**PLEASE READ! I'm putting this at the top for those who skip my bottom long a/n. So, changes that at some point I'm going to make to earlier in the story. Shea is going to run away from her house instead of her dad dropping her off at the airport. It just fits into the plot better that way. Another thing is that more time will have passed. I'm won't be as specifically day by day. About three months will have passed up to the start of this part. Those are the two biggie changes that play into future parts. Now onto the actual part!!!
Finally I replied. "I quit."
"What do you mean you quit?" Ayden asked, obviously still thoroughly confused. Those two words said it all for me, and yet somehow they didn't tell him enough.
"I quit Blade's game, whatever it was. I'm done with it. I'll see him when I have to, and that's it. I'm done," I quietly replied.
Ayden opened his mouth to ask something else, but I cut him off. "Stop, Ayden. I'm done talking about it, and I won't explain it any further to you. Ask Blade to explain it if you're still confused. I won't anymore. I'm really done." I flashed him an apologetic smile and turned around to walk away. I felt bad for not clarifying it more for him, but I couldn't help it. I just couldn't talk about it anymore. All of this shit was locked behind a wall, and I sure as hell wasn't planning on bringing down that wall anytime soon.
Halfway down the hall, Ayden's voice reached me. "You can't do this to him Shea."
I was speechless. How was I doing something horrible to him? He was the one who sent me to hell and back. If anything, he should suffer.
"He brought it upon himself," I simply stated back to Ayden. I turned back around and left him standing in the hallway without looking back once. I assumed Ayden went back to try and find Blade, if he could. I had no doubt that Blade could disappear if he wanted to.
As I wandered through the hallways to figure out where I ended up in this massive school, I pondered what the future held for me and Ayden. I was certain I didn't have feelings for him now, but what would the future hold? He finally figured out that he could always try to protect me. Would that change things for us? I pondered how comfortable I was when he threw his arm around me earlier. Could we pull off just being friends? Sure that was all I wanted right now, but what about him? Today, it seemed like he was more than ok with that. We were comfortable with each other, neither pushing the other further than they wanted.
I came to a resolute conclusion. Ayden was my friend, hell he was one of my best friends, and that's all he would be to me. I liked having his arms around me, but only as a comfortable embrace. There was no romanticism involved. I knew that he would always be there for me and that I could count on him for anything, but I could never date him again.
I reached my room, content with my convictions. I subconsciously glanced around for Lexie, used to her constant presence. It seemed odd that she wasn't around until I realized that she still had a boyfriend to be with on top of classes.
Unsure of what else to do, I walked over to my bed and flopped down. I needed time to relax and process everything that had just gone down with Blade.
As soon as my butt hit the bed, I shot right back up. I quickly turned around to reap revenge on whatever had just poked me in the ass. I paused when I saw exactly what had just had the gall to prick my ass. It was another of the midnight roses. I had no idea where it came from. No one had access to my room except Lexie, and I was pretty damn sure she wasn't the one leaving me roses. I glanced around pointlessly for the perpetrator; although it was highly unlike that they would appear. It's not as though they were going to leap out of my closet yelling, "I did it!" I lightly chuckled at the mental image which flashed in my mind.
