It's Complicated

20. Trouble in Paradise

20. Trouble in Paradise

"What do you want?" I asked, snapping at Allen angrily.

"I'm sorry for that question. That was so out of line." He didn't look genuinely sorry, though, which just made me want to slap him across the face even more.

"You're not sorry," I said, glaring at him.

"You're right; I'm not."

I just stared at him, unable to come back with a smart response. I hadn't expected him to actually admit that.

I realized that Allen was soaked to the bone.

"You're wet," I said, pointing out the obvious.

"Oh, yeah. I had to make sure you were fine. Drew was going to run after you but I told him I'd go after you instead. Riya and Drew are sitting in the rec center, dry and cozy."  I shoved the unwanted feeling of happiness away, resisting the urge to thank him.

"What would you have done if I had said yes, huh?" I asked quietly, staring seriously into his eyes.

Allen raked a hand through his hair. "Yes to what?"

I gave him a pointed look and he sighed, looking away from me. "I don't know," he replied.

"Do you realize that if I had told the truth ---"

Shit.

I did not just say that.

Allen's head snapped up. "What?"

Crap. How do I get out of this mess? Think Mariela, think!

"I said: do you realize that if I hadn't told them the truth, I would have lost my boyfriend and my best friend for good? Why would you even ask such a dumb question?"

Disappointment clouded Allen's features. I was so confused. Why would he be disappointed by what I changed? Did he want me to like him?

No, because if he wanted me to like him, he wouldn't be dating Riya.

Right?

"I know. It was a stupid question. I don't know what possessed me to even ask that." This time I could see a hint of regret in his eyes. I couldn't understand the pain in them, though.

"Why are you sad?" I asked, touching his arm. "Is everything alright?"

He laughed bitterly. "Everything's just peachy," he replied sarcastically.

He didn't seem to want to say anything else about the matter but I wasn't giving in so easily. "Tell me, Allen. Tell me the truth."

I stepped forward to give him a hug in order to take the pain away from his eyes, but I ended up slipping in the process and falling into a nasty mud pile at Allen's feet.

Allen's troubled expression vanished and he doubled over in laughter though he offered his hand out to help me up, too. I glared at him, but he wouldn't stop laughing.

Oh, well. I guess he'd have to learn his lesson the hard way.

I took his outstretched hand and yanked him into the mud pile with me, making him yell in surprise. I heard a satisfying thunk next to me and decided to laugh in his face.

"Who's the one laughing now, huh?" I chortled, splashing mud in his face.

"You are going to pay for that!" Allen shouted, jumping on top of me and smearing mud all over my laughing face.

"Ew! Allen!" I grabbed some mud and smeared it all over his face, too. The rain was stilll pouring down on us, not giving us a chance to dry up. I probably looked like a wet rat at the moment, though Allen still looked model-like. I hate people like him. Why don't they ever look like crap?