Trapped by the Past

Chapter 16: The Morning

When I woke up the next morning, it was still dark. I looked at the clock on the nightstand, it was five in the morning. I groaned and tried going back to sleep, but couldn't. I gave up after half an hour of tossing and turning. I was tiered but my mind wouldn't let me sleep. 

I got up and started to walk toward the bathroom to take a bath. As I took my first step, a pain shoot right through my left leg starting from my ankle. 

"Ouch." I said and sat down on the bed. I pulled up my left leg and sure enough it was swollen. "Seriously? Great just great." I groaned a fall back on the bed. 

After a few minutes, I got up and started to walk toward the bathroom again, this time, more carefully and with every step my ankle hurt bad but I reached the bathroom. I filled the bath the tub with warm water and undressed. 

O lied in the tub and sighed. It felt good. I made myself relax and not to think about anything, just how the warm water felt surrounding my body.

After half an hour, I started to wash my hair, then my body. I wrapped a towel around my body and another one around my hair. I stepped out of the bathroom and wen to the closet, careful not to put too much weight on my left leg. 

Since we had a Gala last night, there would be guests in the Palace so I had to wear a dress and heels with this ankle. I dried my hair with the hair dryer. I looked at all the dresses I had and settled for a sky blue fitted mermaid skirt with flower lace petal sleeves. I wore matching heels and topaz neckless, earing ring and earrings. I wen toward the mirror and looked at myself, I had dark circles under my eyes from crying so much so I put on some concealer with a simple eyeliner and a light lipstick. I put my hair down and picked my phone. I looked at the time it was now six thirty. I sighed. I didn't know what to do. I had a lot to do but I didn't have the energy to do them. I went outside and headed down the stairs, my feet carried me toward the garden. I stepped outside, it was cold but not unbearable, and I didn't have the energy to go up all those stairs and there was no one around. 

Suddenly, a breeze hit me and made me shiver. I put my hands around myself and started to walk. 

When I reached the Rose section I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. 

"Are you cold?" A voice from behind me made me scream. I turned around with a hand on my heart. Aiden was standing behind me. 

"You scared me." I said in a cold voice, when I remembered last night and how he kissed Elisa. "What are you doing here?" 

"Couldn't sleep." He shrugged. I looked at him carefully. He had bags under his eyes and they were red, his hair was a mess and he looked like he hadn't shaved in days. He had on the same clothes as last night. 

"Did you get any sleep last night?" I asked, as much as I didn't want to care, I couldn't stop this worry when I saw his face. 

"You didn't answer my question." I gave him a confused look. "Are you cold?" I shook my head and right then a cold wind blew and made me shiver. "Liar." He muttered and put his coat on my shoulder. I was about to complain but he didn't let me. "You are shivering." He started to walk toward the bench. 

"Thanks." I muttered and followed him slowly and carefully so I won't have too much weight on my left leg. He sat down and looked at me, I was a few steps away from him. When he saw how I was walking he frowned. 

"Why are you limping?" He asked and shrugged. "Aurora, why are you limping?"

"Last night." I said as I sat down next to him. "When I fell, I twisted my ankle.: 

"I'm sorry." He said after a few minutes of silent. I didn't look at him, just stared at the roses around me. "I'm sorry about last night. I was mad and-" 

"Not right now." I said, looking at him. "Please?" I didn't want to ruin my morning by thinking more about what happened last night. 

Another cold wind blow and made me pull Aiden's coat tighter around myself and inhaled. It had the same smell as him, the smell that clamed me down these last few days. I inhaled again and sighed. 

"Why are you dressed up?" He asked and broke the silent. I looked at him and he was looked at me. 

"Some of last night's guests have stayed in the Palace and I have to be dressed up." I said, looking into those eyes. How much I love those eyes. "Everyone was looking at me before, now, after the announcement, I'm more under the spotlight, and the consequences of me making the smallest mistake will be a lot more. And I don't want to give them a  reason to think that I'm not fit to be the Queen." I don't know why I said all that to him but when I realized what I said, I looked down and I could feel my cheeks getting hot and red. 

Aiden laughed, a loud one that made me smile. 

