I felt the warmth of the bed as I slept. I took a deep breath and smelt the comforting smells of something familiar. In my sleepy haze I couldn't figure it out, but it slowly lulled me back to sleep. I felt so comfortable that I didn't want to wake up; I just wanted to stay here in bed all day.
I turned over and cuddled into my warm pillow; I slowly breathed in the relaxing smell as I fell back into an alluring sleep with the sound of a light thump that became soothing.
With each thump my breath evened out and my heart pounded at the same beat. Then my heart stopped at the sound of a deep sigh coming from right under me and then I felt a strong muscular arm pull my body in closer to what I thought was my pillow. Then pulled me in tight before relaxing and was about to keep sleeping. My body tensed up as I relized im not sleeping on a pillow and right as I tensed up the other person's body went rigid next to me.
Oh man! What did I do last night? My mind was running wild just trying to remember anything ,but was coming up blank. How did I even make it home? Bold of me to assume I made it home!
Lets just count to three and get it over with. It's just like ripping off a band- aid.
1.
2.
3.
My eyes snapped open meeting eye to eye with chilling blue eyes that I know all too well. They stare back at me in confusion. You could see the wheels turning as he pieces together the situation as best as he could, but I honestly was still lost. He abruptly pushed me off his body and right onto the floor as he untangled himself from the sheets. I landed with a loud thud and I just laid there stunted trying to understand what the hell is going on.
It was quiet for a good second before Eric finally spoke up.
"What the hell are you doing in my bed?!"
"If i'm being honest i'm not entirely sure myself." I mutter back from over the side of the bed. I continue to lay there as I stair at the ceiling.
I hear him grunt out a low growl " Get out."
"Excuse me?" I quickly sit up to look at him. " Maybe you forgot, but I live here too!" I yell out
"Get out of my room ." He breathed through clenched teeth.
"What no good morning kiss? No I love you?" I sarcastically tell him as I stood up. " We're married now, isn't this expected of us? " I yell out as I walk out of the room. Before I even crossed the door frame the door was slammed right on my ass.
I walked away with my cheeks burning red with embarrassment and a splitting headache. I heard Eric walk across the hall and slam the bathroom door as I quickly scuffled around with my clothes and got dressed as fast as I could. I exit the apartment prepared to avoid Eric for the rest of the day. I'm just so frustrated; why did it have to be me?
I started my morning run and my racing mind wouldn't leave me alone. Im stupid , so stupid how could I have even done something so dumb. What am I supposed to do now? I can't go back and look him in the eye let alone work with him.
That's it, I'm going factionless! I'm being ridiculous, we are married now, this shouldn't be a problem. Right?
"Ahhh!" I screamed out in frustration. I watched as everyone's head snapped towards me in shock and looked at me very concerned. "Sorry." I mutter out as I continue on my run mortified by what just happened.
After an hour of running I could feel my stomach clench and it let out a loud growl to signal it was hungry. I looked at the clock to check what time it was, only to be surprised it was already lunch time. I walk into the cafeteria and find just who I was looking for a couple of lumps bent over moaning and groning from their night out.
"What happened to you two?" I laughed out.
"How?" Zeke yelled indignantly.
I hummed out a small "Hm." questioning his question.
"How can you possibly drink more than us and not wake up feeling this pain. " Pax moaned out in disbelief.
I shrug my shoulders as I take some food on my plate "I don't know? Maybe I'm just better than you." I cheekily said.
I watched as they looked up to glare at me before I hear them both let out a groan in pain.
I continued to eat in peace until zeke finally disrupted it.
"So is it true?"Zeke turned his head to look at me with his cheeky smile.
I raise my brow "Is what true?"
"Oh come on like you don't know. That you and Kai are a thing!" He said it was confirmed information already.
"What!" I yelled out "Where did you hear that?"
"Everyone's talking about it!" Zeke started to explain the rumors. " They say that you guys were spotted holding hands yesterday and you were spotted out together multiple times and rumor has it that someone caught you guys kissing last night." He happily started wiggling his eyebrows at me. "Honestly it makes a lot of sense now as to why you always hang out around him and why you were even wearing his hoodie the other day too.
"No." I mutter with wide eyes.
"I thought we were best friends, Fred. I'm hurt that I had to hear about this through rumors; I thought I would be the first to know." Pax pouted. Butt hurt about something that's not even real like I should have told him this absurd rumor before the person who created it.
