Be Okay

I barely slept last night, hence the mug of coffee in my hand as my foot tapped on the floor impatiently.

What am I even waiting for?

Probably for the man in my guest room to rise and shine, talk, and then kindly leave... Right?

A knock on my front door disrupts my thought process and I sigh, trudging towards the door and swinging it open.

"Ronny, hey." I say and move aside, letting my friend in who goes straight to the kitchen, pouring himself some coffee.

He's still in his pyjamas with a grey tee on top as he slumps on the stool.

"Good morning to you too." I grumble.

"'Morning." He mumbles, briefly casting a glance at the guest room door before looking back at me.

"Still asleep." I answer his unasked question and he nods, slurping his coffee while I lean against the counter.

"What now?" He asks and I shrug.

"I honestly don't know. Should I wake him up or not? Should I offer him breakfast or not? Should I listen to him or kick him out? I'm so bloody confused." I say exasperated and he purses his lips.

"Go for it." He says and I frown.

"Go for what?"

"Talk to him. Come over to my café when he wakes up, have breakfast there, talk, take a walk, sort shit out, kiss and make up if you want or... whatever you choose to do after that." He explained and I thought about it for a moment before shrugging.

"I don't want to get hurt again." I whisper after a few minutes.

My eyes gloss over, fixed on the floor, when Aaron gets up from his place and walks over to me, wrapping his arms around my frame.

"I know. Heard you crying in the bathroom last night." He mutters and I sigh, closing my eyes tightly.

"I'm scared, Aaron. He's hurt me before, he can do it again. And what's worse, I'll let him ruin me gladly." I whispered and heard his long and heavy sigh.

"Yeah, that sucks. But I guess that's part of loving someone, right? You give your everything to them, bare your heart and soul and give all you can. Because you'd do anything for them." He said, his tone soft and I smiled faintly.

Aaron had been left heartbroken by his girlfriend whom he was together since school, but she suddenly started growing distant and ended up having an affair with a man who had more money.

He was heartbroken, still is, and it hurts to see him this way, because he's such a good man and deserves so much.

"You're right. We both have a knack for ending up with cheats, don't we?" I say, mentioning my ex, Michael, who also cheated on me and Aaron laughs softly.

"That we do. And we will always suffer because they left their mark on us and no matter what we do, we can't get rid of them. But what we can do is move on and hope for the best. And to never, ever, judge people just because your ex was a cheat, doesn't mean others are too." He said and I nodded.

"Thanks Ronny. I think we both needed that. And some serious therapy." I said and he chuckled.

"Definitely, we're messed up." He agreed when a throat was cleared behind us and both of us pulled away, although Aaron's arms were still around me.

"Am I interrupting something?" His deep, sleepy voice made my stomach churn as he looked at the two of us with a glare while I hardened my own gaze.

"As a matter of fact, yes, you did." I said and his eyes snapped to mine, dark with anger as his jaw clenched and he closed his hands into fists by his side.

"Café?" Aaron asked me and I nodded.

"See you there." I muttered and he nodded, giving Adam one last look before leaving.

"Get dressed, we need to talk. If you're sober, that is." I crossed my arms over my chest and his eyes immediately flitted down before he swallowed thickly.

I looked down and cursed under my breath, now remembering I was wearing a strapped silky crop top with matching shorts.

"My eyes are up here." I hissed and he looked back at me shook his head.

"Sorry. I'll be ready in a while." He said and I nodded, pointing to the fresh clothes Aaron had given me.

"Those are for you." I said and saw him nod once as he picked them up but before he could say anything else to me I had already slipped into my room.

I took a refreshing shower, spending longer than necessary in there before I finally came out and headed straight for my closet.

Blow drying my hair, I applied some cherry lip gloss and smacked my lips together, satisfied with the result.

I pushed my curtain bangs away from my face and put on my small gold earrings and matching necklaces.

Looking for my rings, I searched drawer after drawer until I found them, but stumbled on something else entirely as well.

Good god.

Pulling out the silver ring, I felt my eyes gloss over as I remembered when it was given to me and by who.

"I just want you to promise me one thing. Please." Adam said while I still sat on the table as he pushed away my hair from my face.

"Anything." I said smiling a little, to which he gave me an unsure smile.

"I want you to stay with me. Because I don't know what I'd do without you. Please, just don't... leave me. I can't lose you." He said, his eyes vulnerable as my heart rate picked up speed when I saw him taking off a ring from his pinkie finger and holding it out to me.

"Is this...?" I trailed off, looking at the ring then Adam who shook his head lightly.

"It's not an engagement ring. It's like... a promise ring. That you'll stay with me. That you're mine. Forever." He said, his thumb drawing circles on my cheek as I stared at him wordlessly.

Forever.

"Stay with me?" He asked softly and before I could say anything, I found myself nodding my head at him.

