AIDEN


    Slowly, I sat up as I returned from the heavenly that filled me with the feeling of having Ana in my arms. My mind was a fog that refused to clear up as I stared at the door she had fled out of and mmed close.


    I had desperately wanted our reconciliation, I wanted our love to blossom again but not this way. Not that I didn''t like what just happened. I loved every bit of it. I wished she hadn''t freaked out and ran out but I wanted us to slowly patch things back up. To make her understand that it had all been a grave misunderstanding. To show her that I would never have betrayed her in such a cheap manner. Perhaps, I would even y the voice recording for her.


    When I felt a presence around me then felt someone touch my face and opened my eyes, I was shocked to see her. Up till she dug her fingers in my hair and kissed me back, I was convinced that I was dreaming.


    When I saw her in front of my face, wide-eyed, still high from the excitement of being in the same room with her, I hadn''t been able to stop myself. At that moment, it felt like, if I didn''t kiss her, I might die.


    I dropped my face in my hands and sighed. I didn''t know where she would have ran to and as much as it worried me, I couldn''t go after her. She probably wanted space from now on. She wanted nothing to do with the betraying ex boyfriend who tried to take advantage of her again.


    I sighed. I would just wait to the next morning.


    ***


    The next morning, after a quick shower, I went in search of her. When I reached her room, stopping in front of the doorway and scanning the entire space with my eyes, she wasn''t there. The room was being cleaned and fixed.


    I decided to go for a jog around the premises, hoping that, by some miracle, I''de across her.


    While I exerted myself and rounded the premises from the third time, the lodge keeper''s son joined me.


    What was his name again? Martin? Yes, Martin.


    "Hey."


    I nodded at him, "Hey."


    We stopped at the storage shed to catch our breaths. Martin, who must have been out for a run too, offered me a bottle of water.


    "Thanks, man," I said as I took a long swig of the refreshing water.


    "You know," the guy started hesitatingly. I turned to him, still struck by the familiarity I felt. I had concluded that he looked like his father but there was still something about him that I couldn''t ce my finger on. "Come on, man. What''s up?"


    He cleared his throat, ufortably. "After we departedst night, I remembered where I know you from."


    I raised my brows as I screwed the cap of the bottle back on. "Come on, humor me," I pped him on his biceps.


    He smiled shyly and I realized that he was quite younger than I had thought when I saw himst night.


    "You remember anky short boy you beat up and threatened years ago?" He asked with an arched brow.


    I frowned as I snorted, "I don''t think I-" my eyes widened as I trailed off.


    "You!" I blurted.


    He nodded and his lips curled into a sheepish grin. "Yep, me. I broke into your home. And you gave me a good beating."


    I shook my head, unable to stop theughter that bubbled up my throat. "Why do you say it like that?" I said amidstughter. And soon, he also joined me.


    When we both sobered up, I shook


    my head at him as I sized him up


    A


    "Man. In just five years, you''ve grown so big. I thought you were like... what? Twelve? In junior high."


    He shrugged. "I was in high school then. My growth spurt just happened reallyte."Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Poor you," I teased, "It must have been hard to get the girls."


    He shook his head but he didn''tugh. He gazed down at his feet and rushed out. "I''m sorry."


    "Nah," I looked away from him as I


    took another gulp from the bottle "It''s in the past now. I''ve long


    forgiven you. You were a dumb boy struggling with puberty."


    He chuckled at that. "So," he started hesitatingly again.


    I hit him in the chest. "You''re a man now. Stop sounding like a pussy."


    There was a light smile on his lips. "What about your girlfriend?" He looked up at me and I could see the regret in his eyes. "Were you able to reconcile with her?"


    I swallowed, taking another sip. "Nah. She dissapeared after then. Never waited to hear my exnation."