Allergic to Roses

An Odd Thing Hoping For Rejection

"I still can't believe that you guys got thrown out of a restaurant." Ainsley said as we were eating Chinese food in the rented out apartment.

We laughed at the memory, even though it was a couple days ago.

Axel and I have been talking non-stop since it, plus random make out sessions on nightly occasions, and Ainsley still hadn't dropped the fact that we were kicked out of one of London's most posh restaurants.

Wesley had been oddly quiet during dinner and the past couple days, and hasn't said much at all.

"What's up with you?" I nudged his arm.

"Nothin'," he said, not meeting my eye.

"Don't give us that bull crap," Ainsley joined in.

"Nothing's wrong!" He said, laughing a little.

I know when you're lying, I taunted in my head.

"I'm going out with Mimi today," he told us, glancing at me while he talked, "if that's cool with you guys."

It was almost as if he wanted us to say 'no'.

But no one did.

"That's great!" Jordan said, sharing a 'remember that time when Mimi admitted her feeling's for Wesley' look Ainsley and I got loud and clear. "I knew it would happen eventually."

"You did?" Wesley looked puzzled.

Ainsley rolled her eyes, "of course. Mimi's got a thing for you."

"Yup," I piped up, "she admitted it to us."

Wesley grinned, "so you guys are cool with me going out with her today?"

We all nodded simultaneously. Wes said, "cool" before putting his empty container in the trash and walking down the hall towards his room.

Jordan looked at me sadly, "you really don't see it." Her tone was awkwardly gentle and it set me on edge. What was there to get? Was I missing something?

A couple days ago I would've rejected the idea of Mimi and Wesley going on a date before he could even finish the sentence, but now it was as if I never liked Wesley in the first place, at least I did (or thought I did) until I met Axel.

But I really liked Axel, and I wasn't looking to screw it up. I didn't know if I wanted to be his girlfriend necessarily, but I knew that he was the one I wanted to be with.

"Get what?" I settled with.

Ainsley muttered something under her breath before excusing herself and walking out of the room.

"Just think about it," Jordan said cryptically before following Ainsley out.

Think about what?

***

Wesley's POV

Wow. To think that Harley and I actually had something, too.

I thought that we would be together, for fucks sake I waited for her for years.

How does she think I got through all the war? All the times where I wanted to give up but couldn't.

All the times I had lost hope.

Harley gave me hope, and now she was just throwing me out like yesterday's trash to be with Axel fucking Rose, the celebrity that everyone wanted to be with.

Of course she wouldn't settle for little old Wesley, the normal boy.

I picked up Mimi a couple hours later, still mad about Harley, but determined to see if I could somehow distract myself from her and focus on Mimi. After all, Mimi was pretty and funny, and nothing like Harley.

"Hey, Wes," she said shyly, something very different from her usual cheery self.

"Hey," I replied, equally as un-cheery.

Needless to say, it was awkward. "So where are we going?" She asked to break the silence.

"Le Château," I told her. Her face seemed to fall a little and I was momentarily worried that she didn't like French food. "Is French food okay?"

She nodded, a smile brightening up her features again as we reached the restaurant.

I opened the door for her and she said thanks before grabbing my hand and pulling me into the restaurant. "Reservations under Brown, please."

The waitress nodded before typing away at her computer, and getting up. She signaled for us to follow her, and that's just what we did.

"Here you are," she said with a chipper smile.

"Thanks," Mimi said. The lady nodded and left.

"So how's everyone else, Jordan, Ainsley, Harley?" Mimi asked politely.

At Harley's name my heart started thumping in my chest, threatening to beat right out.

Harley. Beat. Harley. Beat. Harley.

"I'm sorry," I said in a rush before sprinting off in the direction of the door.

I thought I could do it but I couldn't.

I needed to tell Harley I loved her before even more things happened.

***

"Jordan!" I yelled loudly as I got back to the apartment.

"In my room!" She called back.

She started to ask me why I wasn't with Mimi and I started breathing heavily, so I sat down on the end of her bed. "Jord, y-you have to help me."

"Wes, what happened?" She asked frantically, her eyes raking over my body for any indication of what happened.

"I love Harley," I told her.

"Of course you do, I mean you guys are best friends," Jordan replied, twirling her blonde hair around her finger as she closed her book.

"No. You don't understand, like love love."

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers and she jumped up, "I knew it! I knew it! Ainsley didn't believe me but I knew it!"

I rolled my eyes, "Jord- I have to tell her."

"But she's been going out on dates with Axel..." Jordan trailed off, "Wes, you just gotta win her over!"

"Yes! But how?"

She frowned and put a finger to her lips. "Like they did in the movies?"

I shook my head, shooting down her idea. Harley hated romance movies and she definitely did not want me to stand outside her window with a boom box playing "crappy '80s music."

"Too sappy."

Jordan nodded, muttering a quick "yeah, you're right."

"I'll think of something, just don't let Axel ask her out, buy me a couple day's time."

She grinned, "you got it Wes."

"Congrats on you and Duncan, by the way."

Her smile widened, "yeah. Thanks. He's great."

Grinning, I walked out of the room, eager to start planning how to win Ley back, after all, I knew she definitely felt something for me.

I just hoped it was enough.