Aira
Lex refused to band aid his burn and on top of that his arrogance was itching my brain. I tried twice but his reactions to my help were negative. I didn't ask him to jump into the house did I? But I'm also glad he did. I don't want to be ungrateful for it because I would have been burnt to ashes if he hadn't saved me.
One more attempt won't hurt though. I make my way to Lex's room where I find that Noah is here to visit them. The door was open and I stood by, hearing the conversation between them.
"What if something worse happened to Aira?" Noah argues.
"Then I wouldn't have spared anyone. Do you not understand, Noah? I would have burned Laura's family down the way she had burned Aira if anything had happened to her."
My eyes widened at Laura's name. No... It couldn't have been. Laura hadn't called me back either and between everything, I forgot about her. I can't believe Lex is blaming Laura for this too.
"Why did you jump into that fire? Why did you risk yourself for Aira?" Noah questioned, pulling him by the arms to face him.
"Because she was in that house full of fire! Noah, if anything happens to her I can't take it!" he screeches, annoyed.
My heart starts to race after hearing that. Even last night Lex said a lot of things I had a hard time processing. I know he doesn't mean that. He can't mean that. I walk away from Lex's room and back to mine in deep thought. What is happening with my life? My attention towards the thoughts are interrupted by my phone. It was a notification from my uncle.
'What did you decide about the guy?'
No. I haven't decided anything. I receive another text.
'We'd like you to meet the guy before you take any decision Aira.'
All I responded with was okay. I do it for the sake of my uncle. He's so stubborn and I know he won't rest till he gets me married to this guy. My second option was to talk to my Aunt about this situation and tell her I did not want to get married. I wasn't ready for it. She's been my second mother since my mum passed away.
Another text came through with them telling me that they wanted me there on New Year's Eve, which was in exactly a week. Great! It's going to take me about three days to get to the US, which leaves me with four days here.
This was my chance to just run away from everything. From Lex. Without a second thought, I book the tickets for tomorrow evening. Maybe this would give Lex enough time away from me to figure things out. And me too. Some time away from each other would be better for the both of us.
──⇌••⇋──
I had avoided Lex since yesterday and he hadn't seen me either. It was like he was avoiding me too now and that bothered me. Currently, I was in my room packing my luggage as slow as I could because something in me didn't want to leave this house. The memories, those words echoed in my head over and over again but were debated with the same words he used to blame Laura who still hadn't checked up on me. I hesitantly grabbed my phone and dialled a call to her.
Ring, ring, ring. She did not pick up. This was the part where Lex's words finally start to get to my brain, but my brain was hesitant in believing them. My own friend wouldn't do that. Just as I place my phone down onto the sheets, an incoming call arrived from the administration of the site.
"Ma'am, we need you at the site," the receptionist urges in worry.
"I'll be there in a while."
Leaving the packing, I catch an uber to the site and walk in. The manager there is waiting for me near the administration.
"Ma'am, the electrician fixed the power issue but he's left a message behind," she spoke softly so that no one else heard.
"What message?" I ask.
"The cut with the wires and the spark is not accidental. He says that someone has intentionally done that. So I've gathered the footage from that day to show you."
My heart dropped immediately hearing that. Someone must have done it intentionally. Who would do such a thing? Each step towards the CCTV room gave me more and more anxiety and when the manager sat down to pull up the footage I didn't want to look. It was Laura... she enters into the power room, looking around the wires and switches. She pulls out a pair scissors from her purse and cuts the wires. Lex's words start echoing in my head again.
She's not your friend, she just wants to hurt you.
"Ma'am I think we should give this into the police," the manager suggested.
"No, not yet."
I ask her to copy the evidence into my phone. I head out of the CCTV room and out the site to get to Laura's house for an explanation. What were her intentions behind this? With each step I take towards her entrance, my heart rushed with certainty that he was right. What if it is her? What if everything that has happened to me was because of her?
"Aira? What are you doing here?" she questions getting up from the couch, looking a bit shocked.
"You cut the wires in the panel room," I upfront make the statement.
"What? No Aira you don't seriously believe Lex, do you?" she tried to manipulate.
