My Alpha Mate- On Hold

Chapter 18

Lizzie's POV

The loud knocks on Lizzie's door startles her as she jolts awake.

"Elizabeth, it's 8:00, you're going to be late for the bus" Her Father calls

Lizzie's eyes widen in panic.

Shit" She swears again as she scrambles out of bed, grabbing what appears to be a clean top off her bedroom floor. Her alarm on her phone was beside her blaring its automated tune. With a quick swipe across it silences, the room returning to a deceptive state of calmness.

How had she managed to sleep through two alarms? She'd struggled to fall asleep, all this drama and secrecy with Aiden and Henry had caused her to toss and turn all night.

Shoving her school books into her bag, she ignores her growling stomach as she sprints downstairs, snatching a banana from the fruit bowl. Lizzie turns towards the door without a backward glance.

She lets out a frustrated groan, it appeared her brother had already left, still managing to get a lift to school. She really should subtly mention it to Kat.

Damn, she realises it was Kat's party tonight, she couldn't afford to receive a detention slip today, and God she still had to find an outfit to wear.

Stepping out the door, she hugged her cardigan tighter as the strength of the morning wind whipped through her street, destroying any hope of quick walk to school.

Not letting mother nature destroy her plans for tonight, Lizbeth pushes against the wind and begins walking.

She halts for a moment at the end of the street, reaching for the lackyband on wrist. The wind had been pulling at her hair, causing it to fly everywhere.

She pulls up her cardigan but to her dismay its empty. She immediately pulls up the other sleeve but it seemed luck was not on her side.

The faint rumbling of the car sounds in the distant momentarily distracting Lizzie from her hair. She prays its not someone from school. To anyone that saw her now, she probably looked like a mess.

She causally peers over her shoulder as the car entered into view. Lizzie could tell it was top of the range by the sleek exterior and metallic silver finish.

Lizzie's body freezes in panic as the driver comes into vision. It was Aiden.

She knew he had seen her. Crossing the road, she keeps her head down focusing on the path in front of her.

All he needed to was drive by and ignore her. There was no reason for him to initiate contact, except to degrade her further.

The car slows to a halt and Lizzie groans in despair. Why couldn't he leave her alone?

Knowing it was unavoidable, Lizzie halts on the footpath and peers into the car. The windows are wound down, and she's expecting to see Aiden with some smug look on his face and a snide remark ready to fire.

Instead the opposite greets her, his usual ruffle hair is severely disheveled, big bags draped under his eyes. Sadness flashes across his face before his features form into the first sincere smile she'd ever seen on his face.

Her heart falters momentarily

"Do you want a lift?" he asks.

A sharp wind dashes through the street blowing her hair across her face. She shakes her head trying to clear her face. God, why must she always look like a mess in front of him?

"I'd rather walk the extra twenty minutes, than be stuck in the car with you" she said abruptly.

He sighs, running his hand through his hair. Lizzie knew that she should ignore him and start walking.

"I was a jerk to you yesterday. I want to start over, let me show you that I'm not as bad as I seem".

"I don't trust you" Lizzie says though she takes a step closer to the car. "You've been a jerk to me since day one. Why the sudden change of heart, why in my right mind should I trust you."

Remorse and guilt crosses his face, disappearing as quickly as it appeared.
"Because I want to fix things between us Elizabeth, at least so we can call each other friends. He pauses glancing up at the approaching heavy rain clouds Elizabeth had missed.

"Look, I promise I won't talk but you don't need to walk all the way to school"

A shiver dances down her spine, at the sound of her full name being used. She couldn't remember the last time someone had called her that. Even her parents called her Lizzie these days.

Biting her lip nervously, she hesitates, raising her head to meet his ocean blue eyes. "Look let me give you a lift and you can mull everything over".

She turns glancing at the street ahead, the school wasn't even in view yet. One more chance she whispers to herself. One more chance.

Surprising herself, Lizzie pulls over the car door, though he tried to hide it, Aiden was just as surprised.

She closes the door, breathing in the scent of his overpowering cologne, somehow calming her racing heart.

This would be the last chance she'd give him. For her own sanity, she prayed that he wouldn't screw it up.