"Now," I said when he was finished laughing but still didn't look at him. "Answer my question. Did you get any sleep last night?" When he didn't answer, I looked at him. He was looked at his feet and playing with a rock. "Aiden." I said. 

"I couldn't." He rushed out, not looking at me. 

"Aiden." I cut him off. "Look at me." He looked at me. Finally, I thought. But his eyes were even more red than before. "Why? And look at me when you talk to me." 

"Because of what I did last night." He said, looking at me in the eye. My heart started to beat faster but when he said the next thing I could feel the smile I had on drop. "When you were on the floor, crying. That wouldn't leave me whenever I closed my eyes." Guilt. He was sorry because he thought he was guilty, his voice, his eyes where telling that. 

I looked down at my hands. A small rose had fallen on the ground and caught my attention. I bent and picked it up and smelt it. It smelt amazing. I closed my eyes. 

"Aurora?" Aiden called my name. I opened my eyes and looked at him. For a few seconds he was silent, just gazing at my eyes. He cleared his throat. "Do you-"

"Aurora." Ethan's voice cut Aiden. I looked at where his voice came from. He was coming toward us with a worried expression on his face. I got up and pulled Aiden's coat tighter around myself. 

"What's going on?" I asked, his expression made me also worried. 

"Where were you?" He asked when he reached me. He looked at Aiden and raised his eyebrows at me. I shook my head at him and he didn't ask anything else. 

"Dad's waiting for you." Ethan said. I nodded.

I started to walk. Damn it, it hurts. After sitting so long walk hurts. I closed my eyes from the pain. Suddenly I felt someone picked me up. I screamed and put my hands around the person's neck. Aiden's smell was the first thing that hit my nose. I looked up and sure enough, Aiden was the one who picked me up.  He was looking straight ahead, not at me. 

"Why did you do that?" I asked, trying to get out of is embrace. He tightened his hold on me. "Put me down." 

"Sorry." He said with a smirk. "Can't. Don't want that ankle to get worse, do we?" I sighed but didn't say anything. 

I put my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. It was fast. I looked up at him and saw his cheeks were getting red. I giggled and was about to say something but Ethan got ahead of me. 

"What happened to your ankle?" Ethan asked from next to us. 

"Last night when I was going up the stairs," I said. "I twisted my ankle in heels. I'll be fine, I just need to rest it." 

"Did you see the-" Ethan was saying but I cut him off.

"No," I said. "I'll be fine." He sighed and didn't say anything. He knew better than to order me. 

I don't know why, but for some reason, I was happy that Aiden didn't want my ankle to get worse and he was worried about me. Does that mean that he cares about me? I couldn't help but smile like a fool. I looked at him, he was looking straight ahead. But I remembered what he said before Ethan came, the smile disappeared. He looked down and frowned at my expression. I looked away. I thought he was going to say something but didn't say anything. We reached the entrance to the hall. 

"Can you put me down, Aiden?" I asked when we reached the hall. He was bout to say something when I added. "I don't want anyone to see me like this. Please." He looked at me in the eyes and sighed. He put me down. "Where are they?" I asked Ethan who was silently watching us. I gave Aiden back his coat and muttered a thanks.

"In the dinning hall." He said. I nodded and started to walk. As soon as I took the first step, the pain shoot through my left leg and I lost my balance. I closed my eyes and waited to hit the floor. But instead I fell into a warm embrace. I opened my eyes and looked to see who saved me. Aiden was looking at e with a worried expression. 

"Are you ok?" He asked. I nodded and with his help straightened up. "Maybe we should go and see a doctor." 

"I'm fine." I said. I tried to walk but limped badly, it hurt a lot. 

"Let me help you at least." Aiden said. He offered me his arm. I looked at his arm. I had to take it, I couldn't walk on my own like this. I sighed at took his arm. We started toward the dinning hall. My ankle hurt but I had to bear it. 

We reached the dinning hall's entrance and I looked inside. Everyone was sitting at the table, talking to each other. Before entering I stopped, Aiden gave me a questioning look? I looked at him and bite my lip. He looked at them and moved closer. 