His face morphed into one of pure happiness as he took my right hand gently and slipped the ring on my fourth finger, admiring it before looking back at me with such adoration I felt myself melt.

"Forever?" I finally spoke, my voice coming out higher than expected when he smiled and nodded.

"All Mine. Forever." He said, and something about his words sounded as if they were being written in stone.

Why does this hurt more than it was actually supposed to?

"Are you ready to lea-" Adam stopped short, his eyes falling onto the ring in my hand when he gulped, his eyes flitting to mine as we held each other's stare for a few moments before I had to break it.

I couldn't let him see all the pain in my eyes.

"I'm ready." I said after clearing my throat and put the ring back in my drawer and closed a little too forcefully, because he clearly saw the ring.

"Right." He said and nodded once while I collected my purse and phone along with some money.

"Let's go." I said and he followed me out as I locked the front door and headed for the elevator.

"Hey Gina." I greeted the middle aged woman on the front desk who smiled and waved back but stopped short when she saw the person behind me.

"Oh my god, is that your boyfriend?" She squealed and I pursed my lips, discreetly glancing at Adam who was looking at me expectantly.

"No." I said in a clipped tone and saw regret flash in Adam's eyes as he followed me out and towards the café.

"Where are we going?" He asked after a few moments.

"Café." I replied and saw him nod just as the café came into view.

"You look beautiful." He commented and I glanced at him briefly, noticing his eyes raking over my body and lingering over my legs and chest.

"Thanks." I muttered, feeling the same warmth in my chest I used to feel six months ago as I rubbed my chest absent minded, as if that would make the hurt go away.

Entering the café, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and brownies hit me as I walked over to the counter.

"Isa." Aaron greeted, leaning on the counter on his elbows and narrowing his eyes at the man behind me who was now talking on the phone.

"Did he say anything? Try anything?" Aaron asked but I shook my head.

"Other than telling me I looked beautiful, nothing else." I said and saw his smile widen as he scanned my outfit.

"That you always do, but whatever. Coffee?" He asked moving away when I nodded.

"Yes please, with a brownie. And... whatever you think would be best for him." I said gesturing to Adam and Aaron nodded, getting to work immediately but he handed me my coffee first.

"Prepared it as soon as I came because I knew how much you'd be needing it." He winked at me and I smiled softly.

"Thanks Ronny." I pinched his cheek and he scowled at me playfully, rubbing his cheek where I pinched him as I turned around laughing, bumping smack into someone.

"Oof, sorry." I apologized but before I could look up, I was pushed from behind and ended up bumping into the person in front of me again and this time, my coffee spilled over the man's shirt who hissed.

"Bloody hell." I winced as the hot beverage fell onto my hands when I finally looked up, freezing in place when I saw whom my coffee had assaulted.

"Shit." He held the shirt away from his body before looking down at the stain and then at me.

I'm sure he was thinking the same thing I was as a smile broke out on both our faces at the long and forgotten memory.

I looked up to see that I had not only bumped into someone twice, thinking it was a wall, but also spilled coffee on this person's white dress shirt which was now more brown than white.

Whoops?

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you, I'm really sorry!" I rambled.

I grabbed some napkins from the nearest table and started dabbing at the stain, only for the person to hold my wrist, hot tingles erupting from where he held me.

"Just stop! Look at what you've done! I've got a meeting in 30 minutes and you've soiled my shirt!" The man's voice boomed.

I dared myself to look up to see a pair of deep blue eyes staring right at me, fuming with anger.

"I'm really sorry sir, I didn't see you there, I'll pay for the damages and the dry cleaning. Actually you know what, I'll get you a new shirt, but I'm really sorry, sincerely." I apologised but it only made the man angrier.

"What good will cleaning or buying me a new shirt do now? I've got a meeting to attend and you've... fuck it!" He groaned in frustration and I apologised again and told him that I really didn't see him.

"Well how would you see, are you blind or something? Why are you wearing sunglasses inside the café?" He exclaimed, now more frustrated than angry.

Major Deja vu struck me, the memory making me smile softly before I remembered I had pretty much burnt him and myself.

"Shit, are you okay, Isa?" Aaron asked me concerned and I nodded.

"I'm okay. Do you have a spare shirt or something?" I gestured to Adam's now stained one and he nodded, pointing to his office.

"My office, go ahead. I'll get you another coffee." He said and I muttered a small thanks before grabbing Adam's hand and pulling him towards the back with me.

I closed the door behind us, opening the drawer in which Aaron kept spare clothes and handed Adam a plain white t-shirt.

"Take off your shirt." I said and saw his brows shoot up.

"Woah there, easy tiger." He said chuckling and I scowled.

"I swear to god Adam, I will slap you, hard, if you don't do as I say right this moment." I said sternly and heard him mutter under his breath before he pulled off his shirt and I regretted it instantly.

God, why does this always happen to me?

