Chapter 20 #3
Pulling out my keycard, I reached my room. Upon opening it, I spotted Ayden sitting on the bed, shirtless. Scratches were visible all over his back. Hearing me come in, he quickly turned around. Not only were the scratches on his back, but they were also on his chest and stomach too.
Slowly approaching him, I had a horrified look on my face.
“Hero…did this?” I exhaled. As I got closer, I noticed that he was holding an ice pack. “You will need more than an ice pack for these scratches.”
Ayden stayed silent, his eyes looking tired—had he been crying?
“I’m going to get a warm cloth, okay?” I said, keeping an eye on him as I went to the bathroom. I took one of the cloths from the shelves and ran warm water over it.
I rushed back and cleaned his scratches using the cloth. He winced, but still refused to speak. Most of the scratches weren’t deep—they looked more like cat scratches—but some were open wounds.
“Can you tell me exactly what happened?” I asked while applying rubbing alcohol on his scratches. “Please.”
Ayden sighed. “When you left the table,” he paused, “Hero came over and said he wanted to talk. He brought me to the restrooms, and then he started scratching me. But his fingers were not human-like. He had long, pointy fingers that resembled claws. I told him to stop but he wouldn’t.
He was blocking the exit for most of the time, but when he wasn’t, I used that opportunity to get away. ”
“Did you try to fight back?”
“No, I didn’t,” he said, looking into my eyes.
“Why not?” I asked curiously.
“Well, because…” he hesitated, fidgeting with his rings. “Because I am not violent like him, okay?”
“But it would’ve been self-defense,” I argued.
He stood up, being only inches apart from me. He rapidly switched his gaze between both of my eyes. His breath was getting heavy. “I know you would have sided with him if he was hurt.”
“Sit back down, I am not done treating the scratches,” I said firmly, avoiding his accusation.
He sat back down. “You don’t deny it.” He watched me intently as I applied ointment and then wrapped the scratches with bandages.
“You’re all set now,” I said, putting the kit away. “You know, I looked everywhere on this ship for you.”
“You did?” he asked, surprised.
“Yeah, I’m so exhausted now.” I yawned. “Hey, um, are you going to report Hero to Miss Kennedy?”
He looked away. “No, it’s not worth it. She could get hurt.”
I slowly nodded. “Okay, but just know that I would support your decision either way. What he did to you…wasn’t right.”
He grabbed my arm and stared deeply into my eyes. “Promise me you’ll stop getting involved with him. I know you live with him now, but just please don’t talk to him unless you absolutely have to.”
“Y-yeah, I promise.”
It was an empty promise. What he was asking of me was impossible. I couldn’t possibly just stop speaking to one of my best friends. And definitely not Hero.
He let go of my arm. “Sorry. I just… I just don’t want him to hurt you.”
“I know.” I pulled him into a hug.
* * *
At dinner, Miss Kennedy made us sit in assigned seats—with our partners.
Hero sat in the chair across from Ayden and me.
He couldn’t make eye contact with either of us.
He picked up his bread as soon as the waiter had placed down bread and butter on everyone’s plate.
He took a bite of the bread without spreading any butter on it.
“No butter?” I asked.
I broke my promise already.
He glanced at me and shook his head. “I like it plain. The bread itself is delicious; it doesn’t need butter to enhance its flavor. It’s already perfect on its own.”
“What’s wrong with enhancing its flavor?” Ayden chimed in. “Why limit its potential?”
“It’s just bread, guys,” I muttered, breaking my own bread apart.
“Is it?” Ayden narrowed his eyes at Hero.
“Ayden,” I seethed, “drop it.”
Ayden turned to look at me. “You broke your promise. I don’t want to hear it from you,” he snarled.
I swallowed.
Hero took a deep breath, staring at Ayden, contemplating whether to say something. “Look, Ayd, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done what I did to you today. I was angry, and I took it out on you.”
I didn’t expect that.
Hero, apologizing?
Ayden’s breath got heavier, his nose flaring up. “What is the point of saying this?”
“I’m apologizing, isn’t it obvious?”
“No,” Ayden chuckled incredulously. “You can’t apologize. I hate you, alright? I need to hate you. Otherwise, I’ll…” He stopped himself, looking down. “I don’t forgive you, understand?”
“Otherwise, you’ll what?” Hero asked, confused.
“Nothing,” Ayden said quickly. “Forget it.”
He stayed silent throughout dinner. He finished his meal first and got out of his seat. “I’m going to leave. You stay here and finish your meal,” he said to me.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
He ran a hand through his hair. “Just anywhere but here. I can’t stand to look at him anymore.”
I set my fork down. “He apologized, why are you acting like this?”
“And I can’t believe you just straight up made an empty promise to me only a few hours ago.” He scoffed, ignoring my question.
“You know better than anyone that I wouldn’t be able to go through with that promise.”
He scoffed again. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”
“Wait, Ayden that’s not what I—”
“Don’t talk to me right now.” He threw his napkin on the table and stormed off.