Oh my God! I gape at him in disbelief. He hit my cheekbone. He hit me?! He hit me! Aden Arrington - my Aden Arrington - hurt me. Aden's fist was on my face, and for the first time he wasn't caressing it. My love, my paradise, my Aden punched me in the face.

My eyes fill with tears as I stare at him, incredulous. My heart is heavy in a way that it hasn't been in a long time. He did the one thing I can never forgive him for.

Aden stops in front of me, horrified. Everyone freezes, waiting for me to react. I touch my cheek and wince. There isn't any blood, but it doesn't matter; the damage is already done. It's going to swell soon; probably to offset the deflation that my heart has suffered.

I jump off the stage immediately, not caring about how high it is while Aden calls my name. I can't get any more hurt than I am right now. I begin to walk away and when I glance backwards, I see Aden running after me.

"I'm sorry. McKay, where are you going?!"

"Away from you!"

"I'm sorry. You know I wasn't aiming for you."

"It doesn't matter!"

"Wait, what is going on?"

He swings me around by pulling on my upper arm, so I'm forced to face him.

"I don't know who you are."

"What?"

"You were punching that man so violently! You saw red. You even forgot to see me!"

"You don't get it, do you? He's trapping me in two more years of this hell! Because of him-"

"STOP JUSTIFYING WHAT YOU DID!" I explode. "What you did was despicable! It's disgusting! You don't go around putting your hands on anyone; especially not me!"

"But-"

"But nothing, Aden. I can't see you anymore."

"What? Wait, hold on a second. Don't you think your reaction is a bit extreme?"

"I saw the violence in you for the first time today. Do you really think I want to stick around to see it a second time? No, I refuse to be with a violent guy!

"My father's cousin used to beat Oliver and I black and blue. I am not going to stay close to anyone who could do that to me."

"I'm sorry that happened with your uncle, but I would never harm you. You know that."

"I thought I knew that but now I'm not sure at all."

"You can trust me."

It hurts so much. Up until today, I have trusted him blindly. It was bliss. Now reality is making an entrance.

"Not right now, I can't. I'm going home. I don't want-" I begin to cry unceremoniously. "I don't want to say anything I might regret, but I don't even see a future for us right now."

"I'm sorry. Please, McKay. Danatha, tell her. You know I'd never hurt her."

Danatha's arms come around me.

"I'm sorry, Aden. She's right. What I saw up there, I don't want that anywhere near any woman - much less my best friend."

"What about Jude?"

"I'm not with Jude. I am however, in a long-term relationship with my best friend here, so I'm going to take her home."

"But I was-"

"Don't follow us, Aden. Let things simmer down then call after a few days, okay?"

As soon as Nancy sees Danatha through the window, she comes flying out.

"You ran out so fast before..." she stops. "Are you crying?"

I wipe my cheeks.

"Yes, please excuse me."

"Sweetcakes-"

"Hi, Nancy. No need to worry. I've got this."

Danatha ushers me inside as fast as possible when she sees the murderous look on my face after Nancy uses the nickname that used to be reserved for when Oliver was around.

"You saw him, Danny. How am I supposed to be with him?"

"I don't think you should be."

"What about what I feel? I don't know if it's love. I'm not sure what to call it, but I want him in my life. I can't even imagine going on without him."

My phone keeps vibrating, so I take it out of my pocket. It's Aden calling non-stop. Danatha takes a hold of the phone before I can even think of what to do and hides it outside. When she comes back, I'm already engulfed in tears.

"Kay."
"I was just in his arms. How can I tell myself to move on from him after that?"

"I think what's important to find out here, is whether the punishment fits the crime."

"I can't measure up anything right now."

"This should probably happen sooner rather than later."

"Okay, he hit that guy because now he's stuck in a two-year contract again-"

"Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but this is about your uncle, isn't it?"

"I know that type of violence too fucking well. I want nothing to do with it."

"But not all men who are provoked into physical violence are inherently violent. It's the manipulation and the malice that accompanies violence that should really give you pause if you spot it."

"How the hell am I meant to see the difference? I barely know him."

"That's not true. You know deep down whether he's a violent person."

"But I saw him, Danny. I saw him!"

"Alright, come here."

She comes and holds me in the bed. I close my eyes and attempt to silence my hiccups.

Half an hour later, Danatha is asleep. I slip out of bed and leave her in search of my phone. The most recent call is registered to have been received three minutes ago and there are thirty-four other missed calls. I press on one of them and wait through all three rings.

"Jesus, McKay! Finally."

"Hi."

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I should've never done all that. I'm sorry about how I handled it all."

"It's okay. I never told you about my uncle."

"I know it's a longshot, but I need to talk to you. I don't want to leave here without seeing you."

"Okay."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

"I can come there in-"

"I'll come to you."

He hesitates.

"If that's what you want. But we leave in two hours so, if I'm not pushing my luck, please hurry."

I hang up and text Danatha telling her where I'm going before grabbing my purse from the foyer and heading out. Once I get there, I search for Aden. Callisto tells me he went to get air at the other side of the stadium, so I take a slow stroll over there, trying to calm myself.

When I find Aden, he's sitting on the fifth row from the bottom of the edge of the stadium. I sit next to him and look out into the same stretch of seats he's staring into.

"I never meant to show you that."

"I don't know when I'll see you again or even if I'll see you again, so let's not fight right now."

"I need you to know I'm not a violent man. What you saw-"

"I saw a violent man."

"But I would never do that."

"You did though."

"Doing it once proves nothing."

"Where there's smoke, there isn't usually only a cigarette."

"You have to believe me."

"No, I won't, but what I will do is say goodbye. I want you to know how much you meant to me."

"McKay. You saw-"

"Stop it! If you don't, I'll leave. I didn't come here for this."

"You've already given up on us."

"I came to say a physical goodbye because no matter how this plays out, I'm not going to see you for a long time. Say goodbye to me. Kiss me if you must."

"I can't - not when you're so hurt."

"Then kiss me because I'm asking you to." My eyes plead with him. "I need you."

He steps forward, but the sight of tears streaming down his cheeks immediately drives me to sob uncontrollably.

I'm angry at everything: at what he's done, at who he is, of what he represents, of what he's worth and everything that I'm not in comparison.
All seems so sombre without him. It isn't raining but I feel the weather change, as if the sun laments having to shine in any case.

Then the ugliest thing happens. Aden lifts his hands to comfort me and I flinch involuntarily. When I peek up at him, he's frustrated.

"Please don't ever flinch away from my touch, Princess. I beg you."

I walk to him and wind my arms around him, allowing him to embrace me too.

"Tell me I was important to you." I muffle into his shirt.

"You will always be important."

"Aden."

"We'll be okay, no matter what. I believe that."

"I made you a believer."

He caresses my cheek, smiling sadly.

"My favourite series of lucky coincidences."

I bunch up the fabric of his shirt in a fist.

"You're mine."

He kisses my fist and lets me go. When I leave his arms, I am fully aware that I'm leaving behind a star - not because he's famous - but because it's him I'll be wishing upon for the next while.