The Man She Betrayed

52. My Better Half

Clara

Stupid Aaron.

Because of his stupid tactics, I had to make the sauce for spaghetti for the second time because I ruined it the first time by adding sugar instead of salt. He knew how his presence affected me and he was taking advantage of that.

The butterflies in my stomach hadn't left yet, neither did the goosebumps. When I felt his breath tickling my earlobe, my whole body warmed up in response. That explains why I couldn't differentiate between sugar and salt.

And there he was, sitting in front of the television and watching sports, unaffected, as if he didn't mentally tortured me just moments ago.

Stupid, stupid Aaron.

Once the spaghetti was ready, I served it in two plates and brought them to the couch where he was sitting.

"Thanks." he eyed me with a sweet smile on his face and I sat down beside him without replying.

All the while I ate, his eyes stayed fixated on me to the point when I anxioulsy let go of the fork and it fell down on the floor. His grin widened on watching me struggle and I bit back a groan.

After washing the fork, I sat on the opposite side of him so that I won't have to deal with his persistent gaze.

After we both had finished the dinner, he stood up to leave, or I thought so. Instead of going to the door, he walked towards me and stopped when he was towering over me.

To reach my eye level, he leaned down and put his hands on my sides, caging me once again in between his strong arms. "Thanks for the food," he said, looking into my eyes, causing the butterflies to return. His eyes were really beautiful, honey colored with brown radial lines. "My better half."

My eyes widened like saucers on hearing the endearment he used. "What did you say?" I asked.

"I said Thanks for the food." he shrugged over smartly and straightened up, towering over me again because of his tall height.

"No. After that." I inquired.

"Why would I say anything after that?" he narrowed his eyes and I gasped at his blatant lie.

"You.. You... You..."I tried to find an insult but failed miserably. "Fuck you." I cursed angrily and then slapped my hand over my mouth.

Instead of getting angry, he just chucked at my reaction. Stooping to my eye level once again, he whispered "Not yet, sweetheart." and then walked out of the apartment casually, leaving me flushed in embarrassment.

...

"Thanks for coming." I said as soon as I stopped hugging Ava. I called her today morning and told her my new address. I have missed her a lot and I could really use her suggestion about this new issue is hand.

"And thanks for finally contacting me." she sounded upset which was understandable.

"I am sorry. I just... I wasn't in right state of mind." I admitted.

"It's fine." she sighed. "What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

"Aaron is here." I said and her face contorted.

"Where? In your bedroom?" she asked in surprise.

"Bedroom? Why would he be in my bedroom?" I asked and she shrugged.

"Well, I thought you guys finally made up." she reasoned.

"Well, about that. He moved in the apartment in front of mine two days ago and since then, he is acting strange." I let out an aggravated sigh.

"Strange as in..?"

"Strange as in strange. Instead of showing any normal reaction on knowing my past, he is acting like he is a weird, sexy, college boy and I'm some next-door girl he is interested in." I exasperated.

We went inside the living room and sat down on the couch facing the television.

I expected her to be surprised at this new behaviour of Aaron but just she smiled in return. "Sexy?" her smile turned to a smirk.

"That's the only thing you heard?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest and frowned.

For some reason, she found my annoyance amusing. "Well about Aaron's new avatar, Is it working?" she asked, still smiling.

"Working? Why do you think it could work?" I gruffed in annoyance.

"Well for starters, you haven't delved into self-pity even once during our conversation." she raised her eyebrows and I kept looking at her dumbfoundingly. "What I am saying is that I think whatever he is trying to do is working."

I leaned back on the couch and gripped my forehead. "He is just wasting his time on me. Things can never be good between us."

"And that's because?"

"Because whenever he will look back at out past, he will see the girl who betrayed him." I answered honestly. No matter what I do, I can't change the past.

"Aaron is not like that. If he is doing all this for you then it means he really wants your relationship to work." she suggested.

"There is no relationship to begin with." I said.

"Really? Have any of you talked about divorce yet?" she asked and I gulped. Neither of us had talked about the divorce yet and it was really immature of both of us.

"No." I replied, lowering my gaze to the ground.

"I rest my case." she smirked again and ended the discussion, leaving me pondering over her words.

...

Lying on my bed at night, I was thinking about what Ava had said. According to her, there was still possibility of saving this marriage but I had my doubts.

While I was lost in these thoughts, the doorbell rang. Hopping out of bed, I walked towards the door and opened it, revealing Aaron in a body fitting black shirt.

"I'm going to beach tomorrow." he stated and I tried to understand why he was telling me this.

"Um.. Good for you?" I responded and he scowled.

"Do I really have to spell it out?" he asked, pretending to be annoyed.

"What?" I responded dumbly because honestly, I didn't know what he wanted me to say.

"Do I look crazy enough to go to beach alone?" he asked, resting his arm against the doorframe.

"Well.."

"It was a rhetorical question Clara." he rolled his eyes and then stood straight. "I came to tell you that you're going with me tomorrow."

"And that's because..?" I scrunched my nose.

"Because I'm asking you to. Duh." he made a weird facial expression.

"I am not going anywhere with you Aaron." I stated firmly. He was acting stupid. He didn't understand that he was better off without me so I should be the one maintaining distance from now onwards.

"Is that your final answer?" he asked.

"Yes." I replied.

"You have left me with no choice then." he smirked again and ambled back into the apartment while I stood there, gaping in confusion at what he was going to do now.

___________________________

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