His Queen (18+)

Chapter XL

THE DAMAGED

Sometimes I think too much
Yeah, I get so caught up
I'm always stuck in my head

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CW: Self h*rm and su*cide

CHAPTER XL

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I FOLLOWED DANIEL and his side chick through the party towards the doorway of a small secluded area I had seen them enter. I kept my eyes fixed on him but it was clear he hadn't noticed me yet as his back had remained to me. As he and the girl remained engaged in their deep conversation, I couldn't help but feel like a third, unwanted party. Like the thirdwheel to a date no one actually wanted there. I felt like I was invading their space, crossing a set boundary that their relationship had. Despite me having Daniel, I still felt like the fraud.

In that moment, her eyes had met mine, catching me by surprise. Pale blue met light brown and once they narrowed in on me, a devious smirk forming on her lips, I knew I wasn't going to like what was to happen next. And right had been the only thing I was because in that very moment, she had grabbed Daniel's neck and pulled him against her. It was undeniable what they were doing right in front of my eyes.

They were kissing. Clearly, this has to be the most embarrassing thing one could possibly say could've ever happened to them, yet somehow it wasn't. Ans even if it was, some time in the near future it wouldn't be anymore because I was always going to be cast to the side. I didn't matter to anyone.

Daniel's hands lurched to her waist as she kissed him with her eyes still on me as if she was trying to prove something. He hesitated for a second, his touch lingering on her body before with a force he had never used on me, he pushed her away.

"What are you doing?" I could hear the barely contained anger in his voice, reminding me of how he didn't like to be touched like that by strangers. I had grown so comfortable with him that I had forgotten about the little quirk that he had. It was a boundary of his that they both knew she crossed but the question of how much was he going to let her get away with lingered in the air.

Despite his blatant anger, her eyes remained on me, the same devious smirk on her face as she wiped away her smudge lipstick without shame. Daniel whipped around once he noticed that they weren't alone, his eyes landing on me and promptly widening with shock once he had seen me standing there. I couldn't help but wonder if he would've told me at all if I hadn't seen it here myself.

"Araceli," he said, his gaze conflicted as he debated on whether to leave her and speak to me or ignore me to keep up his charade.

I provided him with an answer before he could, waving my hand in dismissal and turning to walk away. Afterall, his hesitation in the matter said enough. Behind me as I put distance between us, I briefly heard him ask to be excused under the guise of "needing to speak to his friend" before he came after me.

"Araceli," he called out but I couldn't find the energy in me to turn around and answer him. I was tired of constantly being insulted and belittled by his side things. At this point, I was the side thing. "Araceli."

I wasn't sure when he had caught up to me but his hand wrapping around my arm and pulling me back had sent a shiver of fear down my spine. He turned me around to look at him, not taking notice of it.

"Araceli, it's not what it looked like, I swear."

"I know," I said softly, my voice taking a more delicate tone. I wasn't trying to be gentle. I was just too tired to do anything anymore. I just wanted to slip away. "It's okay."