Changes

What do you do when someone you love is right in front of your face?

They say when you look into someone's eyes and you feel an instant spark, you'll spend the rest of your life with that person. Jen thought that until she met Aiden. A man who resented everyone she spent time with, even her best friend, Ethan, whom she has known for years. Aiden was one of those fellows who would do anything for you when you first started dating, then completely change who he was, or change into who he really was, when he knew you weren't going anywhere. Aiden lived by his rules and insisted, no forced, her to follow them as well. Even though, he didn't have rules for himself, just rules for her. There was the traditional, "You can't leave the house without telling me," or, "I want to know who you going to be with every second of the day," and this was his favorite, "You are not allowed to hang out with that stupid friend, Ethan, anymore." Aiden had said he didn't trust Ethan, of course he wouldn't, because Ethan wasn't like him. Ethan is genuine. Ethan doesn't care what you do as long as he sees you for little while. Ethan had said she shouldn't see Aiden, but she didn't listen. That's where all the trouble started.
"Please, answer the phone. I know it's late but please answer," Jen cried frantically into her phone, "Please, just be there." She had decided to call him after another heated arguement with Aiden.
Groggy, he answered, "Hello?"
"Hi, it's me," she said.
"Hey, what's the matter, you sound upset?" He responded as he sat up in bed just to wake up a little.
"Ethan," Jen said hesitantly, "We had another fight."
Placing the phone between his shoulder and his head, "What was it about this time?"
She was quiet for a moment when she heard Aiden walking down the hallway to bed, "I came home late."
Ethan rubbed his face with his hands and sighed loudly, "You do know it's the same old thing. And you always call me about this in the middle of the night."
Jen moved into the corner of the third bedroom closet, "I know but you understand. I just need to talk."
Ethan responded sharply, "No, I don't understand. Why do you stay with him if he does this to you? Leave him! We talk about this every time you call."
With her head in her hands she cries silently, "I know but it's just really hard."
"Jen, just walk out the door! It's not that hard." His final words to her before he slammed the phone back on the receiver.
Jen awoke the next morning to silence. She slowly opened the closet door and peered out in the room. She stood and walked to the bedroom door. She turned the knob, "Damn! Why is this locked?" She pulled and yanked on the door. Slamming her fists hard on the hard wood, she let out a yell of frustration. Jen's hands had turned beat red before she calmed down. She placed her on teh door and slid down to the floor. There was a gentle tapping on the door. Confused, she looked under the door to see who it was, but the door opened and clunked her in the head, "Watch it!"
"Sorry, I was just looking for you," a voice stated.
She looked up at the man, "Ethan! I'm sorry."
"A little jumpy are we?" asked Ethan.
"I guess you could say that," Jen smiled.
Ethan grabbed Jen's forearm and helped her to her feet, "I thought I'd check on you. You know get some food."
Jen smiled and walked with Ethan to the front door when she hesitated, "Wait, maybe I shouldn't go. What if Aiden comes home? I should be here."
Ethan opened the front door, "Well, I think he can live without you for an hour."
Ethan smiled. Jen returned the smile, "All right, but just for an hour," Jen noticed the empty driveway, "How did you get here?"
"I walked. Remember, my apartment is only a few blocks over? So where do you want to go," he asked.
"Let's just see where the sidewalk takes us," replied Jen.
The started down the driveway and onto the sidewalk, "So, why do you stay with that jerk?" he asked.
Jen shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. He loves me."
Ethan kicked a rock off the sidewalk, "He doesn't act like it."
Jen became annoyed with Ethan's comment, "Well, how do you know that's not the way he shows affection!"
"Well, it just doesn't seem right. I sure as hell wouldn't treat you like that," replied Ethan.
Jen smiled, "You're supposed to say that because you're my friend."
Shocked, he answered, "What? Are you insane? Guys shouldn't treat thier girlfriends like that."
Jen replied in denial, "Well, he's a tough guy. I mean...it's just how he is."
"How he is!" shouted Ethan, "What happens if he hits you? What are you going to do then?"
Jen laughed quietly, "That won't happen to me. That only happens to those women who choose a violent guy."
He stepped in front of her, "Are you listening to yourself? Aiden is one of those guys!" he grabbed her shoulders, "It's happening to you!"
