“So, you’ve never introduced a boyfriend to your family before?” Aiden asks, his voice gentle. I hesitate for a long moment, my fingers fidgeting nervously in my lap. “I guess I haven’t had that many serious relationships,” I confess awkwardly. “Besides, when it comes to bringing boyfriends home t
Carol’s POV At last, Aiden and I arrive in my neighborhood. Humble yet homey houses dot every street. The entire neighborhood carries an air of community. Even people I’ve never seen before. We’ve had our car as we drive by. We pull into the driveway of my childhood home. It isn’t the biggest or
“Absolutely. Stay as long as you need,” my mother says. “Here, I’ll show you to your room.” My mother leads us to the guest room, a room that was once my childhood bedroom. Even without all of the features of my previous room, the space brings back warm memories. The decorations are inviting and e
Aiden moves quickly. He grabs onto the door handle, ripping it open. It’s unclear if the door was locked or if Aiden’s intensity was simply too strong, but either way, we have our targets. Aiden drags someone out of the drivers’ side door before they can begin driving away. The man is shorter and
The officer hums. “Well, they’re not particularly high offenses, but we’ll certainly look into them. We’ll see if there happens to be anything more sinister going on.” Aiden, who has been pensively silent, decides to speak up now. “This isn’t the first time we’ve seen people in unmarked cars with
Carol’s POV As we spend the night at my family's place, the weight of the recent events still lingers. My parents welcome us back into the house with nervous smiles. After we explain the results of our excursion, they thank us -- although some unease still remains. We try to push it aside, if only
Carol’s POV Soon enough, Aiden has fully reimmersed himself in the familiar routine of practice, skirmishes, and intense drilling. The team had no small amount of happiness, of course — their last game had been a resounding success. Still, beneath the surface, the pressure has begun to mount as pu
“Oh, please, don’t apologize. I’m glad you won’t be,” I half-joke. Although Aiden’s help has bolstered my confidence slightly, the attention was still nerve wracking. “Hey, don’t worry, okay?” He smiles at me softly and gives me a kiss on the forehead. “How about this — after your interview tonigh