The Storm Ahead

twenty

Aiden's POV

I watched the dark haired boy step out of the car. He was the same age as Leo and I, maybe a year or so older. He had an arrogant smile plastered on his face as he hugged my sister and I suppressed a gag when he kissed her cheek. Thomas gave him a friendly slap on the back, and I could hear a slight accent in his voice when he greeted him. It wasn't quite English, not Australian. I took a moment to place it, but even then I couldn't.

They walked towards the door, faces sunny and bright. His expression was similar to mine. His eyes held something darker than what he was showing. His eyebrows were furrowed, like he was deep in though. The only difference between us was the grin on his face. The door opened behind me.

"Hey Aiden, I- oh, hello." Caroline said, and I could almost here the shy smile in her voice. Felix's smile took a different light.

"You must be Caroline," He said, and I began to notice a touch of hispanic accent in his voice. "I'm beyond pleased to meet you."

"And you must be Felix?"

"Guilty as charged."

She laughed softly and I closed my eyes to take a breath.

We made our way inside and sat at the table, Leo on her right, me on her left. Billie brought out casseroles and salads and started small talk.

I tried to ignore the glances Felix sent Caroline from across the table. It seemed like she didn't notice, she was laughing with Leo as they rambled about Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

I touched her hand under the table and she gave me a smile. I sucked in a breath. Her eyes were happy, her smile genuine.

"Aiden," She looked to me and I tried to soak in the heat her nearness provided. "I was wondering if you wanted to go on a walk? The woods seem so pretty."

I felt a frown steal the spot of my smile.

"I'm really sorry, Love, I promised Billie I would go to town with her."

"Perhaps," Felix said with a coy smile, "I could go with her? I could do much worse than humoring a beautiful young lady with a walk."

My stomach lurched.

"If it's okay with Aiden," She said and at a different time I would've smiled.

"Leo could go with you," I offered with nervous frown.

"I can't," Leo said. "I have to run into town. My charger went out and I don't have LG phones like you guys so I can't borrow one and theres no telling how many missed calls I have from my Father."

"I can wait till you get back," Caroline offered.

"I-" I paused, it's Caroline. She needs independence. "No, it's ok, go with Felix."

"Well," Felix said with a clap of his hands, "I suppose I'm ready when you are."

Billie and I got in the car about fifteen minutes later but she looked over to me and noticed the nervous look in my eyes.

"Go," She said, "Stay and make sure she's okay. I'll go with Leo."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

I gave her a smile and didn't wait for her to change her mid before I jumped out of the car and wondered in to the woods, trying to catch up with them.

Caroline's POV

We walked silently at first. Then he started asking me questions. I felt sort of compelled to answer them.

"So, you're with Aiden?"

"It's a little complicated," I said truthfully. "We haven't talked about labels."

"Do you want to be with him?"

"Yes."

"And the other boy?"

I pushed away the curiosity of how he knew about Leo.

"I don't know, maybe."

"And if you had to choose one of the boys?"

I felt a pressure in my throat, forcing out words I didn't even know I felt.

"I would choose-"

"I suppose," He interrupted, "Thats a conversation for another time."

My mind felt foggy, like gears were shifting in a way I couldn't control.

"Perhaps you want a different option?"

"Hm?"

"One where you don't have to choose between the boys."

The fog began to burn, and the words coming from my mouth were not mine.

"Yes, I think that would be nice." I said, the voice mine, but the words belonging to a stranger.

"Perhaps a new suitor is what you need."

"Yes,"

"I am more than willing to fill that spot."

My mind struggled to scream no, but that was not what came from my mouth.

"Please do,"

He smiled and stepped toward me, and despite my struggles my body closed the space between us. His cold lips found mine, and traveled down my jaw and to my neck. I tilted my head to give him more access and my hips touched his.

Inside, I felt like puking, rinsing my mind with bleach until the taste of him was gone. I tried to pull away, but my hands only pulled his hips closer and then entwined their fingers through the hair behind his ear. His hazel eyes didn't hold the love of Aiden's green, nor the safety of Leo's blue.

A branch cracked behind me and I turned to see Aiden, his eyes broken and betrayed, his face shocked and regretful. My mind begged him to help me, to see that I wasn't doing this. That I didn't want this.

"What is this?" He asked, his voice disgusted and hurt.

"A good time," I tried to pinpoint where the voice was coming from, but realized it was from me. Horror filled my mind and I tried to beg him to help me. But the words wouldn't come out. "Want to join us?"

He looked at me with rage in his eyes.

"I thought you were different," He said to me.

My heart broke, again begging him to see that it wasn't me.

"Awe, come on baby," The voice said, "Don't be a buzzkill."

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" He asked.

My mind jumped, maybe he could tell it wasn't me!

"I'm bored," The voice said, annoyed. "I thought you weren't boring. I thought I could want you. I was wrong."

Aiden looked destroyed.

How could he think this was me?

"Tell him you want me," Felix whispered into my ear from behind me.

"Now Felix," The girl with my face said, "Felix, I could want."

Aiden turned and walked away, leaving me with the man I couldn't leave behind me.

"Finally Baby, you and I can talk." He said, his lips grazing my neck. "And you, you will listen and obey."