"There's nothing to tell." I yell a little to loud gaining the attention of people nearby
"Oh really then what's with the brand new ring on your finger?" Pax accusingly pointed out
My eyes snapped down to my hand where my wedding ring sat and everyone around that heard quickly turned with the snap of their neck to get a glimpse of the simple gold ring that had a small diamond embedded in it sitting on my slim ring finger. Zeke's eyes grew wide as I instantly hid my hand under the table away from prying eyes.
"It's not what it looks like." I stuttered out
"Then what is it?" Pax raised his eyebrow
"Did you guys elop?" Zeke blurted out making the quiet cafeteria burst into loud murmurs, slowly making the situation worse.
"No...I ..?" I was at a loss for words that I didn't know what to say.
"You know you can trust me Ari? '' Pax asked timidly, worried that I didn't.
"Of course.. It's just .. it's not easy to explain." I breathed out. " I have to go." I quickly got up not wanting to be investigated an more.
I heard the murmurs all around as I walked away. All eyes were on me. I exited the cafeteria only to hear more people whispering about me and my life. My mind was racing where to go to get away. I realized I needed to clear up this mess as fast as I could, So I quickly made my way to the pit so I could talk with the one person who could clear up this misunderstanding.
I finally had the tattoo shop in sight, but right as I got closer I stopped dead in my tracks. Right then and there the one person I wanted to avoid was storming out of the shop makinging his way through the crowd looking as angry as ever. What was he doing here? I watched until he was out of sight then I carefully made my way into the shop trying to go unnoticed. I looked around hoping to see Kai, but nothing so I made my way to the back where his office area was.
His back was turned to me, but I could see him holding up his hand to his face.
"Kai?" I lightly called out.
I watched as he turned around shocked. "King, how nice of you to come right after your husband, or should I call you Coulter now? You know now that you're married." He sarcastically jokes.
I gasp in shock "what happened?" I stepped closer.
He had a cold beer bottle pressed to a slowly darkening black eye.
"What this?" He pointed to his face. " nothin but a little bruise. Nothing to worry about." He said nonchalantly.
"Oh ok? ... Sorry to bother you; this isn't a good time. I'll come back later." I started to step away.
"No. it's not a problem." He waves me closer. " What seems to be the problem?"
"There's a bunch of rumors about you and me... dating, but I think Zeke just made it worse by pointing out my wedding ring." I started fiddling with the cold metal object. " He shouted out that we got eloped." Kai's smile dropped off his face faster than I've ever seen.
"What? What's wrong." I panicked.
He took a long sip of his beer, giving me a full view of his black eye, and he could barely open it.
"Man I thought Eric was mad just now, just wait until he hears that story around the faction." He chuckled, but he ended up wincing from the pain when his face moved.
"Wait what? Eric did this because of the rumors?" I was confused.
"He may not have been happy with the arranged marriage, but that doesn't mean he likes sharing." He slowly explains. "Eric wasn't happy about the rumors and told me I need to make them stop; doesn't matter how. Meaning he wants us all to lay low and avoid one another."
"But..."
"Kai and Ari sitten in a tree." I was interrupted
"K-I-S-S-I-N-G" I turn to find Pax and Zeke making their way towards us.
"Stop." I lightly muttered.
"First comes love." They happily laughed together. "Then comes marriage."
"Then comes a baby in a baby carriage!" They both yell the last line.
I could feel the massive headache starting to form from all the stress.
"See we knew something was going on." Zeke happily confronted.
"Nothings going on." I sighed out defeated.
"Oh really then what's this?" he gestured to us all alone in his tattoo shop.
"Talking." I deadpanned.
Zeke was going to continue to debate me when finally Kai stepped in. "There isn't anything going on between us . Just two friends talking nothing else."
"Then what's with the secretive meetings." Pax asked.
"Yeah and everyone saying you were holding hands." Zeke added.
"Not to mention you have on a brand new wedding ring." Pax pointed out.
My hand instinctively hid behind my back out of view.
"See you are hiding something. It may not be you and Kai, but since the end of Initiation you have been really distant and secretive. Do you not trust me?" Pax questioned.
I avoided eye contact, feeling guilty. I know he feels hurt. He tells me everything he's my best friend, but I've been leaving him out of my life. I didn't even tell him about my own wedding.
"You wouldn't even let me walk you home last night; does that ring have something to do with it?" I freeze hearing his question.
Pax is a very smart man. I just never expected having to hide my marriage from him.
"Fine then. I thought we were closer than that." Pax huffed out mad at my silence and he turned to walk away.
"Just tell him Ari; He's going to find out sooner or later." Kai pleaded to me.
"Tell me what?" He burned his stare right into me.
"I'm married."
A/N : Im sorry it took this long to write a new chapter. life just gets busy. Hopefully you all enjoy it until the next chapter.
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