Aya
I sat on the swing I had pleaded with Cliffe to build outside the cabin, its creak blending with the soft rustle of the wind through the garden below. The plants and flowers, lovingly tended by me and the pack’s female elders, once brought me peace. But now, they felt like strangers… beautiful but hollow, a reminder of how misplaced I felt in this place I used to call home.
Heavy footsteps approached behind me, steady and deliberate.
“Come back inside,” Cliffe’s voice commanded, firm and unyielding, leaving no room for defiance.
I gripped the chains of the swing tighter, my gaze fixed on the horizon. Just this once, I told myself. Not out of obedience, but a quiet acknowledgment of the man who had raised me, even if the connection between us now felt like a ghost of what it once was.
The smell of chili sauce hit me like a punch to the gut. I took one look at the sandwich and immediately regretted my decision to sit down for breakfast. The fiery heat of the sauce lingered on my tongue, and my eyes watered as the burning sensation spread through my mouth.
“Cliffe…?” I choked out, grabbing a glass of water.
Cliffe’s deep voice was softer than I expected as he looked at me, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Aya? What’s wrong?”
I held up the sandwich, unable to hide the frustration. “This isn’t ketchup, Cliffe. This is chili sauce. Did you… did you not tell her how I like my food?”
Cliffe looked at the sandwich and then back at me. His face was unreadable, but I could see the flicker of something behind his eyes. A tinge of doubt. “I told Evelyn you liked ketchup. I don’t know what happened.”
Evelyn, feigned concern, her delicate fingers tapping ‘nervously’ against her cup. “I… I must have mixed them up. I’m sorry, Aya. I didn’t mean to make you upset.”
I stared at her, feeling the familiar surge of anger bubbling up. “You didn’t mean to?” I repeated, my voice cold. “You’ve been making mistake after mistake, Evelyn. First, it was the tea you spilled on my legs, and now… now this?” I gestured to the sandwich with a sharp motion, my frustration seeping into every word.
Cliffe’s eyes softened, but his hand reached out to stop me. “Aya, it’s just food. You’re letting your anger control you.”
I pulled away from him, my heart racing as I fought to suppress the tears threatening to spill. “No, Cliffe. It’s not just food. It’s everything. Evelyn’s presence, her constant mistakes, all of it. It’s like she’s trying to take everything from me.”
Cliffe took a step back, his expression firm. “Aya, please.” His voice was low, and scary, and I could see the irritation in his eyes. “You know it’s too early for this right?”
I bit my lip, feeling the ache in my chest deepen. “Every time something happens, you rush to defend her.”
Cliffe paused, his gaze shifting downward. The silence between us stretched longer than I was comfortable with. “You’re wrong. I…” He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes clouded with thoughts I couldn’t reach.
I turned away, my hands trembling as I pushed the chair back from the table. “I’m going to the orphanage today.”
Cliffe’s head jerked up, his eyes wide with surprise. “What? Why?”
“I need to go back, Cliffe. It’s been a while, and I need to see Mrs. Leonard. I need to go back to where I belong.” My voice cracked, the weight of my words settling heavily in the air.
He opened his mouth to protest but quickly closed it again, his jaw tightening. “I can’t go with you, Aya. I have things to do with Evelyn.” The words stung, harder than I expected.
I didn’t want to feel this way. I didn’t want to feel abandoned, to feel like an afterthought in the life Cliffe had built for himself. But I couldn’t help it.
“Fine,” I whispered, my voice barely audible as I grabbed my coat and headed toward the door. “I’ll go alone.”
The ride to the orphanage was quiet, my thoughts racing as I stared out the window. When I arrived, the familiar sight of the old building tugged at my heart. Mrs. Leonard was still here, still running the place with the same warmth and energy she’d had when I first arrived.
“Aya!” Her voice rang out across the lobby, and I was immediately enveloped in her embrace. “You’re back! Oh, how I’ve missed you.”
I smiled softly, hugging her back. “I’ve missed you too, Mrs. Leonard. I brought some gifts for the kids.”
We sat down in her office, and she poured me a cup of tea. “I saw the news, Aya. Cliffe and Beta Evelyn, huh? I thought you two might end up together. You’ve been through so much together.” Her voice was gentle, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.
I looked down at my tea, swirling the liquid in the cup. “Things have changed, Mrs. Leonard. I think Cliffe and I have both grown in different directions.”
She sighed, a soft frown tugging at the corners of her lips. “I always thought he cared about you more than anyone else. He took care of you when you had no one.” She shook her head, her expression wistful. “But sometimes, people change. They grow apart.”
I nodded, feeling the sting of her words settle into my bones. “I’ve changed too, I guess.”
As I walked out of the orphanage later that afternoon, a sense of clarity began to settle over me. It wasn’t just Cliffe that had changed, it was me, too.
I wasn’t the same girl who had wandered into the orphanage years ago, abandoned and lost. I was stronger now. I had a life to build, with or without Cliffe.
But as I stood outside, the weight of my decision pressed heavily on my chest. Could I really let go of the boy who had promised to protect me forever? Could I step away from the only family I had left?
I didn’t have the answers yet, but I knew one thing for certain: I wasn’t going to wait around for someone who didn’t see me the way I needed to be seen.
The world was bigger than just Cliffe Salvatore, and I was ready to face it on my own.
