What The Heart Needs - The Heart #3 (Complete)

Chapter 16 - Part 1

Trying to split my time between Lacey and Aiden and ensuring their paths never crossed, for fear it would trigger Lacey, was not easy. But the stolen moments we shared, got me through the times I wasn't able to see him.

Sometimes when noticed his car in my driveway my heart would race and the sight of him made my heart gallop in my chest. But no matter how much time we managed to find to be together it wasn't nearly enough.

Lacey, came first and everything else fell away. What she needed superseded whatever else anyone or I needed. Aiden understood, even though at times he felt frustrated. We finally didn't have to sneak around because I was no longer hiding it from Max but we still had to hide it from Lacey. I wasn't confident that finding out about him would make things better for her.

There was definitely something going on with her and I had no idea how to fix it or pull her out of it. All I could do was stand by the sidelines and make sure she didn't make a mistake she would regret. She seemed to be drowning herself in alcohol to deal and no matter how many times I tried to broach the subject she wouldn't open up, brushing it off as a need to let loose.

Even I didn't believe that, not for a moment.

I was hesitant to mention it Alex or Lacey's parents, I didn't want to blow it out of proportion. Besides she was my friend and I wanted her to able to trust me, if I told on her than she would never trust me again.

I felt like I was walking a tight roping, about to lose my balance at any moment. The stress was taking its toll on me. My grades were slipping and my mother was already trying to figure out what was going on.

"It's just tough," I breathed, not intending on telling anyone the truth.

I hadn't even told Aiden. Every time he asked how she was doing I would shrug and tell him she was coping even when she wasn't.

I was torn between being a good friend and being concerned about her health. But was I prepared to risk losing her friendship and having her cut me out if I told anyone. I was the only person who knew what was going on, if it got out she would know I had betrayed her.

It wasn't like she got drunk every time we went out, but it was happening more and more often. There was no disputing it was getting worse.

"The workload is a lot to deal with," I breathed to my mom who nodded like she understood.

"If there is anything I can do to help you have to let me know." She reached out and gave my hand a squeeze.

I nodded. "I love you mom."

She rose and kissed my forehead. "I love you too."

I sighed as got back to my homework.

Lacey had already called an hour ago to make plans to go out that evening. I was putting off calling Aiden to cancel the plans we had made that night to go out. I didn't think I could deal with the disappointment in his voice. It felt like that no matter how hard I tried I couldn't keep everyone in my life happy.

While Aiden understood the situation with Lacey, he wanted to spend time with me. I got that, I wanted to spend time with him but I couldn't take the chance Lacey going out and doing something stupid because I wasn't there to protect her.

I sighed, closing my books. I would have to delay doing my homework until tomorrow.

My phone sat on the table beside me and I stared at it trying to figure out what to say to let Aiden know I was canceling on our plans to go out that night. It wasn't like we were actually going out. I was just going around to his place to watch some movies together. I couldn't take the chance of Lacey showing up unannounced if he came over to my place.

To ensure their paths never crossed I always had to plan everything, down to the last minute. It was tiring and sometimes I wished Lacey would remember everything she had forgotten. I also hoped that remembering would stop her downward spiral.

It was a difficult situation and I wasn't sure if she continued to go down the path she was that I would be able keep it quiet. I wrestled with it almost daily, trying to figure out if what I was doing was right. But there was no right or wrong, just what I thought was the right thing to do as her friend.

I dragged myself up to my room with my books and phone to get ready, hoping to gather the courage to call Aiden and have a difficult conversation.

I felt like was being pulled in different directions and I didn't know how much more I could take.

While I showered I thought about the conversation with Aiden and decided it was probably best to get it over and done with before I allowed it to stress me out more.

I stood in my room with my bathroom towel still wrapped around me as I call Aiden and took a deep breath before exhaling as it began to ring.

"Hey," he answered. He sounded happy to hear from me and I closed my eyes because I knew what I was going to tell him was going to annoy him.

"Hi," I replied, trying to figure out a way to soften the blow.

There was silence. Had my tone tipped him off to what I was about to tell him?

"You're going to cancel." He sighed and I gripped the phone tighter like I was subconsciously holding onto him so he wouldn't leave me.

"I'm sorry," I hurried to say. "Lacey wants to go out. She called a little earlier."

There was more silence. It wasn't a good sign and my heart tightened as I began to pace.

"I want to say it's fine," he breathed and I could hear the visible disappointment in his voice. "But this is so frustrating."

"I get it, I do." I tried to appease him but I wasn't sure anything I was saying was actually helping.

"We don't get to spend much time together Reece," he pressed and I knew it was going to lead to an argument which wasn't going to change anything but make me feel worse than I already did.

"She is my top priority Aiden. You know that. What am I supposed to do, just brush her off after everything she has been through." I wanted to tell him about her drinking but I didn't want to break her trust in me, I felt like I was betraying her if I said something.

"No, I don't expect that. It's just that now we're together I see less of you than I did before. That's no how things are supposed to be."

"I know. I'm trying my best." I couldn't do more than I was doing. It just wasn't possible.

"You're my girlfriend and I never see you. If we don't figure out a way to spend time together this won't last."

The threat hung in the air, taking my breath away and I felt awful. After everything we had been through and overcome, I didn't want it to end because of this.

"Don't make threats Aiden. I have enough on my plate and you're just making things worse." I rubbed my forehead. "I'm doing the best I can under the circumstances. I don't need someone putting more pressure on me, I need someone to understand and even lighten the load."

There I had said it, before I'd had a chance to really think about what I was saying. Everything was getting to me and I felt like I was drowning. I didn't need him to figuratively press his foot down on me pushing me under the water. I needed him to reach out and take my hand to list me out of the water.

If we couldn't get through something like this, we wouldn't last. Life was filled with trying situations. In those times, sexual attraction meant nothing, it was how the situations were handled that indicated success or not.

"I don't know what to say Reece. Maybe we should put things on hold until Lacey's situation improves."

Put things on hold? He pulled the carpet right from under me and I was speechless. I hung up the phone, unable to take anymore.