I sighed loudly as I walked across the parking after work. It was hot outside, as it usually was in the summer. The sun blared down on my car, blinding me as it bounced off the windows. I winced and fumbled for my keys in my purse. My feet ached with fatigue and I was ready to get home to a bubble bath and a glass of wine. I wrinkled my brow as I placed the key in the keyhole.

“Ouch!” I exclaimed as my thumb grazed across the hot metal. “Fuck!”

I groaned in aggravation as I yanked out the key and opened the door. The heat from inside my pink Volkswagen Beetle came out with a big gust in my face. I frowned as I tossed my purse into the passenger’s seat and plopped down on the driver’s side. I was already beginning to sweat and I could feel myself growing more agitated by the minute. I closed my eyes as I put the key in the ignition and wrinkled my nose at the hot air blowing from the vents. I quickly moved the vents up and pushed my hair back behind my shoulders.

“It’s hot as hell in here,” I muttered as I reached for the door handle.

I quickly shut the door and put the car in reverse, no longer that it was hotter than an oven in my car. I flipped on the radio and shook my head at the unoriginal rubbish that the radio considered to be a “hot hit.” I grimaced and made my way across the mall parking lot. It was barely past five o’clock and traffic was already starting to build on the Tampa streets. I softly sighed as I dug in my purse for my IPod Touch. I carefully drove with my knee as I hooked up the IPod Touch to the adaptor. Music filled my car and I smiled to myself in satisfaction. Nothing sounded better than cheesy pop songs of the 90’s, a generation I was all too familiar with. I suddenly felt myself grow sentimental as I sang along to Britney Spears.

Traffic slowly inched forward as I continued to listen to music. I relaxed in my seat and flipped through the mail that I had sitting in the passenger seat. Nothing but bills…the usual. I grimaced and set the envelopes back down. I was losing patience with the nonmoving traffic and my stomach was starting to grumble a little. I eyed the Taco Bell that stood less than twenty feet ahead of me.

“Take out sounds good,” I mumbled to myself.

I gripped the steering wheel and followed traffic to the Taco Bell and waited in line at the drive thru. I softly drummed my fingers against the center of the steering wheel and silently prayed for the line to move faster. My mouth was beginning to water at the thought of food. It occurred to me that skipping lunch was a bad idea. I was famished.

By the time I got home, I couldn’t wait to curl up on my couch and veg out for the evening. I sucked in a breath of dread as I visualized the dreadful three flights of stairs that lead to my apartment. I saw Mrs. Porter smiling at me from her patio table. I politely smiled back and whisked past her to avoid conversation. I was in no mood for light conversation. I wanted nothing but peace and quiet.

My wish was shattered when I heard my dog, Leo, barking loudly behind the closed door. I turned the key and opened my door to see my precious Bulldog standing at my feet with traces of paper everywhere. My mouth slowly dropped as I observed the mess that surrounded him. Leo looked at me, panting loudly and wagging his tail, completely oblivious that I was upset with him. I dumped my purse on the kitchen counter and saw that he had shredded a roll of toilet paper in the living room. I noticed the linen closet open from the corner of my eye and groaned as I looked over at Leo.

“Bad, Leo!” I said as I scooped him up in my arms and moved him over to the largest part of the mess. “This is bad! You do not do that!” I shouted as I put him down.

Leo slowly ducked under my glass coffee table and laid down with his nose between his paws. I hid my grin as I began picking up the toilet paper from the floor.

After spending nearly fifteen minutes on my hands and knees, picking up tiny shreds of paper, I gave up and pulled out the vacuum. I quickly vacuumed the traces of toilet paper from the floor. I watched Leo as he continued to pout under the table. I chuckled as I wrapped the cord back on the hook and place the vacuum back in the closet. I sighed as I kicked off my black heels at the doorway to my bedroom and went back to the kitchen. My bag of Taco Bell still sat on the counter. I scooted it toward me and frowned as I reached into the bag to find that my food had gone cold. I sighed and unwrapped my tacos and placed them on a plate. I nonchalantly shoved them into the microwave and nuked them for a minute. Leo scampered at my feet, pawing me for attention. I rolled my eyes and looked down at him as the microwave beeped loudly.

“Leo, go lay down! I’m still mad at you,” I said in a commanding tone as I opened the microwave.

I pulled the plate out of the microwave and quickly dropped it onto the counter. I yanked my hand away from the hot plate, waving it around while mumbling obscenities to myself. I stepped over to the refrigerator and grabbed a can of Coke. The living room was growing dark as the sun set outside. I carried both my Coke and my plate to the living room. I turned on a lamp and slumped down on the couch as I ate my tacos. Leo sat on the other end of the couch and watched me eat.

“So, are you happy that you ruined a perfectly good roll of toilet paper?” I asked him with a grin.

Leo placed his head on his paws and looked at me with a pitiful look in his eyes. I smiled and pet him with my foot next to his side. I giggled as he rolled over on his side, begging me to rub his belly.

“Later, I promise,” I said as I stood up and took my plate into the kitchen.

I sleepily sipped my Coke as I rinsed my plate and placed it in the dishwasher. My apartment was quiet as the evening began to settle in. I made my way into my bedroom and wandered to the bathroom. I felt a sense of relief as I started the water for my bath. Steam rose from the faucet as I plugged the drain and began sprinkling bath flakes into the water. The scene of strawberries reached my nose as I stood up to remove my clothes. I glanced myself in the mirror and frowned in disapproval as I pulled my hair back into a bun.

