More Than Meets the Eye

Chapter Seventeen

Addison's Point of View

It was strange to me the way Auston and Freddie left in such a hurry. I didn't believe Fred for a second when he said Brett needed to see them; there was no reason this late into the event that would be necessary. Liv and Willie were chatting about something I couldn't quite catch, so I take it as my moment to slip away.

I wander down a few halls, before I can see a head peaking from outside, looking in through the window. I recognize it immediately as Freddie. He gives me a look, obviously wanting me to hear what was going on, so I get closer to the window, being able to hear slight mumbles, but nothing else.

I sigh, exasperated, before I realize Freddie is pacing to get Auston out of the way so I can open the door, if even just a crack. I open it, and actively begin eavesdropping, as wrong as it felt.

"Nothing! I told her nothing" I hear Auston tell him. I can only assume he's either talking about me, or Jessica. "Well, I mean I told her we shouldn't sleep together anymore-" Jessica is was, then.

"That classifies as something!" His eyes go wide, but only slightly. "She clearly has a thing for you beyond your whole sexcapades." Wait. Did Freddie just say sexcapades? I have to stop myself from laughing, for fear of being caught.

"Did you just say sexcapades?" Auston asks, and even he's not able to let that one slide. He snickers at the word, and I can tell he's having a hard time trying to keep a straight face. "Regardless, she took it well. She knew what it was"

"It honestly didn't seem like it" he informs Auston, and I wish I had stumbled onto this conversation sooner. There was clearly a main component I was missing. "But I shut her down... for now" he puts emphasis on the 'for now', like he's trying to warn us both. I missed what Freddie and Jessica discussed; that was the part that had me the most curious.

"I know I'm going to have to tell her" He tells Freddie and now he's pacing back and forth. "But I'm scared." I almost want to laugh. Scared? Of what?

"I know it's a tough thing, but Addie knows-,"

"I think I may, you know, actually have feelings for her" he interjects mid sentence. He looks surprised; but only for a moment. I, however, probably look like I had seen a ghost. Auston had feelings for me? I closed my mouth, which was open in surprise. Despite the way he had been acting recently, I had no indication he had any feelings for me; but Liv did. I mentally smack myself when I remember the day at the coffee shop; I guess she was right.

"What?" His words clearly catch Freddie off guard, and it even takes me a moment to remember why he would possibly be upset by such a statement.

"She really is special, dude. We're getting closer, and the more I get to know her the more I, you know, start to like her" he confesses to Freddie, obviously not realizing I was listening.

I didn't believe Liv when she said it, but now I knew it to be true. Not only did Freddie have feelings for me, but so did Auston. The man I was only pretending to date. The man who, up until recently apparently, had been actively sleeping with another woman. The same woman, who was flirting with Fred not an hour ago. What the fuck kind of situation did I get myself into?

"I- I don't know what to say..." Freddie is shell shocked, and I can't say I blame him. Imagine watching your best friend hurt the woman you had feelings for for months, only to be told that hey, despite it being a fake relationship the feelings are very much real. "But Jessica was very clear; she's not going to give up easy" his words make me feel sick to my stomach. Did this mean she was going to try and do something to Auston? Or to Freddie?

"I know she's not" He mumbles, before taking a brief pause. "Look, I'm sorry I dragged you into this" I tell Freddie after a moments thought. "I have you keeping my affair a secret from Addison, and now Jessica is on you trying to make us all look like fools"