While I catch up with jude, zayden next to me was quiet, I kept glancing at him, I even offered him my drink but he just shook his head, he avoided looking at jude who kept stealing glances at him, and in my head, I thought, may be jude also knew what happened and is as confused as me as to why he is here beside me, not seething out of rage.
"I was going to leave today but I have to stay the night." Jude said before turning to zayden.
"I can stay at yours, right?, just the night, I have something to say to you," jude smiled, but that smile wasn't his usual sweet, kind smile.
"Sure," Zayden whispered. "Why do I feel like he is cornered, scared to say no?" I frowned at jude, who shrugged at me.
I hugged jude again as they dropped me off in front of my dorm, the fact that zaydens head was down,and he's super quiet,like he's getting scolded didn't go unnoticed by me and I want to make him understand he doesn't have to proof any point by staying with jude, I took hesitant step.
"Zayden?" I called desperately, and he looked up at me. Those dead eyes were back. He gave me a curt nod and turned around, I felt scared for both of them.
"I'll be just fine," jude said to me before leaving, which spiked my fear the more.
It wasn't up to 10 minutes when my phone rang, jude, I quickly picked.
"I am outside your dorm. Can you come out?" He asked, and I rushed out in a hurry. Why is he outside? Didn't they go together? I found hude standing there.
"You didn't go with Zayden?"I asked, and he shook his head. He stared at me for a long time.
"What?" I asked, feeling conscious, and he sighed.
"What are you doing, Aria?" He asked, and I frowned.
"I don't know," I whispered, looking down, away from him.
"The way you behave and act towards him have me thinking you have a thing for him" he said,concern lacing his voice, I don't know if I have a thing for him too, I just know he's a source of comfort to me.
"He's not after revenge," I defended weakly.
"Revenge?" Jude exclaimed out of disbelief, and I sighed.
"Look, he haven't done anything to hurt me, he cared and watched me, I don't know why, but he said he doesn't have memory of that fire and....
"Aria" it came out as a whine.
"You're smarter than this, please think, do you think it's that easy?" He asked, and I frowned.
"What are you saying?" I questioned. He stared at me, expecting me to understand, but I don't.
"Jude, when kairo did that," I began, painfully swallowing.
"I was alone, you know what I mean and I got this scholarship, it wasn't supposed to make a difference but zayden was there, he allow me cry, to stay in my pain" I paused shaking my head.
"He comforts me...
"I have something for you, I didn't know how you'll feel giving it to you, but I have something for your" he said, and I nodded, expecting him to give it now.
"Not now." he smiled, and I nodded.
"I am not staying at zaydens, I book a motel outside the campus," he added.
"Ok," I whispered.
My fingers hovered over my phone, and we haven't talked on the phone before, not since he gave me his number, but it's too dark outside to go visit him, so I typed.
"Zayden, I am sorry about jude. Did he say something offensive?" I waited for his reply, and it came in a form of heartbreak wrapped in the most painful words I could imagine.
"Let's stay away from each other" was his reply and I felt every emotion there was, stupid, betrayed, anger, fear and desperation, I want to go to him but I don't have the courage to, he tried to be nice and forgiving but I guess jude reminded him of something he tried to forget, so I cried myself to sleep, sobbing silently so my room mate don't know.
The next morning it all felt like a bad dream, I didn't check my message and absentmindedly got ready for lectures, it was until I opened the dorm front door that I realised it was raining, I stood there for what felt like forever.
"You look like you've seen a ghost." I turned to Nova, who gave me a raised questioning look. She knows what zayden is thinking.
"Did Zayden really want to hurt me?" I asked, she just watched me without a word, or anything she turned and left, I looked down, I guess I was rhe only one blind to not see, was it the need of attention, lack of love from even my parents that made me clung onto the care he gave me? I pouted and wiped my tears.
"Really avoid Zayden." I heard Nova speak behind me, and I glanced back. She was leaving again, and I bit my lip hard, trying not to sob out loud.
I stepped into the rain and walk aimlessly until I found myself in front of zaydens dorm, it makes me feel pathetic but I want to go in there and get on knees, if he leaves,I don't know how I will go on.