My emotions are still all over the place as I storm into my bedroom with Aiden following suit.

I've given him silent treatment during the ride home because I don't know what to say. I don't know what to feel.

What Aiden did today makes me confused to the point that my mind is a huge mess.

I turn around, startling him. He stops, staring at me with a mixture of anger and pain. But there's also fear in his expression. That look makes me want to scream in frustration.

Why does he have to look at me that way? It makes me angry at myself.

But I'm also angry at him.

What happened between him and Kai in the coffee shop was unnecessary.

I understand that he might be worried about me. After all, he's Max's future brother-in-law. He might feel responsible to look after me because I have no family here in Seattle.

In fact, the reason why he helped me to stay here in the first place was that I'm Max's cousin -- he said it when he offered me his help.

What he did for me was what he would have done for his sister, Luna.

But saying that Kai looked like a creep and preventing me from studying with him in a coffee shop? That's crazy.

Aiden stares at me, and I notice how hard he's breathing from the way his chest moves. Maybe he has indeed realized his mistake. He looks like he's trying to figure out what I'm feeling too. It's like we're trying to read each other's minds.

There's something else that makes my heart restless, but I don't want to think about it now.

"I'm sorry," he apologizes again. "I didn't mean to make you upset. We need to talk."

The sight of him begging me like this makes my chest hurt. My gaze darts on the drops of water on his face -- there's one on his eyelash. His hair is wet, and his clothes are drenched. We're both soaked, but his state is worse than mine because he still managed to protect me from the rain with his suit jacket.

Maybe we shouldn't have this argument now. Maybe we should clean up and calm down first. I don't want him to get sick.

Maybe I'll feel better once I have a cup of hot tea.

"I don't think we should talk now," I say.

For a split second, I see the hurt in his expression. I swallow a lump in my throat and walk toward my bathroom. That's when I feel his footsteps behind me.

"Aiden," I warn, stopping in my track. I turn around and give him a serious look. "I'm going to take a bath. I need you to leave."

Those words make him taken aback. He freezes on the spot, as though something terrifying suddenly crosses his mind. Guilt skates all over his face before he nods in understanding.

I sigh, watching as he walks away with long strides.

I sit on my bed, drying my hair with a towel. I'm already wearing my pajamas.

Now that I feel calm after taking a long hot shower, my mind welcomes the thought I was trying to push away a while ago. There's another reason why I was so angry back there in the coffee shop, and I know what it is.

Denial.

I knew that what Aiden did was wrong, but I also knew that I would follow him. Even if he'd left me to continue studying with Kai, I wouldn't have been able to get back on what I was doing. All I could have thought about was him.

And it hurts me. It hurts me because of how stupid I would have been.

I was having a good time with a great guy like Kai, but I would choose to abandon him and go with Aiden.

Even though Aiden was being unreasonable.

Even though he did that only because he thought of me as his baby sister.

I would still have gone with him.

You're stupid, Nevaeh. You're so stupid.

It's even worse because I've realized why I adore Kai. I see Aiden in him, and that's why I like Kai.

I'm pathetic.

I shake my head in denial and bury my face in the towel. Why am I feeling this way?

Why can't I stop thinking about a man whose heart has been frozen and who treats me like his younger sister?

I've never felt like this for any man...guy...or boy.

Somebody, please help me.

What is happening to me?

I take a deep breath to calm down, but every time I think about Aiden, all I can see is his pained expression when I told him to leave.

I get up from my bed and walk out of my room. I know what I should do. Making up with Aiden is an urgency. I need to do it, or else I wouldn't be able to sleep.

Maybe I'm weak when it comes to him, but I can't help it.

My heart had already been weak for him the moment I saw him breaking down at the altar on his wedding day.

I arrive in front of his bedroom door, which is slightly opened.

He's sitting on his bed, already dressed in a t-shirt and jogger pants. He flips through the pages of the book on his lap but then closes it and throws his head back against the headboard. Whatever it is he's reading, he can't concentrate.

I knock on the door and push it. Aiden watches as I approach him. I sit on his bed while he stares at me like he can't believe that I'm here.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you," I start. "I was angry because of what you did. I don't understand why you--"

"No," he cuts me off, shaking his head. "Why are you apologizing? It was my fault."

We stare at each other, and relief washes over me. I'm glad that we're not fighting anymore.

Aiden tears his gaze away from me, as though he's trying to hide his feelings. I know that something is still bothering him.

"Are you..." I falter, hoping that he would open up to me. "...worried?"

Aiden turns to face me. I can't read his expression. There's still sadness in his eyes, and I don't like it.

"Are you worried about me spending time with Kai?" I ask. "He's not a bad guy."

Aiden tries to not roll his eyes, and somehow, it's quite amusing. He's trying hard to not repeat the same mistake. It's actually flattering.

"What's wrong with Kai?" I speak softly. "I can still hang out with him, can't I?"

His face hardens before he looks away again. I wonder why he is so pressed.

Then I remember their first encounter. I can't say that Kai was being nice to him either. Kai also made him feel like a bad guy.

"You're acting like my overprotective Dad. Don't you know that?" I joke, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

Aiden still has that pout on his face, but I know that he's not mad at me. He can't be mad at me. A small smile touches my lips when I think about that.

He's cute when he pouts. He makes me want to tease him.

"Daddy," I say in a playful tone, leaning closer to him. "Why are you so angry? Kai and I are just friends. We were just studying together."

Aiden looks stunned, but then a soft chuckle escapes from his lips. He covers his face with his hands, muttering something under his breath. It's so low that I can't hear. Is he cursing?

I stare in amazement as he lets out another chuckle. He's still burying his face in his hands. His shoulders are shaking.

He's laughing.

See? He also thinks that it's funny. I've never felt so proud in my life.

Aiden finally pulls his hands from his face. His amber eyes are glinting with amusement. "Really?" He tilts his head. "Just friends? Nothing more?"

"Wow. What a change," I mumble.

Is it some kind of magic word? If that one word amuses him this much, I'll make a note to use it more often.

"Nevaeh," he warns. "That's not the answer I want to hear."

A burst of laughter escapes from me. I'm enjoying this playful side of Aiden. "Just friends, daddy. Nothing more."

Aiden smiles. He then locks his gaze with mine and tilts my chin up. "Good girl."