HURT •Jaden Hossler•

Chapter 17

~ Aliyah's POV ~
I was talking with Jaden and his dad when Jaden's phone started to ring. I looked at it and saw that Mads was calling him. Then Jaden looked at his phone and I looked at him. He looked up at me and I gave him a little smile. I think we're thinking the same thing. "I need to take this, sorry", he said getting up and walking outside. I sighed and looked up at the table. Everyone was looking at me for some odd reason. I shot them a smile and they all continued talking. I looked at the glass doors where Jaden walked out. I could see him talking and he looked sad. In that moment everything came back from two ago. I still felt guilty about what happened...

Did I forget to tell you this? Well, here it is. As you know Jaden and I have been friends since kindergarten. In the end of freshman year Jaden and I became really close and a lot of people thought we were together. That was not the case, but I can't deny that Jaden wasn't attractive. Then summer came and we hung out a lot. On the end of summer we kissed, but we didn't put a label on it. We also wanted to keep it lowkey because of Anthony. When we started sophomore year he met Mads. She just moved to LA and went to our school. Jaden and I became more distant and they become closer. I didn't really had a problem with it, but somewhere I still felt jealous. Jaden would still flirt with me from time to time, but eventually I just let it pass and mainly thinking it was just a joke. After two months Jaden ask Mads to be his girlfriend and she said yes. Mads and I became really good friends, but she didn't really fit in the group. She was just different, like more of a 'pretty girl' while the rest of the girls in our group are laidback. I would talk to her on the daily and would hang out with her often.

Every year there was this party before Christmas break and we all went to it. It was at a random guys house who was a senior at that time. Around that time Payton and I started talking and I really liked him. I was with him almost the whole night, but Jaden was still on my mind. Around 2 am, that's when everything went downhill. Or uphill. It depends on how you see it.

~ flashback ~
"I need to peeee", I slurred turning around facing Payton. "You can't leave me", Payton whined while slurring his words. "I need to peee", I said chuckling. "Fine then", he said kissing me on my lips and letting me go. After bumping in to at least ten people and almost falling I made it to the bathroom upstairs. I just walked in and pulled my skirt up and my underwear down. "Woah, Ali!", Jaden said covering his eyes and laughing. "Oh my god, sorryyy", I said laughing and covering myself while sitting on the toilet. We were laughing our ass off and when I was done I quickly pulled everything up. "So how is your night, Mr. Hossler?", I asked with a British accent. "Very well and for you miss Reeves?", he asked talking back with a British accent. "Good good", I said bowing. He tipped his imaginary hat and smiled. "So you and Payton?", he asked leaning on the counter. "Yeah", I said blushing and looking down. "I'm sorry by the way", he said. "For what?", I asked chuckling. "For just dropping you like that", he said pressing his lips together. "It's fine Jae, I mean we never put a label on it", I said shrugging and giving him a little smile. "Yeah, true...", he said looking down.

We just stood there looking at each other. I have a weak spot for Jaden and in that moment I knew why. He was just perfect. Like his eyes are so beautiful. As blue as the ocean. As blue as the sky. Not forgetting blue is my favorite color. And maybe because of him. The features of his face were just perfect. The way his hair falls in front of his eyes sometimes. And his voice.? Ughhhh. Without me noticing and probably Jaden too, we moved closer. Eventually he pushed me against the bathroom wall. It took my breath away and I was locked on his eyes. I could smell his breath, that reeked of alcohol. I was too and I wanted to apologize in the moment, but I lost my words. He looked down to my lips and within a split second he kissed me. I didn't hesitate and kissed him back. It soon got heated and he picked me up. He walked us out of the bathroom without breaking the kiss. There was a room connected to the bathroom and he laid me on the bed. He walked to the door and locked it. Then he moved back and started to undress me and him. "I wanted to do this for so long", he said looking at me. "Me too", I whispered and smiled at him. After that we did what you should definitely not do when you are not together. Especially when you have a girlfriend or talking to someone.

After that night we went our separate way and didn't tell anyone. We both felt really guilty and I couldn't keep that a secret, especially from Mads. Without telling Jaden I talked to Mads and told her everything. She immediately told me to leave that day and she blocked me on everything. Later that day she talked to Jaden and talked it out. I guess they didn't break up, because they seemed good after the holiday. I never told anyone and I guess Mads didn't too. Even tho I would if my best friend slept with my boyfriend. I really miss her as a friend, but I understand she doesn't want anything to do with me.

I saw Jaden looking at me from outside and signaled for me to come. I excused myself and walked out. I closed the door and turned to Jaden. "That was Mads", he said not looking at me. "What did she say?", I asked. "She want to be together again", he said. "What did you say?", I asked scared for his answer. I didn't even know what we were at this moment and if I'm honest I liked what was happening between us. "That I can't be with her, because I know she cheated on me", he said finally looking at me, "then she said, 'you cheated first, so you owe me'. But I told her it doesn't work like that. She forgave me and I was very thankful, but I can't just forget that she cheated on me." I nodded and gave him a little smile. "Are you good?", I asked. "It's just that everything came back from... you know and... yeah I don't know", he said shrugging. It stayed silent for a bit and I didn't really knew what to say. I mean I don't really know what I'm feeling, but I know for sure it's stronger than last time. But I also feel like I'm not completely over Payton. I don't want to start anything with Jaden and then break his heart... or my own.

"What are we?", Jaden asked breaking the silence. "I don't know...", I said looking up at him. "I feel like going back in time and feeling everything again", I said chuckling. "Yeah, exactly", he said smiling. "I don't want it to end like last time", I said looking down. "I know and I'm still sorry for that, but that won't happen", he said lifting up my face. "How do you know?", I asked. "Because what I feel right now... is so much stronger. And we both grew up a bit and came more mature. And I feel like... we're both trying to move past our relationships. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret anything, I just don't want us to end like that", he said holding my face while my hands were around his waist. "Just taking it slow?", I asked smiling at him. "Yeah", he said kissing my forehead and pulling me close.

I hate to admit it, but he was right. We are both still broken and just trying to find some kind of... love? And I guess we find that in each other. I don't mind taking things slow, it's totally fine. We walked back to the table and Avani gave me a little smile. I smiled back at her and we cleaned the table. After that we went upstairs and everyone got getting ready. I told you a while ago we were looking at houses to move in to with everyone. Today was the day and we would go look at 4 houses. They were all in LA and I'm stoked. After we got ready I texted the group and we were about to head out. I was talking to Jaden when I opened the front door. Jaden stopped talking and looked shocked. "Jae, what's wro-", I started as I turned around. I thought I would never see her again. This can't be true...

A/N

I'm sorry to leave you like this... again...

I watched 'The Kissing Booth 2' last night, and it was really good. May have cried...
Yeah, I'm that kind of person :)

I was thinking about starting to make titles for the chapter, you know? Let me know if I should

I hope you felt good today! If not? Know that I love you <33