(DANIEL'S POV)
One more and I will end this set.
I hate the time I wasn't working out. I lost my time in useless activities that didn't help me feel better and get bigger. I love the confidence that comes with it now.
I am not fearless. I dread a whole lot of things but not physical confrontation. Though it is first a matter of good health and appearance, I cannot deny I work out to be able to kick asses of those who have nothing better to do than getting on my nerves. I need to protect myself and others. I have been in a few fights, I sure have taken a few blows but nothing serious. I can't really say the same about the people fighting me.
I am not into violence. I will try to solve a matter by any means before resolving to my fist into someone's face. But man, if it gets to that point, you're not getting out of it unscathed.
Aiden is well aware of my patience and the things that happen when I run out of it. Somehow, she is the only who has always been on my last nerve and managed to get away with it, unharmed. It has a lot to do with the fact that she is a girl. And that I love her pretty face. And she is so precious to me that protecting her has become my reason to live. Well, one of them.
Mom is another reason. That woman taught me to love, to cherish every little thing, to enjoy life to the fullest, to respect Aiden and to never let people walk over me. When she was sober, of course.
Having a mom who is dealing with depression and addiction has been hell. While every other kids were having happy family time, I was in awe of it. Mom was always such a mess, barely taking care of me, though she made sure I felt her love for me each time she was a little 'herself'. Rare enough.
Can I blame her though? Her husband left her with a pile of debts and a kid and never showed his face again. He peaked insolence the day he called to ask for money when he didn't have any left and mom, being my loving, helpful, hoping mom, sent him what she had. She really thought he would come back. I am glad he didn't.
So, when it all started weighing her down, mom started going to church to get rid of the extra pound of bullshit her life was full of. That is where she met Aiden's parents. Being the compassionate people they were, they helped her through the hardest time of her life and became best friends.
No need to say mom was and will forever be grateful to them. They helped her get back on track. She got back to work, started taking better care of me and herself. We were in a good place.
We were always up to dinner, tea party, a day at the beach, brunch on the porch, summer break, vacation. We did everything together as one big family. Aiden's parents treated me as their own kid and mom did the same with her.
Anyone would understand why mom almost had a heart attack when she saw Aiden in my lap, giving me a hickey. I remember her asking me how I could do that to my sister. As if she hadn't seen that it was 'the sister' who was doing it to me. Mom hit me for the very first time. It broke my heart.
I was so mad that I couldn't tell her we were grown ups now and we had the right to do it since we didn't share the same biological parents. She would have killed me. Aiden was the daughter of her saviors, so I had to worship her, adore her and not fucking let her suck on my neck. It was a sin.
Aiden was so amused by the situation. She laughed her ass off till she got cramps. That psycho watched mom try to spank me without saying anything that would save my ass. Literally. I was so mad at her, I didn't talk to her for a long time. Like an hour or two. She was sent back home with a thousand apologies from mom. Thankfully, her parents were never made aware of that incident.
After that, we didn't have the right to be in the same room alone. I would certainly try to taint her purity again. And mom wouldn't allow that. Years later, I am still rolling my eyes at that nonsense.