I pull out the video on my phone and show it to her. Her eyes bawl out as she sees the video. She looked back and forth at the video and me between it with no remorse or guilt.
"You don't have any explanation?" my eyes wince, hoping that she does has an explanation.
"Now that you know, there's no point in hiding the truth. I wanted to get to Lex, but you were always in the way," Laura folds her arms across her chest.
"In the way?" I confusingly repeat.
"Yes, Aira. Why would I randomly become friends with you?" her words are hitting against my heart like a dagger. "What didn't I do? I tried running you over by a car, left you in that dark street, got Connor to try kidnap you, harass you. I set that spark and I even set my own house on fire just to get rid of you! But every time Lex would be there to save your ass. Do you have any idea how I felt?" she vents like she had been the victim in this whole situation.
My eyes relaxed in realisation. In hearing those bitter words and her admitting to everything. Lex was right.
"I fought with Lex for you," my heart broke in the defence.
"As you should. You're not worthy of Lex. I want him but you have him wrapped around your pinkie. I would never be friends with you!" she scoffed.
"And she doesn't need friends like you," a voice interrupted us from behind. It's Noah. He has the authorities with him.
"Ms. Laura, we have an arrest warrant against you. Your accused of grievous bodily harm and attempted murder," the officer says.
"You have no evidence," Laura argues confidently.
"Yes we do," Noah says pulling out the recording of Laura locking me in her house and setting it on fire.
Watching the video burnt holes in my heart. The betrayal, trust, everything was gone. I felt my entire heart break. Tears formed in my eyes but I quickly wiped them away because she did not deserve them. She did not deserve the sorrow of this friendship. Laura's parents come down as she's getting arrested.
"What are you doing?" Laura's dad panics.
"Your daughter has attempted murder on her very dear friend," Noah explains with his hands in pockets, done with Laura and this entire situation.
Her mum gasps in disbelief as Noah tells them and shows them what Laura did. She turns to me with her teary eyes hoping I could stop this. Laura pleaded that she hadn't done anything and as she was dragged out to the police car, her parents and little sister followed behind. I wanted to get out of here. Away from this place.
"Noah, please let's just go," I begged, exiting her house.
Laura is dragged into the police car as I sit in Noah's. Her whole family was devastated. I can't believe she'd do that to me. My heart was so desperate for a nice person that I took the first person in front of me. I didn't listen to Noah or Lex. Lex...
"It was all Lex," Noah spoke breaking me out of my thoughts.
"What?" I swung my head to him instantly.
"He told me to come here with the evidence and the authorities," he told.
"Lex... Take me to the office right now," I urged.
Noah drives me to the office and I quickly rushed into Lex's cabin. He was facing the dark curtains that blocked the city view with a small lamp that was on. I slowly walked towards him recalling all the times I've argued with him and called him wrong.
He was always right. He always got me out of all the problems Laura put me in. I feel so much pain in my heart. I have hurt him so much when all he did was protect me. My steps stop right in front of him. His hands were in his pocket and he looked directly into my eyes.
"Now do you believe me?" his lips gently asked.
I nod my head yes with tears falling from my eyes in remorse. I take steps towards him and lay my head on his chest.
"I'm so sorry," my voice broke so hard.
One of his hands held my head and the other wraps around me for comfort. I pull my head out of his chest and look up to his face. His thumb starts wiping the tears at the corner of my eye and there it is again, the racing of my heart. He takes one of my hands and places it on the left side of his chest.
"Why does my heart start racing when you're close to me?" he softly whispers.
My eyes locked in with his in this statement before his drop down to my lips. My hand feels his heart thumping against his chest. If only he knew my heart races like his heart does too... His face moves closer and closer to mine. The air between us getting warmer with his breath mixing against mine. I closed my eyes, wanting this.
"No, I can't," I push him away from me.
Lex stumbled back on his steps and just stared at me with confusion. That guy. I can't do this. My aunt and uncle don't want this. I don't want this. With this embarrassment, I instantly head out of his cabin. I instantly head out of his room and out of the office.
What was I thinking right then? I don't want him was what I was convincing myself of but in reality, I needed to escape him. The more I stayed here the worser it would be. Once I get back home, I instantly grabbed my suitcase and left for my life. I couldn't do this.
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