A LIE AT THE BEACH

Chapter 23: Athens.

Two days back, we sorted out things between Sid and I when he came to my home...at 1 am. That guy will get me in trouble. Funny how that's even exciting. Today's Friday tutululuuu... What? I'm just in love with Fridays because I get to go home until Monday...though that's only because I'm not fully employed. I'm even getting my pay since the week is ending and I can't be happier. Which reminds me about Sid's birthday coming up....at least I can be able to buy him a gift before 26th June, his twenty third birthday. Today is 20th June...damn I'm running out of time.We were supposed to meet yesterday to talk more about the issues but we were both caught up by work so we get to meet today. I'm excited and nervous at the same time because I realised that by the time he has trusted me with his secrets and past life, I should also entrust him by telling him about Mike, my ex. I get an involuntary shiver just by thinking about Mike and not in a good way. Mum used to say Mike "broke" me but that's unthinkable. I don't even want to go there right now.

It's now six pm and I'm leaving uncle's office after telling him I'm going home. His assistant tells me my weekly salary has been deposited on my account. Oh I can't be any happier as I strut out of the office doors. I can't wait to see Sidney again. Speaking of which, I think Jake and Jill are now getting along well surprisingly because the last time I saw them together, they were almost slicing each other's throats. Jill and I are trying to get back to speaking terms because the elders at home were starting to suspect why we never sat down for chitchat with them anymore. After meals or family meetings, all we do is stand up and leave. I miss her company though. I'll talk to her soon. Maybe after Sid and I have cleared out everything.
I walk to my jeep only to find a fine hot as hell male species leaning against it. He is scrolling through his phone with a slight frown on his lips...his pink lips that I want to devour. I mentally smack my forehead for ogling. He's wearing a blue plain cap facing backwards, a baby blue tight muscle shirt showing his large biceps I want to touch and black jeans covering his long built legs plus his black boots he seems to love a lot. He looks like a model plucked out of a magazine. I'm busy checking him out when I hear someone clear their throat.

"Take a picture...it'll last longer." Sid says with a cocky smirk. I blush furiously and turn my face towards the car. He walks over to me and engulfs me in a big warm hug. We fit so perfectly together. We pull apart and smile at each other. "You look adorable when you blush." Sid says and another blush creeps into my cheeks and I groan. I just bury my face in his chest to hide it and Sid laughs. "Come on, let's go. I'll drive." He says. "Wait whose car are we taking?" I ask. "Yours. I didn't come with mine. I came in an uber but my car is not far from here." Sid says while gesturing for me to dump the keys in his palm. I raise my eyebrows seriously. "Break my car and we'll go to tango." I say and Sid laughs loudly. "What?" I ask. "Tango. What's that?" "It means we shall fight." I try to put on a poker face and Sid just laughs harder. "Wow. That's your poker face. Sweetheart, we should work on that soon." I flip him the bird while giggling a little and enter the passenger side of my car...feels weird because I've never sat on this side of my car.

"Let's hit the road baby." Sid says and I roll my eyes. "Before you ask, we're going to the private place I took you to last time." Sid says with a small smile which I return. "Cool. I loved that place except for the part you almost threw me into the water." I attempt a scowl but I just end up chuckling because it was funny. "Me?" He feigns innocence and I resist the eye roll coming up. "Yes, you jerk." We both laugh and let it be. I look at the passing trees and I hear Sid chuckle and I turn around smiling.

