Chapter SEVEN

4 Years Later

It was the week before Christmas, so naturally the mall was as crazy as it gets. My current job title was manager of JumpFit, a chain fitness centre, which was in hundreds of malls across the country. If you had a JumpFit membership, you could visit any location. So, it was not surprising that my small location in our tiny beach town was this busy. People came here for Christmas, to get away from their cold, snowy places. My job the week before Christmas, though, was sort of insane.

"Arden! We are at max capacity!" my co-worker, Finn, called from the entrance.

I'd been working there for two years - through my senior year of high school and this past year, which I nicely referred to as my "break year". All three of my brothers were off in colleges around the country, but for whatever reason I wasn't expected to do the same. The twins were both on scholarships for football and wrestling, respectively. Michael had graduated, took a year to work in his field - computer programming - and was now back in a two year college program to up his skills. But I was just a working member of society, at nineteen.

Working at JumpFit had changed me, and helped me grow up a lot. When I was seventeen, in my junior year, things were rough. I was reckless and didn't care about anyone - well, expect for Kaden and his baby daughter, Rylee. But at JumpFit, I'd met some awesome people - like Finn O'Neil - and had responsibilities. JumpFit, while sometimes crazy and sometimes really boring, was really good for me.

I was working the desk that day, the week before Christmas. It wasn't the worst place to be while it was this busy. Door man was definitely the worst.

So Finn had yelled that we were at capacity, which happened often. After that point, there would be a line up of people waiting to get in, as people left. I couldn't imagine waiting in a line to get into a gym, in a mall, so close to Christmas. But, to each their own.

I glanced around and noticed all of the machines were full. The ellipticals and treadmills, along with the section of weights were all jammed with people. Thank God Finn had stopped letting people in. At the desk, I just had to make sure everyone who came in scanned their card, or paid for a day pass. There were also some classes which were ran in the back room - yoga, pilates, zumba. Sierra was working that day - she taught the classes. I'd never taken a class in the two years I'd worked there.

It was busy until we closed at 9P.M. I rarely stayed til close since I usually worked the morning shift, but it was an unusual day.

"Ah, I hope tomorrow is not so crazy," Finn said to me, pulling the mop out from the storage closet to do the floors.

He was short and thin, with light hair and eyes. He usually had some facial hair but he was cleanly shaven today. I liked Finn - he was cute, and smart. We had spent the last year being off and on fuck buddies - as in, sometimes we got drunk together and messed around or had sex. He knew I was in no place to be in a relationship and he respected that. But Finn was... Finn. He liked me, more than a co-worker and more than just someone he had sex with sometimes.

"You closing again tomorrow?" I asked him, watching as Sierra approached us.

"All week," Finn sighed. "That's what happens when the boss knows I have no personal life."

Sierra laughed, leaning into him. "Just tell Jack to eff off."

Jack Wilson was our boss. He owned all of the JumpFits in our area. He didn't come around often, but he made the schedule and usually showed up on Saturdays to check in. And, of course, he signed our pay cheques.

"Right," Finn laughed. "I'll do that."

"Christmas Eve?" I asked Finn, wiping down some of the machines.

"We close at 4P.M. Thank God," he replied, now pushing the mop towards the front of the gym.

"You guys have a good night," Sierra called over her shoulder, her long dark hair flying in the air. She was gorgeous. Tall and thin and in perfect shape. She was in college and worked part time with us, teaching a few exercise classes a week.

I waved in her direction, watching her go, then turned back to Finn. "I'm off Christmas Eve. But I'm bringing Rylee to the mall to see Santa," I told him.

"You're brave," he said, looking surprised for a second. "It's really cool how you spend so much time with her, though. How old is she again?"

"Three. Kaden needs helps, even though he never admits it. He works a lot, and..."

"I know. It's really sweet how you help out," Finn finished, smiling at me.

I knew he was jealous sometimes. I knew he wished I gave him more of my time, more of myself. I did spend a lot of time with Rylee, and with Kaden. He was my best friend, and his little girl was my sweet Rylee.

Kaden had done so much for me during our sophomore year of high school. The year I had to go back to school without Carson. The year I felt completely alone, depressed and heartbroken. Most days, I felt like I was barely above water, like I might drown at any moment. Kaden stuck to me. He was there for me, even when I didn't want him there.

Six months later, he got drunk and at a party and slept with Tania Brice. A month later, Tania told Kaden she was pregnant. They were both fifteen. She decided to hide the entire pregnancy with baggy clothes, and then she didn't even think twice leaving the hospital that day in early December, without the baby. Kaden was sixteen when he became a father. Tania called him when she was in labour, which was when Kaden told his mom. Dane was off at college that year. Their mom had raised them on her own, and was adamant about Kaden stepping up and taking responsibility for his actions. That was how he became a single dad. He dropped out of high school half way through our junior year to take care of little Rylee Jay.

I spent the rest of that school year mostly alone, but focused. I had messed up a lot the year before - getting high, skipping class, and spent a lot of time in detention. I was acting out and trying to forget about Carson, but it didn't help. And once Rylee was a part of our lives, I decided to be better, too. I spent most of my time when I wasn't at school with Kaden and Rylee.

Now, she called me Aunty Arden.

Finn was a good friend, like I said. Yes, I knew he liked me more than a friend. He wasn't afraid to flirt with me, and he continued to ask me to hang out even though I mostly turned him down. He didn't know about my life before he knew me. I hadn't let anyone get close to me like that, since Carson broke me. I knew it wasn't fair, but it was just the way it was.