Searching For Serenity

Chapter 29

Alec's pov

It was five in the morning when I finally put Serene to bed. She had been sitting on the floor, just hugging me the whole night until she fell asleep. Seeing her like this, I couldn't leave her.

But now that she was asleep, I cannot help but think about Henry and Max. They are her best friends. How could they even do this to her? Don't they know that she did not come to school for two months because of her parent's divorce? And they literally sent over her dad to make things hard for her.

If that's what best friends do, then it's messed up.

I sat near the bed and watched her peaceful face. Finally, I could not see any built-up tension etched on her face. She was relaxed. At least, while sleeping she did not worry about things.

I sighed before tugging a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Since the day I have met her I found her mysterious. Not the words, not her actions. Just her. I had always wondered the reason for that etched line on her brow. I always wondered what went through her head when she gave me that pointed look.

But seeing her like that. Seeing her break like that was the worst thing. And the more I think about it the more I wonder,

When did I start caring for her so much? So much that even looking at her in pain, makes me distressed. Makes me wanna punch the person who made her feel like that.

"I'll be back," I whispered in her ear lightly before tugging her in the covers.

I don't know what the driving force was but I needed to meet with Henry and Max, right now. I don't care about the time, but they need to know the damage they did. The trauma they put their best friend through.

Closing the door behind me I called Henry's number. The bell rang before going to voicemail. I cursed before leaving the house and rushing down towards my car.

On my way down, I tried to call his number again.

"Pick up. Dammit." I muttered to myself.

I was about to press the end button again when he picked the phone on the last bell.

"Hellooo?" I could hear his sleepy voice.

I shouldn't be mad, right? But knowing that he slept so peacefully when Serene was up all night— the worst part, she did not even cry. Didn't even let her feelings out. She kept it bottled up— made me feel so mad at him right now.

"I am coming to your house, right now. Call Max and get him there too." I said clenching my jaw.

"Alec?" I could hear the shuffling of his sheets, "What's wrong?"

What's wrong? Should I say everything?

"Just get Max too," I said before hanging up.

I cannot believe I stayed up all night and now I am driving all the way to someone's house at five in the morning... for a girl.

I have never done this for anyone. Not even Liya, I guess.

And that's a lot to say because I loved her... I loved her? Loved? When did I start referring to her as a person whom I loved before?

Oh my god.

I stopped in my tracks.

Am I already starting to fall for...

••••

I pulled up on the side of the road as I watched Max and Henry already waiting for me. The sun wasn't completely up yet so you could see the night and day mixing colours with each other.

As soon as I got out, I was met with a cold breeze hitting straight on my face, but that didn't matter. My eyes were keenly set on the two guys covering their bodies for some warmth in their nightshirts.

"Why did you call us here this early?" Max asked me as I approached them.

I didn't realise when I started walking faster towards them. Faster. Faster. Until I couldn't comprehend what I was doing. The only image in my head being Serene laying there in my arms.

As soon as I reached them— even before Max could open his mouth to say something — I hit him.

I punched him across his face making him fall to the ground.

"WHAT THE FUCK? Have you gone crazy?" Henry yelled before helping Max up.

I looked away from them— breathing heavily. When I looked back, I could see Max looking at me confused. But Henry...he looked infuriated.

I chuckled lightly making them give me quizzical looks.

I stared deadly at Henry, "How did it feel when I punched him?"

The fire in Henry's eyes lit up as he suddenly reacted to punch me back but Max was quick to hold him back.

"What is wrong with you?" Henry growled in Max's arms.

I raised my eyebrows at him and looked at them both, "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? I merely punched Max, and look at you ready to bury me here... Imagine, how I felt after what you did to Serene. Punch was the easiest I could go on you." I could feel the coldness in my voice. I could feel the coldness in my stare too.

"What we did to Serene?" Max asked still holding onto Henry even if it wasn't necessary, "Did you get drunk? What are you talking about?"

Look at them acting all naive.

"Yesterday, you sent her father to her house. You knew what she was going through. How could you still do that to her?" I asked with troublesome eyes.

But all I could get were more lost expressions.

"Say something." I closed my eyes briefly.

"We really don't know what you're talking about." Henry said removing Max's arms from around him and stepping towards me, "He said he hasn't seen Serene in a while because he was out of town, so we thought it'd be a surprise."

I snapped my eyes up to look at them. Oh god. Those eyes. That look. They didn't know anything? Do they have no idea? But how is that possible. They are her best friends. She told me, of course, she told them too.

But she didn't, did she?

Was I the first one to know? Oh god, and I just came here and punched Max.

"Alec, I swear to god I will really bury you alive if you don't tell me what happened to Serene." They both looked dead serious now.

I pressed the bridge of my nose lightly.

As well as really bury me at this point because I don't know how Serene will react after knowing that I was the one to let her best friends know about her parent's divorce.

She trusted me more than her best friends to tell me that...and what did I do? I came and told everything to them. She must have had a reason to not tell anyone anything. And look at me, making hasty decisions as always.

Hasty decisions, which make people leave me.

I want to believe she won't but she is polar opposite to Liya. Serene doesn't like to hold onto people unlike her.

I screwed up. Shit.

___