Uncharted Hearts: From Casual to Forever

018~ THAT

Aria

This week has dragged on like a never-ending saga, and to top it off, it's still stuck on Thursday.

Ugh!

But that's not the root of my frustration, oh no. It's been an excruciating couple of days since that insufferable jerk kissed me outside the bar, pretending like he wanted a lifetime commitment.

Not a single call, not even a lousy text.

Just to set the record straight, he didn't utter a word about forever. Instead, he threw in the revelation of this palpable, thick s****l tension between you two that apparently couldn't be ignored. And to keep things time-stamped, it was on Tuesday that the two of you shared a kiss. Not exactly a distant memory!

Tuesday feels like an eternity without a word. It's like I had an unforgettable night with someone, and now he's pulling a classic ghosting move, treating our encounter like a fleeting one-night stand. Lying on my bed, I made a firm resolution not to spare him a single glance the next time our paths crossed.

Can you really do that?

Damn, I detested feeling so damn desperate. What the hell possessed me to let him kiss me?

Hold on, weren't you the one who initiated the damn kiss?

I flung my legs in frustration, using the duvet to bury my face as I unleashed a scream, muffled by the fabric. Curse that damn alcohol; it didn't even do its job properly. Wasn't I supposed to be blissfully oblivious to everything after that night? Instead, I found myself painfully sober the next day, stuck replaying the regrettable initiative I took.

Pulling the duvet just below my nose, a blush crept onto my face as I reminisced about the sensation of his lips against mine. Good Lord, I was so overcome with desire that I would have probably let him have his way right then and there. But that's not the freaking point!

The guy you kissed has pulled a Houdini on you, and here you are, contemplating the memory of his lips. Where the hell is your self-respect, for crying out loud?

I sat up on the bed, a cascade of hair framing my face. With a flick, I blew the hair away. The sudden trill of my phone sliced through the air, and I practically lunged toward the edge of the bed to snatch it. As the device danced in my hand, I rolled over with a smile, expecting Lucas. Instead, Brian's name mocked me from the screen, and my smile crumbled into a grimace.

In my Lucas-infused daydreams, I'd almost forgotten I was still in a relationship. s**t! The weight of guilt settled on me as the realization of my infidelity hit hard. The relationship might not be real, but cheating is cheating.

Damn it.

Brian's voice pierced through my internal debate. "How was your day?"

"It was fine," I replied, guilt tugging at my conscience like an incessant nag.

If only he'd bothered to return my calls earlier, maybe this wouldn't feel so wrong. Yet, that doesn't excuse cheating.

Yeah, it doesn't excuse it.

"I received your message. I was busy; that's why it took long to reply," he explained.

Always busy, nothing new there.

"You mentioned we needed to talk urgently. I also have something to say," he confessed nervously.

"You go first," I suggested, bracing myself for the impending revelation.

"There's this girl I met, the night you travelled..." He paused, and I could already sense the direction this conversation was heading.

"Okay," I urged him to continue.

"I haven't done anything serious with her yet, and we can both agree that this relationship isn't working," he admitted.

I blurted out, "I kissed someone on Tuesday." The confession hung between us like a charged atmosphere.

"Wow, we both cheated," he said, his tone laced with amusement.

At least, we were both on the same page. A clean breakup seemed like a welcome relief. Getting that off my chest felt liberating.

After the breakup call with Brian, I found myself sprawled on the bed, my gaze fixed on the ceiling. Maybe I should give up on relationships since it never went well for me. I will just be single till I find someone who loves me like I do.

Someone like Lucas Walker?

But reality scoffed at such notions. His failure to reach out after the kiss loomed over the horizon like a glaring red flag. Damn it, he had been a walking red flag since the day I met him, and yet, I allowed myself to be entangled in his charm.

Maybe you should try calling him

A daring suggestion sprouted in my mind. But hesitation gripped me – the fear of appearing desperate, needy, and exposed.

Yet, a brutally honest part of me, reminded me of my own desires and the raw, unbridled lust that had entwined itself with my emotions. The truth stung – my thoughts had been consumed with the tantalizing image of being with him.

Let's not play the innocent card, shall we?

Shit! I'm succumbing to my desires, forgetting this is Lucas we're talking about. If I keep getting closer, I might be the last one standing with a broken heart. Still...

"Have you seen Leah?" Ivy's voice pierced through the room, drawing my attention towards the door.

She stood by my door in a long-sleeved crop top and denim shorts. Her shades rested effortlessly atop her head.

"No idea. Are you going out?" I inquired, propping myself up on the bed.

