The Game of Hearts

26. Interlogue

I felt a tingling sensation erupt in my chest. I had never had a date before. At least not one that was planned. I was so angry with Rowan but then he asked me out... for real. I was walking through the bar, which was fairly empty except for Rowan's buddies. The look they passed at me indicated that heard everything but why wouldn't they have heard?

I walked the block to my house, my mind bursting with so many thoughts. How could he persuade me to be with him for on more night? Maybe I really didn't want to leave... maybe some part of me really wanted him to stand up to me and want me. Some way that he spoke to me was unlike all other times.

I took a deep breathe as I reached my apartment. I hadn't been back since I was kidnapped. When I went to open the door, it was still unlocked which made me wary. When I walked inside I checked all the closets and the bathroom. To my relief, I was in the clear. Locking the door, I turned on the light and allowed my apartment to illuminate with warm colors.

It was obvious that I needed a moment to myself so in a way I was glad Rowan didn't say anything about going out tonight. Yet just thinking about Rowan asking me out in the first place gave me butterflies.

I plugged my phone into the wall as my thoughts varied between either Liam or Rowan, or even the events that happened the night before. What a crazy two days...

Leaving my phone charging on my bed, I went to the bathroom and started up a bath because why the hell not. Maybe it would help me wrap my head around the chaos.

I was already out of my clothes and prepared to jump in until I heard my phone begin to ring from the living room. A curse left my dried lips and I stomped into the living room, without so much as a care that I was nude in my own home. The name on my phone said Liam but I was too late to answer, so it went to voicemail. I groaned, staring at the screen thoughtfully. "Sorry Liam, I need a minute," I said out loud, perfectly aware that no one could hear, then turned off the ringer.

---

After sinking into the extremely it water, I felt my body become sore. I noticed the bruises on my arms from either being grabbed or pushed around from the night before, which wasn't a shock. My hands ached, and so did my legs. Wow, I was such a weakling.

I sat in the tub for a while, allowing my sore bones to rest and restore. Meanwhile, I'd hear my phone vibrate and make noises, which would disrupt my rest. Towards the end of the bath I was getting slightly annoyed so I took my leave from the bath and rushed into the studio apartment once again just with a towel tied around my chest. The phone began to vibrate again, and I quickly picked the phone up. My heart dropped when I saw my works phone number listed. "Fuck man!" I had completely forgotten that I had shifts this morning and like... now.

"Barbara! Hey!" I said into the phone, innocence trailing deeply into my voice.

"Aria, this is the third time since you've started with us!" The older woman cried out furiously. "Do you remember what I said last time? Three strikes and your out!"

"Barbara, please I'm sorry. Just give me another ch-" the phone beeped and there was no other sound besides my breathing and another vibration from the phone. I groaned. "Damn lady hung up on me..." I mumbled before looking at my notifications just to find four missed calls from not just Barbara but from Liam and over a dozen text messages of him worrying. Somehow that made me smile in the slightest. Not all guys did that kind of thing. Actually no guys did that... Would Rowan?

'Liam, hey. I'm sorry. I'm not going to go into detail but I need a hot minute to gather my thoughts about everything. But I'll text you when I've come up with my decision.'

It didn't take him long to respond. 'Your decision? About?'

Slowly, I sat down and took a deep breathe. 'On who I should be with...'

'I thought you were going to break it off? What changed??' I could tell he was upset.

'I just need more time. I'll text you when I've thought things over. Bye Liam.'

That was that. I was disconnected from everything in that moment. Nothing was stable. Nothing was certain... yet everything was going to become clear to me at some point whether I liked it or not.

Somewhat a boring chapter, just a pause from the drama and Aria's view on how to process. Thought it would be good for character development.