by K E Osborn
"Wishing never gets you anywhere. It doesn't change the fact that you weren't there."
"I'll always love you. Don't leave. Please, I can't do this without you," he says, his eyes full of tears.
"You'll have to learn how to," I say as I zip up my luggage and walk out of the bedroom.
He follows me to the elevator.
"I tried, Aiden. I did, but I can't bear to be near you at the moment, and I definitely can't be here."
"So there is hope then? You'll come back after you've had some time, won't you?" he begs.
I shrug. "I don't know. All I do know is I can't be with you right now."
"So maybe later on?"
I shrug again and I put the suitcase down on the floor. He exhales, and his eyes brighten as I step toward him. I take my engagement ring off and place it in his hand. He looks at the ring and then up at me. His breathing quickens as a tear runs down his face. His bottom lip starts to quiver and I close his hand over the ring, lean in, and kiss him on the cheek. I step back towards the elevator and press the button. Aiden stands staring at me as I enter.
"Goodbye, Aiden."
He drops to his knees, the sight breaking my heart as he clutches my ring and the doors start to close.
"Don't do this please. I love you. Jeni, do you still love me?"
"I do."
Coming soon
All of Me?
The Trust Me? Trilogy
All of Me? The Trust Me? Trilogy
Content is subject to change with publication.
Chapter 1
A clap of thunder cracks above me. The day is dark and dreary. I slowly sit up; my head is aching and foggy. I hear Sarah and Chris giggling away in the other room as I get out of bed and put on my robe. I walk from my room to the bathroom, and silence falls between Sarah and Chris when they see me. I ignore them and continue to the bathroom. I turn on the cold-water tap and splash my face, soothing my sore eyes from the crying that I've succumbed to. I look in the mirror. My face is still slightly bruised, my eyes swollen and red, and my hair a tangled, oily mess. I look terrible, but I don't care. I don't care about anything. Nor have I cared about anything since my ex, Jason, beat the living shit out of me because I wouldn't take him back.
I haven't seen or spoken to Aiden for the past week since I left him broken at the apartment. He's called me over fifty times, but I ended up turning my phone to silent. I try not to think about it, as I'm already in a depressed state, and thinking of him just makes life harder. I miss him. I miss him so much, but I can't be around him. I'm not strong enough.
I dry my face and walk to the dining room, where Sarah and Chris are eating lunch. They look at me and quickly turn away. I don't think they know what to say to me, so they say nothing. I walk to the fridge, open it and take out a jug of cold water, and pour myself a glass. I feel their eyes on me, watching me intently. I put the jug back into the fridge, walk with my cup to the living room, and sit on the sofa. I pull the little blanket over me. I drink the icy-cold water and sit, staring at nothing. Sarah eventually comes over and sits next to me. She puts her hand on my leg.
"I didn't think it would hurt this much," I mumble to her, catching her attention. Another rumble of thunder cracks above the house.
She puts her arm around me. "Jeni, sweetie, if it hurts this much, then maybe, if you search deep down, you know it's not right?"
I shake my head. "I can't be with him. I can't. I just..." I sputter then I start to cry.
"Okay, okay, it's okay, Jeni," Sarah says, stroking my hair.
"I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"For being like this. I can't seem to shake it."
She looks at me sympathetically. "Sweetie, take as much time as you need. You know Chris and I are here to support you, no matter what. We love you." Sarah holds me and I cry into her shoulder.
Sarah stays with me the whole time, and eventually my crying subsides. Poor Chris, he's probably sick of me occupying all her time, taking her away from him. He probably hates me by now; it wouldn't surprise me. I absolutely hate myself. The landline rings, which is very rare, making Sarah and I jump.
Chris answers it. "Hello? Hey, dude, how are you? Yeah, guessed as much. She ... um ... she's not that good. I don't think that's a good idea, not yet. I know, man, she's miserable too."
I swallow hard, knowing he's talking about me, and that it's probably Aiden on the phone.
"To be honest, I don't know. She's pretty wrecked. Yeah, I will. Look after yourself. You have my cell number if you need to talk, anytime. Yeah, man, I'll tell her. All right, see ya," Chris says and hangs up the phone.
Sarah looks back at Chris while I stare into nothingness.
"Jeni," Chris says.
I look at him, knowing what he's going to say.
"That was him. He said ... he said to tell you that he loves and misses you."
My stomach wrenches when Chris says the words. Tears well in my eyes again as images of Aiden on the floor clutching at my engagement ring flood my mind. I start to breathe heavily and I feel panic set it. Sarah notices what's happening. She pulls my face with her hands to look at her. I flinch, as it hurts my fractured eye socket.
"Jeni, this is ridiculous. You love him, and he loves you. What's the issue?"
"Sarah," Chris yells.
"No, she needs to wake up to herself; this is craziness, Chris. Jeni, why are you avoiding him?"
I sigh and shake my head. "Because he wasn't ... he wasn't there."
"Wasn't where, Jeni?"
"He left just before Jason did ... this." I point to my face.
"So, how exactly what it that he was supposed to know that stupid, pathetic son of a bitch Jason would do this to you? How is this Aiden's fault? Explain it to me, Jeni." Sarah yells, getting frustrated with me.
I look at her sternly. "It just is."
I get up and storm to my room, as quite fittingly another clap of thunder sounds. I slump down on my bed and curl up in a ball. I hear a knock at my door. I ignore it.
"Jeni?" I hear Chris say.
I look up at him and instantly feel relieved that it's not Sarah. "Come in," I say as I sit up on my bed. He sits down on the edge.
"Jeni, I know you blame Aiden for what happened, and I certainly see where you're coming from, but do you think you should talk to him? I can come with you if you don't feel comfortable going on your own. I think he needs to see you and hear whether you really want your relationship to be over or not."
I know Chris is making sense, and his offer of going with me is tempting.
"I know. I want to see him, but I'm afraid if I do then I'll give in and go running back into his arms."
"Is that such a bad thing?"
"Yes, I'm angry at him for leaving me vulnerable. If he didn't go, then I wouldn't be here now, miserable and unhappy. I trusted him, Chris. I trusted him to keep me safe. He promised me ... He promised he would keep me safe," I say as tears well in my eyes again.
"Jeni, I really think you need to talk this out with him. He deserves that much," Chris says, tearing at my broken heart.
"Alright I'll go," I say hesitantly.
"Good, when do you want to go?"
My heart is saying now, right now, but my head says never. I give in to my heart.
What will happen next?
Find out when All of Me? The Trust Me? Trilogy concludes...
Connect with Me Online:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/froggy585
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KEOsborn
http://www.facebook.com/trustmetrilogy
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KEOsbornauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/KEOsbornAuthor
K E Osborn
First time Australian author K E Osborn was born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia, where she lives with her menagerie of pets. After working in the optical industry for sometime, K E Osborn d
ecided it was time to leave the optical world behind and start on something new. With a background in Graphic Design and a flair for all things creative, she tried her hand at writing, and after a very vivid dream of a three-car pileup, the story of Aiden and Jeni began to evolve from her dreams on to paper.
K E Osborn hid the fact that she was writing from her family, as she believed the story was simply something she had to get on paper first and then judge if it was good enough for others to read. It wasn't until her mother found a printed version of the manuscript that her secret came out. She was a writer, and she loved it. Writing gives her life purpose; it makes her feel, laugh, cry, and get completely immersed in the characters and their story lines. She feels at home when writing.
The third installment of The Trust Me? Trilogy, All of Me? will be coming soon, so grab hold of your milk before Mr. Drop-Dead-Sexy Milk Stealer uses it all and hold on for the ride. It's only going to get bumpier!