"Please share the joke." I say. "Just remembered your confession from the first time we were driving to the same place." Huh. "Ohh damn how do you still remember that?" I groan. He laughs all over again and I feel like flying through the window. We arrive after some time and the place still looks as beautiful as ever. I'm happy that Sid has never brought anyone here except me...I feel special. Sid intertwines our fingers as we walk down the path towards the small lake. We reach there and quietly set up the picnic cloth and sit except that this time around, we didn't come for a picnic. Now my nerves are kicking in since I've to fess up too but I guess it has to be done. "Wow. This place still looks as breathtaking as it was last time..." I say while looking at the rippling waters, with the sun to the west and the leaves shiny under the sun. "Sure is..." Sid says and I turn to face him completely and rub small circles on his knuckles evoking a small smile from him. "Well, I'll just get to it. Where did I stop last time?" "Um..you were going to tell me about you, Jill and Jake." "Oh yeah. I met Jake in freshman year and he became my best friend so fast... then Jill came along. She was best friends with Delilah soo that's how Delilah and I met. Jill and Jake fell in love but it was rough because...of the fights they used to have. Technically, they were very toxic. They broke up later on and now seems they are just friends with benefits I'm not sure." I nod for him to continue.
"Now onto the beach day..." Exactly what I wanted to hear. "Well, please don't hate me after this." He says with a worried face. "I can't make promises, Sid but I'm keeping an open mind. Go on." I say. He looks pained but continues. "That day...We didn't know Jill was gonna be there so it was quite shocking when we saw her and then I saw you..." He sucks in a breath and I look away trying not to show any emotion. "I practically doubled over when I saw you in that I couldn't just let you slip away. It felt like a strange magnet pulling me towards you but I didn't know how to go about it. Then..Jake proposed a plan but I wasn't really concentrating on anything other than you so I just agreed." He speaks quickly. I tense a bit waiting to hear about said plan. "The plan was to..to..uh shit." I give him time to breathe but it just makes me more anxious. "To call two of his friends to act as though they were trying to attack you and some shit...." WHAT. THE. FUCK. Friends? Those were their friends?! "We were to come and act as some heroes to save you two then I could get to you. I know it was fucked up but I'm so sorry. Jill acted along because she was still pissed and surprised at seeing Jake after a long time."

I'm already standing up and walking around right now. What? How could he? Who does that? I'm disgusted by their actions right now....even disappointed but I don't know why a tiny bit of me is flattered by the way he went through all that to get to me. I'm mad though....on a whole new level. I feel Sid's presence behind me but I ignore him and walk away from him. "How could you?" I ask exasperated. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking straight, Athens. I was a bit drunk that day." He pleads and I raise my hand to silence him. I need to get back home and digest this information on my own...without Sid around me.

"I wanna go home." He looks taken aback but there is nothing to do. He reluctantly nods and picks up all our stuff and I'm already walking ahead to get to the car. I don't even wait for him to open my door for me. I sit in the backseat and Sid looks a bit hurt when he notices that but he just silently sits in the driver's seat and starts driving. I feel like just disappearing right now. So I got scared to hell that day for nothing...just because this asshole wanted to fullfill his lustful desires...yeah I'm mad. I don't even think this is gonna work out anymore between Sid and I. I feel like I can't trust him now. Maybe I'm overreacting now but I need some time alone. We get to my home asap and Sid gives me my car keys and gets on his way with a hurt look on his face. I didn't even say bye to him. I run into the house and into my bedroom. I don't know where the tears come from but they do...maybe because I feel hurt and confused at the same time. Why would he do that? Couldn't he at least be a normal guy and walk up to me and talk to me? It's not like I bite. I'm so frustrated right now but I have to know whether Jill is aware of how these people played us. Or me I dunno. I go and knock at her door once before entering. She's watching something on her flat screen.

"Did you know?" I ask calmly while leaning against her wall. She sighs and turns to me. "What this time?" she says with an attitude. The hell. "Did you know the guys made up the attack on us at the beach?" "Yeah. They told me after some time. I was furious but I let it go. You should too." I raise an eyebrow at her in clear surprise. "What?" I ask. "I'm serious. Honestly it's not such a big deal. It's okay to be mad...you can be pissed for now but think about it for some time and you won't be that mad after all. Imagine they hadn't pulled that shit, would you be in love with Sid?" "Its not 'love' Jill. Don't get this all wrong." I glare at her. "Keep convincing yourself that, honey." She says. "Come here. Sit with me." I walk over reluctantly and sit on her bed with her.

"Now I'm talking to you as a girl talking to a fellow girl with the same emotions and I'm not gonna be biased just because we're cousins. Okay?" Jill says seriously and I reluctantly nod. "Look. You are in love with Sidney." She says like it's the most obvious thing in the world and I glare at her. She's too blunt. "Well, I don't see it." I reply reluctantly and she shakes her head. "Listen until I'm done talking, Athens. Listen for once." I just nod...I'm used to doing all the talking most times. Don't blame me. I've no siblings so I don't know how to do what someone else tells me. I'm used to being in control over myself. As for love, I'm too protective over myself...no shit. "That guy loves you to hell and back and you've never even had any intimacy between each other. I know this is a fact, A. You're too protective over your feelings and you make it hard to get to you. He tries so hard to please you. He takes you to places every now and then. I'm sure he just tells you the reason is he wants you to see them and I wouldn't be shocked if you said you believed him when he told you that. Open your damn eyes, woman. That guy is doing that to please you. To make you fall for him....to earn your trust. How can't you see that? But nooo, you're just too full of your self that what matters to you are only your feelings. What about his, huh? What about his feelings, A?"