My Hart

Chapter 16

"Well, that didn't last long.  You must still be frustrated."  Ayden smirked sitting on a stump one hundred feet from our camp.  He looked half lit.

"You are good at reminding me why I am the way I am.  So kind one minute and a complete ass the next.  You bragged to your friends about my moment of weakness."  I said putting my hands on my hips.  "Then you try to make me jealous with random girls?" I questioned.

"I fucked up, okay?  I don't know what is wrong with me."  He said rubbing the back of his neck.  I noticed he does this when he is trying to work something out in his head.

"I get it.  You fuck up my head, too."  I said being honest.  "Let's go for a walk."  I said grabbing a wine cooler from the cooler.

"In the dark?"  He wiggled his eyebrows at me.  I could tell he was already had some to drink.

"Are you scared of me?"  I challenged.

We walked down to the water's edge.  I dipped my toes in the water.

"What the hell was that between you and Brayden earlier?"  I questioned.

"He's just a fucking dick."  He said before turning up his beer bottle.  "Look just between you and me...", he paused, "I like you."

"I like you, too.  Most of the time."  I joked.

"Ha-ha.  I mean like you as in I think about you all the time.  I don't know how to deal with it."  He said bluntly.

"I don't think you like me.  I think you see me as a challenge that you can't win."  I said before turning up my bottle.

"Is that so?"  He raised an eyebrow in question.

"Yeah, it is.  I'm not going to deny that there is definitely some sexual attraction going on between us.  But there's only two problems, I don't fuck my friend's brothers.  And I'm not looking to cause trouble between friends."  I said matter-of-factly.

"I agree about the first part.  The thing is though, my sister wants us to get together."

"Yeah, but I don't date.  I wouldn't want to give her false pretenses."

"You're just scared you'll fall in love with me."

"Love is for other people.  Not my thing."  

"I guess you've had your heart broken before?" He asked raising his eyebrow.

"Nope, not me. Anytime I start getting any warm feelings I stop hooking up." I say catching a glimpse of Brayden.

"What if you meet the right guy?" He asked with a smirk.

"The 'right guy' is the worst. They are the ones that leave you to raise a daughter on your own."

"I'd guess you've seen this firsthand?"

"Yeah, my mom. She's still a romantic, wears her heart on her sleeve." I say shaking my head.

"Just you and your mom? No other family?" He asked as if he was sad for me.

"Yep."

"My parents have been married for twenty-two years. They act as if they are newlyweds. It's the most disturbing thing." He chuckles.

"That's a one in a million chance." I shook my head. "Your parent's relationship I mean. I would never have that kind of luck."

"How would you know? You've never even tried." He shrugged.

"I've seen all the times my mom has had her heart broken. I would have the same luck. It's genetic."

"What it sounds like to me is she needs to be more like you and not fall so quickly. You should be more like her and give it a chance."