Song suggestion for this chapter: BÃRNSâ Electric Love
Enjoy!
Aiden Vasilakis
"Dickhead? Last time I checked I wasn't the one running around the city with my head in the clouds," Cole's words met my ears before I could really process what was going on.
I looked over at Kristal for help but her face carried the same expression as mine; complete and utter confusion.
"You were literally staring down at your phone when it happened, you're just as guilty as I am," Thea took a step forward getting closer to Cole and I, standing her ground.
Cole had never been an easy guy to deal with, he had a big personality and an even bigger permanent scowl on his face that kept people away. In the duration of our friendship that began in college, I'd seen him smile maybe 4 times, maybe even less. Hell, half of the time I wasn't even sure if he liked me.
With the little affection he had showed me, he still managed to retain his spot as my best friend because behind that scowl was a generous man who was willing to do everything and anything for his loved ones.
"Even your friend agrees that you were the dickhead, right Aiden?" She motioned her head in my direction.
Why'd you have to bring me into it? I wanted to say but instead I cleared my throat and began, "Well I think that you both got off on the wrong foot and that tonight will be the perfect opportunity to turn things around," Thea and Cole continued their staring match, sending daggers each other's way. The air around us had grown increasingly heavy with the tension.
Kris nodded frantically, "I completely agree with you," She said with an awkward smile.
I was wrong, it, in fact, was not the perfect opportunity to turn things around. They had been at each other's throat since the moment we sat down at our booth.
The arguments varied in topic, at first it was them recalling their encounter from earlier and blaming one another then it moved on to the most random and ridiculous arguments. Like when Thea commented on the decor of the bar and all that she would have done differently.
Kris and I tried to de-escalate the arguments to the best of our ability, but it got to a point where it felt like we were parents trying to get their toddlers to stop fighting. It was like just being in each another's presence was enough to drive them up the wall.
The only semblance of peace we got was when Cole got up to check if things were running smoothly throughout the rest of the bar, he was still the owner after all. In the very few moments were they weren't fighting, the four of us managed to share some fun conversations and even a few laughs.
After our first round of shots, I steered clear of alcohol and ordered lemonade instead since I was driving. The rest of them however, were drinking enough for the four of us and all of them were well over tipsy.
It was amusing to watch Kris slowly loosen up on the dance floor with every Negroni that came her way. I watched her dance like a total creep and I wasn't even ashamed of it.
She was. . . mesmerizing, enchanting. Her eyes remainded closed for the majority of the time that she danced, she was simply letting her body sway to the music in the most perfect way known to man. All I could do was stare, and I stared hard.
When she occasionally opened her eyes and our eyes met, her movements slowed and she grew timid. At one point she mouthed 'stop staring, you creep', but I couldn't bring myself to. I was under a spell and I made no effort to break free.
Now I was alone at the booth; Kris had gone to the bathroom, Cole was nowhere to be found and Thea was dancing with a man she had met a couple of minutes agoâ he was bearded and rugged much like Cole, but while the man had blonde hair Cole had a rich chestnut color to his.
I took the opportunity to get out my phone to finally check the message that arrived a few hours prior. After our talk in the car earlier, I found myself doing something that I probably shouldn't have but I couldn't stop myself. What I had done completely went against what I had told her in the car.
She wanted me to get rid of the bodyguards that I hired to ensure that she was safe, they had clear instructions to protect her with their lives if they saw anyone strange lurking around.
At first, I was going to do as she said and dismiss them but after finding out what her father had done and why she had been in hiding, I couldn't bring myself to. I couldn't take any chances.
I felt like I owed this to her in a sense, she was going out and risking her own safety because of me, the least I could do was ensure her safety in anyway I could because I was far too selfish to let her go.
As much as having to lie to her was feeling like a punch to the gut, I couldn't think of any other way to ensure her protection 24/7. I've considered staying home and looking after her the whole day, and I would if I could.
I'd sent a text earlier to Orland, one of the guards, to ask him if they could be a little more discreet in their guarding. I wanted it to seem like they'd left as per her requested.
Orland: On it, sir.
Was all he wrote, he was just as blunt and to the point as he was in real life.
"Hey cutie," I practically jumped at the sound of her voice, I clicked my phone screen off and placed my phone down on the table as she slid into the spot beside me, a spot that had belonged to Cole. The guilt of being caught doing something wrong had caught up to me, "Whatchu doing?" Kris was well over tipsy, she was drunk, very very drunk in fact.
She had scooted in closer than she realized, when I turned my head to face her her face was mere inches away from mine. A perfect blend of alcohol and the sweet floral scent of her perfume filled my nostrils, "Nothin much, darlin,"
"Well I'm sad,"
"You're sad?"
She nodded, "I lost my dance partner," She pointed towards the dance floor where Thea was happily dancing with that man.
"Oh, that's a bummer,"
A few moments of silence filled the space, she simply stared at me. She placed her elbow on the table for support and rested her head on her hand staring at me like she was expecting something.
I couldn't help but chuckle, "What?"
"I'm waiting for you to offer to be my dance partner,"
"Darlin, I hate to break it to you but I've got two left feet," I said through a laugh.
"And I've got two right ones, see we're a perfect match!"
