Chapter 5

JASMINE'S POV

A moment of tense silence passes between us before Aiden goes ahead,' Riley and I dated a while back so technically she happens to be my ex-girlfriend.'

Once those words leave his lips I frown now understanding why she was completely aggressive towards me. I try to pull away and give myself space to process this information but Aiden does not let me pull me closer to him my leg now draped over his thigh.

'She is the first girl who I have ever been in a serious relationship with and surprisingly I happened to love her. We dated for over a year until one night we headed out for one of her friend's parties. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, people having fun and everything till I noticed that Riley had all of a sudden strayed from my vision of sight for quite some time. I had already had a couple of drinks as I went to search for her already worried that she was nowhere in sight. So I checked all the rooms only to enter one of the rooms that was at the furthest end where I found her on top of some dude hitting it off and I completely lost it. The last thing I remember was being blinded by rage and betrayal and pouncing onto the guy and pummeling my fists into him. Chaos erupted and before I knew it the cops had come and they pulled me off the guy who was bleeding and unconscious,' he says his face void of any emotion.

' Did you go to jail?' I whisper out scared to hear his answer as I stare into his cold eyes.

'Yeah I did but my father came to bail me out,' he says playing with my hair.

' Must have been tough,' I murmur imagining such a scenario in my head where Aiden beats a guy halfway to death only to be caught by the cops.

' The thing about loving someone and getting hurt is that it's like a cut and as much as it will heal there will always be a scar,' he says so quietly as I lay my head on his chest enjoying the warmth radiating off his skin.

' Do you still love her?' I whisper out curious to know his answer.

'Not anymore I don't we better head inside,' he says pulling away and helping me get onto my feet.

We get inside and I am too tired to take a shower smelling like the beach as Aiden hands me one of his shirts which I take skeptically.

' It doesn't bite and besides you look like you could pass out any second,' he says walking up to me and I hold my breath feeling him so close to me.

' Hands up baby,' he says gently causing me to blush and thank god for the dark cause he most likely hasn't seen it.

I do as he says as he takes the shirt from me gathering my damp her in his hands and sliding the shirt down my body which looks like a mini dress on me. It smells like him as I drown in his scent feeling him run a dry towel through my damp hair my heart warming at this caring side of him.

A yawn escapes my lips as I head towards the bed noticing how he doesn't join me and before I know it I am out like a light switch mourning out the words,' Goodnight Aiden'

' Jasmine,' comes Ariana's voice the minute she is done hugging Jer goodbye. Ariana happens to be our favourite cousin and for the longest time, I have regarded her as my sister since our relationship has always been my favourite.

' Yes,' I answer her emerald green eyes staring into mine with the warmest smile.

' You know that I have and will always love you,' she says pulling me in for a hug.

' Ditto,' I tell her pulling her in tighter her usual rosy scent filling the air.

' Okay cut it off you two,' comes Jer's voice as he pulls us apart like the stubborn brother he is.

The minute we pull away Ariana plants a peck on my cheek mentioning how tomorrow we would go shopping and do girls' stuff. Jer escorts her outside as I make my way into the kitchen to get ice cream. I notice Ariana's woolly sweater by the kitchen counter most likely she had forgotten it as I rush outside to give it to her.

On opening the door confusion washes over me as I focus on the dark of the night realizing that Jer and Ariana are no longer anywhere to be seen the howling of the wind causes me to wrap my arms around myself in fear.

I begin to walk when suddenly I feel a sharp ache all over my body the ghastly wind moving right through me and chilling my bones to that of splintering ice. Where the hell were they?

In an instant, I hear the shuffling of feet rustling behind me my eyes widening in panic as I whisper out,' Ariana?'

I am met with dead silence as I turn around in a blur my eyes huge and watering. My stomach stirred in the slightest. Ariana?

Indeed a tall figure with a pale complexion and hallowed eyes that looked like Ariana drenched in blood stood a few metres in front of me. I stare in horror the smell becoming all too familiar and I suddenly feel the urge to vomit. I can't tell if she is real or a figment of my abused imagination.

'What happened to you?' I choke out tears streaming down my face at the horrific sight in front of me.

' You did,' she says angrily her voice cold as ice nothing like Ariana's normal warm voice.

' What do you mean? I was just bringing you the sweater you forgot it,' I say timidly noticing how the sweater was no longer in my hands.

' You killed me, Jasmine,' she shouts making her way towards me as I step back looking around frantically for a way to run.

' I did not,' I say clawing at my skin and hoping that all this is just a figment of my imagination.

'I would have never died in that accident if you had never let me leave,' she screeches lunging at me her blood drenching my clothes her fingers wrapping around my neck cutting off my air supply.

' Stop it,' I scream tears running down my cheeks as I claw at her pale skin drawing blood thrashing in her arms.

