Possessive Rich Bully

Chapter 5

Playlist - Brutal by Olivia Rodrigo

Astoria

the tragedy of fourteen...

I sighed, dropping my shoulders back. I had nothing planned for the weekend and the most exciting thing I did today was to sort out my closet. My social life was bland and I should probably blame Axel for the lack of it.

He made sure to insert himself in each one of my plans and bully my friends to act according to his will. I sometimes really found it hard to like him.

Especially, on days like these—him having the time of his life on a camping trip with his friends, and I, suffering the blues of being left out or rather unable to convince my grandparents into letting me go on a trip with boys.

Unfair.

I pranced out my front door and was met with my grandfather’s inquisitive eyes.

“Where are you off to, biscuit?” Papa asked me. A shovel in his hand. He must be working on decorating and planting the garden with various plants.

“I have plans with Peter to finish algebra homework.”

“Be back before dinner, okay.”

“Yeah.”

I headed straight to get my bicycle out of our little garage. Book in the basket, feets on the pedal, I cycled the long way to Peter’s neighborhood.

Autumn air waved a goodbye to this town as it was blemished with chill in it which entailed winter was just around the corner. My favourite time of the year.

I loved everything about winter, especially the holidays. The only thing I dreaded were my upcoming midterms. I felt so under prepared for it and with Peter’s constant help, I would fail a lot of my classes.

He was such a good friend.

I made a mental note to bake him my sticky date pudding, the next time we met for our study session.

Peter lived in a dainty little neighbourhood where everyone knew each other. The streets were safe and there were parks and greenery. Kids were having a blast among themselves.

I rode on my bicycle, smiling to myself and feeling a pang of longing. I longed for a life where it was okay to live without a care. To be a kid and not stress about the future.

My future was still very uncertain, but I had to work hard to make it better.

Peter’s quaint two storey house came into view. He was waiting by his mailbox and immediately smiled when he saw me.

“You're late. I thought you had bailed on me.” He looked relieved to see me.

I scrunched up my nose. “And risk the chance of failing algebra? No thanks.”

“C'mon, let's go in.”

I tucked my bike safely next to his own and followed his lead. Once inside, I greeted his mom and went straight upstairs, to his bedroom.

I frowned when I noticed Jessica and Louis hadn’t showed up to our study session yet.

I placed my books on his study table and turned to face him. “Where are the rest of the gang?” Peter, for some reason looked everywhere, but me.

“Jess had a dentist appointment and Louis is down with a stomach ache. They had no option, but to cancel our session.”

I found it difficult to believe every word he said and my face must have given away my reluctance to buy his excuse.

“That’s why I was worried that you were going to bail on me too,” he added.

Still not fully convinced, I decided to let it go and start studying for our upcoming test.

Halfway through our study session, Peter’s mom serves delicious mouth-watering cookies and I actually gulp it down, uncaring to what Peter would think of my hogging.

I caught Peter staring intently at me with an amused tilt on his lips. It immediately made my skin blush.

“What?” I mumbled under my breath.

He just smiled and shook his head and we returned our attention back to the numbers in front of us.

I pulled on my cardigan closer to my skin, loving the warmth it provided. I fell back on the and let out a yawn. I had understood as much as I could in the past two hours and if I pushed myself any further, I might actually vomit the learnt methods.

“I am so done with numbers. They're definitely not my favourite.” I told him. “I am not sure how you do it. You're like a magician.”

He made a pssh sound and waved me off. “I am just decent at it.”

I stared down at him. “Oh, please,” I said, calling out his bullshit. “You're a math and science genius. Even Louis and Jess, then there's me; the hopeless case of your trio.”

“Hey, it's no longer a trio. It's a gang.”

“Hmm…”

Honestly, it felt as if Peter had instructed Louis and Jess to be nice with me. I was a s**t friend to them because most of my time was spent either hanging out with Axel or trying to stay away from him.

He was clingy. Yet I hated the times when he had to entertain his other friends, the ones that matched his social standard. Nowadays, it feels like he's slipping further away from me.

I am always left alone. I don't mix well with his friends and he has no intention to even introduce me to them. I remembered the time Axel had ordered me to not show myself whenever his friends were present in his house.

That hurt deeply.

Well, I had no right to protest against his crazy rule, after all they were his friends and I was merely the help’s granddaughter.Sometimes his brash coldness bothered me. But I was still trying to get used to feeling like I'd somehow grown to care about Axel more than what can be considered as normal.

