The following morning I woke up sore and stiff. I moved each limb one at a time to check they were still functioning leaving my head until last. When I opened my eyes I was shocked by the sight that I wasn't in my room. There was movement next to me and I froze as a warm lump lay pressed against my back. I gradually rotated around and Aiden was there, peacefully asleep and fully naked. He was lying on his stomach allowing me to look at his body from head to toe questioning the many scratches that were on his skin.
It hit me, like a brick wall with a thousand bricks. I was naked also, fitting the pieces together and clear images and sounds replayed in my brain, I had spent all of last night having sex with Aiden. A large smile spread across my face for a moment while I settled back down into my side of the bed until Gale's face spread across my brain and vision making me feel nauseous and faint. I sat up immediately waking Aiden, he sat up with me and placed a warm hand onto my back. My thoughts were everywhere, did I like Gale? Was what happened with Aiden right? What do I tell Gale?
"Are you alright?" Aiden yawned and settled onto his back and rested an arm behind his head wearing a large grin as he caressed my back with his fingertips causing shudders on my part.
"Yeah, I'm fine" I laid back down to face Aiden who's body looked still steaming and glistened.
"Last night was amazing" The smile only grew and his white teeth reflected the sunlight, he was definitely model material.
"It was" I remembered the sensations and Aiden wrapped an arm around my waist pulling me close into his toned body, my sore muscles moaned but I ignored them. Aiden re-closed his eyes once I was settled but mine were darted open, never able to close again this morning. Gale. The sweet, sensitive guy that I had left to 'sort things out with Aiden'. Well we sorted things out and lost a few clothes in the process. I couldn't deny that the kiss with Aiden was a sign, it was my body screaming at me that everything that we were doing was right. It definitely felt amazing, that was a no brainer.
I felt guilt for Gale. Had I lead him on this whole time? It seemed like centuries ago that we agreed to go ahead with our fake relationship to try and bring Aiden back to me and it had clearly worked since I was lying naked in his bed but when did the relationship 'feelings' turn real? It was only yesterday that he asked me to be in a real relationship with me. Had he forgotten the reason we started our connection or just ignored it? Yesterday, it was strange that the day before I was considering being with Gale, why? Why did I consider this? Because Gale was a nice guy, but so was Aiden. Gale was hot but Aiden was hotter. Gale was funny but Aiden was the funniest and finally Aiden truly knew me, my whole life. I couldn't believe that I had let myself so carelessly lean towards Gale, I had kissed him a few times and every time felt like I was betraying Aiden, but isn't that what I was feeling now? Guilt? I couldn't win, I came here to clear the guilt with Aiden and this is how it turned out, if I tried to clear my guilt with Gale would I end up in his bed?
That wasn't the only problem swimming into my life because now that I had re-connected with Aiden, were we together? I was back to square one, were this whole issue started, the mistake of me believing Aiden and I's status I was not going to do that to myself again. I needed a way to let Gale down lightly, very lightly. I felt as if this fairytale was written all wrong, shouldn't the girl fall for the vulnerable guy, the one that was beaten and hurt? Instead I chose the beater the one that brought the other to his knees. This was Aiden's fault, if he hadn't of beaten Gale then maybe I wouldn't have loved his vulnerable state and tried to get him into bed but then maybe I owed him some thanks since Gale's injuries stopped us from doing 'it'. I remembered Gale's arm snaking around my waist and snapped myself back to reality to find Aiden's arm there still, around my waist.
Slipping from his grip I made my way around the room collecting my clothes while Aiden lay peacefully on the bed. He was different from all of the other times I had seen him lying in bed. I was different too because we had both grown up and we weren't the same people anymore, maybe that was for the better. I quickly got dressed and made my way over to the bed were Aiden's eyes fluttered open and I couldn't resist to lean in and place a small peck onto his lips, I ran a hand through his hair for grip and he smiled against my lips.
"I'm heading home, I'll see you later" I promised and I left, crossing the street to my house were my brother opened the door.
