Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 93

ALIYA.

"Hey!" I flinch at the loud sound behind me and Eva laughs as she moves around me to my side, holding me by my arm. "You're such a coward. "

"Shut up, bitch. You scared me. " I throw her a frown, adjusting the strap of my bag and she wiggles her head as she straightens against me, "Why were you lost in thoughts?"

"I was not. " I roll my eyes and she narrows hers at me, "Yes, you were. Were you thinking about Friday? You don't have to come up with something heavy, you know. "

I smirk at her at the mention of her birthday. "No chance in hell, bitch. Everyone is coming. "

She furrows her brows, "Aliya, what do you mean by that? Please tell me you didn't go overboard with this. "

When I don't give her a response and keep the smirk on my face, she screams, "Aliya!"

"Fuck sake, we're on campus. Tone it down for later. " I hiss as my eyes move across us to see people are barely paying us any attention. When I look back at her, I say, "I was just fucking with you. There's no one other than our circle. "

"Good. I'd kill you if it turns out otherwise. " She threatens and I shake my head as we proceed to move forward, "Where's your boy?" I ask her, looking behind her with no sight of the familiar brown-eyed, and Evie interrupts my search by saying, "He had to go somewhere. He should be here soon. "

"Probably planning something for Friday, " I tease her and watch as she tears her gaze away from mine. With a chuckle, I say, "Do they want you to come tomorrow?"

She shakes her head, and I lower my voice as I squeeze her shoulder, "Will you be alright for it?"

She turns her head to me and smiles. "I will be. I'm no longer at that place, Lia. You don't have to worry about me. "

"Yeah, but you say that every year and end up doing something very concerning. " I frown at the remembrance of her days over the years and Eva says, "That was then. This is now. I mean those words now. "

"You better, because if—" the rest of my words catch up in my throat when I see Sage. She's talking to the same girl, and her smile disappears when she meets my eyes. She turns her head away, saying something to the girl and she nods before she takes the other direction. I'm about to look away from her when she suddenly turns her head to me, holding my gaze as she begins to walk toward us.

"Why did you stop?" I hear Eva ask beside me, but I'm unable to give her a response as Sage draws more and close.

My hand falls from Eva's shoulder and I keep it by my side as she steps in front of me with a smile directed at Eva, "Hey, you. "

"Hey, Sage.?" Eva answers while I simply stand there with closed lips.

"I don't see Emerson. " She notes and Eva says, "He should be here soon. "

She hums and they fall into silence, and I don't realize both gazes are on me until I lift my head to lock gazes with Sage.

"Hey, " she whispers, and I give her a small smile. "Hi. "

She jerks her head to the side, "Do you think I can steal some seconds from you? I need to talk to you about something. " To say I'm shocked will be an understatement. Even after everything, and being within a close distance to each other every time on campus; she doesn't spare me more than five seconds of her time.

"Sure. Of course, why not?" I stammer helplessly and I think I catch a low snicker from Eva as I step forward. Sage nods and leads me away, and just before we disappear out of sight; I meet Eva's eyes and throw her a glare. She gives a salute with two of her fingers with a smug grin before she walks away.

Sage finally stops when we reach a safe sight from the rest of the world, and when she doesn't speak for a while; I break the silence and say, "You wanted to talk?"

"Yes. " She confirms with a nod, lifting her head to me. She keeps my gaze for a few seconds then she looks away, "Um... I want to talk about us. "

"About us?" I repeat and she nods for affirmation then she opens her mouth. "It's been pretty awkward, don't you think?"

"I don't think so. " I say softly. "I think we needed the space. Might still do. "

"Yes, but I think it's kind of unnecessary?" She suggests, and when I arch my brows, she proceeds to say, "Look, Aliya. We met, we hooked up and we had a beautiful thing for a while. It was fun while it lasted, but it's gone now and I've come to accept that. People date and they break out, and ours isn't any different. And since we're on the same campus, with the same circle of friends; I think it'd be pretty stupid to keep avoiding each other every time we meet. It's awkward for me, and I don't want to do that any longer. "

"You don't? " I raise a brow and she nods, "I don't. Do you?"

I sigh. "Honestly, I don't what that between us either. I just thought you might need some more time before you would want to interact, but I'm pleased to hear you think the same as I do. Again, Sage, I'm sorry for how things went between us and I know that's probably a lame thing to say, but I still want to do it. I'm sorry, and I'm also happy for you. "

"Happy for me?" She says with a confused face and I smile, "Happy that you found your happiness in someone else. I can tell she treats you just the way you deserve to be treated. "

"What are you talking about?" She asks and I take a while before I answer, "I meant... The girl?"

"What girl?" She sounds genuinely confused and it confuses me even more. "The girl. The one you're with. "

"The one I'm with?" She holds her confusion before realization finally dawns on her. "Oh, you mean Brielle. "

"Yes, that one. I thought—" I don't get to finish my words when Sage interrupts me, "You said the one I'm with. I'm not with Elle. "

"You're not?" I lift a brow and she nods. "I'm not. She's just a friend. We met the other night, and I found out she school here. "

"Oh. " It's the only word that leaves my mouth, my cheeks heating up in embarrassment at the thought that I read the whole situation wrong the entire time.

Sage chuckles, "What were you thinking?"

"Nothing, " I shake my head. "I just thought— you two are so close, so I thought you were with her. I'm sorry. "

"It's fine. " She waves her hand. "You don't have to apologize because it's understandable. Elle is pretty friendly. "

"I can tell. " I smile and she hums as we fall into silence again. This time, Sage is the first to break it, "I can't be in one that fast. " She murmurs, but I manage to catch it, "What?"

