Complications

Chapter 14 - The House Party (2)

Aria's POV: 

"W-what are you doing?" I asked him, stumbling over my words, trying not to show the concern on my face.

The room was starting to fall silent, and by the second I felt even more eyes looking in our direction.

"It's called beer switch." The girl who was all over him said, still clutching the collar of his shirt. "Wanna play?"

"N-no I think I'm good." I muttered, before tripping back slightly and running off upstairs.

I pushed past the various couples making out in the hallway and ran in to the first unoccupied room that I could find, slamming the door behind me.

You were going to stay friends with him Aria, I told myself.

Friends. JUST friends. No feelings, no complications, no nothing.

But then why did it hurt so much?!

Why is it that seeing someone else all over Mitchell created this horrible churning feeling in my stomach?

I threw my head back on the headboard of the bed I was sitting on.

"Aria?" A soft voice came from the door.

Then there was a knock.

"Aria?" Another voice said.

"Leave me alone guys." I said, pushing my words past the horrible lump in my throat.

"Aria we can-"

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE." I raised my voice before slowly sobbing, burying my face into my knees.

"We're here if you want anything." A final voice came before the patter of a few footsteps back down the stairs.

Angel's POV:

"Guys?!" I shouted.

God dammit why did I have to go outside and get wasted? Frigging missing out all the action inside.

I saw my friends coming down the stairway before rushing up to them.

"Angel! Where have you been?!" Selina questioned me.

"Outside," I paused, looking over them wondering why one was missing. "Er- where's Aria?"

"She saw Mitchell and Maddie making out then ran upstairs." Rosalie said bluntly. "I'm gonna kill that bitch."

"Maddie?" Monika asked.

"WHO ELSE?! She's ruining everything!" Rosalie yelled.

"Okay, before we go ripping some next girl's hair out, I say that we go talk to Mitchell." Selina said, trying to restore calmness.

Rosalie and Monika huffed in unison before we all walked over to the kitchen to find Mitchell.

Mitchell's POV:

"So Maddie huh?" Keegan nudged and winked at me.

"Seriously dude. Of all times now?" I asked him.

He was totally being oblivious to the fact that Aria just saw me with Maddie.

"So er- what are you gonna do?" Ishmael asked me, changing the subject before I flipped on Keegan.

"I have no-"

I was cut off by a tug on my shoulder, spinning me around to see Rosalie, Angel, Monika and Selina.

"You have 5 seconds to explain yourself boy." Monika stated.

"So earlier today you love her, and now you're making out with another girl!?" Angel yelled.

"Can you let the dude explain?" Remus yelled, before looking down after Rosalie gave him a death glare.

"We were playing beer switch!! It's not my fault Maddie kissed me - it was the forfeit thing!" I shouted.

"But you kissed her back didn't you?" Selina asked.

"No!! It wasn't like that!" I yelled. "You saw it, I pushed her off me!"

"Yeah only when you saw Aria." Monika said.

I threw my hand over my forehead.

"Do you honestly think I would kiss a girl the same day I tell another girl I like her?!" I retorted.

"Well er- you are a guy." Angel muttered.

"I'm a guy not a fuckboy Angel." I said. "I didn't mean to hurt Aria's feelings, but even if I did mean to kiss Maddie - why should it affect her? It's not like she has any for me."

I walked off from them, leaving my friends behind aswell.

I didn't come here to deal with this mess.

I came here to move on. Start anew.

"And how's that working out for you?" I heard the voice inside my head say.

I threw my hands over my face.

"I need some air, a drive - anything...just get me away from here."

Angel's POV:

"We need to explain this to Aria." I said, swatting my hair off my shoulder.

"Before she does anything that's gonna f things up anymore." Monika said.

"Find Mitchell first." Selina stated.

"Why?" We all asked in unison.

"Because he's the only one who can fix this."

Aria's POV:

I'd been upstairs for about 30 minutes before the door knocked again.

"Angel, Rosalie - whoever you are go away! I want to be alone, I told you." I yelled.

"Erm, it's me." A voice came from the door.

A guy's, clearly distinct.

"Are you okay Aria?" They asked.

I got up off the bed and was about to instantly open the door before stopping myself.

"What do you care?" I asked.

"Because I'm your friend and I wanna know if you're okay?" He replied.

"After what happened, what do you think?" I retorted.

He was silent.

"I'm sorry it's just the anger and all that." I said with a slight regret in my tone.

"Just open the door Aria..please?"

I looked down.

Slowly, I turned the handle, unlocking the door.

He tripped forward as I opened the door; must have been leaning on it to hear me.

"Things are gonna get better." He smiled, lifting up my chin so I was face to face with him.

"I hope so.." I began, before the heat of the moment increased and I found both of our lips locked, my arms around his neck and shoulders.

"Aria!!" Voices came impending from the stairs. "Where are-"

I instantly pushed him away from in front of me, but it was too late.

"Aria?" Rosalie said, disappointingly. 

"I er-"

And before I could explain I saw the other run in front of my friends.

Before looking at him, I turned my head back and whispered to the one who I'd pushed away moments ago,

"I'm sorry Austin."