“Time to start using that gym membership,” I muttered as I turned on my stereo.

I lit a few candles and shut the door as I shut off the light. I carefully stepped into the tub and slowly submerged beneath the surface. I closed my eyes and laid my head against my bath pillow and sighed to myself. The water felt good against my tired muscles. A hot bath was always the solution to a long, hard day at work.

I softly hummed along to the music on the stereo and opened my eyes to the sound of my phone ringing.

“This better be important,” I muttered as I dried my hand off with the towel and picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Hey, hey, hot chick!” said a male voice.

A smile slithered across my lips as I sat up straight. I knew that voice. It was all too familiar to me. A voice that I hadn’t heard in years, but sounded just the same as he always did.

“Nickolas!” I said with a smirk.

“Ha ha! What’s up?” Nick said.

I snickered to myself as I decided to answer honestly. “Currently…I’m taking a bath.”

“Whoa! You still live at the same place?” he flirted.

“Like I’d answer the door for you,” I replied with a laugh. “What are you calling me for anyway? What’s it been? Eight years?”

“About that,” he said with a chuckle. “We’re actually in Tampa.”

“We?” I asked with a curious brow.

“Me and Aaron.”

“Aw! How’s he doing?”

“Ask him yourself,” he said quickly.

I laughed to myself as I rested my elbow against the edge of the tub. I could hear the phone fumbling around between the two of them.

“Hello?” said a surprisingly tenor voice.

“Aaron?” I said excitedly. “How are you?”

“I’m doing good. I can’t believe I’m talking to you,” he said with a chuckle.

”I know! It’s been forever!”

“How long are you guys in town for?”

“Um, Nick is only here for a couple of weeks, but I’m here for the summer.”

“I hope you two were planning to come see me,” I said with a laugh.

“That would be why we’re calling you, dork.”

“Mmm I see you’re still into name calling,” I joked.

“Shut up,” he said with a laugh that lead me to believe he was embarrassed.

“So I thought,” I said with a smile. “So, when are you coming over?”

“How about tonight? Unless you’re busy,” he said quickly.

“No, tonight’s good. I’m off tomorrow anyway. It’s perfect timing.”

“Same place?”

“Yup, same place.”

“Okay, I’ll be there in an hour. I’ll try to con smart ass into coming with me.”

“I’ll be here.”

“Alright, see you then.”

“Bye,” I said sweetly and hung up the phone.

I chuckled to myself and hung the phone up. I couldn’t believe they were coming to my apartment. It had been over eight years since I’d seen either one of them. Aaron was thirteen the last time I saw him. I couldn’t wait to see them again.

I diverted my eyes over to the door and smiled at Leo who had wandered into the bathroom. He looked at me in the tub and wagged his tail.

“I know, I know. I gotta get out,” I said as I slowly stood up.

I wrapped myself in a towel and drained the water out. Leo lingered at my feet as I made my way to the bedroom to pick out some clothes. I slipped on a pair of blue jogging pants and a white tank top. My hair was still pulled back in a messy bun, but I shrugged to myself as I put on deodorant. These guys had been in my life since I was a kid. There was no point in primping up for them.

“Just three old friends catching up to lost time,” I said to Leo. “All it is,” I said as I looked myself in the mirror. “All it is.”

I was in the middle of checking my E mail when I heard Leo barking loudly in the hallway. I smiled as I practically ran down the hall to answer the door. I drew in a deep breath and opened the door with a smooth motion. I grinned widely as I caught sight of Nick standing in the doorway, his hand still up from knocking on my door. He looked at the number on the back of my door and raised his eyebrows in a mischievous manner.

“I’m sorry; we must have the wrong apartment. The Rachel I know isn’t someone as sexy as you are,” he teased.

I glared and crossed my arms as I stared at him. I hid my grin as he continued to look me up and down, undressing me with his eyes. Nickolas always had a cocky attitude when it came to women. As much as I expected it to happen, it annoyed me more than it used to. I found myself suddenly growing self conscious and backed away from the door and let him in.

“Where’s Aaron?”

“On his way up,” he said as he shoved his hands into his pockets and looked around my apartment. “Nice crib,” he commented as he picked up a wax apple and brought it to his lips.

I opened my mouth to speak, but quickly clamped my mouth as he bit into the apple. I covered my mouth to stifle my laughter and looked away from him as he scrunched up his nose. I could feel my face growing red from holding in my giggles.

“Why didn’t you tell me it was fucking fake!” he exclaimed as he ran over to the sink and drank straight from the spout.

“Classy, Nickolas,” I said as I rolled my eyes. “I see that the bleach finally fried those three remaining brain cells of yours.”

“What?” he said as he turned the faucet off and licked his lips.

I laughed and shook my head. “Nothing,” I said as I went back to the door. “Did he get lost?”

“He’s carrying up a bunch of shit,” Nick replied as he plopped down on one of my chairs in the living room.

“And you didn’t help him? Jesus, Nickolas! You’re just as rude as ever.” I muttered as I slipped on my shoes. “If you won’t help him then I will,” I said as I slammed the door behind me.

I jogged down the stairs and headed down to the parking lot. I saw him in the distance, standing next to Nick’s car, wearing a white baseball cap backwards. I smirked as I noticed he’d grown much taller since he was thirteen. His thin, athletic figure stood with his back towards me. I bit down on my bottom lip and crossed over in his direction. Before I approached him, I stopped to study him, not realizing that I was staring. His white basketball shorts hung low past his knees with his black wifebeater fitting snugly against his torso. I was taken aback by the fact that he’d grown muscular since I’d last seen him. He didn’t have a tall, awkward frame like Nick had at that age. I was almost afraid for him to turn around and notice me behind him.

