As soon as the meeting concluded and my boss and a few colleagues left the room, I seized the moment. I pulled Aiden aside and locked the door behind us, my heart pounding with a mix of anger and frustration.
“Why are you doing this, Aiden?” I demanded, glaring at him. “You can’t just walk in here and act like everything is fine between us. You know it’s not.”
He raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes. “I’m just trying to get my work done, Jenna. You’re the best graphic designer I know. This project could really benefit from your skills.”
“Don’t give me that! This isn’t about the project, and you know it,” I shot back, my voice rising. “You’re making this personal, and I won’t play your games. Not anymore.”
Aiden stepped closer, his expression shifting from amusement to seriousness. “You think this is just a game to me? You were a huge part of my life, Jenna. I didn’t forget that just because we’re not together anymore.”
I felt a pang in my chest at his words. Why did he have to say things like that? “Well, maybe you should’ve thought about that before you hurt me,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “You made your choices, Aiden.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “I know I messed up, okay? But I’m here now, and I want to make things right. Can’t we at least try to be civil about this?”
“Civil?” I scoffed, crossing my arms. “You come into my workplace, act all charming, and expect me to just forget everything? You hurt me, Aiden. You broke my trust.”
His expression softened, and I could see the regret etched across his face. “I never meant to hurt you. I was young and stupid, and I let my pride get in the way. But I’ve changed, Jenna. I’m trying to make amends.”
I took a step back, shaking my head. “Change doesn’t happen overnight. You can’t just waltz back into my life and expect me to forgive you because you say you’re different now. It doesn’t work like that.”
Aiden looked down for a moment, the weight of my words sinking in. “Then what do you want from me? I’m willing to put in the effort if it means we can move forward. I miss you, Jenna.”
His admission hung heavily in the air, and I felt my resolve start to waver. Did I miss him too?
“Did you miss me? After you let Felix take me away,” I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
Aiden’s expression shifted from earnest to defensive. “You know it’s not like that! I didn’t want to push you away. You just seemed happier with him.”
“Happier?” I echoed, incredulous. “You think I was happier while I was pretending everything was fine? You broke my heart, Aiden. And now you waltz back in like nothing happened, expecting me to just forget?”
He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that used to drive me wild but now only fueled my irritation. “I get it, okay? I messed up. But I was trying to give you space. I thought you needed time to figure things out.”
“Space? That’s rich coming from you. You had no problem moving on while I was left picking up the pieces,” I replied, my anger flaring again. “And now you want me to help you with your project? What’s your angle, Aiden? Do you really think this will make everything better?”
Aiden stepped closer, lowering his voice as if trying to convey sincerity. “I’m not trying to manipulate you. I just want a chance to prove I can be different. To show you I can support you, rather than push you away.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. “Proving yourself isn’t going to happen overnight. It’s going to take time. And right now, I need to focus on my work, not on whatever mess you think we can fix.”
His face fell slightly, a mix of hurt and confusion. “Why are you like this? Why have you fallen for Felix?”
The question hung in the air between us, heavy with unresolved feelings and the memories of our past. My heart raced, caught off guard by his words. “I’m not in love with him,” I shot back, my voice sharper than I intended. “You don’t get to ask that after everything that happened between us.”
“Then why does it feel like it?” Aiden pressed; his tone desperate. “I thought we had something special, Jenna. I didn’t think you’d just move on like that.”
I rolled my eyes, frustration bubbling to the surface. “You’re one to talk about moving on. You were the one who broke my heart and then acted like I didn’t exist. You don’t get to come back into my life and act like you’re entitled to my feelings.”
Aiden took a step closer, his voice softening. “I know I messed up, but I’ve changed. I want to be better for you. I want us to be better.”
I shook my head, fighting against the swell of emotions threatening to drown me. “You can’t just say you’ve changed and expect me to believe you. Trust is earned, Aiden, and you threw ours away.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off, my heart pounding in my chest. “And you know what? Maybe Felix isn’t just some rebound for me. Maybe he’s someone who actually sees me for who I am, not just as a trophy to win.”
Aiden looked taken aback, his expression a mix of surprise and anger. “So that’s it? You’re just going to throw everything we had away for a guy who might not even care about you the way I do?”
“Stop it!” I snapped, unable to contain my rising anger. “You don’t get to dictate how I feel or who I care about. You had your chance, Aiden, and you blew it. This isn’t just about you anymore.”
The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. Aiden ran a hand through his hair again, a familiar sign of his frustration. “I just... I don’t want to lose you again,” he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Then you need to respect my choices and give me space,” I replied, my voice steadier now. “I need to figure out what I want without you hovering over me.”
He nodded slowly, his eyes searching mine for some hint of hope. “Fine. But just know that I’m here, and I’m not giving up on us.”
I wanted to scream that there was no ‘us’ anymore, but instead, I just stood there, feeling the weight of his words settle heavily in my chest. As he walked out of the room, I felt a mixture of relief and sadness wash over me.
What had I gotten myself into? I thought, sinking back into my chair. I had to stay focused, but the echoes of Aiden's confession lingered in my mind, intertwining with the reality of my feelings for Felix. I had to confront the truth of my emotions—no matter how painful it might be.
Because I had no choice and it was my boss's order, we had a meeting today at a café to discuss the project we would be working on. I hope we don’t end up talking about us.
As we settled into our seats, I could feel the tension in the air. Aiden sat across from me, his presence both familiar and infuriating. I focused on the project details on my laptop, hoping to drown out the memories of our earlier confrontation.
“Okay, let’s start,” my boss said, bringing me back to reality. “Jenna, can you outline our objectives for this project?”
I took a deep breath and began explaining our goals and timeline, trying to keep my voice steady. As I spoke, I noticed Aiden’s eyes on me, and a wave of irritation washed over me. It was hard to concentrate with him staring, as if he was dissecting every word I said.
The meeting progressed, and I managed to stay on track, discussing designs and client expectations. Just as I thought we’d get through without any personal drama, Aiden chimed in. “I really like your ideas, Jenna. They’re fresh and innovative.”
I could feel my cheeks flush. “Thanks, Aiden. But let’s focus on the project,” I replied, trying to keep it professional.
“Right, right,” he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “Just wanted to acknowledge your hard work.”
“Let’s keep our comments relevant to the project,” I said, my tone sharper than I intended. My boss shot me a quick look, and I quickly turned back to the presentation, wishing I could just disappear.
After a few more minutes, we finished discussing the initial ideas. As everyone began to wrap up, Aiden leaned closer, lowering his voice. “Can we talk later? I need to clear the air.”
I glanced at my boss, who was packing up his things. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Aiden.”
“Please, just a few minutes. I promise it’ll be quick,” he insisted, his expression earnest.
I hesitated, torn between my desire to maintain boundaries and the nagging pull of unresolved feelings. “Fine,” I finally relented. “But just for a few minutes.”
As we stepped outside the café, the fresh air hit my face, and I could finally breathe without the weight of the meeting pressing down on me. Aiden leaned against the wall, looking almost nervous, which was a stark contrast to his usual confidence.
“Listen, Jenna,” he started, running a hand through his hair. “I know things have been complicated between us, but I really want to figure this out. I miss us.”
I crossed my arms, bracing myself for whatever he was about to say. “You have to understand, Aiden. It’s not that simple. You hurt me, and I can’t just forget that.”
“I know, and I’m sorry,” he said, his voice sincere. “But I want to be different. I want to show you that I can be someone you can rely on.”
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his words. “I appreciate that, but I need time. I need to know that I can trust you again before we can talk about ‘us.’”