Chapter 16 16

Chapter 16 16
JAXON’S POV

I should just go straight back to my dorm, that was the initial plan; I would just walk out, with my head down, music in and no thinking, no spiraling either, just the clear distance between me and everything I didn't want to feel.

But as usual, the universe had other plans.

“Jaxon.”

The familiar voice I was running from called, as manipulative and annoying as usual.

Slowly, I turned.

Aria stood a few feet away, arms crossed, eyes shining with something i couldn't exactly give a name. Her makeup was still perfect, but the cracks were there if you looked closely. The tension in her jaw glaring enough, and her hands trembling.

“What do you want?” I asked, already tired.

“I want to show you something.”

I frowned. “Now’s not a good time.”

She stepped closer. “It’ll only take a minute, I promise." Something in her tone made my skin prickle.

Desperation? Curiousity? Fear... I didn't know which exactly. "I would have loved to, you know.."

She noticed my hesitation and pushed harder. "Please, Jaxon. Just come with me." She whispered. "If not for anything, because you owe me that much."

Owe, the word stuck in my chest, I hated to be a debtor.

Before I could respond, Alberto appeared from behind me, hands in his jacket pockets, his eyes flickering between us. “Uh… am I interrupting?”

“No." I said.

“yes,” Aria said at the same time.

Alberto sighed and stepped closer. “Look, man. I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but maybe you should hear her out. Just… talk about it and you know... Clear the air.”

I stared at him like he had grown a third eye.

He lowered his voice. “You’re already wound up. Ignoring it won’t help.”

I looked back at Aria, her eyes were pleading now, and against my better judgment, I nodded.

“Fine,” I said. “Five minutes.”

Her face lit up like she’d won something, she didn’t take me to campus back to campus, or anywhere near people. Instead, she led me down the street, past the lit shops and late-night cafés, until we stopped in front of a hotel.

"A hotel?" My stomach dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Not just any hotel, but one close to where Lyra walked, the bar was barely a block away.

She turned to me, eyes wide. “It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it like?” I snapped.

She hesitated, not too long, just enough for the truth to glance across her face.

She wanted to have me trapped, alone and took close to find an escape route.

I exhaled slowly, so that was the plan all along?

Forced proximity, leaving my hands tied and me without any choice, the first whisper that came to my mind was to walk away.

And I wanted to, I almost did, but something in metired, angry, recklessdecided to see it through.

“Fine,” I said flatly. “You have five minutes.”

Her relief was instant, she led me in, to the elevator and down the long hallways. She smiled at the receptionist without getting questioned. And that meant something... She was already lodged here.

Her arm brushed mine, and swiftly I moved away. She pretended not to notice.

When we reached the room, she unlocked the door and stepped aside, watching me like I might disappear if she blinked.

I walked in and turned to her. “You wanted to show me something?”

She hesitated, then she moved closer, too close for me to remain comfortable.

“I just… I miss you,” she said. “I miss us.”

My chest tightened, not with longing, but frustration.

“Aria..."

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out without thinking, the perfect distraction we both needed.

A message about Lyra's whereabouts.

'She's in the bar.. thank me later."

My eyes lit up in excitement, and at once I turned to Aria. “I need to get something downstairs,” I said quickly.

Her brows furrowed. “What? We haven't even spoken yet."

“I’ll be right back.” I said, and before she could argue, I was already moving.

The club was barely a block away, and before I could step out of the hotel, I could hear the loud music.

In a few minutes, I was standing in there club, and weird thing's that, she was the first person I saw, standing near the entrance, her hair catching the light, her posture calm and she looked as enchanting as always.

For a second, I forgot how to breathe, and tried to walk past her, I really did, assuring myself that I needed to ensure she was good, nothing more.

She turned at the same time, and our eyes met, and just like every other time, something electric snapped between us.

Neither of us spoke.

Then a guy stepped up beside her, he was tall, and just as I was about to assume he was just some dude, he bent to her ear and whispered something I couldn't hear.

She smiled politely, and my chest burned. I should be the only one capable of bringing out that enchanting smile of hers.

I told myself to walk away, but I couldn't... Not when she was with some dude, standing too close.

The guy leaned in closer, and that was all I needed to lose it completely.

How dare he! Before I could stop myself, I was there, grabbing his collar, shoving him back.

“What the hell, man?” he shouted.

I hit him, the sound echoed, and the music stoped as gasps broke out around us.

He swung back, catching my jaw, I barely felt it, all I could see was Lyra's face, looking surprised, wide eyes, and unreadable.

I hit him again, then someone screamed, hands tried to pull me back, but I shrugged them off.

Then I heard her voice. "Jaxon, stop!”

Aria, I wished it was Lyra who spoke instead of her.

She stood a few feet away, horror and fury twisting her face as she took in the scene, with jealousy burning in her eyes.

“Stop it!” she yelled again, but I didn’t, until the guy went down, and I tood over him, breathing hard, fists shaking.

From the side of my eyes, I could see Lyra. She wasn't crying, not scared or angry. Instead, she was smiling not too openly though, but enough, and she was smirking at something or someone.

Following her gaze they led me to Aria, glaring at me with her hands balled in a fist, and at that moment I realized that everything just changed...