Best Friends With Benefits

Chapter Thirty Nine

My mouth was wedged open in shock. My brothers had come home with matching tattoos. "What are those?" It was an obvious question but it felt right to ask.

"College symbols" Daniel looked down at his tattoo and my eyes followed, I recognised the symbol for 'omega' but the others meant nothing, they must have been the sign of their fraternity. I just sighed, they clearly looked pleased for themselves and who was I to tell them what not to do? Instead I turned around taking Gale's hand in mine and led him up the stairs not saying another word to my brothers.

"They must be a close brotherhood" Gale leant against the door and smiled.

"I guess" I was over it, at least they got tattoos that meant something to them and not something on a whim. Gale stepped over and leant down to plant a kiss onto my forehead, the warmth spread down my body.

"I'm going to head off, I'll catch you later okay?"

"Okay" I was disappointed that he left because I didn't have any other plans for the day but I'm sure I would find something to do. Gale collected his scattered clothes and was gone before I had moved, he probably felt slightly awkward with my brothers now and I didn't blame him for wanting to escape, I wish I could escape certain embarrassing moments but unfortunately for me, that wasn't possible. I cleaned my room which didn't take long and when I was finally not distracted my thoughts slowly returned to Aiden. The shock rose up in me again, drugs? I shook my head in disappointment, I never thought Aiden would be the sort of person to degrade to drugs, unless something big had happened. The more I thought over it he had been acting slightly strange lately, not that I would know because I was avoiding him since he attacked me, but I still knew him and he was acting odd.

Finally after debating in my brain I settled to gather my lady-balls and head to his house, I told my brothers where I was going but not sure that they heard me. It was peculiar, heading this way down the street, I hadn't been to Aiden's house since I slept there. I pushed the thought from my brain and knocked on the door, his parents car was gone, not unusual. Aiden opened the door, his eyes were looking better and I stared at him for a moment.

"Why are you looking at me like I am some sort of monster?" Aiden looked down in sadness and I adjusted myself.

"I'm sorry, can I come in?" There was plenty of things that I could rage to him about, but seeing him in a vulnerable state was definitely the warning against it. I thought his broken state was only temporary, clearly not.

"Sure" He lazily stepped aside and I thought I caught a glimpse of a tear in the corner of his eye but he turned away before I could confirm. I sat awkwardly on the edge of the couch waiting for him to speak, then I realised that I was the one that came to him and that I should probably start the conversation.

"Are you okay? I can't help but think that something else is going on?" I was squeezing my fingers together and they had turned white, Aiden stood in the kitchen fiddling with a fork and when he looked up, he noticed them and I hid them under my legs, he was not to know that I was nervous.

"I'm fine" What wasn't he telling me? He clearly wasn't fine because if he was he wouldn't be in this mess. I cared, as much as I didn't want to I did care for him and I knew that he was hiding the truth from me. I stood and walked towards him.

"No, you're not, tell me what's happening, you know you can talk to me" He looked up to meet my eyes and emotion swam inside, he was a wreck, I couldn't help but compare him to the loveable, boisterous person I knew several months ago, it was surprising how quickly things could deteriorate.

"Why are you being so nice to me, I hurt you, emotionally and physically, why don't you just leave me-" Tears were in his eyes, for sure this time. I watched his eyes fight to stop them from falling, even his voice sounded strained. There was very few times that I had seen Aiden this weak, but for some reason it was partly comforting to know that deep down he had emotions.