Shaking my not-so appropriate thoughts away, I tried not looking at his chiselled and muscular chest as I took out the first aid kit and looked for the burn cream in there.

"Sit down." I pushed him towards the desk and he sat on it while I stood between his legs, the position not making me feel uncomfortable or awkward at all.

I opened up the tube and took some ointment out on my fingers before applying it to the are that got slightly burnt.

His hands found my waist, settling there and drawing random patterns there which did not help my racing heart at all as I applied the ointment to his chest, making sure I hadn't left out any part of the burn.

"Done." I whispered, now noting how rigid and tense his body was as I blew lightly on the burn, his hands on my waist tightening before he took the ointment from me.

He took my hand before soundlessly applying the medicine on it, his thumb stroking the area softly as he gave it his full concentration.

After he was done, he pulled my hand up to his lips, placing a feather like kiss to my wrist, all the while looking deep into my eyes.

I couldn't look away, and I couldn't pull away either, even as he tugged at my hand so that I was standing closer to him and my other hand laid flat on his chest while he cupped my cheek.

I didn't pull away when his face leaned down to mine, our lips an inch apart as his hot breath fanned my face and his eyes searched mine for something. Anything.

"Hey Isa, did you find-" Aaron stopped short in the doorway just as I sprung away from Adam and straightened my dress out and nodded.

"Y-yes, I did. Thanks." I said and scrambled out of the office.

"What was that?" Aaron looked at me wide eyed.

"I honestly don't know. A moment of weakness, perhaps." I groaned in frustration, dropping my head on the table with a slight thud when Aaron sighed.

"You know what Isa? I'm going to say this to you once. Follow your traitorous heart because it clearly still beats for that man." He said and I looked at him wide eyed.

"Ronny, you know I-"

"I know, Isa. I'm not telling you to forgive him just like that, no. Give him hell, make him worthy of you, but listen to what he has to say. Because I feel like he has a damn good explanation for everything he did." He said firmly and I nodded.

"Okay." I said softly just as Adam came back to our table and looked at me with a strange longing in his eyes before he looked away.

"I'll bring out breakfast." Aaron gave me a look and I nodded, watching as he disappeared behind the counter as Adam sat down in his place, right in front of me.

"Aaron's Place. Is this your friend's café?" He asked and I nodded.

"It is." I spoke and saw him look around a bit before he glanced at me warily.

He was about to say something but at the same moment our breakfast arrived and we started to eat in silence.

"We need to talk." I stated as we both sipped on our coffees and saw him sit up straighter and nod stiffly.

"We do. Where should we start?"

"How about the beginning?" I said.

And that was how we got into the whole conversation of me barging into George Williams' office that day when the second illegal transaction was made, when I had asked him if he could have known anyone who could do such a thing to Adam.

I told him everything.

The blackmails, the calls, the visits to his office and the threats from Josephine and the Williams' attempt on Adam's life, including the accident he was in.

And when I finally reached the part where George had tried to assault me, I grew rigid, the memory making me release a shaky breath when I felt something warm on my hand.

Looking up, I saw Adam's hand covering mine and his eyes looking at me with concern and worry.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I can't even begin to imagine..." He shook his head, pure regret showing on his face.

"All I wanted was you to comfort me, your arms around me telling me it was going to be okay after some other man had touched me but instead-..." I shrugged, looking away from him but both of us thinking the same thing.

The day we broke up.

"I know, baby, I know. And I'm so fucking sorry for everything. I regret it all so, so much, you have no idea." He said exasperated.

"I'd do anything to go back in time and change that day. To tell you it was going to be okay, to hold you and comfort you. Tell you I loved you. Love you." He corrected himself when I finally looked back at him.

He wasn't lying. I could see it in his eyes, that he really regretted everything he had said that day.

"You hurt me. You could do it again." I whispered softly and saw him gulp.

"I did hurt you. And I fucking hate it, Rose. I hate it so fucking much I want to kill myself because every single night you weren't with me, I suffered." He shook his head.

"All I could see was your broken expression and it broke me apart. I'm sorry baby, I'm so fucking sorry." He whispered, his tone pleading, gentle, soft.

I looked out the window of the café, and nodded once.

"Let's take a walk?" I suggested and saw his faint smile as he got up with me.

"I'd love to." He said and followed me out.

"You still have to tell me your part." I said after a few minutes of us walking aimlessly when he sighed heavily, looking up at the sky.

"I know." He murmured, our hands briefly brushing each other before his finger stroked my palm.

And I let him do it.

I let his hand wrap around mine like a cocoon that promised me that he'd keep me safe, that he'd protect me from my nightmares and everything I was afraid of.

That he would always be there for me.

And as our fingers intertwined with each other, I felt the warmth in my chest rising once again and taking control of my body, my heart, which started to beat faster as we both turned out heads to look at each other at the same time.

A faint smile pulled on our lips when we both looked ahead once again, hands and hearts joined together.

Maybe we'd be okay after all.