"I am heading over to Jaxson's place," she responded, arching a brow. "And yes, he will be there," she added, a knowing look in her eyes, as if she sensed my unspoken curiosity about Lucas.

"I wasn't going to ask about him," I muttered, attempting to deny my interest.

"It was written all over your face," she pointed out with a sly grin. Leaning against the door frame, she continued, "He's been in a pretty foul mood, though. Jax said it had something to do with his mother, and he's not sharing the details with anyone."

She rested her head against the door, her gaze fixed on an invisible horizon.

I wondered if his sour mood was the reason for his ghosting. It has to be. He wouldn't just ghost me like that, right?

Again, this happened on Tuesday!

Speaking of his mom, I realized I knew almost nothing about her. Then again, I wasn't exactly close to him. So much for three years of friendship. Well, to be fair, most of those three years were spent, well, you know... so there wasn't much time for getting to know each other.

"I know he's different with you, but I still don't approve of your relationship. Then again, you're old enough to decide who you want to be with, so... don't fall in love; it isn't worth it," Ivy said, with a lazy smile.

Too late. I fell a long time ago.

My mom entered the room immediately and asked, her eyes scanning the room, "Have you seen Leah?"

Ivy shook her head, "No, I was just asking Aria about her."

Curiosity etched across my face, I questioned, "Why are you looking for Leah? She hasn't gone missing."

My mom, followed by Ivy, entered the room. "Well, I haven't heard from her, and it's not like Leah to be out of touch for this long."

As my phone chimed, I glanced at the screen resting on my bed. "Leah's calling," I announced with a smile, waving my phone at them. "Speak of the devil."

My mom gestured for me to put the call on speaker as she and Ivy took their places on my bed. I picked up the call.

"It was a man," Leah said over the phone.

I exchanged confused glances with my mom before I asked, "What was a man?"

In a moment of gripping anticipation, Leah took a deliberate deep breath and dropped the bombshell, "Liam was cheating on me with a man. The dude was gay all this while, and I didn't know."

The revelation hung in the air, leaving a trail of stunned silence in its wake.

"The hell," Leah spat, snatching the phone away from my hand. "Where are you? Where the hell is that bastard?" She demanded, standing up and clenching her fist.

"Calm down, Ivy, let her finish," my mom intervened, attempting to pacify Ivy, but she was beyond pissed. The tension in the room crackled as emotions ran high.

I sat down, processing the whirlwind of information. It turned out he was having an affair with another man. How should I even feel about this revelation?

A cheater trying to judge another cheater.

Come on, we've settled my own issue!

Liam didn't strike me as gay. Well, it's not like it's written on anyone's face. But why the hell would he marry my sister when he was gay and even get her pregnant? Wait, was he straight and later turned gay? At what point did he realize he was gay?

That's not the point, damn it! The whole situation had taken a bizarre turn, and clarity seemed to be on vacation.

"I thought I called, Aria. Calm down, Ivy. There's no need for you to come over here," Leah assured.

I hadn't noticed that she wasn't crying. She just saw her husband with another man, and she's acting like it happens to every married couple. The calm in her voice, despite the chaos of emotions, was surprising.

"You know I can find you, right? Just tell me where he is."

"We are at the hospital," Leah sighed.

"What are you doing in a hospital?" I and my mom exclaimed simultaneously, the surprise evident in our voices.

"Liam... His brother beat him unconscious. He has a busted lip, a few broken bones, probably, and even though the doctor said he wasn't in a life-threatening situation, I don't think he can take any more beating. So, Ivy, stay back," Leah revealed.

Ivy rubbed her forehead, seemingly trying to calm herself down. My mom took the phone from Ivy.

"Are you okay?" my mom inquired, concern lacing her voice.

"Yes, Mom, I cried when I saw them. It was shocking and heartbreaking, but I feel a lot better now. It didn't hurt as much as it should, maybe because I was preparing myself for it," she shared, and I could sense the hint of a smile in her words.

I found it hard to read my sister these days. Was she pretending to be okay, or was she genuinely okay? The emotional complexity of the situation left me questioning the true extent of her feelings.

"I'll come to pick you up. You should have told one of us if you were going to face him. Think of your state. What if something happened to you or the baby?"

"Baby?" Ivy asked, clearly shocked, turning to my mom.

"What baby?" My father queried from the doorway.

When did he get here?

"Aria?" Leah questioned from the other side of the call.

Everyone turned to innocent me, sitting on the bed. I laughed nervously, shifting on my ass uncomfortably.

Okay, maybe I spilt the beans about Leah's pregnancy to my mom when she explicitly asked me not to. In my defence, Mom wouldn't let me be until I spilt the details. So I wasn't a snitch.

Snitch!