I shifted uncomfortably in my stance when he shut the back door of Nick’s car. Aaron picked up the boxes, his muscles flexing, causing my mouth to drop a little. He turned around and looked at me in surprise. He grinned widely as he put the boxes back down and stepped over to me. I smiled and gasped a little when he enveloped his arms around my waist.

“Ah, I’ve missed you!” he exclaimed as he hugged me tight, lifting my petite frame off the ground.

I raised my hand to my chest and shook my head, staring at him in astonishment. “I—I can’t believe it’s you!”

Aaron shrugged and smiled widely. “It’s me, AC,” he replied.

“I know,” I said with a laugh. “It’s just that you’re not—well, you know…”

“Short?” he joked.

“Yeah,” I said while laughing. “Exactly.”

I glanced over at the boxes and looked back over at him again. “What’s with the boxes?”

“Ah, birthday presents, Christmas presents, and food,” he said while holding up a bag of Cheetos.

“Food?” I said while snickering. “My step-mom’s idea,” he said while rolling his eyes.

“And the presents?” I asked, eying him playfully.

Aaron chuckled softly and looked down at the ground. He lifted the baseball cap off his head and shyly looked at me, with his browed wrinkled. I couldn’t help but smile at him pat his arm as I picked up a couple of boxes.

“Pick up the rest and we can go inside where it’s cool,” I said as I lead the way to my apartment.

“You would live on the third floor,” he complained as he climbed the stairs.

“I wanted a good view,” I said with a smile and climbed the last flight of stairs.

When I approached the door, I was surprised by Nick coming outside. He nodded at me and opened the door wider for us to come inside. I stepped into the apartment and Leo immediately came running, barking at Aaron’s feet.

“Leo! Stop that!” I ordered as I put the boxes down. “Put those anywhere, Aar,” I said as I picked up Leo. “Be good or I won’t give you your treat later,” I said as I turned to face Aaron. “Aaron, meet Leo. Leo, meet my old friend, Aaron.”

Leo playfully growled at Aaron and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t worry, his bark is worse than his bite,” I said as I kissed the top of his head.

“He’s so cute,” Aaron said as he pet Leo. “Kinda small though.”

“He’s still a pup,” I said as I put him down. “I randomly decided I wanted a dog and found him in the paper three weeks ago.”

“Nice,” Aaron said as he sat down at the couch. “I’ve got a couple of dogs of my own.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” I said as I began taking food out of the boxes. “You guys always had animals around.”

“Yeah,” Aaron said as he came into the kitchen. “Let me help you,” he said as he took the boxes of cereal out of my hands.

“Thanks,” I replied as I glanced over at Nick. He was leaning against the wall, his eyes glued to his phone; engrossed in a text. “Whatcha got going on over there, Nick.”

“Hot date,” he said as he shut his phone and looked at me. “I should probably jet.”

“You’re not gonna stay?” Aaron said as he stacked up empty boxes.

“I’d love to, but this is Trish,” Nick replied with his eyebrows raised.

“So, how the fuck am I getting home?” Aaron said in a low tone.

“I dunno,” Nick said as he pulled out his phone to reply to another text.

“I can’t believe you’d be so fucking rude,” Aaron said as he snarled his lip. “For some cheap pussy.”

“Best kind to have,” Nick said as he snapped his phone shut. “Don’t gotta take her out for dinner or nothing,” he said with a grin.

“You’re fucking disgusting,” Aaron muttered. “But whatever. I’ll figure out what to do later.”

“We should go out to eat or something,” Nick said to me. “You know, before I leave.”

“Maybe,” I replied softly and licked my lips. “Well, I guess you better go. You don’t wanna keep Trish waiting or anything.”

“Right,” Nick said as he made his way around the counter and hugged me. “Talk to you later, bro,” he said then quickly made his exit.

“Fucking prick,” Aaron muttered.

I looked at him and leaned against the counter. “I see your height isn’t the only thing that’s changed about you. What’s with the potty mouth,” I joked.

“You try living in the same house with Nick and stay polite. It ain’t possible,” he said with a laugh. “But, oh well. I’m not gonna let him ruin my night.”

“Definitely not,” I said as pushed him toward the couch. “Let’s catch up. Sit.”

Aaron took a seat on the couch and I sat on the opposite end of him. Leo curled up next to me and I pet his back as I awkwardly looked over at Aaron.

“So, what’s new?”

Aaron shrugged and draped his arm on the back of the couch. “Same old thing, pretty much. Recording and shit.”

“Yeah, I heard about your career in passing,” I said with a nod. “How’s the family?”

“Ah, you know how it is. We hardly talk these days. We don’t really have much to say to each other after House of Carters.”

“I see,” I replied, unsure of what to say to his response.

“Enough about me,” he said with a grin. “Tell me about you.”

I laughed and looked at the ceiling. “I lead the world’s most boring life. You don’t wanna hear about it.”

“Well, maybe I like boring,” he said softly.

“I don’t know. Gosh. Um…I’m still working at JC Penny’s in the jewelry department.”

“Wow! You were there when I last saw you.”

“I know, but I hate to leave the job. Money’s good and it’s got benefits. I can’t do better than that.”

“You still singing?” he asked as he removed his hat.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. “No…I—I don’t do that anymore.”

“Why not? Rach, you used to sing all the time. What happened?”

