The thing that serves as Aidan's biggest secret also serves as her greatest regret, something she looks upon with an immense guilt, with images that often come to taunt her both during slumber and moments of lonely daydream. She was seventeen when it happened. When she killed someone in a hit and run accident. It was New Year's Eve, and almost everyone in their little town was at some party of festival, although the venues varied from little, family gatherings to intense, alcohol-stuffed raves. Aidan was at one of the latter, dancing with just as much vigor, flirting with just as little shame, and drinking without a hint of sense or care.
The night ended when a longtime foe of Aidan's chose to dunk the bowl of punch on her in front of Aidan's crush, a member of the basketball team and 'total babe' as far as the high school population were concerned. Aidan began her drive home angry, embarrassed, and considerably tipsy. As the twisted the steering wheel with unnecessary aggression, she concocted plots of revenge.

Then she hit him.

The man wasn't well known, and he wasn't the sort to be missed. A forty-something bum who spent his time cooped up under bridges and in alleyways, typically drunk, high, stoned, or simply creepy, his death wasn't something that people mourned. In fact, some were rather pleased, in a grim sort of way, to have the unpleasant individual gone for good.

As she turned a corner on the long strip of unoccupied highway, he stumbled dozily in front of the vehicle. Aidan's reflexes, hazed by alcohol, didn't swerve in time.

Aidan was never caught, but she'll never forget how he looked up at her, glazed eyes white and fearful, limbs splayed at awkward angles as though swimming in his own, scarlet pool. She'll also never forget how little time it took for her to run back to the car, driving home and acting as though nothing had happened, all whilst her insides knotted up with guilt and fear. Is there a Hell? Aiden really, really hopes not.

✡ Witty ✡ Stubborn ✡ Compassionate ✡ Sarcastic ✡ Modest ✡ Mischievous ✡ Loyal ✡ Impulsive ✡ Secretive ✡ Perceptive ✡ Feisty ✡

Aidan possesses an odd mixture of qualities, a strange concoction of conflicting ingredients, melted into the form of a human girl, with blonde hair and a constant glint in her eye. From her more admirable traits, such as her kindness and compassion, as well as her light-hearted wit and mischievous smile, she has artfully constructed a veil, smooth and gossamer, yet as inpenetrable as armor. With this cloak she hides her imperfections. Her insecurities and her deeper emotions. The cost is she constantly feels as though at least a small part of her is living a lie, but with her sensitivities kept well away from prying eyes and straying fingers, it is a price she is perfectly willing to pay.
This all being said, Aidan is not without a smile. She is not burdened by the melancholy that occasionally sneaks up on her, and instead, through its rude intruding on her life, has learnt to appreciate the 'little things' more. Laughter, affection, good movies, shopping. Little things that many deem unimportant, or take for granted, provide her greatest joys, and her times when most at ease. She loves to laugh, and adores both receiving and giving affection in any of its many forms. Such materialistic things such as shopping with friends or curling up on the couch to watch a film, they aren't the sort of things that typically instill such immense pleasure in a person, but for Aidan, they are treasured moments, ones she clutches tightly to her heart long after they're gone. In this sense, Aidan is a very sentimental person, despite often acting as though she brushes things off easily, and rebounds without a care. Her emotions are kept under tight restraint, but when released from their binds, they are as wild and tumultuous as a maelstrom.
Aidan is very protective of her friends, and tends to think with her heart rather than her head, acting on her impulses and regretfully having to stick around to pick up the pieces afterwards. Naturally, this includes hospital fines (for Aidan's friends' boss, after he felt the girl up whilst she was working), and detentions (too many, unfortunately). Aidan's impulsive and reckless nature often puts her at odds with people that demand calm and grace, as she rarely possesses either, even in her most tranquil moments typically carrying a slight air of impatience, or eagerness.
She is witty, and endearingly charming, earning admiration through her sometimes blunt honesty, and slightly awkward nature. Her sarcasm most often leaks through when in the company of those she dislikes or looks down upon, the self-absorbed and arrogant, the overly privileged and intolerant. She hates such traits the most, and will more often than not fire a fair few verbal barbs their way, leaving them fuming, and her wishing she'd done less with her mouth and more with her fists. Or, if the barbs were successful enough to leave them flabbergasted, strutting away with a satisfied smirk.
When it comes to her friends, Aidan becomes more light-hearted in her humour, exchanging cold sarcasm for clever wit, and engaging with battles of such with great enthusiasm. She loves people that can match her snark for snark, and enjoys such clever-worded conflicts more than she'd ever care to admit. She is fiercely loyal, and would never betray those close to her, no matter what was offered in exchange, be it a million dollars or a magical 'undo' of the accident.
She is rather prideful in that if someone attempts so damage her pride, she will do whatever she can to make them eat their words. If someone insults her intelligence, she will study day and night to get that A. If someone taunts her athletic ability, she will compete in a triathlon (and probably have to take a week off afterwards to recover, but her point'll be made). In this way, she is, despite her cleverness, easy to manipulate. Pull of her pride-strings and she'll more than likely dance. She's a puppet, but a hell of a lot tougher than Pinocchio.
She is sweet when in her comfort zone, or with her friends, who act as the people she treasures most of all, and quickly turns bumbling when elegance is expected off her, as she does not cope with pressure particularly well. She likes to have support, but can get by on her own independence if none is in supply, and when she smiles? When she really smiles? She smiles like there's no tomorrow.

Thomas Fletcher | Father | 42 | Alive | Yep, that's my dad. He's pretty awesome, as far as dads go.
Vienna Anderson | Mother | 40 | Alive | Kind of a bitch. A lot of a bitch, actually. Or at least I assume she is. I haven't seen her in, like, fourteen years.
Hailey Jones-Smith | Possible-future-stepmother | 39 | Alive | That is, if my dad actually gets off his ass and asks out the girl he's been crushing on for two years.
Samson | Pet dog - Bloodhound | 9 | Alive | Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy? WHO'S A GOOD- Ahem. Yeah.

Aidan's parents met at university, with Thomas studying agriculture and Vienna studying law. Through a string of coincidences, they met repeatedly, such as going to the same cafe or bumping into one another in the university halls. Thomas was at a loss at what do do about his growing crush on the beautiful blonde, whilst Vienna was constantly amused, heart lifted by his endearing and thoughtful personality. Eventually, she asked Thomas out, and the pair went on to date for 2 years. As Thomas considered proposing, Vienna graduated with high marks, as well as a vast competition for even the less prestigious law firms. The competition became even more difficult to face against when she found herself pregnant with Aidan. The pair got married, and Vienna's career was put on hold.
Aidan began her first years in a loving household, although her mother was still pining over the job that wasn't coming, trying out desperately for law firms that chose other, younger applicants over herself. She was a couple of years too late, and this formed a seed of regret in her heart. Then Vienna met Cormac. Cormac Landon, of Landon Law, was handsome, wealthy, and set to inherit his family law firm. He developed feelings for Vienna, and proceeded to try and win her over, despite her married status. It seems the married status didn't matter, for when Aidan was three, Vienna and Thomas divorced, Vienna seeing Cormac as an opportunity to finally further her career as she'd always desired.

Now? She's hugely successful, defending the most guilty-seeming of criminals and letting them get off without charges. She has a silver tongue and a wandering husband that she sees her relationship with more as a business proposition than holy matrimony.

As for Thomas and Aidan, they leaned on one another, and grew up happily, with a stronger bond made even more so by the absent Vienna. Thomas now has his own vineyard, a small but successful one, and a beloved dog, Samson, to share the space.