07

I had woken up with a sense of triumph in me. It was an odd way to start the day for me and I'm sure my mom had noticed it from the way her eyes had burned holes in my head when I came down.

I had prided myself in being a planned, assured and meticulous person, so why had the sudden and random events of yesterday left me feeling triumphant?

It may have been the fact that I had threw an unplanned and unaccustomed wrench into the gears, but the car was running as great as ever. Or maybe the fact that I spoke to someone in what seemed like a century, so I didn't feel as much a social pariah. Most likely, was the fact that I wasn't the only one who faced hardships and I was- although saddened- glad to find out that even the 'popular' had problems too.

I had said goodbye to my mom after coming to that conclusion before making my way to the door.

I had decided to get some fresh air and eat breakfast in a cafe.

Wrong decision.

The outside of the cafe I chose had a homey feel to it and I observed in awe as well as fatigue, most likely from the 8 minute walk to get here.

When I walked in, the smell of freshly baked bread hit my nose, making me salivate. I was starving. I skipped over to a seat and scanned the menu. Choosing what I wanted, I told the waiter my order.

I tapped my fingers on the table to occupy myself whilst looking around the small, cute cafe. My eyes stopped immediately on the one thing that ruined my seemingly pleasant mood.

Opposite from me, Aaron was seated, but that wasn't what had me do a double take in confusion.

A redhead sat on his lap, facing towards the table as they scanned the menu. Her hand went back to play with his hair and his hands were settled around her waist.

A sudden shadow distracted me from the scene. A waiter plopped my food down on the table before me with a smile and I forced a tight smile in response to make him leave. The waiter walked off eventually, leaving me staring at Aaron and the familiar redhead in his arms. I recognised her as a girl from our school.

I was confused at his actions, but mostly angry. His story yesterday had moved me and I had gotten all emotional, feeling sympathy for his plight. But, his plight was most definitely not something I should have been worried about. He didn't seem to be distraught nor did he seem to be thinking about the huge agreement we had made just yesterday. He had wanted me to help him. But, how could I when he didn't seem to want to help himself?

I begrudgingly tore my eyes away from the sight lest anyone caught me staring and labelled be 'Joe' from You. I didn't need that problem on my head too. Instead, I focused on the food and ate grumpily, my eyes glazed as I lost myself to my thoughts.

Yesterday, he had looked like a man in need of help; a broken man that I had respected. He had wished better for his mother and, in wanting so, had roped himself up with me. Of course, his methods of pleasing her were questionable but the intentions were clear- he wanted her happy.

However, he was far from that image right now and I turned slightly to see as she giggled as he spoke.

He had duped me.

I had heard tales of boys in books who would wove a tale of lies to lure the women and I had laughed at the women's naivety. I had found it so farcical for the girls to believe them yet I had heeded his outlandish words without so much as an ounce of doubt.

The very thought of being manipulated or lied to didn't sit comfortably with me and I pushed the tray away before laying money down, choosing to make my way to the exit. I had lost my appetite.

The only thing that made me apprehensive was that Aaron's table was on the way out. I hadn't seen it coming in as his face was looking away from me.

It seems as though God also had a vendetta against me and too engrossed in my thoughts, I tripped slightly on a dip in the cracked flooring, stumbling slightly as I hit near their table before closing my eyes in mortification. It was after a few moments that I gathered the courage to open them sheepishly.

Aaron looked up, turning towards the person who had interrupted him during his early morning pleasantries. The redhead moved to sit beside him at the interruption and glared at me to which I avoided her gaze.

"Sorry." I mumbled out quietly, feeling the heat rise up my neck. I bit my lip. The cafe was fairly small and the tables nearby had noticed my stumbling.

"It's fine." Aaron answered non-committally, only choosing to spare me a simple glance.

Coughing awkwardly, I tried to ignore the eyes staring at us and almost gaped at Aaron's lack of acknowledgement of my existence. After all, it was just yesterday and I began to ponder if he actually had the memory of a goldfish. He noticed my staring for a moment, looking up to me and I let out a sigh of thankful relief that he was finally catching on.

Instead of recognising me, Aaron raised an eyebrow as if to challenge my presence there and I stilled at the silent question, my irritation growing to palpable amounts.