She slapped his hands away, "You don't know what you're talking about! Aiden loves me!"
Ethan's eyes filled with compassion and sadness, "Jen, please, you have to leave him."
Jen gave Ethan as angry stare, "Ethan, I think you should go home. I know you're just saying these things because you're jealous!"
"What?" he replied, "Jealous of what?"
"Me and Aiden. And the fact that you can't have a good relationship cause all of yours turn into shit!" yelled Jen.
Ethan started to walk away quickly, but he stopped and turned back to Jen with tear filled eyes, "You're ruining yourself. I wish you could see that! Oh, and if I'm so jealous of you then you can stop calling me after you have a little disagreement with Aiden." He turned and walked away. A tear rolled down Jen's cheeck as she ran back to her house. She ran inside and slammed the door.
Jen went into the kitchen to prepare dinner for Aiden. Maybe the he wouldn't get mad at her for leaving the third bedroom. She prepared his favorite meal, Felluccine Alfredo with chicken and a nice glass of French wine. She set the table with only one place, usually Aiden didn't want her to eat with im, she useld the good china and silverware. She placed his plate in the over to keep it warm and then sat at the window, waiting for him to come home.
The hours passed as the day turned into night. She slowly fell asleep at her spot by the window. Then the sound of a car woke her and she saw headlights pull into the driveway. Jen hurried to get his dinner out the over and put it on the table. The plate was warm when she took it out of the over. Trying to race with Aiden to the table, she spilled some of the wine on the white kitchen floor. She put his plate on the table and rushed over the mess on the floor. Thankfully, it came off the floor right as Aiden was entering the house via the garage door. She continued to wipe the floor when he closed the door loudly behind him. "What are you doing out of that room?" he asked harshly.
She stood up and faced him with the rag still in hand, "I just wanted to make you dinner. You work so hard, I wanted to do something nice. I'm sorry I left the room, but..."
"You're right, "he interrupted, "I do work hard. What did you make me? It better not be that crap from a box."
"Here, let me take those," Jen said as she took his coat and briefcase and placed them in his office.
Aiden began to walk over to the table, "It's about time that you helped around here." He sat down to look over his meal, "Is there something you want?"
Jen walked back into the kitchen for the wine, "What do you mean?"
"You made such a nice dinner. There has to be something you want or is there something you did that you're trying to make up for?" Aiden asked suspiciously.
Jen poured him a glass of wine, "No, why would I want anything? I wanted to make you happy."
Aiden took a big first bite and gulped down his wine, "So, why is there only one place? I thought you would want to join me?"
Confused, Jen replied, " I thought you would want to eat alone."
Aiden smiled at Jen for the first time in awhile, "Where would you get that idea? Go on, grab that chair and sit next to me."
Jen did what she was told, just in case this was some ploy to yell again. She placed her chair next to his and sat down, "Is there anything you need?"
With his mouth full, he shook his head. He downed his final glass of wine and took his last bite of dinner, "So, did you make any dessert?"
'This was it, this was going to set him off,'Jen thought.
"Well, are you going to answer me?" asked Aiden.
Jen was pulled out of her daze, "Huh? No, I didn't. We didn't have anything here to make."
He pushed back his chair and stood up, "Oh, I see," he walked over to her and raised his hand. She flinched back and then grabbed her arm, "Why do you look so scared?" In fear, Jen didn't respond. He pulled her to her feet, "Why don't you go change into something else and we'll go see a movie."
Astonished by Aiden's sudden change of attitude, she smiled at him and soon they were off to the movies.
That night Aiden seemed to have completely changed attitudes. She was actually happy to spend time with him. She even teased him in public and he responded with laughter, playing along. She didn't understand what was happening, but they weren't fighting and that was all that mattered. Instead of taking a cab home, Aiden opted to walk. They soon found themselves in Ethan's neighborhood and passing his home. She tried not to look but she saw Ethan having a party with Mack and the boys from work. She spotted him chatting up an old friend, when he looked in her direction. They caught eachother's eyes for a moment, but Ethan was quick to look away. She looked down to the ground. Aiden noticed her movements, "Is there something wrong?"
She quietly responded, "No, I'm fine. I was just hoping we were almost home."