"You were gone all night, bet you did a lot of talking" Charlie grinned at me and I smirked at him trying to hide the embarrassment spreading across my face. I knew that he knew but there was no way in hell I was going to admit it to him. I picked up my phone which had been left and saw several missed calls from Gale, my heart throbbed in my chest and a nauseating feeling spread over me again, I had to explain to him what had happened and that may be the hardest thing I would ever have to do. I texted him, 'Hey, swing by mine, we need to talk' Once he text me back to say he was 'On my way' the butterflies took over.
Gale arrived and I took him to my room to talk, when we sat down on my bed it was the first moment I took to look at him. He was wearing comfortable sweatpants and a tight t-shirt which was figure hugging along with tousled hair. He admired me watching him and smiled, resting his fingertips onto my knee. I almost jumped off of the bed at his touch, it was like electric, shocking me and he sat back in surprise at my reaction.
"Gale, we need to talk" I edged back towards the bed but didn't sit as close and looked down towards the floor, I was swallowing every few seconds and my airways were closing in on me.
"You don't want to be with me" He was looking directly at me and I wondered if I had already said the words, how did he know what I was going to say. I looked up to his face and met his eyes which were disappointed but he wore a sensitive smile.
"What?" I questioned wondering if my expression was really that readable.
"You don't have to say it, I know you still want Aiden" He stood to leave and I wanted to stop him but had no reason to, he stopped at the bedroom door to look back at me and I remained in my spot.
"I'm sorry" I ran and tightly hugged him feeling the warmth of his chest on mine. There was going to be elements of him that I would miss. Even though this goodbye looked easy, I think an argument would have been easier because I couldn't tell if he was okay or not, was I okay? At least I could concentrate on Aiden now and move forward which made me smile but I wasn't ready to jump into Aiden's bed again just yet, I wanted to allow myself the rest of the day to get over the part of me that had been attached to Gale.
Aiden texted me soon after asking if I wanted his company and I sweetly declined blaming that I was behind on school work when in actual fact I was thinking about Gale. I know it was the right decision but I couldn't forget how he was there for me when I needed him and Aiden wasn't. Was Gale just going to move on now? Have a new girlfriend by tomorrow? Would I be jealous? Was I allowed to be jealous? These thoughts swallowed my brain but I was too tired to answer them so at any thought of Gale, I wiped my brain clear.
Charlie had invited Alex over for dinner which was great, I didn't tell her the scenario with Aiden and just settled that Gale and I weren't right for each other which seemed to shut her up fairly quickly. Her and Charlie were trying to keep their contact to a minimum when they were in front of me which I was thankful for but they were not very successful because I could still see his hand slip under the table to her leg as a cheeky smile crossed her face. I left the table early and told them I just wanted to go upstairs and work but instead I rang Aiden. Seeing Charlie all loved up was making me miss Aiden's company, I didn't want him sexually tonight, I just wanted him there.
"Hey!" I couldn't stop the excitement escaping when he picked up.
"Hey" I knew he was smiling because he laughed when he answered.
"Come over, I miss you" Why not be blunt about it, I wanted him with me as soon as possible and mindless chatter was just a waste of time.
"Will your brother flip out?" It was a valuable question and one I didn't know the answer too, but my brother had a guest of his own so had no valid reason to complain.
"Sure, he's already caught one boy in my room this week" I remembered the ghastly moment a couple of days before when Charlie walked in, only to find Gale in my room. Distracted by the thought I had forgotten that I hadn't told Aiden about the 'Gale and I almost having sex' moment and a surge of nerves ran through me.
"Wait, what?" Aiden had caught on and now I had to explain. Maybe if I told him once he was here and flashed him an apologetic, sweet look I would be easier to forgive. "I'm on my way" I couldn't tell if he had just looked past what I just said or was determined to find out what I meant but he was on his way and I would soon find out. I heard him knock and my brother let him in, they swapped greetings and compliments and then footsteps where heading closer to my door, I had no idea what sort of mood Aiden would be in. Aiden entered and his face was unreadable but he calmly managed to choke out the words "Did you sleep with Gale?"