That only made me laugh harder, "Not sure that's how it works, cause in my case you're better off dancing with a rag doll,"
She frowned, "But I don't want a rag doll, I want you,"
That was all I needed to hear, I got up and took her hand in mine. I tried not to think too much into her words but my body was already reacting in ways that were out of my control.
Drunk Kris was talkative, she had little to no filter a complete contrast from her usual self. She was always hesitant, worried that she might say the wrong thing or say too much or that her words wouldn't matter. Little did she know that I wanted to hear everything she had to say, every single word.
"I'm still not understanding why we have to leave," We were headed towards my car, her arms around mine for support as she took stumbled steps in her drunken state.
About an hour had passed and Kris didn't seem to be slowing down any time soon, she was dancing to nearly every single song. She was having fun.
Not too long ago, Thea came to us to tell her that she was heading out with the man she had shared a few dances with. Even in her state Kristal was able to make sure that their locations were synced before she allowed her to go with the man.
I hated to ruin the fun but it was a little over four in the morning and I needed to be up for work in t minus two hours.
"I've got work in two hours, Darlin," When we reached my car I opened the passenger side door and helped her in.
She gazed up at me, "But aren't you like the son of the boss, you could probably take a whole year off and you'd be fine because you're like a multimillionaire or your dad is but same thing,"
I let out a snicker, "Fair point, but I've already been off for the past few days and I have a meeting tomorrow. Plus the sun should be rising not too long from now, I'm sure your Aunt wouldn't want you coming up your window after sunrise,"
"Oh fuck," She slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide, "Oh my gosh Aiden get in, get in! We have to go," Her words muffled through her hand. Shutting her door I got in and we were on our way.
The ride went by faster than I would have liked it to, she was getting out every thought that crossed her mind and I was enjoying every second of it. We were approaching our street and I found myself driving way slower than I needed to, I selfishly refused to let this night come to an end.
"Oh my gosh I love this song," Excitement clear in her voice as Electric Love by BÃRNS started playing softly on the radio. Reaching in she turned up the volume, the intro of the song vibrating throughout the enclosed place, "Do you know this song?"
I smiled as my fingers began tapping along to the beat instinctively, "Sure do, darlin,"
"Oh great, then we can sing it together, carpool karaoke style. I'll start," She cleared her throat as the intro came to an end.
"Fuck, don't put me on the spot like this," I laughed, "I'm a horribleâ"
"Candy, she's sweet like candy in my veins!" She sang at the top of her lungs leaving me stunned, "Baby, I'm dying for another taste!" She pointed in my direction, a sign that it was my turn and I knew there was no getting out of it.
"And every night my mind is running around her," I sang reluctantly, my voice considerably lower than hers.
"Louder! Come on darlin, give me more!" She giggled.
"Thunder's getting louder and louder,"Â I raised my voice but still wasn't nearly as loud as her.
"Now both of us," She instructed, "Baby, you're like lightning in a bottle, I can't let you go now that I got it, and all I need is to be struck, by your electric love!" We sang in unison, no harmony in sight.
It didn't take long for me to get into it, we were riding down the street blasting Electric Love, singing our hearts out. It was one of those things where it all just felt so freeing, so euphoric. I don't think I'd ever be able to listen to that any other way.
The laughter that filled the car when the song ended was otherworldly, it was real and raw and laced deeply with happiness, genuine happiness. The look on her face, the way she held her stomach like the laughter had become painful yet too good to stop, all of it I wanted to store that moment in a little box that I could open whenever I wanted to relive it.
"Climb on," Sadly it didn't take long for us to drive into our street after that. She stayed in the car while I set up the ladder up to her window. Now I had squatted down slightly for her to climb onto my back.
"You want to give me a piggyback ride?" She mused.
"I'm carrying you up to your room,"
"Absolutely not, I'm more than capable of going upstairs on my own," She said stubbornly.
"Darlin, you can barely walk in a straight line so climb on or I'm throwing you over my shoulder, you choose,"
A few short moments of silence filled the air as she considered my options before I felt some weight on my back as she climbed on. She let out a giggle, "This is just like that scene from Twilight where Edward goes, 'Hold on tight, Spicer Monkey," She said putting on her best Edward impression.
I chuckled, "Spicer what?" With my hands on the back of her knees I made my way closer to the ladder.
"Spider monkey," She repeated, "Oh my gosh, now you have to say it, I mean it's only fair so say it please,"
I gave in instantly like the complete fool that I was for her, "Hold on tight, Spicer Monkey," She let out something between a squeal and a laugh as I began the climb. She held me tight as I climbed up to her window that was left open.
When we finally got into her room, I let her down slowly before turning to face her, "Here you are, safe and sound,"
She smiled taking off her satchel bag putting it down on her reading nook, "Thank you,"
I smiled shaking my head, "Get some sleep, you gonna be okay right?"
"I will be," She stared at me before moving her head to stared down at her hands, "if you stay a little longer,"
My heart might have just exploded in that exact second but instead of killing me, it made me realize just how hard I had fallen for her. I had fallen for her, for the mysterious woman at the window.
"Always."
It's about damn time!
Thanks for sticking through another chapter my loves<3
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