Best Friends With Benefits

Chapter Twenty Nine

I stood just staring into Aiden's eyes and he didn't release his hard grip from my shoulder. I didn't know what to say, knowing that if I lied or told the truth, both ways would hurt him which I wanted to avoid.

"Peyton!" He shook me from my thoughts and my mouth was dry, I didn't know what to say.

"Um" Was the only noise that left my lips and I couldn't tell if his expression was turning angrier or disappointed because he knew, that moment I hesitated he knew that I had. If I hadn't I would've immediately said 'no', but I had and now he knew.

"You kissed Gale" It wasn't a question anymore but a statement and he dropped his hand from me as if I was burning hot.

"Why does it matter, we're not together" The last thing I thought I would be doing is starting a fight just as Aiden and I were becoming close again but I wasn't going to be nice because he was fragile, I needed to defend myself. I had done nothing wrong. I just kissed a sexy, charming and confident guy and I didn't care who knew anymore. My words seemed to sting him.

"You know how I feel about you Peyton" He was quiet now and he almost growled it.

"I don't think I do anymore" All my emotions were swirling around, I couldn't be angry at him so instead I was angry at myself and for nothing. I felt guilty again, like I was betraying Aiden and it also shone light on the fact that I wouldn't be particularly happy if I saw Aiden kissing another girl but it was Aiden that didn't want this relationship but did that still make me off limits to him, I was just his best friend with benefits. If I wasn't distressed enough the next words that left his lips were like ice, an unexpected ice that gets thrown at you and you don't know how to react.

"Peyton, I love you" All anger and frustration had left his eyes and he was now calm. His features softened and he gave me the shy smirk I hadn't seen for months. Embarrassment was something Aiden generally didn't show but now he was and he wasn't ashamed. My mouth was slightly apart in shock, that was not the reply I was expecting, I thought he was about to flip out but instead he was radiating compassion.

"Aiden, please..." I looked to the ground, I wanted to shout at him that I loved him back but it wasn't that easy. I loved him before, when I thought we were together until he broke my heart. The thought of kissing Aiden raced through my mind and just as I was actually about to consider it, we were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Peyton, is everything okay?" It was Gale. He could not have appeared at a worse time, my head snapped round to my left where he stood, his fists were almost clenched and his eyebrows formed crease lines due to him frowning, Aiden and Gale were alike because of this, they had the same anger pose.

"Gale, everything's fine" I didn't move, I didn't dare to even blink incase I missed a sign that one of the guys were about to explode onto the other. I flashed my eyes back to Aiden, his body language screamed conflict with clenched fists, gritted jaw and tense shoulders so I placed a gentle hand on his chest. He darted his eyes into mine and realised the sign from me to calm down. He relaxed slightly but stood slightly as a sign to Gale that he was protecting me or claiming me. Gale grew angrier about this and was looking at me to convince him out of punching Aiden, I just shook my head.

"Aiden, dude just stop" Gale's voice was demanding and quiet and I felt Aiden stiffen even more making me nervous.

"Stop what? You're the one that made all this mess" Aiden gestured between him and I and I couldn't help but feel bad that Aiden was putting this sort of guilt on Gale's shoulders, it wasn't just his fault, it was mine also, Gale and I together messed up Aiden and I's relationship but then again was it Aiden that started the ball rolling? Gale was starting to become defensive as he took a step forward in our direction and stood straighter, the tension was rising and strangling me.

"Gale, stop" I pleaded and placed a hand on Gale's chest, it was warm and hard and his eyes were fixed on mine as I tried to communicate to him through them for him to stop provoking Aiden. Just as Gale relaxed slightly Aiden did something that was unpredicted on all levels, he turned me around by the shoulders and leant in to place a kiss onto my lips. The pressure was slightly more than a peck and his lips were smoother then I remembered. His taste was now provoking me to come back for more and I closed my eyes with the embrace. Just as a second passed, the lips were ripped away from my face and I flashed my eyelids open to see Gale holding the collar of Aiden's shirt in Gale's fist.  Gale's eyes were staring deep into Aiden's but Aiden couldn't care less, he wore a smirk on his face that hinted at the corner of his lips. I didn't bother to separate them, this was something I couldn't even prevent, Aiden wore the look of glory on his face and nothing was going to wipe that away because he knew that he had affected Gale, dramatically. Gale released Aiden and pushed him away by the chest and turned to face me. I wasn't how to react, was it bad to admit to myself that I loved the feel of Aiden's lips on mine once again or was that just because I knew I shouldn't have them? Like the forbidden fruit, I had tasted them and I wanted more.

Gale looked at me and I just looked straight back at him expressionless, he walked over to me and placed a warm gentle hand on my cheek. His gentle features looking down into my eyes, he was a beautiful specimen but right now I couldn't get Aiden's touch out of my mind.  I placed my hand over Gale's to trace the shape of his fingers with mine and then I dropped my hand to my side and he did also. We just stood for a moment and the Gale turned and left, leaving me to watch him walk away. Aiden was still there, looking at me, I didn't know if he was waiting for a reaction so I just stood looking at him. He looked apologetic and then approached me.

"What the hell were you playing at?" I punched his chest, not quite as hard as I could have but hard enough for him to stumble backwards a little. I was overly annoyed that he used me to annoy Gale.

"I wasn't playing?" Aiden frowned at me.

"Seriously! You tell me you love me because you knew Gale was standing there and then you kiss me out of nowhere, just to annoy him! I can't believe you!" My eyes pierced into his and I could see his eyes searching my face trying to understand why I was so annoyed. I thought he meant it when he said that he loved me! Whether he did or didn't, it didn't matter now because I had to talk to Gale and sort this out.

I turned and walked past Aiden just brushing his shoulder with mine. The thought of the kiss turned sour now I knew why he did it, for his own selfish purposes. I walked in the direction Gale had and the 'end of lunch' bell rang. Damn it! I needed to speak to Gale so I pulled out my phone to text him.

’Hey, we need to talk. Come to my place later, okay?'

He almost immediately replied making my heart lighten.

'Okay, I have practice first but I'll be there as soon as I can'

The word 'practice' just made me think of Aiden and the days I would wait for him to come home to me afterwards but I pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the rest of the day ahead. As per usual, class was acceptable and eventually, after boring my brains out, school was over and I was walking home. I couldn't help but search the football field for Gale and Aiden, that practice was not going to be pretty with both of them on the same team.

I reached home faster than usual, that was probably because I spent the journey playing out different scenarios in my brain of the football practice in motion. I listened out for ambulance sirens passing, thinking that maybe one had ripped the other apart now that I wasn't there. When I got home I didn't have the energy to do anything productive, my nerves were getting to me for some reason, maybe to just to see Gale or to see in what state Gale may turn up in. If they did fight, I'm sure Aiden would win, but if they did there would be no way Aiden would come out in a good state either.

After wasting time with the TV, I noticed that the time had passed and practice had finished 10 minutes ago. My heart began to race and I knew that any moment Gale would turn up, if he was still alive. I paced for a while in the kitchen, fiddling and re-positioning cups and plates to steady my nerves but it wasn't helping. I was tempted to ring Gale but there was a knock at the door, I almost ran and fumbled with the door handle to open it and when I finally opened it, my heart sank for what I saw.