"You won't be alone." He whispered, so only I could hear him. "I'll be there." He moved his face closer to me. Our faces inches apart. 

"Uhmm." Ethan cleared his throat nd made both of us pull away. "We should head inside." He was trying to stop himself from laughing. I could feel my cheeks getting red and hot. All I did in response was a nod. 

I took a deep breathe and took Aiden's arm again. This time Ethan also offered me is arm. With my other hand I took Ethan's arm. We went inside. 

When everyone heard my heels, they turned to look at me. I smiled and tried no to limp too much. I went toward my usual seat and sat down after saying hello to everyone. There was a seat next to me which Ethan sat on and Aiden had to sit at the other side of the table where there was a swat empty there. That made me a moody because for some reason I wanted to sit by him but I couldn't say anything. 

"Aurora?" I heard Dad call my name. I looked at him. 

"Yes?" I asked. 

"Are you ok?" Dad asked and I knew he was referring to me limping. 

"Oh, I twisted it when I was going up the stairs, it's not that bad." I said with a reassuring smile. 

"Are you sure?" Dad's voice was laced with concern. 

"Yes, Dad, I'm sure." I said trying not to sound frustrated with him in front of all these people. He let out his breathe and nodded and went back to eating. 

I looked at the table. There was a lot of people and I didn't know most of them. I tried to find a familiar face in them and saw Logan sitting next to Aiden. When he saw me looking at him he winked at me and I had to bit my lip to stop myself from giggling, my eyes, as if they had a mind of their own looked at Aiden and saw him gripping his knife and fork so hard that his knuckles had turned white and he was glaring at his plate. 

What is wrong with him, I thought. 

The whole table was silent as everyone was eating. After we finished eating, everyone headed to the hall to talk about something. Aiden and Ethan stayed behind to help me even though I didn't need both of their help I appreciated it. 

"Are you mad at me?" Ethan asked as l took both of their arms that they offered me. I shook my head. I noticed that Aiden's jaw was locked and he wouldn't look at me. 

"You were saying the truth." I said as I looked straight ahead. When I said that, both of them stopped walking, making me loose my balance and if Ethan didn't catch me I would have fallen on my face. "Why did you stop?" I glared at them. 

"Because," Ethan said with a frustrated look as he ran his hand through his hair. "What I said is not true. I said that because I was mad at you for not taking your pills and I said that." 

"You are not damaged, Aurora." Aiden added in a soft tone. I sighed. 

"What do you want me to do? I'll do anything." Ethan said to me as I didn't say anything. 

"Anything?" I asked with a devilish smile. 

"Not anything." Aiden jumped in before Ethan could say anything else. "He won't tell you anything about that." 

"I thought you wanted me to know." I said. 

"I do." He said in a nonchalant tone. "But he won't tell you and won't allow me to tell you either." 

What is going on with him? I thought. One second he is kind and soft with me and the next he is like that? I groaned mentally. 

"What are you talking about?" Ethan asked. 

"She wants to know about last night's announcement." Aiden said before I could say anything and that made me give him a nasty look which he just shrugged. 

"I can't do that." He said as he looked at the ground.

"Well," I said as I took Aiden's arm again and started to walk. "That's the only way." I couldn't stop the smirk from forming on my face. Aiden looked at me and shook his head but didn't say anything. I gave him and innocent look that made him roll his eyes at me and look away. 

"Aurora, wait." Ethan said and I looked at him with a blank expression. "Come on, don't make me do this." He gave me a pleading look. 

"Aurora, don't mess with him." Aiden said. " He's your brother." For some reason I found myself giving in to those green jungles. 

"Fine." I sighed and looked at Ethan who was looking at me with shock evident in his face. "I guess a kiss can do." He laughed and pulled me into him for a hug and kissed the top of my head and pulled away. 

"You know I love you, right?" Ethan said and I smiled at him. He kissed my cheek and we started to walk toward the hall. 

Everyone was there and was talking and laughing. I saw Dad talking to Logan, Elisa and their dad. When I saw Elisa, the image of her kissing and grinding on Aiden came in front of my eyes and made me fist my hand and grit my teeth. Aiden looked at me when he saw my fist but I just ignored him. 