' You deserve to die just like me,' she says coldly squeezing tightly and I can feel my body slowly going limp before lunging at her stomach with my legs throwing her off me as I take in large gulps of air. 

I try crawling away from her but she gets a hold of my legs as I let out a blood-curdling screech.

' Jasmine' comes to a voice startling me awake as my eyes focus in on the pair of strong arms wrapped around me.

'It's me your okay baby,' comes Aiden's voice my body shaking like a leaf drenched in sweat my face wet with tears.

' It was just a bad dream it wasn't real,' says Aiden kissing my temple softly as I cuddle closer to him not caring that my shirt had ridden up exposing a lot of my skin.

' I killed her Aiden I killed her,' I cry softly in his arms a sobbing mess.

' Your okay, your okay,' he says rocking me back and forth not pestering me for answers.

My sobs die down my breathing goes back to normal and before I know it I slowly feel myself going back to sleep. I suddenly feel the bed shift Aiden slowly leaves my side but I am quick to grab his hand.

' Stay with me please,' I whisper out as he comes back to my side again pulling me close to him my head tucked into his chest inhaling his scent which calms me. I am in and out of consciousness when I feel his soft lips against my forehead before he whispers a goodnight and I fall asleep completely.

The next morning I woke up to an empty bed Aiden was not next to me but from his warm side of the bed, I could tell that he must have left a few minutes ago. I sigh staring up at the ceiling recalling last night's events and wondering what exactly it is that Aiden and I have going on since he is not an easy person to read into.

I am pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of my phone ringing the Caller ID showing my best friend's name.

' Good morning bestie,' comes Roly's chirpy voice immediately I pick up the phone.

' Morning,' I tell her my voice still groggy from sleep.

' I miss you,' she says and I roll my eyes at her.

' It's only been a day,' I chuckle out as I sit up my head against the bed.

'You know I have attachment issues when it comes to you,' she whines like a child bringing a smile onto my face.

' I know,' I say.

' So how are things with Mr Aiden?' she asks and I can hear her snacking in the background.

' Oh you know,' I tell her trying my best not to sound happy.

' I don't know now tell me,' she pushes.

' How many times must I tell you that there is absolutely nothing going on between us,' I whisper out not wanting Aiden to hear the nature of this conversation.

' I doubt that because as much as you two seem to bicker a lot you both seem to like each other but are both stubborn to admit it,' she sighs.

' I just can't tell because he is a difficult person to read,' I tell her making my way into the bathroom.

' How about you tell me first if you like the guy,' says Roly in the background.

' I don't know,' I sigh.

'That's not an answer Jas it wouldn't kill you to just be honest with yourself,' she says as I sit on the toilet to take a piss. A knock sounds on the bathroom door before I hear Aiden's voice.

' Muffin you in there? Breakfast is almost ready,' he says.

' Just give me a few minutes and I'll be down,' I tell him hearing his footsteps walk away.

' Are you sure that boy is not about to eat you for breakfast?' comes Roly's suggestive voice.

' Bye bitch,' I laugh ending the call and stepping into the shower using Aiden's showering products. I spent quite some time in the shower considering I did not shower last night after going to the beach making sure to wash my hair as well.

By the time I am done, I smell like Aiden completely as I make my way down to the kitchen where I find a shirtless Aiden making breakfast. His back is towards but it's like he senses my presence the minute I step into the kitchen as he turns around to face me.

' I didn't know you cook,' I tell him a small smile on my face.

' I didn't know you like to cuddle,' he says with a smirk reminding me of last night's events causing my cheeks to redden in embarrassment.

' Don't worry I liked it, baby,' he says my heart fluttering in my chest at the word baby as he walks up to me handing me a freshly cooked plate of pancakes drizzled in syrup and topped with blueberries. He also hands me a glass of freshly squeezed passion juice my mouth watering at the sight.

I go straight into eating my food enjoying the way it tastes in my mouth as he sits opposite me and suddenly I feel slightly self-conscious.

' You seem to be enjoying that,' he says gesturing to my breakfast.

' Yeah it's quite good,' I tell him.

' I'm glad you like it,' he says a small smile playing on his lips.

We continue to eat in comfortable silence and I cannot help but steal glances in his direction at how fine he looks.

' I am sorry about last night,' I sigh feeling the need to apologise.

'Hey, you have nothing to apologise for. Do you normally have nightmares a lot?' he asks his icy blue eyes piercing into mine.

' Not it's been a while since I had one,' I tell him sincerely.

' I was really worried last night if I can speak frankly,' he says.

' Well you keep surprising me every day Aiden because I have always known you as the type to not care,' I chuckle noticing the way his face forms into a frown at my words and suddenly I feel like I may as well have said something wrong.