Enemies with Benefits

enemies with benefits | 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Testing Fate

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The clock was all I could focus on. The entire time during class, that soft tick tock was all that kept me going, the urgency to meet Zayn overwhelming. My leg jumped up and down in anticipation, I was biting my fingernails and anything I supposedly learned left my brain as quickly as it entered. My thoughts were full of what to expect.

Theories, speculation, worst-case scenarios. I've likely gone through it all, none easing the anxiety I couldn't help but feel.

I mean, I've gone through the facts. Alex and I used to be friends for a short time in middle school - during that time I found out he had a brother called Nicholas and two parents who were in well-respected jobs that kept the Hale household rich, but that meant they were never there. Then we fell out, and our relationship warped into the enemies, poke-fun-of-each-other, dreading-seeing-him thing that we had for the majority of high school.

Then we slept together at a party, and from there we entered a sort of enemies-with-benefits situationship. Then I may or may not have developed actual feelings for him, made clear by my beloved step-mom.

But in all that time, nothing had ever been brought up about Matthias. Or even Lily or Andy. Thinking about it, during our brief fling, Alex never talked about his friends.

It wasn't as though we were dating; he didn't have to tell me anything. However, nothing suspicious ever stuck out, nothing inherently outlandish happened. If Matthias was plotting something, surely he would've at least got a phone call? Or if Andy was up to something, Alex would have noticed his weird behaviour and that friendship would have ended.

If something was really wrong, I'd find out about it, right? Alex and I might've had a pretty messed up relationship, but I knew a lot about him. I spent a lot of time with him, whether I appreciated it or not. Even if he didn't notice, I would've, right?

He's predictable, his reactions following a set of rules. If something was really wrong, if I had to worry, wouldn't I have seen something sooner?

It was more hope, more of a prayer, than anything else. Alex's bloody nose and booze-filled state from the other night popped into my head. The anxiety I felt shot through the roof.

I'm gonna go crazy at this rate.

Thankfully, before I really went insane, the last bell finally rang. I darted out of the room and dashed down the hallway, knocking into a couple people. I was too focused on getting out—the knowledge I'd finally get some answers outweighed the guilt I would've felt. I knew I probably got some strange glances, but nothing fazed me - nothing could. I was a woman on a mission.

At least, I was. Until somebody body-blocked me.

And not just anyone.

"For fuck's sake, Tyler." I huffed, stomping my foot. "What do you want?"

"Is Daisy okay? She still hasn't answered me, and now she hasn't turned up at school. She's your best friend - you must know something."

"Well, I know you're an asshole and dickhead. I know Daisy's too good for you. And I know if she's avoiding you it means you need to get the fucking hint." I was on limited patience - Zayn wouldn't wait around forever. If I didn't meet him and find out what he knows, I was going to punch somebody out of sheer frustration alone, and I'm not a violent person. "Now get out of the way."

His shoulders sagged, eyes drooping. Pathetically, he said, "I really didn't mean to hurt her. She's such a nice girl. Bubbly, energetic, hot... what more could a guy want?"