Aiden's P.O.V~~~
I was eating breakfast with Kia and her parents; listening to small talks between them and intervening in between when needed. After yesterday's fiasco, I had not imagined today to be this peaceful, even though Kia isn't fully happy she is getting there after all her parents believe her and I- even though was mad at her when I first saw the post; somewhere within me I knew she would never betray me like this especially with someone she has a beef going on. Now it's just our friends who need to know the truth, and I know it is the only thing Kia is sad about.
"Aiden! You there?" A finger snaps me out of these thoughts. I look to my side to see Kia smiling at me.
"Yeah...I was just immersed in Susan's delicious food." I reply, sending a grin to Susan.
"Can't disagree kid, her food was what lured me to her." Michael said and winked at Susan.
"I'm pretty sure dad you told me once that it was mom's beauty and her unique sense of humour that lured you in." Kia said which made Susan laugh and Michael to go a little red.
"Okay! Enough about me. Let's finish our breakfast and then help me with hanging the star on the tree" Michael announces before digging into the food.
~~~~
Kia was hanging the star and giving a finishing touch to the tree when I got a call from Jake. Walking out of the main door, I accepted the call.
"Hello! Aiden, Merry Christmas man." Jake's voice greeted from the other side of the call.
"Merry Christmas to you too." I greeted him.
"Um...You must have seen the post yesterday, I can't believe she did that to you. Didn't she say she had a feud going on with that guy and the girl? Then how? Was she acting the whole time? None of us can wrap our heads around this buddy. Carrie and Jules are so mad at her and are crying at the same time. We don't know how to comfort the girls. They were wanting to meet Kiara and swear at her, so we somehow stopped them, but they are ready to go her house and start a fight with her the first chance they get." Jake ranted out.
I sighed before replying, "I'm doing good man. And yes, I did see the post yesterday. But I don't believe that post at all." I told him calmly though I wanted to rant just as he had done.
"What are you saying? What else do you need to know that Kiara has played you, and you fell into it hard." He continued.
"No! What kind of friends would you all be to her if you just assume what happened by only seeing a picture posted by some unknown person? You should know better than to believe some picture above your own friends. Did it occur to you that the picture might be edited or something?" I hissed at him, to prevent Kia or her parents from hearing.
"I-" He paused, "Um...how are you sure Kia is innocent in all this and the post is edited? Huh? If you are just saying it to tame your heart, then it's better not to. I know you are hurting, but crying over someone who can't even reciprocate what you feel is not the right thing to do." He stated, and I lost it.
"I'm not hurting at all cause I am happily celebrating Christmas with Kia and her family. It's you all who are acting innocent and dumb. Kia better not hear what you all assume of her cause she is still in hope that you all will believe her over that stupid post that someone posted on Instagram by the end of the day and come to celebrate Christmas with her. You all could do so much better than hating on Kia for something she had no control over. At Least show her that you care enough to search for the truth behind it rather than blindly believing." I all but shouted at him. Thankfully, no one came out to check where the shout was from.
"What are you saying man, you can't turn this into us. Also, are you at Kiara's house to celebrate Christmas? This is not how I expected you to react...it's confusing. What's going on?" He asked doubtfully. He doesn't seem too sure now.
I exhaled a breath before asking him where everybody is, it's better to tell everyone at once instead of explaining it to each person. Once he told me I ended the call telling him that I'll reach there in fifteen minutes.
I enter the house to see Kia standing on a ladder to hang the mistletoe. Me being me, I shake the ladder lightly and she squeals before falling into my arms. I smirk as she takes a deep breath.
"I see... you are falling for me hard." I comment. Upon hearing this, she starts hitting me on my chest.
"Youâ I got really scared and here you are joking around." She says with a pout on her lips. I quickly lean down to kiss her but she pushes me away catching onto my intentions.
"No way, my parents could have seen." She says. I chuckle at her before telling her that I need to go out for a moment. She nods her head, getting back to hanging the mistletoe. I quickly bid her goodbye before riding to Blake's house, where Jake and the others are.
~~~
"Hey man! Merry Christmas!" Blake pats my shoulder. I greet him too before going inside the house.
As soon as I enter, I am engulfed in a hug by none other than Carrie.
"I'm so sorry," She kept on repeating and I felt bad for her but then I think about how she was just convinced by the post that she didn't even attempt to see if it's true. I grab her arms and pull her away.
"Yeah, you should be sorry but to Kia; not me." I told her and she looked at me confused.