I shrugged and stood up. “So, what’s with the presents?”

“I thought I asked you a question,” he said as he stood up.

“I asked you one too,” I said as I examined several boxes of wrapped presents.

“It’s just a bunch of old presents I got you and saved until I saw you again. So, why don’t you sing anymore?” he asked as he moved closer to me.

“You actually bought me presents over the years?” I asked in shock.

“Yes,” he said as he took one of the presents away from me. “I’m still waiting on your answer.”

I sighed and looked at him. “Another time,” I said as I took the present back to him. “Let me open these mystery gifts,” I replied then made my way to the couch.

My visit with Aaron became an eventful one. Since he was of the legal drinking age, we decided to splurge on a couple of cases of Corona. It was nice to have an evening alone with a friend and share a few laughs. It was something I didn’t get very often. I was having so much fun that I didn’t want it to end.

Aaron sat on my recliner with a grin on his face as I laid on the floor with Leo. We laughed as I began pulling on Leo’s tail and watched him chase my hand while barking. When I sat back up, I was feeling the affect of the alcohol. I’d grown quite warm in my adventure of pestering my dog.

“It’s fucking hot in here,” I said while fanning myself. “I need some air,” I said as I stood up and made my way to the balcony. “You coming?”

“In a minute. I gotta piss,” he replied.

“Okay,” I said as I opened the balcony door. “Just come outside when you’re done.”

“Okay,” Aaron said as he slowly stood up and laughed. “I’m really close to being drunk.”

“Ha! Light weight,” I teased.

“Look who’s talking. You’re just as tipsy as I am.”

“Am not!” I defended.

“Right,” Aaron said while tossing a throw blanket at me. “Take that out there. You’ll freeze when that wind hits you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said as I stepped outside.

Aaron was right about the wind. Once a breeze came through, I felt the temperature drop. It felt good for a minute, but then I began to shiver. I draped the blanket around myself and sat in a chair with my legs curled under me. The familiar scent of Florida air reached my nose as I breathed in deep. It was chilly for a night in June. A light breeze rushed past me, lightly pushing my hair back as I sipped on my almost empty Corona. The apartment complex was quiet except for the occasional whir of a car passing by. I sighed to myself as I guzzled the last of the Corona and placed it on the table. I heard the patio door slide open and glanced over my shoulder to see Aaron come out with two Coronas in his hands. He smirked at me as he handed me one of the bottles.

“I thought you’d want another one,” he said as he plopped down on the chair next to me. “This is a nice area,” he said as he twisted the cap off his bottle. “I could see myself living around here.”

I slowly nodded as I struggled with the cap on my bottle. “It’s not too bad. I like it,” I said with a sigh and looked at my bottle.

“To be honest, I’m surprised you didn’t move away from here,” he said as he took my bottle and twisted off the cap.

“Yeah, well, things have a way of not working out,” I commented as I took the bottle from him.

Aaron took a swig of his beer and studied me for a moment. I slowly put down my bottle and looked away from him, tugging on the blanket around me. I could see him staring from the corner of my eye. He moved his chair closer to me and rested his chin on my shoulder in the same way he did as a kid. I chuckled and leaned my head against his. Aaron draped his arm around my shoulder and without hesitation; I linked my fingers with his. I could feel his breath lingering against my neck as I stared out onto the dim lit parking lot.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly.

I shut my eyes to avoid tears spilling. I hated how even after eight years, he could still read me. I took a drink of my beer and slowly nodded.

“I’m fine,” I said as I squeezed his hand.

“Why is it that I don’t believe you?” he said as he dug his chin deeper into my shoulder.

I smirked as he continued to push on my shoulder. A giggle escaped my lips as I gently caressed his cheek.

“Your face is cold,” I said as I sat up straight and looked at him. “We should go back inside,” I continued as I grabbed my beer and stood up.

Aaron smiled and chuckled as he put the hood of his jacket over his head. “There. Sit your butt down.”

I laughed and shook my head. “I don’t believe you’re telling me what to do.”

“I am,” he said as he tugged on my hand. “Sit.”

“Aaron –“

He didn’t give me a chance to dispute his request. Aaron tugged on my arm and pulled me down onto his lap. I stiffened when I realized I was straddling his knee.

“I can sit in the other chair,” I said softly, avoiding his eyes.

Aaron was silent as he observed me for a moment. I pulled the blanket tighter around myself and sighed, hoping he’d stop staring. I glanced at him and he smirked as he sipped his beer.

“What’s that look for?” I asked softly.

“Nothing,” he said with a smile. “It’s just…you’re so transparent, it’s almost sad.”

“I beg your pardon?” I said, half offended.

“I can’t explain it. I just can sense that you’re not happy here.”

“You get all that from me sitting on your lap?”

Aaron nodded and snickered as he lifted his bottle to his lips. “Pretty much.”

“You’ve grown up to be a cocky little shit,” I said as I stood up.

“Sit your butt down,” Aaron said as he pulled me back down. “Stop that.”

“Did it ever occur to you that I don’t want to sit on your lap?”

“No because you do,” he said with a smile.

“You’re so full of it,” I muttered.

He playfully smiled at me as he reached in his pocket for a pack of cigarettes. I wrinkled my nose and sipped my beer as he pulled one out of the box.

“Smoking is such a disgusting habit.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said as he lit up the cigarette and took a drag. “You can get up if it bothers you that bad,” he teased.

“I’m fine,” I said as I continued to drink my beer.