"Wow, okay, you really are as stupid as I thought you were." I let out before clapping a hand over my mouth when I realised I had said it out loud. I dared to look his way to see him to see a dark expression on his face.

He got up slowly then and moved closer to me and I instinctively took a step back. He tensed at this too, I noticed, but I couldn't stop my innate reflexes. I was doing it on instinct. I moved away until I was backed up to a table and had no place to go. His hands leaned on the table on each side of me, caging me in.

"You should be more careful with your words, Alexis." He said quietly and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

My eyebrows narrowed at the mention of my name.

"Oh, so you do remember yesterday?" I said in a whisper to make sure no one else heard.

His eyebrows furrowed, confusion apparent in his features.

"When did I say I forgot?" He countered to which I looked at him with an incredulous expression.

"Careful, Aaron. For a guy who seemed hell bent on impressing his mom to one who's now doing something she'd disapprove, I don't think I'll be accepting your offer anytime soon." I threatened, telling him the honest truth about what I felt about helping him.

All the confusion dissipated from his face, replaced with idle boredom.

"So you broke me apart from Amber just to play mother hen? I know what I'm doing, Alexis." He said, a levelled tone to his voice and I sighed deeply at his words, eying him in disdain. He hadn't meant any bit of his sob story.

He looked at me curiously, like he was assessing me. I didn't look away. I had always been very attentive to detail and meticulous above all. It may have been irksome to others, but everything had to be in order.

"Mother hen? I won't offer my advice, but forgive me for still trying to help you. God, you're clueless!" I whisper-yelled. I didn't want anyone hearing us, but I wanted him to hear the disappointment in my voice. Disappointment at what I thought he was and what he turned out to be.

His eyes narrowed.

"Are you always this uptight?" He said back, his voice firm.

I was now feeling heated. How dare he call me uptight?! He can't just ask me to do him a favour, play with other girls and call me fucking uptight!

I shot him a look.

"I am trying to do you a favour! And you repay me by calling me uptight?! I was just trying to look out for you! But no! You just can't stop being a manwhore, can you?" I hissed.

If he was angry before then he was fucking livid now. His electrifying eyes turned darker, the navy blue surrounding his iris becoming bigger in the process. I gulped. I was shitting myself.

I probably shouldn't have said what I did, but I didn't feel like backing down right now. Especially with that challenging look he sent my way.

He spoke darkly, his voice scaring me into oblivion.

"Amren, go home" he growled, referring to the redhead from before.

I watched as she gaped, putting both hands on her hips before saying

"My name's Avery" She said incredulously, a nasal quality to her voice.

This didn't seem to faze him in the least bit. He growled again.

"Just shut up and go home"

She seemed to be shitting herself, in the same manner I was, as she ran out of there.

I shifted my eyes up to meet Aaron's. His eyes were still unbelievably dark and his jaw was clenched. He was still angry.

"Don't be rude." I whispered out, watching her retreating figure on the street before snapping my gaze back to him. It didn't seem as though he even registered my words and he spoke again, his voice low.

"What did you call me?" He questioned darkly, daring me to speak.

And I, being the stupid person I am, spoke. I wasn't particularly fond of the way he was challenging me with his gaze, daring me to try say it. He was definitely not the boss of me.

"I called you a manwhore. You just sleep with girls and then leave them. You make me sick and-"

I was cut off when a fist collided with the wall near my head, making me let out a small yelp as I flinched notably. It was quiet for a second before I met his gaze again.

Aaron kept on staring at me, not even registering the pain that it might have caused to his hand. I looked over at his hand. He had bruised knuckles and the skin was tattered. He must have hit it really hard.

I looked back at his face. He chuckled and it sent shivers up my spine, but not in a good way. It sounded kind of cold and... Not Aaron.

"Don't get the idea that you know me because you don't." He said looking me in the eye before leaving.

Everyone in the cafe was staring at me, but I didn't care right now. I was too hung up on what happened, my body still shaking with the adrenaline.

It seemed I had unknowingly hit a nerve yet I was unaware to what I had done. He certainly was right on one front.

I didn't know him at all.

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