Stuck With You

Chapter Twenty

Kai's POV

Two years later

Two years have gone by since I got thrown into this marriage. For some that amount of time is not much - and maybe it isn't, but to me it has been the longest two years of my life and the fact that I still have one more to go makes it even worst.

Not much has happened in these past years, thats it if you don't count the 'good' relationship I had with Iliana until the day she ditched me got worse and worse as the days and years passed.

After our fight that day I was mad but mostly hurt, for some reason those words stung when they shouldn't have and over the time I discovered is because I was starting to like Iliana as something more. I took me a long while to realize and accept that.

I didn't want to keep avoiding her and not talking to her, so one day I decided to be the bigger person and try amend things between us because well - I missed my blondie. She accepted my apology and she apologized as well. I thought everything was going to go back to normal after that. But I was wrong.

As the days went by Iliana grew away from me more and more each day, she avoided me and became closed off. I tried to ask her what is it that I did to her, but the reply was always the same. Nothing. I gave up after months and tried my luck again last year just to receive the same answer.

Eventually we once more became strangers. Two strangers that are married. Strangers that live together yet its like they aren't at the same time.

"Kai are you okay?" I heard Emma ask me.

"Uh? Yeah I just got lost in thought for a second."

She nodded, "Sure... we still have to order something by the way." Emma waved the menu on her hand.

"Right," I checked the menu, "I'll just have a cheeseburger and a beer." I put the menu down and called a waiter over.

"That sounds unhealthy, I'll have the same."

Emma has been helping me a lot these past years. I told her pretty much everything about me and Iliana, she has helped me both emotionally and sexually. Well our relationship has always been like that anyway.

We ordered our food and the waiter left to bring it.

"So, how have you been doing since I left?" Emma asked.

"The same," I played with a napkin, "Everything is the same Emma, you just left for a month."

She pursed her lips, "Well a lot can happen in one month."

"Not to me."

Emma still lives all the way down in Australia and she comes only when she can. She still has a whole life there that I can't expect her to give up for me. When she's gone I just look somewhat else to fill my necessities.

"It could if you tried."

"Why? So I can get ignored again?" I chuckled humorlessly, "I've been trying for too long. Theres nothing else I can do except accept how things are and just let the contract marriage run out."

"I'm just saying, you don't know her reasons, its not normal to close off like that, even her best friend told you that." Emma pointed out.

I shrugged, "Iliana can barely look at me, so I don't know what you want me to do."

Emma was about to reply when lucky for me the waiter came back with our orders. I honestly didn't want to talk about the subject anymore. Having to deal with the fact that for the first time, the one person I like hates me for some unknown reason, is enough.

I'd never liked someone before. Is this how the girls that I turned down when they confessed to me that they liked me felt like? I haven't been turned down technically so I suppose is worse than this. Now that makes me feel like a bad person, maybe this is payback from the universe for all of that.

We continued our lunch without talking about the subject again. I invited Emma to hang out with me again later today, but she told me she was busy - which was a bummer because I had nothing else to do today. I could call Alex but I doubt she will pick up.

I guess I'll just go back to the penthouse and lock myself in my room with a bottle. That has turned into a more regular thing that I would like to admit.

I got into my car and started driving home, dreading every second of it. If I'm lucky I won't see Iliana. I normally don't see her much, we occasionally bump into each other in the apartment but not often.

I have had to learn how to bury these foreign feelings since I didn't know how to deal with them. I could always confess them to her but I didn't want to be rejected. I hate rejection, so every time I know thats what is going to happen I just stay quiet.

Soon enough I was walking into the apartment and it looks like no one is home besides me. I headed upstairs to go to my room and then... just my fucking luck.

"Sorry." I mumbled as I accidentally into Iliana.

Looks like I'm not home alone after all.

"It's fine," she muttered and tried to quickly walk away.

I don't know what came over into me as I grabbed her arm and stopped her from going.

However I retracted it when I saw her flinch. "I- I'm sorry, forget it."

"Don't worry Kai," she replied not looking at me.

I don't remember the last time Iliana looked at me in the eyes. I miss those grey eyes so much. I even miss her glares, but all I get now days is a blank face. No emotion on a face where it used to be so much, even if it was mostly annoyance towards me.

"How are you?" I said making her stop from leaving.

She turned her face towards me, "Never been better." Thats the last thing she said before walking away.

Before, my mood would normally be go up whenever I saw Iliana, but now it just makes me feel down.

With one last look at the spot where she stood a just a few moments ago, I entered my room.

-

A/N - The time jump was necessary trust me.