Chapter 007
1029 Words
Elsie's Pov
The next day in school was hell. I couldn’t bring myself to concentrate. I was happy when the break period came, I could use this moment to get away from the world and cry my eyes out again.
"Elsie wait up." A voice called from behind me.
I recognized that voice anywhere. It was Aria. I stopped in my tracks and waited for her tp catch up with me.
"Elsie..." she sounded like she was out of breath when she came closer to me, "What's up with you? You've been avoiding me since." Her tone was dripping with genuine concern as she spoke.
I looked up to the sky, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to cascade down my cheeks. I didn’t want to break down in front of Aria, not here, not when it seemed like the entire school was glaring and pointing fingers at me as they passed.
That recording of Ryan admitting to me sleeping with him, damaged me in ways words couldn't explain.
And to top it all, I had just slept with my step brother.
"Nothing...just having a bad day." I lied as I sniffed back the tears.
Aria threw her hands over my shoulders as she pulled me into her, "It's that jerk, isn't it?" Aria whispered into my ears, sneering her teeth in disgust.
"I couldn’t sleep after yesterday either. How could he possibly do that to you. He needs to apologise to you...in front of the entire school."
"I don't need his apology." I said as I wiped my face when I felt the moistness of tears on my skin.
"You do, Elsie. It won't completely heal the scars it has caused you, but at least it'll make you feel better."
I gently grabbed Aria's hand and took it off me slowly, "I don't need his apology." I repeated.
"I'm heading to the study. I need to be alone for a while." I said.
Aria's face twisted. I knew she was just trying to be a good best friend and console me, but that was not what I needed at the moment.
"At least, let me stay beside you." She offered.
"Aren’t you going to have lunch?" I asked her weakly.
She shook her head, "I can't eat when I know you need me around you."
I sighed heavily. Without uttering another word, I turned and continued walking toward the study. I could still feel eyes staring at me as we passed through the corridors.
The whispers were growing louder now, but I paid them no heed. Aria managed to shut some of them up, but their laughter only got louder.
I reckoned that she was just trying to look out for me but she was only making things worse. Trying to exchange words with them would only prove their point further.
"Look who it is." Aria said in a slight whisper as she jabbed gently at my side.
I looked up to who she was pointing at. It was no other than Adrain. My heart would have been able to take in the sight of him alone, standing in the corner.
But he wasn’t standing alone. His hands were wrapped around Sophia, his lips tugging at her cheeks playfully.
The world spun. My stomach tightened at the sight of them in that position. My head felt light and my knees buckled. I reached out and held onto Aria for support, while I placed the other hand on my chest.
Aria grabbed me quickly before I could reach the ground, "Elsie..." Aria called out in panic, "are you okay?"
I couldn’t hear anything around me in that moment. My eyes locked with Adrain's, memories from that night flooded in like waves. He didn't fret at the sight of me, he didn't even flinch, instead, he pulled Sophia closer into him and kissed her on the lips, right in front of me.
The moment Sophia turned around and threw her hands over his shoulders, I lost it. My insides blazed on fire.
I couldn’t explain why I was feeling this way. It definitely wasn't because of that night.
"Get me out of here." I whispered to Aria.
Poor Aria couldn’t tell what was going on. She kept on looking from me to Adrain, trying to get an explanation. But Adrian maintained his stance with Sophia up against him.
As Aria led me out, I could hear Sophia giggling loudly. I cursed underneath my breath and bit down on my lower lip.
"...take a deep breath..." Aria's voice interrupted my thoughts, "We're almost at the study." She said.
By the time we got in, she led me onto a seat while she took her position on a chair next to me. She took my right hand and began stroking gently, back and forth.
"Elsie...breathe." her brows were furrowed with concern.
I took in a deep breath like she said, but it wasn’t helping. My heart was racing and i couldn’t stop it from showing outwardly.
"What's the matter?" She asked finally, reaching up to brush the side of my cheeks.
I hadn't even realised that I had started crying.
I couldn’t bring myself to tell Aria the truth. Yes, I was drunk, but some part of me had wanted him that night—that part of me bottling down the desires I had toward him.
"I had a fight with Adrain last night." I lied through my teeth. If I didn't think of something to tell Aria, it would get her increasingly worried and she will not relent in pestering me until I told her what went wrong and why I had reacted the way I did when I saw Adrian.
"What was the fight about?" Aria asked.
My eyes searched the floor for another lie, "It was about Ryan."
Aria's eyes bulged, "Don't tell me he also believed that you slept with Ryan."
I shrugged my shoulders, then fell back into my thoughts.
"Uhm...hi Elsie. I've been searching the entire school for you."
Aria let go of my hand as she shot up to her feet to face him.
"What the hell are you doing here, Ryan?!”
- Writer