I looked back out at the parking lot. It annoyed me that he’d figured me out in a matter of a few hours. He was right…I wasn’t happy. There was so much I wanted to share with him, but I felt blocked from expressing my feelings. I sighed and put my bottle down on the table. I couldn’t believe how comfortable I was on his lap. It was a different kind of feeling, but I didn’t want it to stop. I jumped a little when I felt him slip his hand under my blanket and slither his arm around my waist.

“Sorry,” he whispered as he put out his cigarette.

“It’s okay,” I said as I watched him put his other arm around my waist.

“Come here,” he said as he pulled me closer to him.

I didn’t fight him. I followed his pull and laid my head against his shoulder. I nuzzled my nose against his neck, taking in the scent of his nearly faded cologne. He held me tighter as I let out a shaky sigh. He was making it hard to hold back what I was feeling inside.

“Are you going to tell me what you’re thinking?” he asked in a raspy voice.

“I want to,” I said softly, blinking back the tears.

“So do it.”

“You don’t wanna hear about my problems,” I said with a sigh.

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t,” he stated as he rubbed his fingers against my waist.

“It’s complicated,” I said as I sat up.

“Rach…how many years have we known each other?”

“Practically forever,” I said as I cupped my hands over my face.

“So, just tell me. Whatever it is, I won’t tell anyone.”

I tried to hide the tears, but I couldn’t. They spilled down my cheek as I stood up and leaned against the rail of the balcony. I sobbed softly to myself as he quickly got up and stood behind me. He hugged me from behind until I turned around and cried into his chest. Aaron held me tight while resting his chin against the top of my head.

“Don’t cry,” he whispered. “You can tell me.”

I struggled with the words. My thoughts jumbled in my brain as I continued to cry.

“He beats me,” I choked out, looking away from him.

“Wait…what?! Who beats you?” he asked, stepping away from me.

“Jeff,” I said tearfully.

“The same Jeff you dated in high school?!”

I nodded as I sat back down in the chair. “That’s him.”

“I thought you guys broke up a long time,” he replied as he pulled the other chair closer to me. “I’m confused.”

“Jeff and I started dating again three years ago. Things were fine at first, but now…”

“He better not show his face around me,” Aaron muttered.

“Aaron, don’t. Just let it go,” I begged.

Aaron shook his head and hugged me. “There’s no way in hell I’m gonna let him do this to you.”

“Just let me handle it,” I said sternly. “Promise me you won’t say anything to him.”

Aaron sighed and cupped his hands around my face. “If I see so much of a bruise on you, I won’t keep quiet. I can’t keep quiet. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

“Aaron, I can fight my own battles.”

“Obviously you can’t if you’re still with him,” he said as he caressed my cheek.

I glanced over his shoulder and through the glass door. I could see the clock hanging on the wall and wiped the tears off my cheeks. It was after two AM and Nick hadn’t come back for Aaron.

“It’s late,” I said while sniffling.

Aaron pursed his lips as he pulled out his cell phone to see the time. “Dumbass isn’t coming back,” he muttered.

“I’m too drunk to drive,” I said in a shaky voice.

Aaron shook his head and caressed my cheek. “No, I wouldn’t have asked you to drive. I can just crash on the couch or something.”

“Okay,” I said as I stood up. “I can do that.”

Aaron followed me back inside and I tossed my blanket onto the couch. He sat down beside the blanket and took off his shoes and hoodie. Once I got inside, I realized how drunk I was. I found myself struggling to walk in the direction of my bedroom. I stumbled to the chair and held myself steady. Aaron jumped up and grabbed me before I could tumble to the floor.

“Easy there,” he said as he linked his arm around my waist.

“I think I overdid it,” I said with a nod.

“I think so too,” he said softly. “Let me help you into bed.”

“Okay,” I replied as we walked in the direction of my room.

“So, do you need to change or anything? I can leave the room.”

I shook my head and laid on top of my comforter. The room began to spin and I shut my eyes tight.

“Fuck! The room is spinning,” I stated.

“The sooner we get you to sleep, the less likely it’ll be that you get sick,” he said as he removed my shoes.

“That would be bad,” I slurred.

“Very bad,” Aaron said as he pulled down the blankets. “Come on, into the bed,” he said as he gently pulled on my arm.

I followed his instructions and made my way into the bed. Aaron pulled the blankets over me and kneeled down at the edge of the bed. He stared at me as I smiled and cupped my hand over his cheek.

“Good night,” Aaron said softly.

“You’re leaving me?”

“Just to the couch,” he replied. “No biggie.”

“Please don’t go,” I said meekly. “We can share the bed. I don’t mind.”

Aaron hesitated for a moment then finally nodded in surrender. Without a word, he removed his shirt and turned off the light. I watched him slowly bob through the moonlit shadows and crawl into the bed. I moved closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder.

“Thanks for being such a good friend,” I said with a yawn.

“Anytime,” he said softly. “Get some sleep.”

“Definitely,” I replied then drifted off in his embrace.

The next morning was less than pleasant. I closed my eyes shut as my head pounded. My mouth was dry and my tongue felt like sandpaper. My stomach rumbled with nausea. I’d forgotten how bad a hangover felt. It wasn’t exactly how I’d planned to start my day. I rolled over and felt the cold, hard surface beneath me. I slowly opened my eyes and realized I wasn’t in my bed. I was on the bathroom floor. My eyes fixated on a glass of water sitting a few feet in front of me. I slowly sat up and looked around in confusion. I struggled to remember what had happened the night before, but I couldn’t remember past falling asleep next to Aaron. My head pounded and I rested myself against the closed toilet. Standing up seemed far from an option at that point. Leo scampered into the bathroom and barked as he moved closer to me.