"What the hell are you saying Aiden? Why should any of us be sorry towards Kia? For cheating on you or for betraying our friendship? " Jules questioned.
"Well...you should be sorry to Kia for not having an ounce of trust in her to even check if the picture posted is right or wrong. You all didn't even give her the benefit of doubt, rather you just believed the post at once. Did it come to your mind that the picture was posted by an unknown person? Did you find the need to ask Kia about it before trusting some stranger's post? And you call yourself friends." I told them angrily.
A look of shock and confusion washed over their faces. Jake took that time to tell them how our conversation went this morning and told them to settle down on the couch. I also made my way to the couch and sat down across them and told them what actually happened to Kia yesterday. As I went on with my story, I saw how Carrie's expression turned from anger to guilt and she started tearing up in the middle. Jules' expression was hard to decipher. Blake and Jake had their heads down; definitely due to guilt. Once I finished, I was met with silence with slight sniffles from Carrie. Though the silence was broken by Jules.
"How do you know if she's telling the truth? You must be so gullible to believe her words rather than proof in the form of a picture." She stated.
"I know because I went to her house and saw her hurting over something she didn't have any control over, I know because I saw the red marks around her lips and arms where she rubbed too hard to remove the feel of his lips and touch. I know because I saw sadness, disappointment in herself, and guilt in her eyes when she told me the incident. I know because I gave her a chance to explain her part unlike you who thought she's disgusting just by a picture. I knew she was telling the truth as soon as I saw her eyes; ashamed to recite the incident in front of her father and me. I am not gullible to believe the words of a girl crying; trying to prove her innocence in a world where it's hard to prove yourself right without proof. I know it's hard to believe a crying girl/ woman nowadays because they have mastered the act of fake crying to make her words more believable, but how much you act, lie; the eyes of a person are a big giveaway. Bringing tears is easy but behind those crocodile tears lies their real intentions and I'm 100% sure what I saw in Kia's eyes were true emotions and I believe her." I ended.
"I need to meet her. Now!" Carrie sobs and Blake is instantly there to calm her down.
"Good. She's been wanting to meet her friends cause after yesterday's incident, no one has messaged or called her and she has been looking at each of your Christmas gifts; waiting for some kind of signal from you all to know she has not lost you.
~~~Carrie's P.O.V~~~
Hearing it all from Aiden, I realised what a bitchy friend I had been to her, and when she needed comfort I was here criticising her. When I heard him say that Kia has been looking at our gifts with longing, expecting us to be there with her to celebrate Christmas; a festival we all had been waiting for, from the start of December; spending hours at shops to buy the best gift for each other and counting days for today; excitement hardly able to contain. And now when it is Christmas, here we are mad at one of our dearest friend who has been with us through every moment of her life from the day we met.
I quickly run up to my room and collect all the gifts before returning back to the living room.
"Let's get going then, I don't wanna make Kia wait anymore." I said waving my gifts at them. "And if you all need your presents, you'll have to go to her house with me."
"Let's get going then. I already informed their parents to make extra food for you all and to let it be a surprise for Kia. Jules, if you still don't believe Kia...it's better you don't open your mouth there. You may feel like insulting her and she may take it quietly just because of your friendship, but I won't tolerate a single insult from your mouth." Aiden warned Jules, and I agree with him. She is already so down about the incident, we don't need to wipe out her happiness from her.
"You don't have to worry. I'm not holding a grudge against her, it was just hard for me to know what the truth was." Jules mumbled and I understood what she meant.
"It's okay Jules, don't overthink now. At least we all know the truth now, and all we can do now is be with her and help her fight this battle." I told her and gave her hand a slight squeeze.
"Now, if you all are ready with your presents; let's get going." I shout with a new found excitement as I hurry to Blake's car. We all settle in our seats and make our way to Kia's house. Since Aiden has gone back to get all our presents, he'll come a little late.
We reached her house in ten minutes and waited outside for Aiden to arrive. Her house was decorated with Christmas lights and stuff. I tried to find her through the bare windows, and saw her sitting in front of her television, though I could clearly see that she is not following what is playing on the television and was lost in her own thoughts cause her mom and dad are pretty much smiling while their eyes on the show, but Kia wasn't.
My sight is shifted when Aiden arrived in his car. He asked why we were standing outside and I tell him that none of us have the courage to knock at her door or face her. And it's true; each of our behaviour towards yesterday's fiasco was horrible and to face her after commenting on her just a few hours before we were proved wrong is shameless of us, and also the guilt we feel will be doubled after seeing her.
