A Moment's Reckoning

Evelyn lay back against the pillows, the discomfort in her body a stark reminder of the night before. No matter how much she turned, she couldn't find a better position. Aiden had returned, his presence a strange comfort despite the pain.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, concern etched on his face as he looked at her.

"Hmm," she responded, her eyes half-closed.

"It's still hurting?" he pressed, his voice softer now.

She didn't respond immediately; the silence spoke volumes.

"You should have told me it was your first time," Aiden said, a hint of regret in his tone.

"How could that have helped my condition? I still had to get that drug off my system as soon as possible!" Evelyn's voice was sharper than she intended, but the memory of last night's desperation still stung.

"I would have been more careful with you," Aiden said, his eyes searching hers.

"It was your first time too, anyway," Evelyn retorted, a bitter smile playing on her lips.

"But it hurts more for you," Aiden insisted, his hand reaching out to touch hers, a tentative gesture of comfort.

"Let it be. This pain is nothing compared to the pain of the drug," she said, her voice softening as she looked away. 

Even though she wanted to say more, only she knew how hurtful everything was for her, especially emotionally. She had lost her virginity to a one-night stand. She couldn't even imagine what would happen when her father and brother found out about this. They might end up killing everyone, including the man in the room. She needed to take care of it before anything like that happened.

Knowing that she might not wanna talk about it he changed the subject and asked.

"Who did that to you?" Aiden asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"An acquaintance. Although now, just an enemy," Evelyn replied, her eyes darkening with the memory.

Last night at the party, she was doing fine with her plan of ignoring everyone until a bitch came and turned her life upside down. She knew the silly reason for the woman's hatred, but she never expected her to do something so terrible.

"I can deal with her for you," Aiden offered, his tone turning protective. 

"It's okay. I will take care of her on my own," Evelyn said, a steely determination in her voice.

Aiden nodded, respect gleaming in his eyes. "...Good girl," he said softly, admiration and sorrow mixing in his gaze.

For a moment, they lay down in silence, the weight of their shared experiences hanging in the air. Aiden's hand lingered on hers, a silent promise of support. Evelyn felt a strange sense of security, a flicker of something she hadn't felt ever.

****

The sky was still dark when an alarm woke Aiden. He looked at the girl beside him, peacefully sleeping, and couldn't help but smile. A newfound sense of completeness washed over him, something he had never felt before. He longed to touch her again but held back. Their journey might have started off wrong, but now he was determined to make things right. Gently, he covered her with the comforter, creating a small distance between them. 

Knowing the urgency, he rose from the bed, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders. As if on cue, a call came in. After answering, he quickly dressed and prepared to leave.

Aiden was all prepared to leave when something struck him. Although he planned to come back before the girl woke up, he still needed to make sure of one thing. He paused for a moment, glancing back at her peaceful form. He quietly walked back to her and caressed her cheek to wake her up. 

"Hey, wake up!" he whispered, nudging the sleeping figure beside him.

"Hmm?" Evelyn mumbled, barely coherent as she buried her face deeper into the pillow.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

Aiden took a deep breath. "I have got things to attend to, and it will take a maximum of four hours. Can you wait for me here?"

Evelyn turned to face him, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Why?"

"Because I've got things to tell you," Aiden said, his tone earnest.

"Me? What is there to talk about? We don't even know each other's names," she replied, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"That will be taken care of too. But will you wait for me? I will be back before dawn," Aiden promised, his eyes searching hers for any sign of agreement.

Evelyn sighed, rubbing her eyes. "You could have just gone and come back. And let me get some rest."

"Sorry I disturbed your sleep. But I didn't want you to wake up in between and believe that I left," Aiden explained, his voice gentle but firm.

She considered his words for a moment, then finally nodded. "...Alright."

"Can you... give me your number?" he asked hesitantly, as if unsure of how she would respond.

"...? Aren't you coming back to me?" Evelyn asked, her eyebrows raised in mild amusement.

Aiden chuckled, the tension in the room easing slightly. "Yes, of course, I am coming back to you."

"Good then, go fast. I am too tired to talk," she said, sinking back into the pillows, her eyes already closing.

"Great. I'll be back as soon as possible," Aiden said, a soft smile playing on his lips. He leaned down, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face before quietly leaving the room.

As the door clicked shut behind him, Evelyn drifted back into sleep.