Chained Lovers

Chapter 18: The Hope Of Friendship

K I A R A' S P .O .V

I groaned the moment I entered my room. Tristan was sat there, perched on the edge of my bed. His brown strands were messy and ruffled on top of his head. It matched his school boy outfit made my heart beat faster but I wasn't willing to lose my self-control for a cute boy again.

Fuck that had got me in enough trouble already.

"I've been waiting." He spoke calmly, as if already practicing this a thousand times in the mirror.

After Sawyer had left, I spent all of lunch crying in the bathrooms, but I didn't ditch class. I was already behind as it is, so instead I used school to forget my troubles for a few hours and spent some time studying in the library.

I ignored all of Tristan's call, instead I simply texted him and told him to leave. I would catch the bus.

I know, rich girl catching public transport!!! Wow alert the media, but I'm at the point in my life where I honestly don't give a f**k anymore.

"Did I ask?" I retorted, chucking my jumper onto my dresser, and kicking off my shoes.

"Baby-girl, don't do this. Don't shut me out. Not after everything that happened yesterday."

"Yesterday was...I don't know what the f**k yesterday was, but I know that it shouldn't have happened. Any of it." I snapped, proceeding to pull out some comfy sweats for tonight.

"So you do regret our kiss?" I froze in my steps. Regret the kiss? How could I ever regret that kiss?

"Yes, I do." Why the f**k did I just do that? Honestly, I have no f*****g clue.

"You're lying." I looked at him. He always could read me like the back of his hand. It was a gift and a curse all in one.

"You don't know me anymore Tristan."

"But I do." He stood and crossed the room, slowly walking over to me. "I know that you have a cute little mole just above your left hip. I know you hate tomatoes but love ketchup. I know you secretly like to be on top and your favourite colour is blue. It's never changed and never will changed because you decided that when you were six you would never conform to the norms of gender stereotypes. I know you were moved up a grade at age seven but hated it and failed every test so you could be in class with Tessa again. I know you love it when I kiss you here." His lips pressed a butterfly kiss to the special spot on my neck, that always made me gasp. "And your imaginary friend was called George after your first bodyguard who died. I know you pretend to love horror movies but they actually scare you to death. And I know that you felt the same pull that I felt towards you yesterday. I know you loved that kiss, and I know you wouldn't push me away if I did this."

Capturing my lips, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in. I moaned into his mouth, our tongues battling for dominance and this time he let me win.

Fireworks exploded as our tongues clashed and I felt a rush of nostalgia running through my veins.

Stumbling towards the bed, I pushed him down, before climbing onto his lap. Slowly moving my hips, he groaned. The deep sexy sound, causing me to cream my panties further.

My hands slipped into his hair, tugging on the strands, just the way I know he likes it. He flipped us over, his large body pressed against mine, and his lips trailing soft kisses down my not. Pausing for a moment, before latching on with his tongue and forming his mark.

I felt him sit up, and watched with my chest heaving, as he slowly pulled his shirt over his head. Rippled abs and his glorious pecks had me screaming internally.

Bending down, he kissed me again. Wrapping my legs around his waist, as his hand crept up my skirt.

Everything about it felt good. It felt amazing and familiar but...something was wrong.

Pressing my hand to his chest, I pulled away and pushed him off me. I yanked down my skirt, feeling ashamed and embarrassed in myself for being so weak.

Was I really immune to his charms?

"This is wrong." I stated, wanting to give him no room to argue.

"No, it's not." He guided my face right to look at him. His hair was even messier than before and his cheeks were flushed with his swollen lips curled up into as smile. "This is right, this is us."

"It's the old us. The version that ended. I can't do this."

"I don't understand why."

"Because everything is so screwed up right now and I don't need a boyfriend or a f**k buddy. I just need a friend, someone who doesn't want to hang out with me in hopes of getting into my pants.I just want you to be there, and I can't be in a relationship right now, not whilst I'm still hurting."

"So, we're..." He drawled in confusion, as I tried to think of the appropriate thing to say.

"Friends, and besides you're not going anywhere are you?" Smiling, he shook his head.

"No, I'm here to stay."

"Good me too, so we have forever right, and if we're meant to be then, this separation won't matter." Taking a shaky breath, he lifted up his hand to cradle my cheek.

"Do you still love me?" He sounded insecure and raw, as if begging for my reply.

"Forever and always Tristan. Wasn't that what we said?"

"I want to hear you say it, I need to hear you say it. To tell me if there's hope for us." Here it is Kiara, your out. Your freedom being handed to you in a silver platter and all you have to say is that you don't love him. All you have to do is lie.

