Strictly Summer Romance (ON HOLD)

Chapter Six, Spiteful

I'd used Alex's bathroom after he'd fallen into a fit of laughter on the floor upon me baring my humiliation to him.

"I mean, at least you ripped off the band aid right?" He asks through the tears. "Took his clothes right off with it." Another fit of laughter. I leave his room.

Alice is still standing at the stairways platform. She hasn't moved. She's just staring at the bags sitting on the couches. Blank faced.

I wish Stephen-smitten Alice would come back. I don't like seeing her like this.

"Hey," I tug on her arm, "Come on, let's go to bed."

Just as I get her to take a step, the bedroom door across the room opens. Out of it stepping none other than Hayden O'Conner himself. He looks handsome as ever if I'm being unbiased. Cocky son a bitch, but he's got the right stuff to back it up.

I look over to Alice. Half expecting to see her blubbering in tears, and half expecting to see steam rolling from her ears. She's stoic though. Stone cold. A flare of pride wells up inside of me.

At least one of us could save face.

Hayden notices us standing here, and instantly looks to Alice. He seems a bit shocked but otherwise unreadable.

Typical.

"Hey..." He finally breaks the silence, never leaving Alice's gaze.

Alice seems to snap out of her trance at this. "Hey," she says evenly and grabs my arm walking us to our room without a second look.

She shuts the door behind her and leans back against it. She stands there for a very long time. Just staring at the floor. Her face a blank. I'm kind of scared to say anything. I don't know what she's thinking. I don't know what she needs.

She starts laughing.

Okay, I wasn't expecting that.

She bends over and hooks her thumb pointing behind her, "Did you see his face?" She lets out. "Oh god," she wipes a tear. "Did you see YOUR face?!" Her hysterics hit harder.

I can't help but join in. If my life had ever been a romantic comedy, that was for sure making the high light reel. It was quite the reunion. Humiliation aside that is.

Aaron's going to love this.

I'd kept my promise and had been calling Aaron every night. Giving him small updates and filling him in on what this place was like. I hadn't had anything eventful happen though, so my gossip was pretty stale. Until now at least.

Alice's fits finally die down and she picks herself up off the floor and joins me on the bed. We stare at the ceiling in united silence. I don't think either of us are ready to confront this out loud yet. I'm fully content with just laying here.

A knock at the door breaks our peace.

"Hey, can you girls come down stairs for a minute, please? Family meeting!" My mom yells.

I huff and roll my eyes.

If she only knew what this 'family' actually entailed.