Shrouded Hearts

Chapter fourteen

As Aria gradually awoke from her slumber, she found herself in the midst of night. Her head was throbbing with pain, and she struggled to push herself up from the ground. Every movement seemed to intensify the unbearable pressure in her brain, and as she let out a pained hiss, the stench of alcohol filled her nostrils.

Just then, Alexzavier's voice cut through the silence with a sarcastic cat call directed at her. Aria groaned in response, grabbing onto her head and hoping to drown out the noise. But he continued to tease and taunt her, seemingly relentless in his pursuit of making her uncomfortable.

"Seraphina's cures always hurt worse the next day," he remarked in a playful tone, taking another jab at her suffering.

Aria mumbled a response, avoiding eye contact with the boy and desperately wishing he would leave her alone. Hugging her knees to her chest, she curled into herself and prayed for the pain to subside.

"You slept long enough... I'm guessing no lessons today?" Alexzavier questioned, refusing to give up on getting her attention. Aria finally looked up at him and cringed, realizing that no matter what she did, he wouldn't leave her alone. She clicked her tongue in frustration.

"Shit, I'm so sorry, you guys," she apologized. Alexzavier sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Despite her attempts to pull away, his grip remained tight and unyielding.

Feeling overwhelmed and trapped by his unwanted touch, Aria's mind flashed back to memories of being held captive—of being held against her will by firm hands and leering eyes. Anger and fear bubbled up inside of her and she wanted to scream. For a moment, she almost missed how Leo had never invaded her personal space like this. It was a level of respect she hadn't fully appreciated until now. A realization dawned on her—not that he didn't want to get close to her. It was because he respected her boundaries. Thinking back on Leo and his intentions while being groped by someone a year younger than her, Aria felt disgusted and violated. Finally sensing her discomfort, Alexzavier removed his arm with a muttered apology under his breath.

"It's not you, it's me," Aria said softly, her voice weighted with guilt and sorrow. The words hung in the air like a heavy cloud. She could see the hurt in his eyes and instantly regretted her choice of words.

He couldn't help but roll his eyes at her cliche words. "Not the typical 'It's me, not you' spiel, please," he pleaded, his tone betraying his frustration and disappointment. "I've heard that enough."

Aria scoffed, her eyes daring him to challenge her honesty. She finally seemed completely unbothered by the weight of the conversation. "It is me...I'm just not ready to be in a relationship," she blurted out quickly. His reaction was immediate; a sigh fell from his lips as his face fell, almost as if he had just received news of a beloved pet's passing instead of being rejected by a girl he barely knew.

"Then why agree to be with me?" he asked innocently, confusion etched on his face.

Aria hated having this conversation, but she knew it had to happen one way or another. She took a deep breath before answering, trying to soften the blow as much as possible, knowing that ignoring someone's feelings was never fair or right. "I don't know, but I don't want to lead you on and give you false hope." She had to give him a chance to find someone who would truly care for him, something she could never bring herself to do.

She looked away from him, unable to bear the hurt in his eyes any longer. Instead, her gaze landed on the wood flooring beneath them, trying to avoid further conflict by admitting she had been so indifferent towards their "relationship" that she didn't even remember agreeing to be with him in the first place.

He nodded slowly, accepting her words with a sense of resignation. "Does Leo feel the same way about you?" he asked, concern lacing his tone.

She lifted her head slowly, feeling a sharp pang of pain in her skull as if it were fighting against her for the motion. Her gaze met his, and her face contorted into an accusational glare. The physical ache mirrored the emotional turmoil that consumed her.