Best Friends With Benefits

Chapter Nineteen

I woke up the following morning with Aiden by my side, it was perfect, my eyelids fluttered open and I stopped to take in the warmth of Aiden's body wrapped around mine and his chest gently moving as he breathed. Something was wrong though. It was too perfect. Then just like that it hit me, the clock. I flipped over and dreaded what I saw '12:26', we were two hours late for school and it was a half day! How is that possible!

I almost fell out of bed in a rush as my mind was alert but my body was still sleeping, with the sound of my body hitting the ground, Aiden was awake but he was in no rush to assist me and just rolled over.

"Aiden get up, were late!" I yelled running into the bathroom.

"What?!" Aiden yelled back and I heard him curse loudly, I'm guessing he saw the time. Every time we've had a break from school I have promised myself I will be different when I go back and it will be a new me and I will look good and....no. No-one has time for that, or me anyway, throwing on some skinny jeans (not the quickest option) and a low-cut top, which Aiden enjoyed, I ran downstairs, which Aiden also enjoyed as 'my girls' bounced as I ran, Aiden at my heels. He was fine, he only had to throw clothes on but I would do my hair and makeup in the car, which was risky but there was no time left to waste.

We reached school in 10 minutes and entered the building. It was incredibly strange being back, especially when a week before we were on the other side of the country. I sighed, brilliant. Luckily it was a relaxed day and after attending what was left of fourth period, it was lunch. I hadn't seen my girl Alex yet so I walked out of class looking in every direction, knowing that when she saw me she would pounce. I saw her before though, she was already at our lunch tree so I ran full sped and toppled over her. She squealed and we spent the next half an hour talking non-stop about my vacation and her break and our lives. When the bell rang, was it only then that I noticed Aiden hadn't joined us. I was so caught up with catching up with Alex I had not noticed Aiden's absence. Awkward.

The day finally finished and I headed to Aiden's car in the car park. I waited for 15 minutes and there was no sign of him. Where could he be? I hadn't seen him since he kissed me goodbye into my classroom. After another 10 minutes I noticed him merging from a crowd of girls and jocks. Why didn't I guess that he was catching up with his 'friends'. I smiled as he smoothly walked over. The summer breeze stroked his hair, it was just like a movie and my brain was working in slow motion. He reached me and he said something but I was too caught up in his magnificence to notice until he pinched my nose.

"Ouch!" I yelped as he laughed.

"Like I just said, you head on home, I'll be an hour or so" I nodded, just registering what he had said then he turned and was leaving. I stood for a moment, confused. When he reached the crowd again the girls were all over him, stroking his arms and one girl wrapped her arm around his waist and to my surprise he rested his hand on her shoulders. It's cool, I'm not the type to get jealous, I turned and headed in the opposite direction but something was urging me to turn around. I tried to resist it, knowing that several of the girls were probably looking in my direction, I gave in and turned and I was right, a blonde and brunette glared back at me. Luckily I was too far away to make out what they were saying, I'm pretty sure I would not want to know. He was happy, at least that makes one of us.

On the walk home, images of the other girls and Aiden flashed through my brain. I was allowed to be jealous right? He was my boyfriend and hanging with other girls, I wouldn't take it up with him though. That's his beef. When I finally reached home, I was sweating and changed into my sports gear, flicked out my iPod and decided to go for a run. I was defiantly out of practice as my legs began to ache to soon, but the jealously edged me on and I completed further than normal. I reached one of my favourite spots, a lake, I sometimes stopped here to reflect on my miserable life but now I was going to reflect on my fortunate life and my jealousy. I wish I would stop thinking that! I am not jealous!

By the time I had finally fought off the argument in my head I was recovered and ready to head home. When I got up and turned I saw the most horrific sight ever.

In front of me stood Alex and my brother, but they weren't just standing, they were... they were... making out? They were at least 20 feet away and hadn't noticed me . I quickly dived for the nearest bush and crouched in shock. I felt nauseous. I remember being told he had a boyfriend but I never thought it would be my best friend and she never thought to tell me? She was probably in my house whilst I was away. I gagged, ew. I peeked through a few branches and they were walking towards me, well towards the bush anyway. I thought they had noticed me so I pretended to tie my lace, remaining crouched until they sat of the bench next to me. They were now a foot away and I was just out of view, but any movement may catch their glance. My heart was beating one hundred times a minute and my legs were aching, I couldn't hold the position much longer. I wanted to yell 'I saw you!' but couldn't, I wanted Alex to tell me herself and I actually smiled at the thought of using this against her. I was planning the set-up in my head when I was interrupted by a dog. The brown dog started sniffing me and  looking suspicious , I gently nudged it away but it returned. I looked around for the owner but found no-one particularly interested in the dogs behaviour. I ignored it until I realised why it was so suspicious, it began weeing on my shoes!

I jumped up and screamed, wiping my trainers on the nearest grass. Charlie and Alex jumped up releasing their grip from each other and stared at me in horror.

"Peyton?!" Is all that came out of Alex's mouth. Brilliant, I had blown my cover. I looked angrily for the dog but it had trotted off once complete its business... on me.

"Woah, hey guys, what's up" I tried to play it cool but was rather distracted by my wet leg and also I was a bad liar. My brother just scowled at me. "Well, good chat, better be off, bye" With that I turned and began jogging in the opposite direction, back home. I thought about asking them why they were together like a normal person but i didn't think of that. I knew that they knew I knew but still I kept jogging. I quickly took a glance behind me and caught Charlie resting his hands on Alex's shoulders in a comforting manor, she wanted to tell me, I knew it.

I finally reached home and the whole scenario hadn't left my mind and Aiden still wasn't home as he hadn't texted me, it had been nearly 2 hours. He was probably having fun. Great. I took a quick shower and threw on some yoga shorts and a bralette since the day was a scorcher. I was on my laptop for the next hour when I heard the front door being slammed shut. Finally, Aiden was back. I jumped up, fixed my hair and skipped to the stairs.

"You'll never guess what... I just caught Charlie and..." I froze on the stairs as it wasn't Aiden at the door, it was Charlie. He stared back at me with guilty eyes and he was gripping his hands together, he was nervous and that was making me nervous but I composed myself.

"Yo, bro" I slowly continued into the kitchen and began to make myself a sandwich. "What's hanging, homie" I was awful at playing it cool, I sounded like an idiot, more of an idiot than usual.

"Pey, I can explain" Charlie began.

"You don't have to explain anything, it's your life not mine" For some reason I wasn't angry, I was calm but I knew it wouldn't last and that I would become frustrated when I saw Alex. It was usual routine for my brothers not to tell me anything in their lives but Alex and I shared everything and I know she would be just as devastated if she was in my position.

"We wanted to tell you" Now I was getting angry, why were they being so innocent. I was fine. That's right, I was fine, now I wasn't.

"Why didn't you then? I hate secrets, especially big ones! Your my brother... I'm... I'm" I tried to think of something mum would say when she was telling him off. "I'm... very disappointed in you" It wasn't the best expression but it seemed to somewhat work as Charlie looked kind of hurt but then he exploded.

"Well it's only fair, your keeping a big secret from us!" Charlie yelled.

"What are you talking about, I'm not hiding anything, you're the one having a secret relationship behind my back!" I complained back.

"Your such a hypocrite, you're the one having a secret relationship with your best friend behind everyone's backs!" Charlie stepped back realising what he had released and I remained frozen in so much more shock.

Charlie knew about Aiden and I.