Chapter 70 — The Party

Emily's POV

As the song ended, I removed my arms from around Aaron's neck and took a step back.

Both of us danced for a while and all this time I was only thinking about how I wanted to be anywhere but here.

Noah was back to ignoring me and I couldn't help but glance his way once in a while, just to make sure he was still in the hall.

At least this way I had a chance to have him in front of my eyes.

Aaron noticed my eyes roaming around the hall a couple of times but chose to ignore it. I was sure he even noticed how apathetic I was towards the dance, but hey you couldn't blame me. I was planning on breaking up with the boy in a few hours.

I excused myself from Aaron and walked to where the sweets were to fill my growling stomach with something before I starved to death.

Lost in thoughts, me being me, obviously bumped into someone and almost fell down if it wasn't for the generous person who decided to hold me up and keep me from falling on my butt. 

"I'm so sorry," I said and quickly stepped back from the stranger.

"It's okay," a deep raspy voice chuckled and I looked up from the ground to see a boy, probably my age with green eyes staring at me with a hint of amusement and curiosity in his eyes.

"We haven't met yet, have we?" the stranger asked and smiled and I shook my head no. He seemed like a nice person but there was something about his smile that was kind of edgy.

Or maybe I had become way too judgmental.

"I don't think so," I mumbled and looked around, hoping to catch a peek of Noah.

He took a step closer and I subconsciously took one back, obviously fazed by the fact of having a stranger invade my personal space.

He took my hand in his and kissed it, "You can call me Lu—"

"Hands to yourself, dickhead," an oh so familiar voice said from beside me and my heart leaped out of its chest only by hearing Noah's voice.

"Well well well, look who do we have here," the stranger rolled his eyes and let go of my hand, taking a step back.

"Luke," Noah nodded and the boy who's name I assumed was Luke smirked.

"Noah," he said in the same tone.

"Well, won't you introduce me to the pretty lady here?" Luke smirked as Noah's hand slid into mine and I immediately drowned myself in his scent, taking a step way too close to him.

God, I missed him.

"I don't think that's necessary," Noah shrugged with the same nonchalance. His face devoid of any kind of emotion.

"Oh, let me put the pieces together. So, darling, you happen to be this douche's girlfriend if I'm not wrong," he asked me and his smirk grew wider that creeped me out enough to tighten my hold on Noah's hand.

I opened my mouth to deny it but Noah beat me to it, "Yes."

It was officially safe to say that my jaw dropped to the floor and my eyes popped out of their sockets.

Noah was lying and I knew Luke would catch it as soon as he would see me with Aaron but I went with it nevertheless.

Pretending for a while wouldn't hurt, now would it?

Then suddenly out of nowhere, William popped up with Kane Jasper by his side and put his arm around my shoulder.

"Kane, meet Emily, Noah's f—

"—girlfriend" Noah interrupted him and William's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. He looked at Noah, then at me then back at Noah and shrugged.

"—Noah's girlfriend and a daughter to me," he kissed my temple and I embraced his fatherly warmth. Something that I never got before.

I didn't know what was happening and honestly, I didn't even want to know.

Suddenly out of the blue, I was Noah's girlfriend and he was standing beside me with his hand in mine with his father on my other side with his arm around my shoulders.

Did I miss something?

"Nice to meet you, Emily," Kane Jasper took my hand in his and kissed it.

"Likewise," I mumbled and looked down towards the ground, suddenly finding it very fascinating to look at.

I wasn't used to all this attention.

My dad never took me out on his business dealings and never introduced me to anyone. Whenever some of his colleagues would come to our house he would just shrug my presence off or simply tell them that I was his daughter.

No one had ever shown this much love and respect to me like the men on either side of me did and I realized how much I've grown fond of them.

They were now a very integral part of my life. A part I'd never want to lose.

"I believe you've met my son already?" Mr. Jasper patted Luke's shoulder and I realized that indeed Luke had the same color of eyes as Mr. Jasper did.

"Yes," I smiled shyly and he nodded, and of course Luke grinned.

I didn't know what was it but the aura that Luke seemed to carry around him made him look like a villain in disguise, straight out of a movie.

"So we'll leave you, kids, to doing whatever you were previously doing," William removed his hand from around my shoulders and smiled at me.

 He and Mr. Jasper made their way back to the group of suited and booted businessmen, leaving me with the two boys behind.

"We should also go now. Excuse us," Noah said to Luke and started dragging me far away from him. When he made sure that we were out of his line of sight only then he let go of my hand and I wished that he didn't.

"What was tha—"

"He wasn't a good company to be around," Noah shrugged, probably knowing that it would be the first question I'd ask him.

I regretted it the moment it slipped out of my tongue. It made it seem like I didn't like it. Like I didn't like the idea of being his girlfriend.

Why am I so pathetic?

"Oh."

"Now he'd quit hitting on you," he gave me a smile that was nowhere even near to his actual smile and I felt my heart sink in my chest.

"Thanks," I mumbled and cast my eyes downwards, not knowing what to say next.

I didn't want him to go just yet. I wanted us to be back to the Cupcake and Lunatic we used to be.

When he wouldn't let me walk out on him. When he would always find a way to hang around me. When we didn't have to think about anything before we spoke in front of the other. When we would find comfort even in the silence between us.

Was this what time had brought us to?

Noah opened his mouth, as if to say something and closed it as soon as he saw something behind me.

More like someone.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me close to a chest. I sighed, knowing very well who it was and how it would've been better if he hadn't just decided to pop up.

"I've been looking for you everywhere, babe," Aaron nuzzled in my neck and I started to feel uncomfortable.