"A relationship. I can't be in another that fast. Yes, I've gotten over what happened between us, but not in that way. "

"It's not? People say it's easier to get over when you're in a new one. " I tell her and she jerks her head to me, "Then why aren't you in one? Unless that's just something I don't know about. "

"No. " I'm quick to say. "I'm not. It's different for me. I can't do that again. Not until I understand my own heart, I can't be with anyone; I can't hurt anyone else as I hurt you. "

"You don't have to beat yourself up for it. " She assures me, and when I open my mouth to speak, she beats me to it, "I'm serious, Aliya. I'm fine, and you don't have to feel guilty for how things went. If you do, then it'll be hard for me to leave us in the past, and that'll only make things worse. "

I nod in agreement. "I won't. I don't. "

"Good, " she gleams, and she seems to think about it for a moment before she paces forward and slaps my arm lightly. "Thank you. I should be on my way now; class already started. "

My eyes move to the spot she touched before I lift my head to her, a smile playing on my lips. "You too. And will you be there on Friday?"

She nods and steps back. "I'll be. I'll see you around, Aliya. "

I hum, and she gives a wave before she turns around and begins to walk away. Just before she moves out of sight, she swerves her head to me and says, "You look great with your hair straightened by the way. "

I look down at the hair that falls down my shoulder, and when I raise my head to her again; she's gone.

My chest falls in a sigh and I pull on the straps of my bag, a feeling of comfort washing over me– glad that we finally had the conversation we both truly needed.

I might have played a massive role in what happened to us, and I did blame myself for it, but I've let that go now.

Sometimes, love doesn't always end with forever. Sometimes, the first time isn't always the last. We love, and learn as well as we love and fail. Things don't always work out the way we want them to, and that's just the balance of life.

I loved Sage and I failed, but more than that– I learned.

EMERSON.

"So what's your plan for her?" Jaxon asks as he takes the seat next to Paige whose eyes are also on me, anticipating my answer and I say, "I don't know. I'm trying to think out of the ordinary, but that just seems impossible. "

"Do you have any gift in mind at least?" Paige asks, and when I shake my head, she sighs and takes a sip of her drink. I laugh and say, "I do, but I don't want to do what I have in mind. I want to do something else; I just haven't figured out what that is yet. "

"Well, you should. And soon. You don't have much time before it's Friday. " She says and I nod.

"Are the gifts necessary? Like, I don't get the whole gist about it? Isn't the fact that she's getting balloons and a party enough?" Jaxon speaks and Paige snorts out a laugh. "It's honestly not a wonder that you fail to keep a girl. "

"Shut the fuck up. I don't fail to keep them, I just don't want to keep them. " He hisses and Paige smirks, "Are you sure about that? I doubt any girl would want to be kept by you if you don't think it's necessary to get her something special for her day. "

"Just because you would like that doesn't mean every girl is like you, Red. " Jax retorts and Paige says, "I'm not. I'm teaching you what you need to know. "

"And why are you suddenly interested in the way I want to treat my girl, Red? Are you planning to hit on me or something?" Jaxon says with a confident grin and she scrunches her nose, "Ew. Fuck no. You aren't even on the last of my list, asshole. "

"That explains why you were throwing yourself at me last night, and begging me to fuck you. "

"I was drunk!" She says loudly. "And it was dark! I would never willingly do that. "

Jax laughs and I shake my head as they continue to exchange words. Turning my head away from them, I look out the window to see a boy running by and a smile slowly lifts to my face at the thought that hits me.

"I have it!" I announce, and they both turn their heads to me. "Have what?"

"The surprise. I know what I want to do for her now. " I beam excitedly, looking to my side to grab my keys and Paige says, "What's it? And where are you going?"

"I need to start it now. I'll talk to you guys later. " I wink at them before I move out of my seat, and head towards the door with Paige's voice echoing behind me. "Wait, Emery! You can't leave me with this asshole. "

"Bitch, I know you're happy he left me with you. "

~

My eyes move across the field in search of Eva, and I'm astounded when I'm welcomed with the sight of another familiar, but very unexpected face.

"Elias?" I call in surprise as I walk toward him and he smiles when I reach him. "I thought It'd take you longer. "

"What are you doing here?" I ask him and he looks around us before he says, "What else? Checking out my brother's school, of course. "

"El. " I drawl and he calls my name in the same tone, earning a laugh from me with him following after. When the sound dies down, I say, "Seriously, what are you doing here? I wasn't expecting to see you here. "

"I just wanted to check this place out. I was bored at home. " He says, takes a pause and adds. "And to tell you I'll be leaving tomorrow. "

"What?" I exclaim and he cackles. "And I think that reaction is another one of the many reasons I thought to come here. "

"You're leaving tomorrow? I thought Dad said you should spend some more time with your family. " I remind him, and he nods, "The man did say that, but I can't spend any more time here, little brother. I need to go back to my place. There's a lot that awaits me there. "

"They can't wait?" I propose and he shakes his head in opposition. "They can't. And why are you bothered? You spend your seconds and minutes with Eva anyway, I don't think you'd notice my absence. "

"Of course, I will. I know you're home, but now I know you're leaving. There's a difference. " I tell him, and he smiles, his eyes moving behind me. He answers my unasked question when he says, "And where's she? "