“Ugh! Leo! Shut up!” I said as I covered my face with my hands.

“Here, Leo,” said Aaron.

I looked up and saw him handing Leo a bone. Leo happily took it from him and scampered out of the bathroom. Aaron smiled and looked down at my pathetic self on the floor. I grimaced and looked away from him as I made myself comfortable on the toilet again. Aaron sat beside me on the floor and raised his eyebrows in that patronizing manner than always bugged me.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I said with a sigh.

“Are you okay?” he asked in a pleasant tone.

“As okay as I can be,” I said in sarcasm. “What the hell happened last night? How’d I get on the floor?”

“You fell asleep for an hour then woke up to make a mad dash to the bathroom,” he said with a chuckle. “You actually pushed me off the bed to go that direction.”

“Sorry,” I said sourly. “I guess I had a little too much to drink.”

Aaron shrugged and patted my leg. “It happens. Don’t worry about it.”

“Did you stay up that whole time?”

Aaron nodded and ran his fingers through his hair. “I fell asleep against the wall for a little while. I couldn’t leave you alone like that.”

“Thanks,” I said as I attempted to stand up.

I stumbled a little on my feet and Aaron quickly stood up to help me steady myself. He placed his hand on the small of my back and led me back into the bedroom. I crawled back into the bed and Aaron pulled the curtains in before sitting on the edge of the bed. He reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

“It’s almost noon. I should probably get back to my dad’s house.”

“Yeah,” I said softly.

Aaron groaned in frustration as he hung up his phone. He looked at me and plopped onto the bed. I smiled and played with the ends of his hair.

“Nick’s a fucking douche,” he complained. “He shut off his phone.”

“I can drive you,” I offered as I picked off a piece of fuzz from his hair.

“No, you’re tired,” he said with a sigh.

“I meant later.”

“Oh,” he said as he rolled over on his stomach. “So, what do we do until then?”

“Sleep,” I said with a grin. “I’ll take you home when I wake up.”

Aaron shrugged and snuggled up to my other pillow. He looked at me with his brown eyes shining. His glance made me smirk as I looked back at him. Aaron yawned and scooted himself and the pillow closer to me. I smiled and leaned my head against his. I felt safe with him around.

“It’s weird,” he said softly.

“What’s weird?”

“Us,” he stated.

I raised my eyebrow at him and poked his arm with my index finger. “What about us?”

Aaron chuckled and looked away from me. “Nevermind.”

“No, tell me,” I said as I pulled the blankets over us.

“Forget it. It’s stupid,” he mumbled.

“It was just a thought. Don’t worry about it.”

I glanced at him and smiled as the color in his cheeks flushed. I sat up on my elbow and laughed.

“Are you blushing, Aaron?”

“No,” he said as he hid himself under the blankets.

“You are!” I said as I tugged on the blankets. “Why are you blushing?”

“I don’t wanna say,” he said while laughing.

“Aaron Charles Carter! Tell me why you’re blushing,” I said as I dug into the blankets and tickled him.

“Ah, you suck!” he said as he came out from underneath the blankets. “Stop ticking me!” he said as I continued to tickle his sides.

Aaron burst into laughter as he collapsed onto the bed and I crawled on top of him. We both laughed as we struggled in a tickle war. Aaron took his leg and wrapped it around mine, causing me to fall to the side.

“Oh no!” I shouted as he quickly got up and pinned me to the bed.

“Whatcha gonna do now?” he said in a sing song voice. “I’ve got you trapped.”

I giggled as he put his legs tight against my waist. Aaron let go of my arms and began tickling my sides. I laughed loudly as he took his revenge on me. His hands moved too quickly for me to use my own hands to stop him. As I flailed my arms around to get away from him, he pinned them back to the bed and hovered over me. We both laughed and looked at each other for a moment. Aaron stared at me intensely. I struggled to catch my breath and I watched him slowly move closer t me. I closed my eyes and prepared for his lips to press against mine. I could feel his breath against my cheek and my heart skipped a beat. I slowly opened my eyes and jumped when the sound of my front door opening. I quickly pushed him off me and slid off the bed.

“Fuck!” I said as I scrambled around the room to find his shirt.

“Who is that?” he asked in a loud whisper.

“Jeff,” I whispered back and tossed him his shirt.

“He has a key?!”

“He insisted,” I said with a shrug. “Just act natural,” I said as I ran out to the living room.

“Jeff!” I said enthusiastically. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d come over and give you breakfast,” he said as he handed me a bag of doughnuts.

My stomach turned at the smell. I set them on the counter and backed away from the bag. Jeff smiled at me and grabbed my waist, pulling me toward him.

“I’ve hardly seen you all week,” he said as be nuzzled his stubbly chin against my cheek.

“I know,” I replied softly.

I saw Aaron come out of my room from the corner of my eye. He quickly snuck behind Jeff and stood in the doorway of my spare bedroom. I watched as he opened the door and shut it loudly. Jeff jerked back and looked over at Aaron. I held my arms close to my body and waited for Jeff to snap.

“Who the fuck are you?” he asked loudly.

“I’m Aaron,” he replied calmly. “An old friend of Rachel’s.”

“What is he doing here?” Jeff demanded. “Are you fucking around?” he asked as he stepped closer to me.

“He came over to visit,” I replied as I shifted to my left. “We’ve not seen each other in a long time.”