"Aurora." Aiden and Dad called my name at the same time. 

"Yes, Dad?" I said, looking at him and ignoring Aiden. He was coming toward me. 

"Come." He said and offered me his arm and I took it as he helped me walk. Ethan and Aiden following us.

"Aurora." Dad said once we reached the others. "I know you have met Elisa and Logan and I believe you their dad, Mr. Baldwin?" I nodded and smiled. Mr. Baldwin bowed his head and muttered "Princess" I smiled. Logan pulled me in a hug and Elisa just bowed at me. 

"Since last night's announcement," Dad said. "I thought you would need a new... security, and since Logan graduated and I trust him he will be your head of security." 

Come again? My head of security? Why would I need that right now? 

"Dad." I said, trying to keep my smile in place. "Can we talk? Alone?" I shot the other five and apologetic smile and looked at Dad who nodded his head and we went to a silent corner. "What is going on Dad?" I asked as soon as we were out everyone's earshot. "First, you announce that I will marry Aiden at the end of the school year then you announce that my coronation is in less than nine months then this? What is going on?" 

"It's time for me to retire." Dad said with a smile but I could see something else in his face but I didn't know what it was. "That's all." I gave him a look to let him know that I didn't believe a word he said and was about to say something when he cut me. "Don't overthink it. I'm just tired and don't think I can take it any more." 

"You know what?" I said in a loud voice and threw my hands up in the air. "You can do whatever you want. You already decided what my life would be and I don't think I have a say in it anymore." I walked away even though I was slow but I was still like a princess. On my way to the door, I saw Aiden and Elisa in a far corner talking to each other. That made me more angry and I tried to speed up. I made my way to the gardens and to my favorite section and sat on my usual spot.

God, why can't they just tell me what's going on? What do they want to do?

"Ugh." I groaned as I got up and started to walk, it was hard but I had to do something. I was walking for about five minutes. 

"Aurora?" I turned to see both Aiden and Logan coming my way. I ignored them and continued to walk. "Aurora wait." Logan called again this time sounding more closer and a bit out of breathe. Suddenly I was pulled from my arm and hit someone's hard chest. 

I looked up and saw Logan looking at me with a frown. I tried to pull away but he didn't let me. 

"Can't you hear me?" Logan said in a mad voice. I just looked at him in the eyes and raised my eyebrows at him. "God Aurora, why do you have to be so damn stubborn?" Logan groaned. 

"Let go of me." I said in a firm tone. Logan took a deep breathe but didn't let go. "Logan, let. Go. Of. Me." I said through my teeth and in a firm tone. This time he let go and I could see the look of shock on his face. 

I was too harsh on him, I guess. I thought with a smirk. I started to walk again. My ankle hurt a lot more than I was expecting it. 

"Aurora, please." Aiden said. His voice soft and that made me stop and turn toward him. I raised my brows at him. "You can't walk." He pointed toward my ankle and I just shrugged  and continued to walk into the garden. 

All of a sudden I was picked up. I screamed and looked up to see who it was. Aiden was carrying me just like this morning. I sighed and stopped struggling because I knew it won't do me any good. 

"Aiden." I said in the same tone that I used to talk to Logan. "Put me down." HE didn't even look at me. I groaned in frustration and put my head on his chest. 

I looked to were he was going. He was walking toward the Palace, and the last thing I wanted to was to be in the Palace with so many people. 

"Aiden?" I said in a weak voice. "Can we not go inside?" I asked and at that he looked at me and paused. After a few seconds he nodded. He put me down and I looked around and we were in the rose section of the garden. I sat on the bench with Aiden on one side and Logan on the other side. We were silent and the only sound that broke the silent was the rustling of the leaves. I took a deep breathe and looked at Logan. 

"Why didn't you tell me you were here for good?" I asked him. He closed his eyes as if he knew I was going to ask him that question. 

"Your dad asked me not to." He said his eyes still closed. 

"And with that I take it that you know why everything is changing so suddenly and won't tell me." I asked or more like stated. He shook his head. I sighed and looked at the sky. The breeze made me shiver. 

