How To Ruin A Wedding

Chapter 32 - Free of Charge

Dedicated to my best friend in the entire world. She's always there to listen to my problems free of charge.

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"No, it's late. I'm just gonna stay here." I said as I wondered around the room that Aiden told me that I could sleep in. It obviously hadn't been used in a lengthy amount of time. I got the same feeling that I got whenever I walked into a hotel. It was too clean and organized, and it was obvious no one ever lived here. The sheets were so taut and perfect that I didn't even want to touch the smooth surface. I leaned against the doorframe. There were noises in the house, and the source of them was Aiden moving around downstairs. I didn't know exactly what he was doing, but I kept the door open. I spoke on the phone very softly because sound traveled well in this house.

I heard Alani's sigh. "Yeah, fine. How is he?" She asked me. I thought she was relieved that I found Aiden. She wanted to come out here, but she didn't know where here was, and it was late.

"Can I ask you a question?" I replied, and she hummed. "Why is he an asshat sometimes?" I ask her bluntly with my voice hushed. I crossed my arms over my chest. I looked around, careful that Aiden wasn't too close and wasn't in earshot. My room was the first one at the top of the staircase. The second floor had a bridge type thing going on. Both ends of the bridges led to the hallways of rooms. It was a freaking fancy house. Stepping out a little, I leaned over one side of the railing. From here, I could see the living room. A light was glowing from the kitchen area.

"What did he do?" Alani asked me.

"Just said crude and uncalled for curt replies." I stated with a shrug. "Nothing as bad as that time when I ripped the dress, so don't worry. I'm not pushing the fight further." I answered her and wandered back into my room. I only had the side table lamp turned on, so the lighting was pretty low.

Alani spoke. "Well, good. That's honestly how you handle Aiden in this situation." She explained to me. "I don't know why he does that, but I think it's some sort of defense mechanism. I wouldn't be surprised if he got it from Kendra, but he's always been like this since forever. He snaps when he's upset. I don't think he really means anything when he says that kind of stuff. It just means he's a little on edge." Alani sighs again. I could picture her. She would be sitting on the couch with her knees to her chest and in her pajamas. Young and sweet. That was how Alani always seemed since forever.

"So I won't push him over." I concluded.

"Have you tried asking him about, y'know, the wedding?" Alani asked me curiously. "Or Kendra?"

I rubbed my forehead a little with the palm of my free hand and finally decided to sit on the perfect looking bed. I took one of the pointless throw pillows and put it on my lap, starting to pick at its edges. "Tried to, but then he started being an asshat." I told her with a sigh. "This trip will be wasted if he sends me back to the hotel tomorrow morning in a taxi. The least that I need is a car trip back together."

"He won't." Alani assured me. "Like I said, he almost never means what he says when he's, what you call, being an 'asshat'."

"We'll see tomorrow morning." I muttered into the receiver.

"Try, try, try talking to him again." Alani begged me. "And tell him that I miss him and that I'm worried about him."

I shook my head with a smirk on my lips. "I don't think that would help the situation." I told her.

"Fine." Alani let out a long exhale. "Tell him that I asked about him and said hi. That's it."

"Better, I suppose."