Red Princess

71. Act of True Love

Ariel

"This sucks..." I coughed, and Alex pulled my braid away from my face while rubbing my back as I threw up on the side of the road.

I could hardly remember anything after I had my seventh drink. The last memory was of Maria, one of our teammates, telling me I was being glared at by Sey and Kaidon. I had glanced back a little, and indeed the two of them had their eyes on my back, an eternal frown plastered on their faces.

Are you kidding me? I should have been the one angry with the two of you!

Alex chuckled as he fetched a water bottle from his car and helped me up to my feet.

"You have never really had great tolerance, have you?"

I broke the seal and chugged the water down. I panted as I struggled to catch my breath and then wiped my lips on the back of my forearm.

"I am really grateful to you for getting me out of there. I couldn't live with myself if I let Kaidon see me like this."

"Why is that? You got a thing for him?"

Alex was surprisingly very humble to me. It was a first. He had always been mean in the past, and his odd behaviour got me thinking if I was still too drunk and hallucinating or just daydreaming.

"Not in the least!" I was lying. If his father had been here, he'd have caught my lie. I knew I felt something for Kaidon. Something more than what I could ever feel for Sey. I didn't realise when it started, but I knew I was way past the turning point now.

"I just don't want to give him another reason to go all bonkers on me," I mumbled as I tilted the bottle on my head and let the water dribble down.

"Hey hey hey, what the hell!" Alex grabbed the bottle away and then peeled his jacket off his arms. He held it behind me and asked me to put my hands inside.

"Cut him some slack, Ariel." His voice had an edge of sympathy carved into it. I craned my neck to glance up at him as he eased the creases on the back of the jacket. "I'm sure he'll come around. If there's anyone who can mend his broken heart, it's you."

"Are you asking me to date him?" I gave him an incredulous look as I curved my head all the way back.

"What?" He snapped. "No! Absolutely not! That idiot doesn't deserve you! Nobody deserves you... but I think you can still save him. Put him in his place. Don't let his words get to you. I am- I am not even sure what point I am trying to get across. Perhaps I had too much to drink." He looked away, his arm rubbing the back of his neck. "If he makes you happy, just know I'll be there to help you, and if he hurts you in the slightest, I'll come and kick his ass if you haven't already done that. What I am trying to say is... don't leave his side, please..."

If I had learned anything about this kid in the last five years, it was that he hid his compassion behind a stoic mask. He didn't want to get hurt, so he pushed people away. He was rude, mean, and blunt, but that didn't stop him from running to the aid of the people he cared about.

"You are a good kid, Alex." I gave him a playful pat on the head which earned me his sharp glare as he yelled. "I am not a kid!"

A brief growl from my stomach broke the tender moment. I ran my hand down my face, embarrassed, while Alex chuckled. On the bright side, Kaidon was nowhere around to witness me at my worst.

Why the hell is it so essential for me to know what he thinks!

I had been too occupied with my hangover to notice the onset of dawn and the sound of the morning birds chirping. Alex had driven me to the river bank outside the city, and we threw pebbles onto the surface and watched the ripples diverge. I didn't remember much of what we talked about, but I recalled laughing, and I saw him smiling too. For a moment, I thought he was being nice to me because he needed a favour, but all he had done so far was look after me.