C'est la vie!

Chapter 9🥀

"I have so many questions." Perry stated. Well, so did I. What was he and Aiden doing here and was Max also around?

I noticed Aiden's camera in hand, and then I knew what light had flashed at me.

Perry walked to me, tugged my arm and brought me to his parked car. I slid into the backseat, glad that Max wasn't in here.

"What's going on here?" Perry turned to me from the driver's seat. He had locked the doors and rolled the windows up, I was thankful for that. "When Max told me, you were spending the vacations at Petra's place, I thought you were responsible enough to actually be there. I didn't even let him in on the fact that Petra's mum and my dad had traveled. Only for me to find you in a completely different region with a completely different personality."

"It's a whole lot- I can't – I can't –" I was unsure of what to say.

"Start by explaining this," his eyes trailed from my hair to my outfit.

I noticed Aiden waiting on my reply with an inscrutable expression. What if I sounded stupid?

How do you explain to a person that you pressed the 'nonconformist' button in life- sneaked to a different region, be a fugitive for escaping from the police, dyed your hair red, wore bikini on a busy street- as a way to get over the loss of your parent and younger brother... All without sounding dumb?

I found myself talking about the bikini instead, "I had a scarf around me, I swear. It was one idiot guy that-"

"-which guy?" Perry cut me off, anger evident in his tone.

I took a second to rethink. "It's just someone... he did nothing. I- I- just wasn't comfortable around him...?"

Aiden turned to me, concern written on his face, "are you okay?"

"What happened?" Perry demanded, as they both looked me dead in the eye.

The only memory in my head was Flirt Guy's grip on me whiles the sea also fought me. Everything else had been too soon for my brain to even make a memory out of.

I shifted uncomfortably. What if FG had gotten away with whatever he wanted to do?

My heart sank when I noticed the familiar figure walking up to the car. Oh shoot! Oh no! Not Max!

Perry turned to me. "Do you want Max to know you're here?" I shook my head. "Then go to the right place now. Take her" He threw the car keys at Aiden and rushed out of the car to meet Max.

I slouched into the seat till Aiden got into the driver's seat and began to start the engine. After backing out of the car park and already on the main road, I moved into the passenger's seat.

My head was still scrambled with everything that happened within this one hour or so. Not getting caught by Max was only one percent of my problems solved. I groaned.

Aiden darted at me, concern on his face and tone. "Raine?"

There was a brief moment of silence. "He took the wrap off with force and..." I trailed, looking outside the window.

"I'm sorry." Aiden spoke with sincerity.

I was quiet, my mind drifting on to other issues. "What were you guys doing at the resort?"

"Max," he pointed out. "Just a little fun whiles you were away."

I couldn't help but laugh. How did Max rather need a break from ME? If he thought I was stressing him, he should wait till he saw my hair. Speaking of which-

"-Do you like my hair?"

Aiden shook his head, a mock playing at the corners of his lips.

"Aiden!" I smacked his hands and he laughed.