Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 03:55:22 -0700 From: andy dearth Subject: Rings and Promises #8 by Kane Chapter Eight: My Life Till Now... [Author's Note: Still in Aiden's POV ^_^] I must have fallen asleep again. I saw images flashing through my mind. I was standing in the middle of a dark space, watching images fly by. I saw my whole life. "Mommy..." A little voice sobbed. I turned and saw myself; only I was a five year old child. "Are you sad?" A gentle voice asked. The little version of me stared up with wide eyes to the source of that voice. "My mommy left." I remembered this clearly. It was the first time I had seen a ghost. She was a beautiful woman in a long flowing pale blue gown. "I see...your mommy left." She knelt down and placed her cold hand on my cheek. "It's okay little one; I'll be your mommy. My name is Lorelei." She did become a mother to me. I knew she was dead. I could see right through her. But the child me needed a mother so I happily let her be mine. More images passed and turned. I saw my middle school life and the man I was involved with. A quiet and good looking man who found himself attracted to me. I mistook his curiosity for love and in turn fell for him. But when he left me and I felt myself shatter, I went home in a daze only to have my father beat the shit out of me. That was the only time I was ever truly numb to his beatings. I limped to my room and stared at the ring on my finger. It was the only thing my mother left me. She had it made when I was born, it symbolized her love. She gave it to me just before walking out the door. I knew why she left. She just wasn't happy. My father treated her well on the days where he was sober. But on the days where he was tired, irritated, and drunk, he did to her what he does to me now. I sighed. "Why am I seeing all this now?" My voice echoed in the dark space. "Aiden..." Then I heard that sweet familiar voice. I turned and images of Vulcan started racing at me. Every moment I had with Vulcan played out before me. Before I knew it I was smiling. "Vulcan..." I reached out to touch one of the images and all of a sudden everything faded. I felt overwhelming loss and in the dark space I screamed, only there was no sound. "Aiden!" A voice shouted. I jolted awake. "Wha--?" I looked around. I wasn't in the hospital anymore. Standing over me was Seth. "Aw man dude are you okay?" He looked at me with worry. "I'm fine...just...a bad dream." I said hoarsely. My throat was so dry. I needed water. As if reading my mind, Seth helped me sit up and held a cup of water to my lips. "Feel better?" He asked. I nodded. "Thank you." He grinned and set the water down on the bedside table. "Where am I? How did I get here?" I asked. "Vulcan's house...we carried you." Seth replied. I sat up and got comfortable. "Where is he?" "He's downstairs with his little sister making you some chicken noodle soup." I smiled then. "He's a good guy." Seth nodded. "Want to go downstairs?" He asked as he stood up. I nodded and tried to get up. My limbs were so stiff that it proved difficult. "Let me help you." Seth offered as he grabbed my hand. He draped my arm over his shoulder and placed his free hand around my waist. "All righty then." He grinned and proceeded to lead me downstairs. I was greeted with the smell of broth. My stomach immediately growled and Seth laughed. "Haha, someone's hungry." I chuckled and immediately apologized. Seth just kept grinning. "No worries man. I'm starving too." We went into the kitchen and found a little girl standing on a stool and stirring something in a pot. I guessed it to be my chicken noodle soup. "Maia, he's awake." Seth called. Maia immediately turned around and jumped off the stool. "Vee you're pretty friend is awake!" She yelled. Vulcan came into the kitchen then, holding a loaf of bread. "Oh hey, I was just setting the table." He said with a smile. Little Maia ran towards Seth and pulled on his shirt. "Can you turn off the stove? Vee says I can't do it by myself. I'm not old enough." Seth nodded and motioned Vulcan over. "Take him..." He said. Vulcan supported my weight as Seth carried picked up Maia and went to turn off the stove. "My sister has a crush on Seth." Vulcan whispered in my ear. His breath sent a chill down my spine. It took all I had not to shiver. "That's adorable..." I whispered. He grinned. "I think she's growing up too fast. One minute she's ten the next she'll be chasing Seth down and asking him to marry her." I laughed. "Well let's get you seated." He brought me over to the dining room and sat me down. He put the loaf of bread on the table. "Seth could you bring the soup in please?" He asked. Seth nodded and put Maia down. "Go sit down sweetie." I thought Maia would explode with happiness. She bounced over and sat across from me. Vulcan sat down next to me. "Are you feeling all right?" He asked. I nodded and smiled. "Thank you Vulcan, for everything." I saw his cheeks redden. "No problem." Was it me or was his blushing face cute? "What grade are you Vee's pretty friend?" Maia asked suddenly. I smiled at her. She was simply adorable, and from what I saw, an identical image of her mother. "He's a senior Maia just like me, and his name is Aiden." Vulcan said. "Actually I'm a junior." I said nervously. Vulcan looked at me, just staring with wide eyes. Seth came in then with oven mitts on and a pot of hot soup. He set it down gently on the table and took a seat. "What I miss?" He asked as he removed the oven mitts. "Dude, Aiden's a junior." Vulcan said. Seth looked at me. "Well that would explain the Biology class...and here I thought you were just repeating it or something." I shook my head. "I excel in math and that's why I take that one class with you." I was still nervous. This was the first time I was talking about myself. "Wow, so you're like, a math genius!" Maia said, amazed. I nodded and looked at her. "And how old are you pretty lady?" She blushed and grinned. "I'm 10! Just ten more years and I can marry Seth!" Seth laughed and looked at Vulcan. "Only if your brother says it's okay." She looked at Vulcan with hopeful eyes. I could tell those eyes could get away with anything when it came to Vulcan. "We'll see..."He said. We ate and talked and it was just so normal that I almost questioned it. It was never like this at my house. I remembered my dream then. My life flashed before me as if I was dying. I saw the bad times and the horrible times. But when I saw Vulcan's face all those bad times seemed to disappear. I glanced at him. He took piece of bread and popped it in his mouth while he listened intently to Maia talking about how school went. I was so happy that I thought I would cry. I held it all in, shoving a spoon full of chicken noodle in my mouth. I let the scalding heat of the soup distract me as I drank some water and bit off a piece of bread. "How did Aiden get hurt?" Maia asked suddenly. "A bad man hurt me." I replied. She puffed her cheeks. "Then that bad man should be punished." She said. I knew she meant something along the lines of a spanking, but when I looked at Vulcan, the look in his eyes suggested something more. "I agree..." He muttered. "Leave it be..." I said as I ate more soup, finishing off the entire bowl. He didn't say anything. I finished off the rest of my bread and drank more water until I was full. "Now I feel alive." I said with a sigh. I patted my belly and stood up slowly. Maia collected the dishes and Seth helped her. I stretched out a little and tried to walk. It was easier than when I tried earlier. "You know what Vulcan?" He looked at me. "Now that I look back on my life, I think it all was suppose to amount to this. I mean you and me. I think we were suppose to meet and be friends." It surprised me that I was able to say something so bold. He looked at me, he was surprised. He suddenly broke out into a huge grin and hugged me. "Yeah, I think so too."