Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 62

EVA.

"I think I might have a problem, " Aliya complains as she drops to the seat in front of me and I shut my laptop to focus my gaze on her. "What's it?"

"I might have or might have not told Sage that I'm getting tired of our relationship. " She says as she drops her bag to the side before tilting forward and I furrow a brow, "What? What does that mean?"

"I don't know, " she sighs. "I don't know what's wrong with me. "

"Is that how you feel?" I ask her and she nods. "It suddenly feels too much; like I'm being boxed in or something and I hate that feeling. "

"What was her reaction when you told her?"

"She walked out on me. " A frown covers her face as she stares down at her hands. "I told her I needed a break to rethink our relationship and she just walked out... Without a word. "

"I'm not surprised, " I let out a chuckle and she lifts her head. "I would too if my girlfriend whom I love so much suddenly tells me she needs a break from a relationship that's still new? Which brings me to: why the fuck are you tired? It's barely a month. "

"I know, " she hisses, sinking back into her seat. "Relationships never interested me until her, and with her; it was different and I thought it was going to be like that for a while, but that feeling just came out of nowhere. I don't know why I feel this way, but I suddenly want to stay far away from her. It's like I'm losing interest?"

"But you still love her?" I raise a brow and she takes a while before she responds. When she does, her answer is far from what I expected, "I don't know?"

"Did it hurt when she walk out on you?"

"Yes, but not enough for me to go after her. I'm fucking insane, aren't I? I was so invested and now..." She finishes her word with a sigh, dropping her gaze from me and I move my hand across the table to grab hers. "You aren't insane. It's normal to feel that way; you're just scared of commitment. "

"Yes, but I didn't feel like this from the beginning so I thought Sage is the one to end that part of me?" She explains and I nod, "But isn't that how it's always been? You get excited about them, then you lose interest when you get too close?"

"No, " she shakes her head. "I get excited with the idea of being with them, and not in a romantic way. It's more like sexual, but Sage wasn't that way. I felt it, Evie. I loved her. " Loved. She's using the past tense. I know Aliya never did relationships because she's never the one to keep her eyes on one, but when I saw her with Sage; I thought that was the end of her phase. I thought she found the one she'll never get bored of, but I was too quick to conclude that. I forgot it's easy to fall in love with a person, but how quickly do people fall out of love? Do we call it love when you no longer see them the way you saw them the first time you both met? Isn't love supposed to stay till the very end?

The thought brings another person to mind, and I start to wonder what the fuck I'll do if Emerson wakes up one day and decide he no longer feels for me?

"Are you with me?" The sound of Aliya's voice interrupts my thoughts, bringing me back into the reality before me where my best friend is in a state of difficulty and I hum. "I am. "

"What do you think I should do? I'm lost as fuck. " She says and I gnaw at my lips as I study her. When Aliya lifts a brow out of impatience, I open my mouth, "I think you should take time to think about where your feelings truly lie. What if you end things now and you suddenly want her back after?"

"No. It's the chase, Evie. When it's push and pull between us, my interest is sparked but when they give in to the feelings and stay around me only; that's when I lose interest. "

"So you need someone who wants you, but also doesn't?" I ask her and she says, "I don't know. What I do know is that I suddenly lost interest in her; the eagerness isn't there. "

"You should take a break from her. I don't know, Lia but Sage likes you. Loves you even. I know it isn't deliberate from your side, but you should think about her feelings when you're making your final decision. Of course, I don't mean you should continue with the relationship when you have zero interest in it, that's even more bitter than actually letting go but you should weigh your options before you take the next step. If you still don't want to be with her by the end of it, then talk to her and explain how you feel. I'm sure she'll understand. Sometimes, we love but there are no promises of forever. Forever is scary either way. "

"Is that for me or you?" She teases and I roll my eyes. "You know what I mean. "

"I do. " She laughs, squeezing my hands gently. "Thank you, babe. I feel safe knowing you're always here when I need you. "

"And I'm waiting for you to get bored of me too. " I taunt her and she throws me a glare, "I won't. It's different with you. "

"Cheesy. " I say before I withdraw my hands from hers. "Or maybe you're just doing it the wrong way. "

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe you'll find the one who keeps your interest in the other gender. You swing both ways, don't you? But I've never actually seen you with a guy before. "

"Why should I go through the trouble when the girls are easier to be with? Plus I haven't found one that interests me yet. " She raises a shoulder and I shake my head, "I don't think you will when all you do is throw a glare at any guy that dares to come your way. "

"And them being the coward they are, scurries off the next second. Isn't it supposed to be all about the chase? Women are the better choice, Evie. "

"Whatever, " I say before I turn my attention back to my laptop.

