Chapter 12: Fight back

~One week later~ Aiden takes a spoon full of cereal and puts it in her mouth, chewing the crunchiness she gulps down the milk in the glass as well. From the bowl she looks straight to see Riley, who stays frozen staring at the cereals which are floating on the milk, his eyes are slightly open staring at an empty space, his hands held together in front of his crotch, absent minded. "Riley," Aiden calls out as she slams the glass of milk on the table making a loud noise to get his attention but failed. She stares at him, her lips parted in disbelief, brushing her bangs behind her ears she inhales a deep breath in and lets it out to calm herself. Licking her lips she plasters a fake smile on her a face and leans forward. "Riley, nothing......," She stops when he stands and walks away from the table silently. Aiden slams her hands on the table and gets up from her seat, she follows him as he kept short steps. "Nothing is going to change just because you stay locked up in the room and eat less," she exclaims "It's been a week and you are..," she pauses as she jumps forward, holding Riley by his hoodie's collar she lifts him away from the floor a little and pushes him to the single sofa by her side, she bends a little and grips his shoulders, she pushes him behind when he tries to stand. Letting out a sigh she looks down at Riley, who stares at an empty space. "I understand how you feel, and I have no need of staying here persuading you because it's none of my business but I'm doing this just for the sake of your dad," she stands straight taking her hands off him "He was a great person," she says softly, Riley looks up at her, tears begin to prick at the back of his eyes. Aiden stares at him for a while silently and she speaks softly "Bottling up your emotions will only make you feel bad," she looks into his eyes which begins to crystal. His mind begins to replay the past, he knew that blaming his father for not being with his mother at the last moment is ridiculous as he knew the responsibility of a lawyer. He remembers the day of his graduation, the smile on Mintz face, the pride he held for his son. His mind plays everything clearly making him feel more guilty. The days when he spoke to his dad, the day when he yelled at his dad, the day when he told that he is not a good father and a husband. He was ignorant but it is too late to realise. The smile of his dad displays in his head, the sight of him at the corner of the crowd at his concert, the way Mintz comforted him when he was out of the group because of Mira. His heart throbs to accept the reality, the fact that his dad passed away and he didn't even get a chance to apologize to all what he did. Moreover, he wishes to spend more time with his father. The most painful reality in world is that we cannot stop our loved ones from death and once they are gone all we could do is to miss them yet eventually they fade away at the back of our head. A single tear rolls down his cheek, he chews onto his inner cheek his eyes wells up instantly, a gasp leaves his trembling lips, letting his head drop. Aiden's hands move up but she stops, hesitating. Gut wrenching sobs tear through his chest as his low sniffles gets audible as he finds difficult to breath, his heart pounds. Aiden keeps a step closer and moves her right hand to the back of his head slowly she pushes his head to her body as she moves her left hand to the back and rubs over slowly. "I... I," he stutters, his chin trembles as his words come out low barely audible "I...m..i..ss..h...im," he mumbles with in hiccups, he swings his hands around Aiden's waist resting his cheek on her stomach he hugs her, his hands clasped tightly behind her. He curls his lower lip in and sucks on it, his heavy breaths is the only noise in the room. "I'm sorry," he mumbles the words which he wanted to tell Mintz. "You know, your dad was never mad at you," Aiden states as she continues to rub his back and moving in motion of up and down "He loves you," she whispers. They stay in the same position for a long time until his loud sobs turn into low whimpers, the air captures silence where only Riley's heavy breaths are audible. "Feeling better," Aiden questions looking down at his head. He nods in reply and unwraps his arms, he sits back and rubs his cheeks with the back of his palms, the tear stain still visible on his warm ivory skin. He sniffles as he runs his hand through his messy brown hair and looks up at Aiden, his cheeks flustered, she raises her brows questionably. "Thanks," Riley whispers his wet eyes never leaving hers. The corners of her lips slightly twitch up "I'm going to Mr Mintz office," She informs as she keeps a step back, her body numb as she kept standing holding onto him for hours, rolling down the sleeves of her t-shirt, she walks away to the guest room to get changed. After few minutes Aiden walks out of the room, a spontaneous grin makes it's way on her lips when she sees Riley waiting by the door. "I'm going with you," he says, his voice sore and dry. Nodding in reply, she takes the key from the holder "I'll drive," she walks out not waiting till he puts his shoes. Aiden yanks the door and gets into the car she stares straight at the other vehicles parked by the residents through the windscreen. She thinks over on her decision of her next step, she is worried about everything going wrong, she is worried that all Mintz hard work of putting down the AIM's industry will be vain if she stops and goes on her own way finding another job. She wants to do something she will never regret. After the death of lawyer Mintz the statement of the accident was stated that, a client of his wanted to get rid of him as Mintz bribed him and blackmailed that he would turn over the table if the cash is not paid. His reputation is being spoiled all over the news and social media. Her thoughts drift to the back of her mind when Riley steps in, he buckles up his seatbelt and turns to his right glancing at Aiden who is absent minded. "You Okay?," He asks softly knitting his brows. Aiden lets out a sigh, she looks down at the steering wheel and back straight at the windscreen then she speaks "I'm going to file a case," she faces Riley "Do you know what's going around," she questions. "Yes I do," Riley nods "It's being told that dad is an awful lawyer," he sits back and fiddles with his fingers "And....," "And what?," She asks impatiently. He moves his gaze to his hand and after few seconds of silence he says "Evan told me that I can't perform anymore, my social media accounts are taken down and fan clubs are shut, even the articles and magazines about me are banned, even about us." Aiden stares at his side features for a while, she starts the engine and looks straight gripping tight on the steering wheel "So, what are you going to do next?," She asks her eyes fixed to the windscreen. "How would you find a lawyer for the case," Riley questions as he turns to his right. "I should look for one," "You don't have to," "Why?," "I can be," Aiden faces him immediately "That's what your dad wished as well," she smiles and looks straight "Seems like we should be working together, it's going to be a rough road but still let's fight back together," she cheers yet her tone shows no excitement. The car finally moves. Mintz office door is full of sticky notes and flowers, the notes and flowers to express their emotional grief, all of those are from his clients whom he helped dearly. Aiden and Riley stops by the door staring at the grand decoration. "He was indeed a great person," Aiden mumbles to herself. She walks to the door and gathers the notes "Let's put them in the cupboard," she orders continuing to read the notes while removing them from the door. Riley joins her. "He was my role model," Riley says out of no where as he closes the door of the cupboard, he turns around and looks at Aiden who turns the pin board. She turns around and faces him his expression still depressed "You sure," she scoffs sarcastically "Seems like you have a long way to be like him I guess," "What do you mean?," "Your role model is on the top of the good pyramid and you are on the top of the bad pyramid," she states dryly to make him feel better. "Am I that bad?," He raises his brow questionably his voice comes out low yet not in a sad way. Aiden nods spreading her lips to a snarky grin. She stares at him waiting till he retorts. Slam! The door slams opens, Aiden and Riley turns to their eyes widens on astonishment when five men marches in and the last one locks the door from the inside, they stand straight together watching the other two on the opposite side. "Destroy everything in here," one of the five men orders and the others walk to their separate ways in the small room. "If you dare, pull that down," Aiden steps forward glaring at the person who touches the frame of Mintz's achievement.