In This Life And The Next ✔️

Chapter 20: What is a Mate?

ARI

I ran down the stairs, with tears streaming down my face, until I reached the floor where Jen's room was. I didn't even notice but I was on the fourth floor of the house. How did I even end up in Alex's room?

I don't want you.

I shook my head trying to get Alex's voice out of my mind and wiped my eyes. He means nothing. He means nothing to me.

With a deep breath, I calmed myself down. What am I crying over? I was going to knock on Jen's door but heard light snoring and decided I shouldn't bother her. I checked my phone to see it was 6:47 in the morning.

I groaned. No wonder my eyes still burned! I was still sleep deprived. I don't even remember what time I fell asleep.

I walked down the stairs and decided to go into the kitchen. I used the kitchen sink to clean my face, splashing water on it. I gurgled some water, trying to freshen my breath. Jen wouldn't mind if I ate something. Would she? I shrugged and grabbed a bowl and milk.

A freak like you. I grabbed my head and tried to think of anything else. Food, think of food! I told myself as I swirled the cereal and the milk around in my bowl.

The more I thought, the more I remembered what happened last night. After falling asleep, in Alex's lap, he took me upstairs into Jen's room but Nate had stopped him and told him to take me to the guest room. Alex was going all the way up to the fourth floor when I started to groan and clutching my stomach. I think Alex panicked and took me to his room where I threw up in his bathroom. I felt guilty when I remembered how he held my hair back and rubbed my back.

After that he helped me clean my mouth with water and sat me on his bed. He told me to stay there until he cleaned up and then he would take me to my room.

I remember laying down on his bed, feeling safe and comfortable. Alex told me to get up but I didn't want to. I wanted to stay and Alex let me. He took off my heels and placed the blanket over me. I finally fell asleep.

Alex was so nice to me he didn't touch me once and I can't believe I thought that he and I...did stuff.

Looking around the kitchen, I saw no one around. I looked outside through the back door and noticed a couple of kids playing and a few grown ups walking around. Some were gardening and some were stretching. Everyone must have come back way early in the morning. I sat down at the counter when my phone buzzed. I checked it to see I had a message from my mom.

|Morning Sweetie! How was your first sleepover? I just wanted to let you know I'll be home by 3pm today. Maybe we can do something together? 🙃|

I read her message with a deep frown. It was barley 7 in the morning now. What the hell am I supposed to do all day?

The back door swung open and a small body ran towards the cereal box. "You want some more?" A 5 year old girl asked me, holding out the box of Lucky Charms. I smiled and shook my head.

"Hey I do that too!" The kid said looking at my cereal bowl. I was eating the brown cereal first, saving the marshmallows for last.

I looked at the little kid and chuckled. "I think everyone does that."

She pulled out a chair next to me and sat down shaking her tiny head. "Nuh uh. My sister eats it all together!"

"Who's your sister?" I asked curious.