Secrets In The Garden / l.h ✔️

21

~Ophelia's POV~

After I showered the next morning, I put my makeup on in Blade and I's bedroom, wearing the pajamas I'd worn last night until I finally finished with my makeup. I hadn't brought any lashes, but I didn't care much and instead just did mascara. That seemed like more than enough for my lashes for me today.

I then made sure that the door was locked, so that Blade or someone else couldn't possibly come in, and took off my clothes so that I could get dressed in something else. It wasn't like I was going to wear last night's pajamas all day.

Once I pulled on my undergarments, I grabbed the light green dress out of my bag that I'd brought with me, which had ruched sides and thin straps over my shoulders that tied together. It was really pretty and made of a soft cotton, which easily made it perhaps one of my favorite dresses to wear around the house.

Dressed and with my hair down my back, I put my makeup away and then left the room, joining everyone else where they were in the living room. It was only beginning to near ten AM, but almost everyone was awake already. The only ones still asleep were Idris and Kimberly, who were evidently pretty tired last night when we had all gone to sleep. Even Luke and Stella were awake, who actually came walking into the living room right after I had.

The second she saw them, Saniya sneered. "I thought I said no having sex in my house." She said immediately, glaring at the two of them.

While Luke just smirked carelessly and stretched his long arms out above his head, Stella gave Saniya a sheepish smile. "Sorry." She only said, shrugging her shoulders. I sat down on the couch and Saniya rolled her eyes at her friend, sending her a look of doubt. "Oh, yeah, I'm sure you are." She mumbled, grumpy.

Noah came sauntering out of the kitchen with a smile on his face and a plate in his hand. "Breakfast is ready!" He chirped to everyone, plopping down on the opposite couch as he began to hork his food down. I didn't bother getting up just yet and instead waited patiently while everyone else went and got their food, knowing that the kitchen would probably be too hectic for me with all of them in there at once. Noah noticed I hadn't gone to get any food and raised a brow at me from his spot on the other couch, cheeks full with food. "You're not gonna eat?" He asked, his voice a little muffled.

Although it was a little gross that he was talking with his mouth full of half chewed food, I just smiled. Some weird part of me found it endearing. "No, not yet. I'm just waiting for them to get theirs." I explained, curling one leg up to my chest on the couch. He smiled a little bit and, thankfully, swallowed the food he had in his mouth. "So..." He hummed, a little mischievous grin on the edge of his lips. "How was your night with Blade?" He teased, right as Blade himself came walking back in from the kitchen with Judah and Luke trailing after.

Having heard Noah's question just now, Blade scowled. "Probably would've been a lot better if we weren't stuck being forced to listen to Stella moan like a bad pornstar." He grumbled.

My eyes widened and I heard Judah snort while Luke flat out laughed, finding it funny despite the fact that she was supposed to be his girlfriend. "Isn't this usually the part where you, the boyfriend, are supposed to defend her?" I asked him with a frown, but he just shrugged and sat down next to me. "Why would I do that? I've made it clear by now I'm not dating her because I like her. Hardly much of a boyfriend, if you ask me." He said simply, making me frown even deeper.

I didn't like what he had said but I also didn't want to get into an argument, so I just got up and walked into the kitchen instead.

It's better to just brush it off...right?

Although the kitchen wasn't empty yet, I got myself a plate of food and then returned back to my spot on the couch beside Luke, having reigned in my emotions in the few minutes I was gone. Or at least that's what I had thought, until I sat next to him again and then he spoke to me while everyone else chatted absentmindedly.

"You're so cute when you get angry at me." He hummed, a sly grin on his pink lips. Rolling my eyes, I looked up at him. "Don't call me cute." I said, staring him in the eyes. He smirked and leaned towards me, his arm brushing mine. "What, would you prefer I go back to calling you gorgeous instead?" He teased, making my face warm up a little. I looked down at my lap, stabbing some of my eggs before I shoveled them into my mouth. "You shouldn't be calling me either one of those things when you have a girlfriend." I whispered.

He chuckled and just shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see the problem. Stella probably flirts with other guys all the time." He pointed out. I looked up at him and frowned upon our eyes meeting, shaking my head. "Stella really likes you, just like all the other girls you've dated." I said, unsure if he actually knew that. By the bored look on his face, I'd have guessed that he didn't believe that. "I'm gonna say this to you one last time, gorgeous. She doesn't like me because she doesn't know me. None of them did. There's no love." He stressed, leaning in extra close. "The thing that they know best about me is my cock and I'm keeping it that way."

Heat filled my cheeks as I looked at him, biting my lip. I saw his gaze flick down to my mouth and he clenched his jaw, eyes darkening slightly. "That's a lonely way to live your life." I noted, mostly to myself if I'm honest.

At that, he scoffed. "Lonely?" He echoed, peering down at me with his intimidating eyes. It almost seemed like he was angry at me or something. "I've got women coming and going one after the other. It never stops. Tell me what's so lonely about that." He said, almost sounding mocking. I looked up at him and frowned, studying his features quietly.

I didn't respond but I felt like I didn't need to. His reason for not being lonely was precisely why I thought it seemed lonely.