I wake up 20 minutes later and dial his number several times, but they all go to voicemail. I try to go back to sleep but it's impossible. I stay up for as long as I can with Olive, braiding her pigtails, then let her go to bed. I end up opening the envelope alone, before my parents can arrive and wind me up about it.

Great. Another rejection. Ugh. Maybe it's time I search for alternatives. After all, what are the odds that I'll get the fourth, fifth or seventh one?

I hear my father arrive with Nancy and hear them have dinner, oblivious to me being awake. Even with my lights off and the severe drowsiness keeping me in bed, my eyes still won't be held shut. I really need something good to happen today.

I need Aden. But my phone refuses to ring again. Just as much. I was so awful to him and I regret it. I guess I'm going to be punished for it until tomorrow morning. But then finally, Aden calls.

"My brain won't bother to shut off until I speak to you."

Aden is quiet and when he responds, his voice is solemn. He sounds exhausted.

"You need to rest for tomorrow."

"Aden?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry about what I said. I should never have spoken to you like that. You didn't deserve-"

"I'm afraid you were correct."

"I was, but I still owe you an apology."

"I'm the one who owes you one. I shouldn't have played games with you or entertained you for that matter - especially since you were so kind to me. I should have let you go."

"I don't regret that - mortified as I was at the time."

"But I do. I led you on because I was enjoying myself, ignoring the fact that you'd probably end up hurt in the end."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

His silence is potent, but not enough to make me quit.

"Aden."

"That's my big secret, McKay. You guessed it." he sighs. "There are others, but the biggest reason I don't date is because I can't. I have nothing to give. I don't own myself.

"I'm one of the world's most desired men, but I'm one of the world's least wanted boyfriends."

My heart immediately breaks for him.

"That can't be true."

"It is. Sure, there are girls who would date me, but they would probably have other reasons for being with me. All the others would want me, but they'd never have access to me. I'm already private goods."

"I told you to stop thinking of yourself like that. You're more than that. Your label might own you now, but they won't own you forever."

"It doesn't matter. I'm destined to be the loveless innkeeper for as long as I follow my dreams."

"It's not true, Aden. Please believe me."

"Huh! Do I have to?"

"Yes. For your own good."

"You said it yourself-"

"I apologized for that. And I take it back: I wasn't right at all. Aden, you can, and deserve to be loved like everybody else."

"Maybe I do, but I won't be."

"Who told you that? Look, you're easy to love, you're fun, smart-"

"Eternally busy, sporadically present-"

"No. I'm telling you, anybody could love you. I could love you. How hard can it be?"

Oh shit, what have I done? Fuck. I can't do that. It would be a lie. And I shouldn't because in the end, I'm sure I'll end up heartbroken.

But at the same time, I can't let Aden think those things about himself. I don't have another way of proving him wrong. I can only hope I'm doing the right thing and that I'll be okay. Plus, it won't be for long, right? Or maybe he won't even take me up on it.

"We've already established that you don't want me."

"I said I want to know what we are."

"I can't tell you. If I say I'm serious about you, you'll start asking when I'm coming to visit. Do you realise how long that could be? All we'd have is time on the phone."

I roll my eyes. I can't believe that now I'm the one having to say it.

"Then we talk every day."

"Now you want to talk every day? Come on, McKenzie. I know-"

"It was selfishness talking - nothing else. I should be grateful for even one minute of your voice; let alone fifteen."

"You can't string that line along for months or possible years."

Well, okay. I doubt we'll need to. I'm sure he'll be bored by next week. But he doesn't need to know that I know that.

"It's not a line. It's acceptance."

Well, don't I sound convincing?

"Like that's a thing."

"Yes, it is. Accepting you means something totally different to accepting who I want you to be. Accepting you will be accepting the you that is contractually bound and limited."

"No one is filled on that."

"I won't expect anything from you. So, anything you give me will be the gift that it should have been all along."

"Why did you change your mind so quickly?"

"Because no one should ever think they're undeserving of love - no matter the circumstances."

"So you pity me? Nice."

"Nah-huh. I get to speak to Aden Arrington every day. If that's not a sweet deal, I don't know what is. Plus, it's not like I have anything better to do or a boyfriend who'll get jealous." I giggle, making him laugh. "We'll be the best of friends-"

"Or more than friends..."

"We'll see about that."

But probably not, because that is highly unlikely. Even if we were more than friends over the phone, it wouldn't matter because he'll never see me again. I'm sure he'll be bored by the end of the week anyway. I'm simply providing him with a pick-me-up for now - that's all.

"You don't know how happy I am that I met you at that concert."

I smile at the sweet memory, rude as he was.

"You know, I never asked you why you didn't show up backstage when you told Jude that you'd come see me."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that."

"I was really disappointed. I mean, I knew there was something between us, but I started to doubt myself the minute you didn't show up. Only when I got home did I realise you couldn't have ditched me for another girl because-"

"But I did."

I know how I feel at once.

"I'm not jealous. I know you weren't with her the way you were with me."

"You are so damn fascinating; has anyone ever told you that?"

I know he's smiling and I can't help smiling too, picking at the cotton balls on my quilt.

"Not with words."

"It was the Make-A-Wish foundation. They called in a special favour because the normal application had been denied."

"I see."

The power of Aden's celebrity hits me for the first time. Someone is about to lose their life and their last wish was to meet Aden Arrington? If that's not intimidating, then I don't know what is.

I know that I'm affected by Aden the man and not Aden the celebrity, but that's only because I was afforded the chance to be with him so intimately when his body, according to him, reacted so intensely to mine in the red room. Not everyone has that chance. I feel lucky and cursed all at once.

"Don't you love my excuse?"

"Sure, but you can do as you wish. Only you know how important I am to you."

"How can you be so sure of what you're saying?"

"A series of unlucky coincidences."

I hear noise in the background.

"Hey, McKay? I have to go. Can I call you tomorrow then?"

"Please."

"And whatever the reason, I'm glad you changed your mind."

I can hear his grin through the line.

"Oh, and to be clear, I'd be doing you a favour."

We both laugh at my teasing.

"It's only fair."

"Goodnight." I say.

"It is already."

I hang up and giggle in my bed. What the hell have I gotten myself into? Shit, at least I won't be sleeping angry or anxious.

Plus, I suppose there's no harm in keeping Aden around - just in case the fourth application is rejected, because you know what: the world isn't fair. People get used all the time.

I can't tell what he wants to use me for, but I'm sure he does want something. So, maybe I should give a little to get a little. Like he said: it's only fair.