I don't look at Tate and see someone I will get over. Someone I want to get over, or someone I view as a passing infatuation."
I smiled, unable to keep a stupid grin from crossing my face. "I am head over heels for that karaoke butchering, annoyingly happy, insanely kind, irritatingly positive guy who refuses to give up on me no matter how many chances I give him to walk away."
I shoved my hands into my pockets, utterly uncomfortable with the entire conversation, even if it was completely necessary. "And I need you to understand something. Laliana didn't choose to become famous. And you loved her anyway. I didn't choose to have my life thrown into paparazzi chaos. But Tate loves me anyway. Tate supported your love and now I want the same chance for him."
Aiden rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't warm up to people easily."
I snorted. "Big surprise there. That makes two of us Aiden. But we chose people who are impossible not to love and I want to be able to love him without him feeling like he has to choose between me and his family because I refuse to be that person. He has lost too much and if I can make his life even a tiny bit easier, I will burn down the world to make it happen."
I took another step towards Aiden and held out my hand. "Give me that chance."
"Do you really love Tate?" Aiden asked, seeming bewildered.
"Please don't make me say it again," I replied, pursing my lips.
"Thanks for being honest with me. I'm sorry for..." he gestured to himself. "Being a lot."
Then he tentatively took my outstretched hand and gave it a quick squeeze. "Okay," Aiden said, his face taking on a soft expression.
And in that one word, Aiden said everything he needed to say. We weren't word people. We were people of action. And although it wasn't a cheerful agreement to try and be nicer, or kinder, or start smiling, or partaking in fuzzy feeling conversations, or group hugs, he was giving me a real shot with an open mind, and that was all I could ask for.
"Okay," I echoed.
We began to walk back towards the house. "Now if I could just get you and Delle to get along."
He laughed, the smile making him look far less grumpy. "I don't perform miracles Winters. One step at a time."
Then we walked back into the dining room, both of us quiet, pretending that I hadn't just confessed to being in love with his cousin and him not having just agreed to give me a fighting chance to prove I was worth giving a shot to.
"Everything okay?" Laliana asked, looking between us with concern as we sat back down.
"Yeah," Aiden said offering her a small smile. "I think so."
"Great," Delle said finishing off another piece of pizza. "Once you two finish the pizza on your plates, we'll brainstorm suspects." Delle got a feverish look in her eye. One she got when she was close to solving a puzzle. "Because I have thoughts and I am dying to share."
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Thank you for reading chapter forty-five! I hope you are enjoying the story! Or are at least curious to see where it goes! Add this story to your reading list to know when the next chapter drops!
UPDATE DAYS - A NEW CHAPTER EVERY FRIDAY!
OHHH SNAP! It looks like Aiden is the first to know how deep Allie's feelings go!
Will Allie and Aiden's tentative truce hold? Will they become friends?
Will Aiden and Delle be able to do the same thing?
How will the rest of their time at Katherine's house go?
Who do you think is behind the attack?
Will things be okay between Tate and Allie?
What will happen next?
CHAPTER QUESTION - Have you ever had a hard time with someone because the things that frustrate you about them are the things that frustrate you about yourself?