"You never bring a jacket, do you?" Aiden asked and I looked at him to that he was taking off his jacket. He put it around me and I gave him a small smile. 

"When did you come back?" I asked Logan. 

"Yesterday morning." He said, looking at the ground. "That's when your dad told me everything." I nodded and looked up again. The sun was right above us. What time was it?

"What happened to your ankle?" Logan asked after a while. 

"I told you," I said with an eyeroll. "I was going up to my room last night and I missed a step and twisted my ankle." It was his turn to roll his eyes. 

"I'll head inside." Logan said and got up from the bench. I nodded and looked at Aiden who was looking at me. 

"You head inside." Aiden said to Logan, not taking his eyes off me. "We'll see you there." I looked at Logan who nodded and left.

"Do you really like her?" I asked and cursed myself for not being able to close my mouth. Aiden gave me a questioning look. "Elisa. Do you like her?" 

"Are you serious?" Aiden said and to laugh. 

"Yes, I am." I said and that made him stop laughing. He took a deep breathe and said. 

"No, I don't." He said and looked at me.

"Then, what was last night?" 

"I don't know." He sighed. "When you started away, I wanted to come after you, but she won't let me. So it took me a while and when found you. you were in a dark corner. At first I didn't see Logan. But when I got there and saw you talking to him, I got …. mad. You ditched me to talk with another guy, when I was supposed to be your date? I went to the balcony and when Elisa came and threw herself at me. I didn't push her away. I was so mad that I didn't care about anything else and wanted to take that out somehow. 

"First of all you were flirting with Elisa right in front of me." I said. "Like I wasn't even there. So I couldn't take it anymore and I went to take a walk to clear my head. On my way out, Logan saw me and we started to talk. He was one of my friends before he left." 

"I know now." Aiden said, not meeting my eyes. "But when I saw you two talking to someone else in that situation, I got...." He stopped 

"Jealous?" I asked trying to cover my smirk and not let it show in my voice. For some reason, when he said he got mad when he saw me and another guy talking, I was happy for some reason. I was smiling but with what he said next, I could feel the smile vanish. 

"No." He said, shacking his head. "You were supposed to be my date, my girlfriend." I looked away so he won't see my face. 

"Can we go?" I said when I pulled myself together. He stood and picked me up. I just looked at his chest and didn't say anything. 

I was thinking about last night and how he was kissing her, how he was flirting with her and just a few hours ago he was laughing with me and made me calm when I was crying. I remember hoe he hugged me when I was crying and he soothed me. then I remembered how he laughed and that made me smile. a whole hearted laugh when we were talking about our funny memories together. Maybe that's just what I am. A person from his past that he has to put up with because of some stupid arrangement that his parents made with mine. For some reason that made me want to cry, the fact that I was someone that he had to put up with. I closed my eyes to stop the tears from falling. I oved my head ever so slightly so I could inhale his scent. It calmed me down and an involuntarily smile made it's way to my lips. 

"Aurora?" Aiden called my name. I opened my eyes and looked up. "Do you want to go to your room?" I shook my head. 

"I have to go to the hall." I said looking into those green eyes. He nodded and started to walk that way. 

He put me down when we reached the hall and helped me walk to my dad. When Dad saw me, he came and helped me. Aiden looked at me, waiting for me to tell him if I want him to come or not. I shrugged and could see him nod. He left the hall and we went to Logan and his father. We started to talk about what they want to do and how they are going to change the security. 

It was near lunch and I was tired and my ankle hurt so much, all I wanted to do was to sleep. 

"Dad." I said to dad who was talking to Logan. "Can I go upstairs?" He looked at me. 

"Are you ok?" He asked caressing my cheek. 

"Yeah." I smiled. " I just need some sleep." He nodded and let me go.

"Aurora." Dad called after I got a few steps away. "You are going out with Aiden tomorrow after you get back." I frowned 

"Why?" I asked, completely confused. 

"He is your boyfriend remember." I gritted my teeth and nodded courtly. 

I started to walk out of the hall and up the stairs. I looked around and no one was there, no guards no one. 

Weird, I thought but shrugged and started toward the stairs and as soon as I reached the stairs I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head and everything went black.