"I...I do love you. I love you Tristan. I always will." Weak, stupid b***h. You couldn't even lie for him, for yourself. You know that you would both be better off without each other.

He smiled brightly at me. "Well then, I'll wait. And fight for you. Whatever it takes, but I won't stop until you're in my arms Kiara, or until you tell me to stop." He got up and walked out my room without a second glance.

***

I padded down the stairs, pulling off my reading glasses to rub my eyes, as I stifled a yawn.

"Long day sweetheart," My mum's voice rang, as I reached the bottom stair and slowly made my way over to her.

"You could say that. Why is life so hard mummy?" I let my head fall onto her lap, whilst her hand stroked my hair soothingly.

A mother's touch was exactly what I needed. She always knew what to do in any situation. I swear, sometime it's like she's physic.

"What's wrong sweetie?"

"Nothing mum." I muttered under my breath, shakily wiping away a tear.

"Are you forgetting that I gave birth to you? I know when something is wrong with one of my babies." I couldn't even tell my own mother at the risk of my father finding out. He would lose his s**t, proven when he almost shot Tristan.

"It's just stuff." Like she would buy this bullshit.

"Is it boy stuff?" When I didn't reply, she let out a frustrated sigh and pulled me up. "Kiara I'm not an i***t. I know that you date boys and do stuff, your father is just oblivious and in denial. Tell me sweetie, you can even leave out the names. I just want to help you."

"Well, there's this guy."

"That's how all these stories start." She giggled, causing me to smile, as I lifted my legs up onto the couch.

"He seems perfect for me and I love him. I know that for sure but... he hurt me, so much that I don't think we can ever move past it, even though I want too so bad."

"Has he apologised?" Glancing up at her, I nodded solemnly. "And you still don't feel like you can forgive him?"

"I can forgive him, I just don't know if I can forget."

"Then don't forget. Kiara before you try and move on, you have to accept what's already happened. You have to come to terms with the past before you can move onto the future, so I suggest you take some time for yourself. Clear you own mind and focus on you, if he's worth it, he'll wait for you."

She let my head fall onto her shoulder, her arm wrapping around my waist. "Anything else?"

She said no names. I could tell her all about Aaron if I didn't mention his name, and although she probably knows about Tristan, she would never in a million years guess that Aaron is the other man consuming my thoughts.

"Yes actually, there's another guy. And he...completely changed everything. I never saw him as anything other than a friend but since we've been hanging out...I don't know things just feel different."

"Different how."

"Good different. I love spending time with him and when I'm around him, I just feel like I can be myself but he's bad mum. Really bad, and I'm scared. Scared of my feelings, scared of what could happen.."

"Are you scared of him?" Deep down, a part of me knew that Aaron would never hurt me. No matter what happened he would never physically cause me pain but emotionally, I wasn't sure.

"No, I'm not scared of him. I'm scared of what he makes me feel though. He's dangerous, unpredictable and those words in themselves have me terrified. I found out he did something, as well. Something that could change everything. He told me he had changed for the better and yet, apparently he's still up to his old tricks. I don't know what to do anymore."

"Sweetie, you should talk to him." Talk to him? That was the last thing on my mind right now.

"You need to get his point of view, and then you can make a decision."

"So, if he admits it then I tell him to f**k off and leave?" She belched out a laugh and pressed a kiss onto my forehead.

"Oh my baby, please stay young forever."

"Muuuumm!! Tell me what to do?"

"No sweetie, you find out the truth and do what you heart tells you to do in the moment. If it says leave, then go, but if a tiny part of it wants you to stay, then you should."

"What are my favourite girls talking about?" My dad said cheerily, bending down to kiss both our cheeks. I stared at my mum with wide eyes as my brain froze up.

"Graduation. We were just discussing which outfit our baby is going to wear." She smoothly lied. I was impressed.

All these years I thought I had inherited my amazing ability to lie from my father, which is why it sometimes didn't work on him, but maybe it was mum? She was a mafia wife after all.

"Kiara was just going to go to Tessa's." I jumped at my mother's voice and nodded with a smile on my face.

"Yep, we gotta study for the finals."

"Don't be back too late. It's dangerous out there."

"I know daddy and don't worry I'll be fine. Bye," I smiled, kissing both my parents goodbye, before leaving the house. I didn't the miss the subtle wink my mum gave me though before I left

I really did have the coolest mum on planet Earth.

***

I arrived at Aaron's house and the car skidded slightly as I quickly pulled the brake down. Throwing the door open, I stormed out and headed straight to the oak door, knocking violently until I heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

The door swung open forcefully, revealing Aaron's perfect face, fury written all over it. His harsh glare softened slightly as he saw me and confusion replaced anger.