Sure I was his girlfriend but as I mentioned before, we were never more than a quick hug or a small peck.

On the cheek.

Or forehead.

I would've sword I saw a hint of hurt in Noah's cold expressions but he quickly masked it like he was doing for the past few days and walked away without bothering to glance back at us.

At me.

"What are you doing, Aaron?" I asked as I turned around removing his hands from around my waist and holding them in mine.

"Holding my girlfriend," he grinned and that was when I noticed his bloodshot eyes. I brought my mouth closer to his and smelled his breath.

HE WAS REEKING OF ALCOHOL.

"Aaron have you been drinking?!" I asked, immediately taking a step back.

"Just a lil," he slurred and I shook my head in disappointment. I didn't expect him to be this careless. He was my ride for tonight and seeing his present condition I didn't even think he would be able to drive.

"You were supposed to drive me back," I exclaimed and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Oh c'mon, I've driven hundreds of times in drunken state. It's nothing I'm not used to," he shrugged it off but I still wasn't completely convinced.

"If you say so...." I trailed off as my eyes went to the exit and I saw Noah walking out.

He was leaving after all.

I sighed and took Aaron's hand, making our way towards the nearest table and sitting down I decided to listen to the band that was playing on the stage.

Almost half an hour passed and I was getting more and more uncomfortable sitting here doing absolutely nothing other than to stare at the ornamentations so I decided to go to the restroom.

I excused myself from Aaron and walked towards the restroom.

Noah didn't come back after he left and I decided to give up waiting and ask Aaron to take me back home too.

I really hoped we could've made a proper conversation tonight but seemed like luck wasn't on my side tonight as well.

I roamed aimlessly around, taking in the surroundings and fixing my hair by running a hand through it every once in a while.

I really didn't need to use the restroom. I just wanted a little space from Aaron. I didn't know why but his presence was making me uncomfortable and I was finding it rather odd, seeing as he used to be the one I counted on whenever I messed up something related to Noah.

I decided to go back and tell him to take me back home. I had made up my mind on telling him about the kiss tonight and breaking up with him and was still hoping for it to go well.

As I walked back into the hall, I saw that the table on which I left Aaron was empty. My eyes roamed all around the hall for a certain blonde and when I found no traces of him I decided to look around or ask someone about him.

After looking for about ten minutes in every corner of the hall I gave up trying and sat on a chair near the exit. I saw Liam, an employee from our restaurant walking around with hands hooked with a girl I wasn't sure I knew.

"Hey, Liam! By any chance have you seen Aaron?" I asked and he nodded towards the door.

"I'm not sure but I think I saw him walking out a while ago," he said, and I thanked him before making my way out as well.

Maybe he got bored and decided to sit in the car and wait for me?

"I should've checked in the car earlier," I muttered to myself as my eyes tried to find any traces of a black Prius that Aaron owned or a blonde boy.

I found Aaron's car parked in the far end corner of the lot and started walking towards it, hoping for him to be in it.

I reached his car and frowned when I didn't see him in there.

Where could've he possibly gone?

I checked all around, making sure to see all the benches, most of which are empty, and leaned against the car when I realized that neither Noah nor Aaron were anywhere to be seen and I was all alone in a place I knew nothing about.

Sure William was still there but calling out to him when he was with his friends and business partners, was the last thing I wanted to do.

I walked a little more further into a kind of alley from where I heard some noises and hoped that it was Aaron.

Sure enough, as I took a step closer Aaron walked out fixing his tie and rubbing his neck.

His eyes widened as he saw me but he quickly recovered and walked up to me.

I was about to open my mouth and ask him where the hell had he been but stopped when I realized that he wasn't alone in there.

Maria walked out with her makeup all smudged on her face and her hair all over the place.

At first, I was utterly bewildered as to what Aaron and Maria had to do on this side of the place but quickly put the pieces together and felt my heart squeeze in my chest.

Aaron was cheating on me.

How had I not noticed that before? All those times when Maria and Aaron were missing and were nowhere to be found in the restaurant. All those times when I saw Maria victoriously smirk at me like she had something I didn't and all those times when I saw her makeup all over her face.

How did I not notice that it was Aaron all along?

"Come on, let's go," Aaron put his hand on the small of my back and led me to his car.

Surprisingly I didn't feel like crying or yelling at him or anything on that matter, seeing as I just found my so-called boyfriend cheating on me. Sure I was a bit hurt as it was totally unexpected but it was okay with me as I did the same thing to him by kissing Noah.

I didn't even realize when we buckled up in the car and were probably off to my place. Aaron didn't say anything all ride and I found it rather funny that how right now he would be planning on telling me that how we couldn't work out together and we needed to move on and all that I was planning on telling him tonight.

Look what fate brought me.

I wasn't even nervous about breaking up with him anymore. All along I thought I would hurt his feelings if I'd do so but seeing as he was already happy with Maria made it much easier for me.

I climbed out of the car as we came to a stop and fixed my dress before making my way towards Aaron's side.

It's about time.

"Aaron," I said and took a step closer and he did the same, probably expecting me to start bawling right now.

"I wanted to tell you something," I said.

"Me too," Aaron replied, and before I could ask him what was it and how he should be the one to start the conversation he did something totally unexpected, and yet again I found myself completely trapped.

He smashed his lips onto mine.

*********

I see love In your eyes 

Yet you only 

Tell me lies You are a mystery 

A perfect leisure 

I'm craving to solve 

And to treasure You are a diamond 

In all those stones You are my Cupcake 

With ice cones Eyes enclosing 

A whole ocean You are deadly Yet a peaceful potion