𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞

20. Say goodnight and go

Nate and Sean were sitting on the couch, waiting for the girls to return. Nate was looking at Sean intensely while Sean was busy on his phone. Feeling Nate's gaze on him, he put his phone in pocket. "Why do you stare at people like that dude? It's creepy." 

"Why are you messaging Sam?" asked Nate. His face lacked any emotion. 

"Ariana has finally started showing some interest in you. So, why are you messaging her? You're trying to two-time, huh asshole?"

"What?" Sean snapped. "You think I'd do anything that will blow up my chance with Ari? Absolutely not, you dumbfuck!"

"Well, then what is it?" Nate raised his voice.

"Sam saw me with Ari downstairs. She started crying and I went to her. I told her that I would always be there for her as her friend but I have feelings for Ari. I was just messaging her to know if she is still here or reached home safely." 

Nate looked at Sean to figure out whether he was telling the truth or not. He relaxed as he saw sincerity on his face.

Sean continued. "Look, I'm doing it because what I did to Sam was wrong. I'm just trying to make up for it. Nothing more than that."

Nate nodded. "Fine, I believe you."

Sean took a sip of his beer to calm himself. What Nate had suggested was absolutely crazy. His feelings for Ariana was genuine and he couldn't think of playing her like that. He took few more sips. "Nate, I get that you're looking out for Ari. She's like a sister to you. But, trust me. Okay?"

Nate snapped his head towards him. "She's not like a sister to me! Where did you get that from?"

Sean narrowed his eyes. "You said that she's your friend's sister. So, I assumed you look after her in a brotherly way. Don't tell me you two had a thing in the past."

Nate scoffed. "We did not. And when did you start calling her Ari?"

"She asked me to call her that." Sean smirked.

"Okay...but she's not like a sister to me." Nate repeated. 

Just then, Ariana and Alexa entered. "Sister?" asked Alexa. 

Nate and Sean exchanged a look. "Yeah. I was talking to Sean about how hot his sister is." Nate smirked. Sean looked at him in disgust.

Ariana saw hurt in Alexa's face. "Talking about sisters, how is Ivory?" She asked as she sat near Sean.

"She's fine. She found her...uhh...her husband. They'll be taking over the business soon." Nate's voice cracked at the end. 

Last year, Nate had been to the capital to attend the mating ceremony of his mate and his King. He sat through each and every ceremony, enduring excruciating pain in silence. At the end, he announced in front of everyone that he was giving up on his title as the future Alpha of Pack Ziram and requested it to be handed down to his sister.

"I didn't know you have a sister. Bet she's hot." Sean smirked. 

Nate shook his head and scoffed bitterly. 

"What is wrong with these boys?" Alexa whispered to Ariana.

Ariana looked at Nate with soft eyes. "That's nice. Congratulate her from my behalf. Congratulate Christopher too. He had found his...uh...girlfriend too. They must've married by now."

Nate looked at her in confusion. "Who the fuck is Christopher? You've got it wrong. Yours one name is Xavier."

Ariana inhaled sharply. 

Nobody spoke a word. Sean noticed her holding back tears with great difficulty. He stood up immediately and asked if she wanted to go back to her dorm room. Ariana nodded yes. 

On the way back, both of them remained silent. Ariana didn't lift her head the whole way while several thoughts were running inside Sean's head. It was all because of that name. Xavier. Who was he to her? Was he her ex? Or just a silly high school crush. Is he still in her life? These thoughts were starting to fill him with dread.

Soon they reached in front of her room. Till then, Ariana had sorted out her emotions. 

"I'm so sorry that you had to leave because of me." Her voice was trembling slightly.

"It's fine." Sean waved his hand.

There was an awkward pause before Ariana spoke. "Would you like to come in?"

"You're sure?" asked Sean with uncertainty.

"Umhuh." Ariana nodded and opened the door. Sean followed her inside. He inhaled the sweet scent inside the room which smelt just like her. Ariana turned around to look at him.

"Sorry. It's just that your room is so clean and smells great." He chuckled.

"Thanks, I guess." Ariana pursued her lips. She motioned him to sit on her desk chair while she sat on the bed.

Sean glanced at the books on her table. He went through them. "Wow. You've already started revising for the exams, huh? No wonder you top them."

"Well yeah, not everyone spends their free time in pubs." She tried to lift up her own mood.

"Hold on, smarty pants. Look out. Or else I'll take over you from behind."  

Ariana narrowed her eyes.

Sean's eyes widened as he registered what he just said to her. He panicked. "What I meant was while you're the first, I'm the second in class. I didn't mean it like that. God! That sounded so wrong. But trust me, I'm not creeping on you -"

Ariana giggled. "Okay. I got it. Stop rambling, you weirdo."

Sean gaped at her. "Me? A weirdo." 

He started laughing. "You've got it the opposite, Miss. You're known as the silent weirdo around here."

Ariana stopped smiling and became dead serious. "What?"

"Yes." Sean popped a chocolate inside his mouth. "You don't look like someone who'd care about people's opinion anyways."

Ariana opened her mouth to speak but closed it. She opened it again. "It's not like I'm dying of hurt or something but it doesn't exactly feel good to know that people think that of me." 

Sean stopped chewing when she saw her resting her cheek on hand. He couldn't help but to be drawn towards her.  "As much as you look cute while sulking, stop doing it. Who cares what they think?"

When he didn't get any respond, he continued. "So many boys from college find you mysterious and attractive. Seniors, juniors, boys from our semester. Even some girls and professors."

Ariana scrunched her nose. "Is this supposed to make me feel better?"

"I hope so." 

They talked and studied while eating all the boxes of chocolates Ariana had got on her birthday. Saoirse was elated to see her human distracted from her pain. She appreciated Sean's effort to engage her in their conversation. 

It was 10:00 pm when Sean exited her room. They were at the door. 

 Sean poked the tip of her nose gently. "Sweet dreams, Ari." 

"Good night to you too." Ariana smiled and closed the door.

Unknown to them, Sam was looking at their exchange with pure jealousy in her eyes. Her friend's room was opposite to Ariana's. She was about to leave after visiting her friend but had stopped on seeing Sean. She waited for him to leave. It crushed her heart when he didn't come out after hours and hours.

Her sorrow took form of anger when she saw Sean lingering at Ariana's door with a blush on his face even after bidding her goodbye. 

"I won't let you win, Ariana." She gritted her teeth.