(aiden's pov)
"hello, it's nice to meet you. i'm aiden lockhart, i'm here with joseph and layla lockhart." i smiled for the hundredth time, speaking the same sentence over and over again with the same shitty fake smile. i wanted to be anywhere but here.
i wondered how liam was doing, but my mother took my phone before the party started. i just wanted to know if he was missing me as much as i was missing him even if i saw him this morning. we only have two more weeks until the project is due and i was honestly afraid.
our kingdom was fantastic and we had already finished things early, just needing a few tweaks here and there. but i was worried what would happen to us after it's over. are we still going to be friends? is he going to block my number? will he still sneak into my room at midnight so he can sleep next to me?
i couldn't possibly ask him, my pride is much too strong. i didn't even know if i can call us friends. were we a couple? friends with benefits, maybe? it was basically a relationship without the label. i love every moment i spend with him and i've never been more confused nor scared in my life.
i know who i am.
liam knows who i am.
i played with people's hearts and disappeared before they knew it, most of my flings out of spite and boredom. i didn't have feelings for people. i don't catch feelings. i'm not that kind of person.
but liam.
liam changed everything. suddenly, i'm thinking of him every second of the day, even if he's snoring next to me or yelling at me with his nose in my face, i was still thinking of him. i love everything about him, even if we're always arguing. it's not like i want to argue with him, though we've only had one serious argument that one time i was upset with him.
i had questioned my worth to him that night. was i really only someone he was forced to work with?
but all my worries were silenced when i awoke to him asleep in my bed, his arm slung over my waist and his cheek squished to my pillows.
"there you are! my, my, my, i finally get to meet the brave and beautiful aiden lockhart in person." someone grasps my hand and pulls me towards them. i immediately stomp my heel onto their foot and twist their arm back.
"jesus christ, woman!" the man screams in agony. i narrow my eyes as i realize who it is.
"that's no way to introduce yourself to a woman." i sneer, releasing him and stepping back.
he glares at me, rubbing his arm before he answers me. i forgot his name but my mother showed me a photo of him before we left the house. "ms. lockhart, allow me. i'm tatum, tatum gregory. your parents are in the backroom creating business proposals. your mother asked me to keep you company for the night. would you ever so kindly not hurt me again?" he introduces himself, holding out his hand.
i scoff, but take it anyways, regretting it right after as he presses a kiss to the back of my hand. i yank it away and eye his appearance. he isn't ugly, i'll give you that. he's dirty blond with an army-like buzz-cut wearing a simple white button-down and khaki's with black dress shoes. it was a casual dinner party and he fit right in. egregious little shit.
"i suggest you don't pull anything as you're over the age of eighteen and i am not." i spat as he leads me to the center of the party where guest mingled.
"i suppose i shouldn't, but after all, i have your parents permission." he purrs, lacing an arm around my waist and taking my hand again.
i tried not to make it obvious that i was purposely stepping on his toes after he continued to wince and compliment me.
"i see your mother chose a different dress for you." he smirks and i roll my eyes. he looks me up and down, lingering on my chest area. i scoffed and he laughed. my mother didn't see the blue dress fitting enough for the party and so forced me into a floor length gown, black velvet and off the shoulder. it was beautiful and i didn't mind it, but i wanted to wear the blue one for liam said it made my eyes look pretty. i surely looked overdressed, but as the company ceo's daughter, no one seemed to point it out.
"she did and i look wonderful." i replied curtly and he chuckles, only further making me angry.
"of course you do, dear. i'm very much enjoying my night with you." tatum murmurs, looking me directly in the eye. he has hazel eyes with golden specks that anyone would find beautifully unique but i longed for liam's coffee colored baby brown's that made my knees weak whenever he smiled at me.
"thanks." i snort and he scorns at me for a second before the tempo of the music slows, turning it into a devilish grin.
tatum continues to sway me around the dance floor and i only felt more revolted as his face came closer to mine. it wasn't until his nose gently brushed mine and he pushed his mouth onto my lips that i roughly pushed him away.
"absolutely not! get your disgusting paws off me!" i snarled, backing away from him. the music abruptly stops as i cause a scene, everyone nervously peering around us.
"i refuse to dance with you any longer with your inappropriate comments and degrading sense of humor. did your mother teach you how to talk to a woman, like that? please, send my regards. piss off, you cunt!" i snap, angrily stomping out of the hotel, leaving everyone dumbfounded and gasping.
i didn't care what my parents thought or anybody. i didn't care if i ruined their business deal or whatever they had going on. i was not going to be harassed by a douche bag ken doll.
i had the arranged driver take me home as i fought back tears in the backseat. i don't even know why i was about to cry. the last time i cried was in seventh grade when my mom ran over a bird. "thank you so much, mr. aberson. i'm very sorry to have left the party so early. if you could, i would like to stay away from my parents for a bit. they must be very angry with me. drive safe and i'll see you soon." i didn't even stop to change out of my dress or heels, sprinting to liam's house.
he answered on the second knock, immediately taking notice of my disheveled appearance, pulling me into his chest.
"you're home early, what happened? are you okay, aiden? tell me what's wrong." liam fired off questions, a worried look into those puppy brown eyes of his. i finally felt relaxed for the first time tonight, just looking into his eyes.
he carried me bridal style into his room, telling me that his parents were having a date night and wouldn't be home until much later, sensing i didn't want to talk. he carefully set me down on his bed, kneeling in front of me.
"what's wrong, aiden?" he asked softly, cupping my chin with one hand, coaxing me to look at him.
i couldn't help it. it was like something in me finally snapped and i let out this horrible ugly sobs, throwing myself into liam's arms, not caring whether i wet his shirt. liam rubbed my back, mumbling sweet nothings in my ear until i finally calmed down enough to tell him what happened.
"it wasn't even that bad! i'm just so angry with myself, to be honest. i'm so sorry for crying on you. that fucking cunt kissed me! the nerve on him! i should've broke his nose but i just felt so disgusted with myself that he kissed me. i feel so wrong, i feel like i cheated on you!" i explode, wanting to puke up everything i ate today. liam nudges me to look at him and there's a soft smile playing at his lips.
"aiden, i love you."
