A to Z

Chapter 24- Tangled In More Ways Than One

Chapter 24- Tangled In More Ways Than One

As fast as I possible could I disentangled myself from Aiden while he simultaneously pushed me off his lap. He managed to elbow my boobs a couple of times but I didn't care. I knew it was him. Who else could it have been? His parents were on their way to Hawaii. It could only be Alex.

My heart stopped as Alex finally twisted the key and opened the door. The noise of the screeching door stopped abruptly. Somehow, it had jammed.

He tutted. "The doors frozen a bit. Wait a second." I heard Alex grunt and shove against the door.

I turned to Aiden wildly, urging him to sort out his appearance as I did the same. His hair was in disarray, sticking up and out in every possible direction. His face was flushed though definitely not from the cold. His eyes were wide and dilated, yet panicked too. His lips were tainted with an all too familiar shade of lipstick. But that was only his face. His grey, silk tie had been strangled off him and it lay, pathetic and droopy, halfway down his chest. His shirt buttons had been violently pulled at too and finally, there was an unavoidably large bulge in his pants.

We would never be able to lie our way out of this.

The door made a loud screeching sound as Alex finally got it to force open and I heard his footsteps coming closer towards Aiden and me. He was talking to someone, so blissfully unaware that in the next second or so, he wouldn't be able to stand the sight of me.

I closed my eyes and a hot tear slipped out.

I didn't want him to find out this way. He didn't deserve this. He deserved better. So much better.

But he'd fallen for me. And I'd cheated on him.

Heartless, selfish, stupid, stupid, stupid Z-

"Zoe?" I only squeezed my eyes tighter.

"Zo-" he sounded worried, confused and just a little bit shocked but Aiden cut him off.

"She fell." He said unconvincingly. My eyes flew open as I glanced towards Aiden, wondering where he was going with this. He met my gaze for one fleeting moment then coughed. "She fell outside and sprained her ankle." He gestured to my leg awkwardly.

Alex moved around the sofa and towards me.

"Are you okay?!" Alex frowned worriedly and lifted my foot up, placing it on the wooden coffee table in front of me. He didn't wait for me to answer but carried on fawning over me, not unlike an overprotective mother.

"Did you not think to get some ice?!" He shouted angrily towards Aiden. Aiden shrugged, nonchalant and seemingly unbothered. Alex bristled and tutted, muttered something under his breath and looked back at me, his warm brown eyes searching my guilty green ones.

"What happened?" His eyes were wide and open and his cold fingers were gently caressing my arm, up and down in a soothing motion. He looked so anxious. So genuinely, honestly worried about me, I considered telling him the truth for a moment. I could. I could tell him right now and it would all be over. The guilt, the pretending... Our friendship?

But could I? Could I really?

I gulped.

"I was just walking to the house when I slipped on the ice. My heels weren't really all that supportive and I think I twisted my ankle." Another tear slipped out and Alex's face softened. He wiped it away. That simple action made me want to cry a bucketful but I swallowed and coughed instead.

"Is it just your ankle? You haven't hurt your head, have you? How many fingers am I holding up?"

I smiled tearfully. "I'm okay. Honestly Alex-" I didn't know whether to be relieved that he was buying it or guilty because he was buying it.