A Thief's Kiss

32| Queen

Chapter 32: Queen (Alexander's POV)

I had been lying still in bed for the past twenty minutes, pretending to be asleep while she tossed and turned like I had been the other night. 

"Alex?" she whispered. 

I didn't say anything and then heard her get out of bed, followed by the bathroom door closing. I sat up and then stood up, drinking from my water bottle and then putting it back on my nightstand. 

I really wanted to kiss her right before we got in her bed. And I shouldn't have told her that I wanted to do something unexpected. Because what if she was able to link it back to the conversation at the pool and realize what I meant? I should have just done it. But I chickened out. 

I walked over to the bathroom, ready to knock but my hand froze at the door when I heard her sniffle and then cry. 

She groaned loudly and then I heard what sounded like some of the bottles of lotion and whatnot on the counter fall off. "For fuck's sake," she huffed before probably picking them up and putting them back. 

I leaned against the wall, listening as she cried for a little longer. 

"Stop, stop, stop, Aria. Stop it," she told herself. 

I heard the faucet turn on and then minutes later, the lock clicked open. 

She stepped out, getting startled again. "Uh, I thought you were sleeping," she said. She even sounds like she had been crying and looks like it too. Her nose is red, her skin is glowy, the kind it gets after you've sobbed, and her lips were puffy and rosy as well as her eyes which looked a little bloodshot. "Did I wake you?" 

I shook my head, "No, you didn't wake me. I woke up to drink water," I lied. 

"Oh," she nodded, rubbing her hands on her thighs, over her sweats. "Do you need anything?" 

I should be asking her that. "No," I repeated. 

"Okay," she mumbled, still not moving. 

"Were you crying?" 

"Was I crying? When?" She really is good at pretending something didn't happen. 

"Right now." 

"No, why do you think I was crying?" she chuckled. 

"Because I've been standing here for the past fifteen minutes, listening." 

"If you knew then why did you ask?" 

"To see if you would tell me." 

"And why would I tell you? I hate crying in front of people and I hate when they know I've been crying." She made a move to walk to the bed and escape the conversation but I blocked her way and moved forward until she was standing in front of the wall and couldn't move since I was right in front of her. 

"Don't lie to me, Aria. I hate it." 

"Well, I'm the greatest liar you've met, aren't I? I rule it." 

"You can be the queen of lying, all you want-" 

"I am the queen of lying, thank you," she spat. 

"But you can't lie to me," I continued. "Not when you have tear stains on your cheek and shirt." 

She sighed, "What do you want?" 

"Why won't you talk to me? I'm trying to help you." 

"I don't want your help! And I don't want your pity!"