Aiden and Jen walked around the corner of the block, soon they found themselves at the front door. Jen felt relieved that night. Suddenly, Aiden turned back into the man she fell for. Aiden and Jen walked into the house when suddenly Aiden slammed the door behind him, "What do you think you were doing?"
Startled, jen answered, "I don't understand what you are talking about?"
He stomped toward her, "Making fun of me? Huh? Who do you think you are?"
"I was just playing around, you didn't seem to mind? replied Jen.
He grabbed her arms and threw her to the floor, "You don't have the right to do that to me, especially in public!"
Jen still on the floor in fear responded, "I'm...I'm sorry. I thought you didn't mind."
He picked her up off the floor and threw her down the basment stairs, "You can stay down there and hope you don't make any noise tonight!"
Jen became still at the bottom of those stairs praying that this was a nightmare and Aiden was really the nice guy she met before. She felt a pain through out her body but the pain wasn't as bad as the pain she felt in her heart. He had tricked her again, playing the perfect couple in public, but none of it was true. Her eyes filled up with tears and she lay quietly at the bottom of the stairs, wishing she hadn't fought with Ethan that day; wishing that she couild run to him away from this hell that she was trapped in. As the tears overwhelmed her that night, she cried herself to sleep, dreaming of the life she wished she had.
Jen woke to the sound of Ethan's loving voice in her ear, "Jen, come on let's go."
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Away from here," he replied, "I'm not going to stand by and watch this crap happen to you anymore."
Ethan helped Jen to her feet, "But why Ethan?"
He puts her arm around his shoulder so she can stand, "I know you might not get it, but I loved you for a long time now."
Shocked Jen stops, "What, why didn't you say something?"
He helps her up the stairs, "You wouldn't understand, you were with Aiden and we have our friendship, I didn't want to ruin it."
"Ethan, you still should have told me, for all you could have known I liked you once too," she replied.
"You liked me?" asked Ethan.
"Yea," responded Jen, "for a little while before Aiden came along."
Ethan laughs, "Go figure. hey how about you dump him and see if your feelings are still there for me?"
The two reached the top of the stairs, "Ethan, I don't love you anymore. I actually don't want anyone right now. I have to fix some things."
"All right, I understand. If that's the way you want it."
Suddenly, Aiden bursts threw the front door and storms over to Ethan, "What are you doing here?"
Ethan gently puts Jen on the couch, "I've come to take her away from you! I won't stand for this anymore!"
Aiden moves close to Ethan, "Last time I checked, she was with me, pal. You have no right coming into my house!"
Ethan pushed Aiden hard, "And you have no right to hurt her!"
Aiden shoves back, "You don't know what you are talking about little boy! If I were you I would just leave right now before I put you in the hospital!"
"I am not leaving without Jen!" yelled Ethan. Then Aiden's towering body flew at Ethan. The two fought angirly and hard. Fists were flying and Ethan was starting to get really beat up.
Hoping to stop the fight, Jen jumped on top of Aiden, "Quit it! Don't hurt him! Aiden, if you loved me, you would stop!" With that Aiden got up off Ethan and stormed out the door. Jen called 911 quickly hoping to be able to save Ethan.
He managed to open his eyes just enough to see her at his side, "See, I knew you still felt something for me." He smiled before falling unconscious. Jen frantically waited for the medics to arrive. They rushed Ethan into the Critical Care Unit. The police asked Jen to tell them what happened, and she did press charged against Aiden. Jen left the hospital after Ethan was taken care of.
The next day Ethan woke up and the doctor said he was lucky, if it weren't for his friend, he would probably be dead. So, just in case, they decided to keep Ethan a few days for observation. On Ethan's last night at the hospital, he woke up sweating. He noticed someone sleeping in a chair in the corner of the room. The nurse entered to check on him, and he asked who that was. She said, "Oh, that's your friend, Jen. She got here a few hours ago and was anxious to see you."
"Really?" he replied.
"Yes. She told me the whole story, she couldn't stay because had some buisness to take care of. From what she told me, that man-who hurt you- will be in jail for a long time. She said she wanted him to have a longer sentence," Jen shuddered, "Oh, I better leave. You can talk to her about it." Ethan nodded and thanked the nurse for the hlep. Jen woke up and noticed Ethan looking at her. Without saying a word, she climbed into his hospital bed and laid next to him. She smiled at him as he wrapped his arms around her. The two fell asleep in each others arms.