After Starlight-Redemption?

Chapter Eleven

Aphmau Pov:
I stared at Ein. Is he lying? The confusion in his eyes seems so real... No. I can't think this way.

I hardened my gaze and glared at Ein, he flinched.

"You never would have thought someone being suspicious of you was fair. What are you playing at?" I growled.

"So... apparently I did something bad to you in the past. But I genuinely do not remember it. Go ahead and question me, ask me anything. I won't have an answer."

I sighed and stood up. "He's obviously not going to tell us anything. Zane?"

"Yeah Aph?"

"Stay here and guard him. Make sure he doesn't try anything. I'll be back soon, I just... really need a break."

Zane looked at me understandingly. "I get it." He said. "Go and get some rest."

I turned and left, my friends trailing after me. They could tell something was up, so they didn't question me. Before I knew it I was in my room, closing the door gently behind me.

As soon as the lock clicked, I broke. All the tears I had been holding in the past two hours finally came flooding out. I kept quiet though, holding most of the tears in. I didn't want anyone to hear me and worry.

He is alive. That thought was circling around and around in my head. He's alive and he's back and Aaron is in the same house as him and I can't protect anyone.

I curled up on my bed and sobbed quietly for a while. A knock on the door interrupted my cries.

I rose up and opened the door. Aaron stood there, seeming rather uncomfortable.

"A-are you okay? I-I heard you, um, crying from downstairs and wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine Aaron." I paused, and shifted. "Was I really that loud? When I was crying, I mean."

"Well, I have advanced hearing 'cause I'm, you know, a werewolf, and most of my senses are heightened a bit anyway, because I can't see, at least that's what Melissa said when I told her that everything was really loud, and-" He paused. "I'm rambling, aren't I?"

I giggled. "Just a bit."

"Sorry."

"No, it's fine! I think it's cute."

He blushed bright red, and I realized exactly what I had said.

"Oh! I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to say that, I just-"

"It's okay." This time, he interrupted me as I began rambling.

We stood there awkwardly for a few moments until he spoke.

"I know you aren't fine."

"Wh-what?"

"When someone is crying their eyes out like you were, they aren't fine."

"I- Okay. Maybe I'm not fine. You know what, do you wanna come in? I'd rather talk about this in private."

"Okay."

I pulled the door open wider and took his arm gently, guiding him in to sit on our bed. The bed, I mean.

Jeez, this is confusing! Aaron and I had never broken up, but he doesn't have any memories of us being together, so it doesn't really count. Right?

I still loved him though, and it was so hard not to act like I used to around him. I had to restrain myself, I couldn't kiss him, whisper sweet nothings into his ear, even assure him we'd be alright like I used to! Hell, the first time we had hugged since Starlight was this morning when he was comforting me after seeing Ein!

I didn't realize I was crying until Aaron said, "It's okay." and I started sobbing for the second time in 10 minutes. He pulled me into his arms and held me, seemingly without even thinking about it. I buried my face in his chest and cried, cried like I hadn't in a long time. Even a few minutes ago, I was holding back a bit, afraid to disturb anyone. But now, in his arms, I felt safe. Like everything was going actually fine for once.

Aaron Pov:
Oh my Irene, I was blushing so much. I didn't know why I was so attached to Aphmau, but I felt such a strong connection to her. When I heard her crying before, it was all I could do not to run up the stairs, trip, and break my neck trying to get to her.

Why, why, why?! You've known this girl for two weeks, why do you feel this way?

After a while, Aphmau's heaving sobs faded into gentle snores, and I laid her back onto the bed. After arranging the sheets as best I could without disturbing her and without seeing, I felt my way to the door and closed it softly behind me.

Sighing, I touched my hand to the wall until I made it to the stairwell and stepped carefully down. I had memorized the layout of most of the house, so I was able to find and sit down on the couch easily. I heard soft footsteps coming towards me, and smelled my sister's familiar scent. The couch shifted as she sat down beside me.

"Hey little bro. How you doing?"

"Good."

I could practically feel her disbelieving stare.

"Fine! I'm- I'm really confused. I feel this sort of connection to Aphmau that I can't explain. I hardly know her, she hardly knows me, but for some reason, I always want to be around her, and comfort her. She makes me happy, and I can't explain why!"

Melissa was silent for a moment, then sighed. "I can."

"What? What do you know?"

"I'll be right back. Wait here."

I sat while I heard her messing about with something, sounded like her purse. A minute later, she sat down again.

"Here." She said, pressing something into my hands. It was a piece of cloth, lightweight and small and wrinkled slightly. It smelled familiar.

"What is this?"

"It's a bandanna. Your bandanna."

Wow! Longest chapter yet, almost a thousand words.

Please comment.

See ya!

-Mags