"What are you doing?" Aliya asks from her seat and I say, "Our project. "

"You're working on it already? Bitch, we still have days before we have to turn it in. "

"Sorry, I'm not a procrastinator like yourself. " I respond as I look up to her and she throws me the middle finger before she grabs my chips, throwing one in her mouth.

"Sorry I'm not a nerd like you are, " she retorts with a grin and I shove her my middle finger before I drop my gaze back to the screen.

"And look who the heavens dragged in. " Aliya whispers, distracting me from my work. When my gaze settles on her, she jerks her head in the other direction and I twist my head to the trail of her eyes to be met with the sight of Emerson and his friends walking inside the restaurant.

He smiles at something Jaxon tells him before his eyes roam across the room and our eyes meet; his smile widening when he holds my gaze.

Jaxon pats his shoulder, drawing his attention and Emerson nods before he looks back to me, throwing me a wink then he looks away.

"You're so in love with him, aren't you?" Aliya's voice brings my attention back to her and I shift in my seat, not meeting her eyes as I speak. "Shut up. "

"Oh, oh. Just eye contact and you're this red already?" She continues to tease me and I pin her with a glare, "Keep running that mouth and I'll shut it for you. "

Aliya lets out an amused laugh before she grabs another chip from the bowl, throwing it in her mouth.

"Hey, babe, " I flinch at Emerson's voice by my side before I turn to his view. He's leaned over me with his hands pressed to the side of the booth and the banquette.

"What are you doing?" I eye him, looking behind him to where his friends are.

"Making you shy in public. " Emerson says and I glance back at him, slapping his arm. "You should go back to your friends. "

"And if I want to stay here with you?" He offers and I make a sound of displeasure. "No, you won't. You'll go back to your friends. " I order.

"You sound so fùcking cute when you speak to me like that, " the soft smile that rests on his lips after his words tell me he's finding pleasure in this more than he should, and I scowl at him, "Emerson. "

"Diva, " he calls in the same tone, and Aliya's clear of throat interrupts me before I can say another word.

"You guys seem to be in your little world, and I'm just reminding you that there's another presence in the room. " She beams as she looks between Emerson and I, and I gesture for her to stay silent, earning a mocking laugh from her.

"Your friends are staring at us. " I inform Emerson and he looks behind him then back to me with a raised brow, "So?"

"So you should head back to them. " I tell him in an obvious tone and he stays mute, pushing his lips forward before he says, "Kiss me and I'll leave. "

"Uh?"

"Don't make me repeat myself, Diva or I'll take what I want in my own way. " I let out a scoff at the threatening tone, "Is that supposed to be a—" Emerson's lips cover mine, bringing my words to a pause and he swallows every sound of protest I try to make, his hand sliding to the back of my head.

"Hmm, " I'm quick to give him as his tongue strokes mine, sending sparks of sensitivity through me and when I want more, sinking my teeth into his bottom lip; Emerson pulls away with a smirk playing by the corners of his lips.

"Em–" I whine, grabbing onto the front of his jacket and trying to meet his lips, but he draws back with a laugh falling from his mouth.

"I hate you, " I tell him as I let my hands fall from his jacket and he presses his lips to my cheek before he says, "I know, and you love me more. "

"I'll see you later. " He places another kiss on my other cheek before he moves over my ear to whisper, "And I'll give you what you want. " And I watch as he walks back to his friends, leaving my body in a state of excitement.

"This is the time where I tell you I was right when I said you'll fall stupidly in love with him. " I'm reminded that Aliya is, in fact, in front of me and she witnessed the scene.

"Please don't say anything, " I let out a groan and she surprises me by nodding, agreeing to my words, but that surprise doesn't last long when she lifts her phone and turns her screen to my view. "I took a picture. "