He was still my best friend, but I am sure whether I'll remain his best friend.

Our next academic year will answer all my worries, because high school can really bring out the ugly truth within people.

I just hope my best friend remains mine.

I marched over Peter’s bed and slumped into it, resting my back against the softness of the mattress.

“I feel so tired.” I really did, because Axel thought it would be funny to wake me early in the morning to bid him goodbye. God, he infuriated me.

“Uhm…” Peter cleared his throat. “Do you want to take a quick nap?”

My eyes were halfway closed. “Will your mom mind if I did?”

“No, she won't.” His response was almost immediate. “But before you doze off… I want to ask you something.”

“Yeah?” I managed to get the word out.

“Is something going on between you and Trent?”

That instantly washed away my drowsiness and I was wide alert and up from my sleeping position.

“What makes you think of that?” I was annoyed at him for reading a lot into my friendship with Axel and I think I was even more annoyed at myself for not dismissing his question.

He scratched his neck, shrugging a little. “Because he's always there with you. Everywhere.”

“So?”

“It’s not just that, he's very possessive of you and just won't take his eyes off your face. Last week when I invited you to watch a movie at my place, he showed up unannounced and I bet he would throw a fit if he found out about our regular meetups.”

I couldn't defend any of Axel’s actions. He had a bad habit of inserting himself in my life at every opportunity he got.

“Axel is very protective of me and it's just because I am his best friend.”

“You're not his best friend, Chase is,” he retorted, annoyed.

My face fell at his admission and I suddenly felt like crying. Peter saw my sudden change of expression and in a second he was at my side.

“Oh, God, please don't cry. I didn't mean to offend you. I was just…”

“-- saying what is true.” I swallowed the urge to cry.

He placed his hand on my shoulder, consoling me. “I didn’t mean it--”

“Save it.” I shrugged his touch. “Thanks for your help, I won't be needing it anymore.”

I scrambled to gather my stuff and was just about to walk out of the door when Peter grabbed my elbow, stopping me from storming out.

“Leave me, Peter.”

“Astoria, please. I didn't mean to hurt you,” he pleaded. I didn't see his eyes.

He didn't hurt me by any means, because somewhere I knew, sooner or later Axel will be replacing me with someone better in his life. I was mad and annoyed at myself for caring so much.

“Peter.” I didn’t speak any further because no sooner his lips were on mine, giving them a long peck.

My eyes widened when I realized he had kissed me. Oh, God! Oh, God! It was my first kiss and he took it without my permission.

My hands itched to slap him across his face, but something stopped me. It was the genuine misery on his face. His face had fear written all over it. Fear of losing me?

“I am sorry. I shouldn’t have done it, but you gave me no option. I don't want you to hate me, Astoria. It may sound silly, but I really like you.”

Relief swooped inside me hearing his words. I was afraid of him saying ‘love’ because that would just ruin our friendship.

My gaze softened and I reached out to touch his shoulder. “Peter, you're my friend and I care for you deeply. I think I cherish our friendship more than to ever, like you more than a friend.”

He looked shattered, I couldn't do anything to ease the vulnerable torn look in his eyes.

I swallowed the lump growing in my mouth. “If you don’t want to be friends with me anymore, then it's alright. I totally understand where you're coming from.”

“Before you go, just tell me one thing.” I stopped mid stride, nodding at him to go ahead with it. “Do you have feelings for Axel? Don't lie. I just need to know.”

I analysed the question in my head. Did I care for Axel? Yes, he was my best friend. Did I care for him more than what can be considered appropriate for a friend to do? Potentially.

Not sure how to answer his question, I just shrugged in return. “I don't know.” I didn’t.

“I know you like him, you haven't realized it yet.”

“Stop reading a lot into it, Peter. You don't even give a meaning to every facet of my bond with Axel.”

I was out of the door, but my ears caught on the faint sentence that left Peter’s mouth.

“Don’t let him break your heart.”

The next day, I was up and ready for my first girls out with Jess. I was not sure whether my cracked dynamic with Peter would somehow affect my place with the rest of my friends.

What all suspicions I held were confirmed when I got a phone call from Jess.

“Hey,” I said cheerfully into the phone holder. “What time should I come to your place?”

“Yeah, I called to inform you that I'll have to take a raincheck today. Turns out, I am really busy today.”