Aiden knocked at the door and Jules put her hand into mine and squeezed tight; the door opened and out came Kia. She looked at Aiden and asked him where he was when he moved to the side to reveal us, and as soon she saw us her eyes open wide and a huge smile graced her face before she runs towards us and hugs us both at once. Too stunned by her approach, we both stood still, and Kia quickly moved back as if she remembered something.
"Um...sorry, I-I just." She stutters, I immediately understood why and quickly pulled her towards me and hug her tight.
"Why are you sorry? We are sorry for not being here when you needed us and believing the post above you." I mumble sincerely. I felt wetness on my neck and knew she's crying. I pat her and pull her away as my own eyes start tearing up. Jules took that moment to hug Kia and apologise.
~~~Kiara's P.O.V~~~
Opening the door to be met with my friends was the last thing I thought would happen today, but I'm not complaining. After mumbling sorry's and shedding tears, we made our way inside where mom and dad were standing near the hall; smiling wide. I guess they knew.
When everybody settled down, I went up to my room to bring all the presents meant for my friends.
"So, how are you feeling now?" Aiden asks as he walked into my room.
I looked at him and smile brightly through the tears, "I really don't deserve you. You have done so much for me and I couldn't do much for you the entire time we have been together. You've been hurt by me but even then you supported me and made sure I'm happy, and I have been so wrapped up in my problems to acknowledge your hurt and pain."
"Hey, don't! You have done so much for me without even knowing. You make me happy and feel loved and that's all I ever want from you. I was hurt before I knew the truth, but now when I know what actually happened; all I can feel is the urge to kill that bastard. Seeing you happy calms me down so I have to keep you happy in order to be sane." Aiden jokes.
I chuckle, "But no one should be okay seeing your loved ones kissing someone else even if it was forced," I mumbled looking down.
"Well...it's true. I am not okay if you say it like that, but when I think you are all mine and I can kiss you enough to make you forget his kiss and think about only me; I feel quite okay. He won't ever touch you again. But I am gonna kiss you breathless and leave you wanted for more." He said as he inched closer and held my face, "I'm gonna make this Christmas a really special one today, one that you won't forget. Ever!" He tells me before capturing my lips with his, and I melt right into him; my legs weak and my hands itching to roam around his body. He kept his one hand on my thigh, hoisting me up and pushing me towards the wall gently, without taking his lips off me. I pull him towards me more, wanting no space to be left between us. We carry on for what feels like half an hour but only ten minutes before I pull back and lean my forehead against his.
"Thank you," I whisper
"For what?"
"For not leaving me, for bringing back our friends, for enduring my tantrums and so much more. I love you." I stood still, shocked at what came out of my mouth. I looked into his eyes to see them intently on me, his muscles tensed.
I panic. What did I do? How can I say something this huge without even thinking it through. What will he think? I quickly get out of his hold before pacing my room, thinking of what to say.
"I-I wasn't supposed to sa-say that. I do-don't know what happened. I-" Aiden stopped my rambling and looked at me intently.
"Do you regret saying that?" He asked me. I don't. but should I say it. What if he wants me to say yes?
"Do you?" He asks again and I shake my head slowly, not being able to lie to his face. I quickly cover my face with my hand.
"I don't know why I said that because I don't know if it's truly love. It just came out because I was too overwhelmed but, it doesn't mean I won't want you in the future, so please don't leave me. I genuinely like you." I'm again interrupted by Aiden.
"Hey! Who told you, I'll leave you? I understand what you mean, and honestly even I don't know what love is, and since we have a lot of time to know what love is, let's stick to like for now." He said. I remove my hands from my face and stare at him in disbelief.
"Really?"
"Yes silly. So don't you dare stop liking me. Do you understand?" Aiden asks with a smile and I nod my head with a grin.
"Okay then, let's go back downstairs cause I think they've called for us at least five times now." Aiden says and I chuckle. Taking the presents and following him downstairs, where everyone is settled.
We open our presents and thank one another. Laughing, chatting, dancing, eating and enjoying each other's company.
As the time passes, the next day is about to start. We all stand in a circle and shout for the last time this year.
"Merry Christmas."
__________________________________________
Hey!
How was it? Comment.
This must be the longest I have written, and I'm proud to be over with this chapter...phew!
Will meet you all in the next chapter...till then,
Byeee:) â¤â¤