"Princess? What are you doing here?" I didn't reply as I pushed past him, and threw open his office door.

"Is it true?" I blurted out the moment he shut the door.

"Is what true?" He tread over to me carefully, as if approaching some wild animal that would attack at any second.

"Have you been sending Tristan threatening messages after you swore to me that all that crap would end?"

"Actually I promised never to hurt you again, Tristan is a completely different story. He not only left you heart broken Kiara, but he betrayed the Ghosts, he betrayed me and I don't let snakes slip away."

"He knows!" I screamed out, frustration and anger rushing through my body.

"What? How?" His signature smirk had dropped, turning into a frown.

"He found your number and recognised it instantly. I had to tell him that I'd forgiven you and we were friends now. I told him all about how you helped me and you've changed but, he didn't believe a word. Instead he told me about how you hadn't changed, about how you were threatening him. Please tell me you'll stop." I turned to begging, to pleading but I was desperate.

His whole body stiffened. "I can't do that."

You can't have feeling for someone who isn't willing to try. Get out before he hurts you.

"Then, I'm sorry but we can't be friends, or associates of any kind. Goodbye Aaron." I barely whispered it, a part of me slowly shattering as the words left my mouth.

Our story was ending before it had even begun.

As I strode out the room, it felt as though there was a piece of rope slowly pulling me back in but I pushed forward. I couldn't stay, knowing it would just end in tears

"Wait!" My body stilled. I slowly turned and gulped as I took in his beautiful form.

He was shirtless, exposing his sinful tattoos that I longed to trace with my tongue, and a trail of hair which led to the monster he kept hidden in his pants. Then, I looked up at his face.

His lip was trembling slightly, his hands slack at his sides and ocean eyes that relayed a thousand emotions all at once.

"I'll stop, I promise and I'll try to be better. Princess, I..I never had a..friend like you before. I normally just f**k girls and dump them, but you...perhaps it's because we've slept together before or you're the only girl who puts up a fight. There's just something that keeps me drawing me towards you and I want to find out what it is. I can't really do that if we're not friends anymore, can I? So, I want to try and be better, for you. I'll forget my revenge crusade, I'll forget Tristan and focus on the future, which I hope, will include you." I felt butterflies flutter instead my stomach as he uttered each word. "As a friend, of course."

The smirk on his face said it all, and I found myself doing the unthinkable. I crossed the room and hugged him.

Sure, I had kissed him, pecked his cheek and even f****d him but I had never hugged him. Even after we slept together, I left the moment we both came.

"Thank you," I whispered softly, his body slowly relaxing as his arms wrapped around my waist to hug me back.

"Anything for you Princess." I smiled at his words pulling back, only to find myself momentarily lost in his eyes. His arms squeezed my waist and slowly, I leaned in. My eyes focusing in on his gorgeous lips.

Fuck, I was about to kiss Aaron Black? Sober!

"Aaron, you're missing the movie!" A high pitched voice whined, causing us both to look to our right.

A young girl was stood at the door, her arms crossed with a frown marring her beautiful face. Her hair was honey blonde yet, her strikingly blue eyes gave her away instantly.

Aaron's little sister.

"I'm sorry Caity, I'm coming okay. Me and my..friend were just having adult talk."

"Aaron I know adult talk is code for making out, I'm not nine anymore." I couldn't help but burst out into laughter, whilst Aaron turned pale.

"Who taught you that word?"

"Gossip girl. Now, can we please finish

High School Musical? Your friend can stay if you like." I smiled at the young girl, who in way reminded me of my younger self.

"She doesn't want to..."

"I would love to stay." I said, cutting Aaron off. I for one, was dying to see how Aaron interacted with his little sister.

"Yay, we have pizza."

"My favourite, and I love High School Musical." She squealed, running back into the living room. I laughed as I turned back to face Aaron.

"You're going to regret this, she's obsessed with that movie."

"Well, I'm in love with it." He chuckled, before letting out a tired sigh.

"Are you sure you wanna do this? You don't have to stay."

"I want to and besides, isn't that friends do? Watch movies and eat pizza."

"I suppose, but get ready for the loudest night of your life. Caity loves singing all the songs."

"So do I," I winked, turning on my heel, and swaying my hips to the side. I giggled to myself as I felt his eyes on my ass.

This was going to be a fun night indeed.

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A/N: So, we got a little Tristan and Aaron in this chapter and of course our favourite mama, Gabi.

I honestly wish my mum was as understanding as her. ?

Who are you shipping her with though? That's my question. ?