Leila
“You could never be a mistake.” Those words haven’t left my head since I walked away and left Aiden standing there behind an old building, all alone. It destroyed me leaving him there, telling him I couldn’t be with him when it’s all I want.
He’s been calling me nonstop, texting me that he wants to talk. But there’s nothing else to talk about. What Aiden and I had was great when there were no feelings and no one else knew. But now that I’m in love with him and he wants more… it changes everything.
I let out a breath of relief when the door knocks, knowing Rosie is here. I told the girls about Aiden. Since two out of three already knew, one more wouldn’t matter. Not when nothing would come of it anyway, but I needed my girls. I needed to talk and vent and just have someone that would help me forget about Aiden.
But when I open the door, Rosalie is not standing on the other side of it. Aiden is.
He steps back from the door and smiles when he sees me. The sight alone makes me want to ball up and cry, because it’s not his usual smile. He’s not grinning like he did when we first met. This smile is calculated, small and unsure, and his usually sparkling blue eyes seem dull… sad. I hate that I’ve done that.
He’s so handsome. His hands are tucked in his pockets, and he’s not wearing a cap this time. I love his hair, love when it’s long, love when it’s short. I just love him.
He visibly swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing when he gestures to my apartment. “Can I come in?” he asks when I don’t say anything.
“Yeah.” I open the door wider, stepping out of the way so he can walk inside. I close the door, pressing myself against it. I don’t know what to do with my hands. I’m so nervous. I don’t want to have this conversation again. I don’t even know why he’s here after last time.
I lift myself off the door, head towards the couch, sit down and stare at my hands—I still don’t know what to do with them—fidgeting with the hem of my sweater. When I feel the couch dip beside me, my heart starts to race and the next thing I know, his hand covers mine, settling me.
“Will you look at me?”
I turn my head, staring at his beautiful blue eyes. He lets out a breath, and that’s when I notice what’s in his other hand.
He looks down, grabs the folded jersey and places it on the coffee table. The 23 on the back of it making me realize what’s happening. He reaches into his jean pocket and pulls out a ticket, placing it next to the folded jersey. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said. About us.” I pull my gaze to him, his frown creating a line in his forehead that I want to smooth out. “I can’t make you change your mind if you don’t want to be with me.”
He twists on the couch, grabbing hold of both my hands. “But I want to be with you,” he says, my heart racing with every word. “I want you to be my girlfriend. The hiding and sneaking around… it was enough for me before. I didn’t want a relationship. Basketball was always too important to mess it up with a distraction. But you’re not a distraction. You’re my calm through the storm. You’re the one person I want to be with when I feel my worst.”
His eyes scan my face. “I’ve been on my own for most of my life,” he continues. “I’ve never had a home or a family… but you’re starting to feel like the closest thing to it.”
I don’t say anything, even though my heart is racing in my chest, no words seem to come out as I stare at the man in front of me, saying everything I’ve ever wanted to hear. “I thought the idea of us being friends was laughable when we started this. But you’ve somehow become my best friend.” My god, this man is going to destroy me. “And I want to be with you.” He sighs, shaking his head. “I want everything with you.”
I swallow, licking my lips unable to take my eyes off him. his thumb sweeps over my hand. “I have a game tomorrow,” he says. “I know you come to most of them, but this one’s different.” He lets go of my hands and grabs the jersey, holding it in front of me. “I want you to wear this,” he says, placing the jersey in my hands. “I want you to come tomorrow and wear this jersey with my name on it for everyone to see.” My heart’s racing so fast I’m sure he can hear it. “If I see you there, and you wear this, then I’ll know you want to be mine. But if you don’t…” he blows out a breath. “If you don’t, then I won’t ever bother you again. I promise.”
No.
“I can’t do the casual thing with you anymore, Leila.” He stands up from the couch and my eyes follow watching his large figure walk towards the door. He turns right before he reaches the door and the look in his eyes is so painful it buries itself in my chest. “Congrats on the magazine issue by the way. You look beautiful.” He smiles at me. “You always look beautiful.”
I want to run to him, I want to stop him and wrap my arms around him. I want to tell him I change my mind. I want to be with him. I need to be with him, but I don’t. I let him walk out the door.