My smile wavered slightly yet I somehow managed to keep up with the pretence for the sake of my grandma, who didn't hide her obvious gawking.

“That’s fine.”I was everything but fine. “I have to study for the midterms so I was going to cancel it myself.”

We hung up sometime later. One thing was for sure, I had no friends in my life, except for Axel and he was anything but within my reach.

Well, I'll have to make peace with the fact that he couldn't be mine entirely. I guess I'll need to learn how to share.

It was going to be tough.

***

Three days had passed. I was officially a loner at school, because my friends no longer deemed it necessary to entertain me. I was heartbroken at their sudden change in demeanor, but I would survive.

They were still polite, even Peter. I was thankful for it.

I was practically counting down the days until I got to see Axel again. I was sure I'll freaking dance joyously when I get him back. It already feels like I've seen him in months.

The cold air kissed my legs as soon as I stepped down from my school bus. Everyday I made a good fifteen minutes from the bus stop to Axel’s palace.Sometimes, I regretted not taking Axel up on his offer to give me rides to school.

Well, it couldn't be helped now. I was too proud to ask him for anything, let down a ride to school and back home.

A familiar looking maserati went by me in a flash, it caught me off guard. My eyes scanned the license plate on it, recognising it. It belonged to Axel’s best friend, Chase.

My brain churned at its own accord. That's Chase’s personal car and he had accompanied Axel to the camping trip. If he's back, then Axel must be home too.

My pace picked up and soon I was sprinting which later broke into a jog.

God, he definitely must be back.

My insides danced, bursting with utmost excitement to see Axel again. I missed him so much. First, I'll give him an earful for failing to call me during the duration of his trip, then I'll tell him how I actually feel about him.

I not only cared for him dearly, but it was something more than just care. I loved my best friend deeply. He deserved to know it.

The gates to the mansion came into my view. I finally took the long needed surge of breath.

“Mr. Lee, is Axel back?” The hopeful glint in my voice was evident, I am sure, Mr. Lee, the front gate security could clearly hear it.

He gave me a warm smile. “Yes, he is, kiddo. I bet you missed him.”

I nodded, happy to learn that he was back.

Nothing mattered to me at that moment, except Axel. I had to see him immediately. I just wish I hadn’t, because when I finally did see him, he was not alone.

When I reached the roundabout driveway, I saw something which I couldn't have ever imagined witnessing.

Axel stood next to his range rover… with a girl. What struck me as odd was his posture, which became apparent a moment later when he leaned down to kiss the girl he was with.

I was paralysed. My eyes couldn’t believe the image in front me.

He was kissing her more intensely than I had ever seen a boy his age do. Several emotions attacked me in mere seconds, the most prominent being jealousy, but the sound of my heart breaking into a million pieces overpowered me.

I was heartbroken. But I had to move before either of them realized I was there.

Thankfully, I did what any sensible person would do; I ran.

***

It was late in the evening when I had summoned up the courage to go and see Axel. I was kinda bummed that he hadn't yet dropped by to see me. Still, I couldn't keep waiting, I wanted to see him.

I smoothed the creases of my baby blue cardigan which I had worn on my framers overalls. It was chilly.

For the last time, I checked my appearance in the mirror, unhappy that my sombre mood was evident on my face. I nearly scowled at myself. Get it together, Astoria.

The mansion was silent. It felt as if Axel had still not returned home. Luckily, I found my grandma in the kitchen, from the looks of it; she was working on a pie.

“Maa… hey,” I said, biting my lip. She gave me a warm smile in return. “The place is suddenly quiet, where is everybody?”

“Ava and Blake are at a fundraiser, they won't be until late in the night,” she replied. So, his parents weren't home, so why didn't come to my place?

“Axel went with them?” I was hoping that he did.

“No, no. Trent is in the pool house. I am baking this pie for him.”

“Oh.” I hope my grandma didn't read a lot into my one worded response.

Her eyes were like a hawk, studying me. “You're not going to him?”

“I am.”

Not wanting to answer any of her questions, I quickly dashed my way to the poolhouse. God, I was anxious to see him again.

If I could go back in time, then I would've stayed in my room and waited for him to come to me because the two figures in the pool didn't look like they wanted to be interrupted.

But I did anyway.

I cleared my throat, making my presence known. I smiled when Axel’s eyes met mine.

Yeah, I saw you.

***