“Nothing happened,” Aaron piped in. “We had some drinks and she let me stay in her spare bedroom.”

Jeff looked at me and clenched his jaw. “Is that all that happened?”

“Yes,” I replied softly.

“Rach…I’m gonna go,” Aaron said as he zipped up his hoodie. “Call me later or something.”

Before I could ever respond, Aaron was already out the door. Stunned that he left so quickly, I hesitated to look at Jeff. He coldly stared at me and backed himself to the guest bedroom. His eyes never left me as I watched him open the door. My stomach sank as I watched him go into the guest bedroom. My voice was lost in my throat as he slammed his fist into the door. Our plan had failed. He saw the neatly made bed and knew we’d been lying. Jeff charged at me in full speed and slammed me against the wall. I gasped as the mirror behind me crashed to the floor, flinging glass in my face. I screamed as the loud crash echoed in my ears. Jeff picked me up and held me against the wall by my neck. I struggled to breathe as he stared at me with cold eyes.

“Jeff!” I choked out as I tried to pry his hand away from my throat.

My hands shook in panic as I started losing oxygen. He pushed harder and tears streamed from the corners of my eyes. He let me go and I fell to the floor in the mess of glass. My heartbeat echoed in my ears as I looked down at my hands. Blood dripped down my hands and I began to sob in pain. Jeff grabbed me by my waist and carried me into the bathroom. I continued to cry as he sat me on the counter and began wiping the blood off my hands. My hands stung from class embedded into them. I couldn’t even look at him. I was trembling with him near me. He placed the cloth on my head and I jumped at the sting.

“I think we discussed what happens when you lie to me,” he said as he continue to dab my head.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered tearfully.

“Well…this will need stitches. You remember the drill.”

“Tell the doctors that I fell, I know,” I said while crying.

“Good,” he replied as he put the cloth down. “Call me when you get back,” he said and left the room.

I listened for him to leave my apartment and wearily made my way off the counter. I heard the door close and I stumbled to my bed. I began searching for my phone. My eye stung from blood dripping down my face. I cried to myself as I found my phone on the nightstand beside the bed. I shakily looked for Aaron’s number and sobbed when I realized I didn’t have his current number. I looked for Nick’s number and threw the phone down as it went to straight to voice mail. Leo came into the room and whimpered at my feet. I slid down to the floor and cried helplessly. Everything around me was starting to blur. I reached for my phone and dialed 911. I tried to choke out the words for the operator, but I felt far too faint. The voice of the operator garbled in my head as I crawled into the living room. My eyes fixated on the front door swinging open. A tall shadow moved toward me and I collapsed to the floor with the phone still in my hand.

The sound of the ocean boomed all around me as I walked across the shore alone. The smell of salt reached my nose as I felt the warm sand under my feet. I sighed as I gazed out into the ocean and wrapped my arms around myself. Tears slowly fell down my cheeks as the wind whisked through my brown hair. I wrinkled my brow as I looked down at the sand and wiped the tears from off my cheeks. I jumped when I felt two, strong arms wrap around my waist. I quickly turned around to find Aaron behind me, smiling gently as he cupped his hands around my face.

“How did you find me?” I said in a whisper of relief.

“I always know where you are,” he said with a smile and grazed his thumb across my lips.

“If you say so,” I said as tears continued to spill down my cheeks.

“No more tears, baby,” he whispered as he studied my face. “You always have me.”

“How can I be so sure? You might leave again,” I said between sniffles.

Aaron shook his head and looked me deeply in the eyes and slowly moved closer to me. He kept one hand under my chin as he took my other hand. He linked his fingers with mine and squeezed my hand tight as he slid his tongue across my bottom lip and kissed my passionately. My body pressed against his and hungrily returned the kiss.

A loud clap of thunder roared around us as the sky darkened. Our lips never parted as the waves began to violently crash against the shore. Lightning lit up the sky as I closed my eyes and drank in his kisses. Aaron gently pulled away from me and looked at me intently.

“There’s something I should tell you,” he replied softly.

He spoke so soft that his words were almost lost in the thunder. I looked at him and searched his eyes for what his next statement would be. Before I could open my mouth to speak, a loud clap of thunder caused me jump and everything fell black.

I let out a loud gasp and realized that I had been dreaming. My heart raced a little as I sunk back down into my pillow. Thunder rumbled outside the window. Little flashes of lighting lit the room enough for me to make out my surroundings. I was lying in a hospital bed. The sound of a heart monitor echoed in the room. The beep quickened as my heart continued to race from my dream and confusion of my location. I slowly looked around, trying to make sense of what had happened. I carefully sat up and winced as a sharp pain shot up my arm and through my head. I looked down at my right hand and recognized Aaron’s fingers linked with mine. My hands were bandaged with thick gauze and tape. Pieces of the earlier incident began to flood my mind, which made my injuries hurt even worse. My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I could see him sleeping with his body pressed against the rail of my bed. I was surprised to see him sitting beside me and wondered how long he’d been there. He looked uncomfortable in his position against my bed. I felt a twinge of guilt hit me as I shifted my position. Aaron jerked awake and looked at me with wide eyes.

“You’re awake,” he said with a chuckle of relief.

“Yeah,” I said while wincing in pain.

“Are you in pain?” he asked as he sat up straight.

“Yeah,” I said as I stared at the wall and sighed.

“I’ll call in the nurse,” he said as he reached over me to push the call button.

He glanced at me as he slowly sat back down. His eyes softened at me and he grabbed my hand again. Aaron studied me with concern in his eyes. My head was still hazy and I found it hard to pull my thoughts together. Aaron squeezed my hand and rubbed my thumb with his. I looked back at him and grimaced.

“How long have I been in here?” I asked softly.

“Just a few hours,” he replied. “They said you’ll be here a couple of days. You broke three of your ribs, fractured your left arm, and they stitched up your head.”

“I can’t believe he did this to me,” I said tearfully.

“Neither can I,” Aaron replied as he let go of my hand. “If that bastard shows his face around me, he’ll wish he were dead,” he muttered. “He’s gone now though.”

I shook my head and let the tears fall down my cheeks. “He’ll come back. He always does.”

“This isn’t the first time he’s done this, is it?”

“I wasn’t lying when I said he beat me,” I said while sniffling.

“Rachel, this wasn’t a beating. He nearly killed you.”

“I know,” I said while sobbing. I glanced over to Aaron and reached for his hand. “He’ll come back. He always does.”

Aaron stood up and placed his hands over my cheeks. “Rach…it’s going to be okay,” he said straight faced. “I promise.”

I gripped onto his left hand and sobbed loudly. Aaron pushed down the bar on my bed and sat beside me. He gently put his arms around me and held me close as I cried into his chest.

“Shhhh, it’s okay,” he whispered.

“I can’t go back there, Aaron,” I sobbed. “I’ll never get away from him if I do.”

“No, you’re coming to stay at my house in the keys,” Aaron said as he smoothed out my hair.

“Aaron, I can’t just take off. I have a job and—“

“I don’t care,” he interrupted.

“What am I going to do about money and –“

“You let me worry about that,” he said sternly. “There is no way I’m letting you go back there.”

“But—“

Aaron placed his finger over my lips and shook his head. “I already talked to Nick and we’re gonna move your stuff out of that apartment. You can stay at my place in the keys. Don’t worry about anything. I got this.”

“Aaron, this is really nice of you, but what about when you go back to L.A?”

“Well, it’s not like I would kick you out,” he said with a smile. “Please don’t fight me on this. You’re one of my best friends. It’s what we’re supposed to do for each other.”

I wiped the tears away from my eyes and sighed. “You and your big heart,” I mumbled.

“You know you love me,” he replied with a grin.

“That I do,” I said with a nod.

“You’re gonna get a restraining order on that asshole, right?”

“I don’t have a choice,” I said as I looked at him with fresh tears. “Next time could kill me.”

Aaron grimaced as he slumped down in his seat. The idea of Jeff coming back around made me nauseous. I didn’t want to see him ever again. I sighed to myself as I heard footsteps coming down the hallway. I assume they belonged to the nurse, so I situated myself to face the door.

“Excuse me, Miss Crawford?” said a male voice.

I looked over at the door and saw a police officer standing in the doorway. Aaron grabbed my hand and gave me a comforting squeeze.

“Yes?” I said meekly.

“I hate to bother you in such a situation, but I was wondering if you could give me some information about Jeff Collins.”

“Of course,” I said while snarling my lip.

The very sound of his name made me angry. No sane person would put someone in the hospital on purpose. I was more than willing to give the police officer any info he wanted.

“We tried to find him at his current address, but it seems that he’s taken off. Any idea where he might have gone?”

“No, not really,” I said as I shook my head. “He’s always running off for days at a time. God knows where he goes.”

“That’s okay,” he replied. “I assume you want to press charges.”

“You’re damn right she does!” Aaron piped.

I shot Aaron a look and sighed in agreement. “Yes, I do.”

“Okay, you’ll need to sign right here on this line,” the police officer stated as he handed me a clipboard.

I took the pen from him and carefully signed my name on the line. I winced in pain as I handed the clipboard back to him.

“We’ll be in touch, Miss Crawford,” he said then swiftly left the room.

I sighed of relief as the nurse came in to give me another dose of painkillers. She injected the medication into the IV and smiled sweetly. I smiled back as she checked the IV bag and took my blood pressure. I sank back down into my pillow as Aaron carefully covered my feet with the ends of the blankets.

“You’re all set,” said the nurse. “Let me know if you need anything and visiting hours are over,” she said as she glanced at her watch.

“Gotcha,” Aaron said as he slipped on his hoodie.

I sighed as I watched him slowly stand up and stretch his muscles. I frowned and looked up at the ceiling. I wasn’t too keen on the idea of being left alone in the hospital.

“I’ll be back first thing in the morning,” he said softly as he dug in his pocket. “Here’s your cell. Call me if you can’t sleep.”

I smiled as I took it from him. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” he said as he brushed a stray hair out of my face. “Good night,” he said then kissed my forehead.

“Night,” I replied as I watched him walk out of the room.

I sighed and stared at the blank wall. I hated sleeping in unfamiliar places, let alone a hospital. I grimaced as I tried to make myself comfortable in the bed. I laid on my side and thought about the offer that Aaron presented to me. Moving to the keys didn’t sound like a bad idea. It would be far enough away from Jeff, at least. I smiled at how sincere Aaron was being. I was shocked at how mature he’d grown up to be. My eyes slowly drooped as I continued to think about Aaron and living in the keys. I had almost fallen asleep when I felt my cell phone buzzing under my hip. I picked it up and smiled at the text message from Aaron.

“I LUV U.”

I looked at the text message for a moment and I felt my cheeks burn a little. I smirked and as I responded back.

“I love you too.”

I looked down at my cell phone and smiled in satisfaction. Yes…living in the keys would begin a new chapter in my life.