Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
Mona
“Kyle’s gonna kill us both,” Alex snickers as we run down the steps to the train station platform. I am still holding the rose he brought me, scared that I will drop it. In this crowd, it will most likely get trampled on, and I will be devastated.
I am shocked when he pays for the passes for both of us, and as soon as the light turns green, we both step through.
Alex grabs my hand, and we’re running again.
We make it to the platform just as the train pulls up.
There’s a rush to get in, the crowd pushing me more into him when the doors finally close and we take off.
“Why is Kyle going to be mad?” I ask as the train jerks us around. “And where is it that we’re going?”
Once we snapped out of our trance in front of my building, Alex grabbed me by the hand and rushed me toward the train station, saying something about being late.
He now wraps an arm around me, shielding me from the people around us, and when he lowers his head to get closer to my ear, I about melt into his body.
“Kyle told me dinner was at seven, sharp.”
I let out a gasp of shock. “But you told me to meet you at seven fifteen.”
His lips part into a grin. “I actually said seven but promised to wait until seven fifteen.” He drops a gentle kiss onto the tip of nose. “And I’m really happy that I did wait.”
After my phone call with Elizabeth, I replied to the message received from Jonathan, which, for some unknown reason just exhausted me.
By then, it was close to four o’clock. I figured I could take a quick nap and still have some time before meeting with Alex.
Because regardless of how much I went back and forth with it in my head, I knew I’d be going out with him tonight.
I craved to be in his presence even knowing that nothing good would come out of it.
“Your friends are going to hate me even more now.” I drop my forehead into his chest and groan.
He chuckles. “They don’t hate you. In fact, they like you a lot more than they like me.”
I lift my head and roll my eyes. “Very funny.”
The train jerks abruptly, and we all brace for impact. Once again, Alex saves me from crashing into the other passengers.
“Where are we eating?” I finally ask. I guess I should’ve done that from the beginning.
“We’re going to Ray and Hayden’s house. Everyone else will meet us there.”
There’s a bit of tension in his tone that I don’t know how to interpret. Then, I repeat in my head what he just said.
“I thought Ray and Hayden don’t live in the city.”
“They don’t,” he confirms, and my head snaps back in shock.
“I can’t be out of the city like this! How am I going to get back home late at night?”
The thought of having to taking the train at midnight is seriously giving me the chills.
Alex squeezes me tighter. “I thought it’d be obvious that I’m bringing you back home, not just taking you there.”
“But…”
“We’re getting off in a couple of stops,” he explains. “My car is at the park and drive there. I didn’t want to get stuck in the weekend evening traffic.”
“But still,” I protest. “I can’t be out this late…”
I don’t want to tell him that even being in the hallways of my building late into the night is low key freaking me out.
It’s okay during the hours when people leave for work, or when they come back.
But in the dead of the night, I wouldn’t want to be out there.
I have three locks on my door for a reason.
“Please don’t tell me that you have to work tomorrow,” he begs.
I am surprised at how concerned he is by all the hours I’ve been working.
“No, I have tomorrow off.” I give him a goofy grin. “I’m looking forward to sleeping in for a change.”
He looks like he’s ready to ask me more about it when the train comes to a stop.
“This is us!” He turns me around, and we exit the train with the rest of the crowd.
There isn’t much time to chat after that. We run up the stairs, and the parking area is right there, just as Alex said.
“There’s the car.” He points toward a black SUV, which I recognize as his vehicle.
I don’t say much while we get in, then he starts driving us out of the city.
Realizing that my left hand is still clenched around the red rose he gave me, I turn around and carefully place it on the back seat, making a mental note that I need to grab it when he takes me back home.
The trip to the suburbs is a lot more relaxing than I was expecting. We talk with ease, he teases me, and I tease him back. Before I know it, he pulls into the driveway of a huge house.
“Whoa!” My jaw goes slack. “This is where they live?”
I’ve always known his friends had money, just like Alex, but I guess I never understood the magnitude of their wealth.
Alex watches me thoughtfully. It feels like a test. “Do you like it?”
“What’s not to like,” I shrug. It’s a stupid question.
I jump when someone appears from out of nowhere and knocks on the windshield. I suddenly find myself staring into the face of Alex’s friend, Kyle.
“Do you people not know how to read the time?” he yells loud enough for us to hear.
A snort of laughter escapes my lips, and I rush to slap a hand over my mouth. In the corner of my eye, I see Alex flipping Kyle off. Then, moving a lot slower than the situation warrants, he pops his door open and gets out of the car.
I remain frozen in my seat, unsure of what to do. When Alex opens the door on my side, I still don’t move.
“We need to get inside before Kyle passes out from hunger.” The smirk on his face just about melts me on the spot.
“Dude!” Kyle is like a cartoon, jumping around the car. “I told you seven on. The. Dot!” He enunciates each word as he points toward his wrist. “Do you know what time it is now? Almost eight freakin’ thirty!”
“Kyle!” The silhouette of a woman appears in the doorway of the main entrance to the house. “Come on, Hayden said you can have more shrimp!”
His eyes go wide, and he spins around without another thought to us. “Really?” He then presses a hand to his stomach. “I think I’ve developed an ulcer from lack of food!”
“Aww,” she gushes. “I’ll make sure to take care of you.”
I grab Alex’s outstretched hand and step out of the car.
“Welcome to the nuthouse,” he whispers into my ear. “I promise you that it won’t be as bad as it it looks. Kyle made a terrible first impression.”
I clench my fingers around his hand as he walks me toward the front door.
“I am fully prepared to throw you under the bus,” I inform him in the most casual tone.
He lets out an amused snort. “I have no doubt.”
The house is loud when we step inside, and I suddenly become very nervous even though there’s no reason I should be. I’ve already met everyone before, I just never cared to get to know them. I have no idea why it feels important that I make a good impression tonight.
“Duuuuude! You almost killed Kyle!”
I look to the side and notice Cal. He and Alex go way back, I do know that. And if I am not mistaken, he is engaged to his stepsister. It’s a bit of an unusual situation, but from what I remember, they did not grow up together, so that would make it a little less… creepy.
“Mona!” He walks toward me and opens his arms for a hug. I didn’t expect it, so it feels awkward when I attempt to return it.
“Cal, good to see you.”
My smile feels constipated, and I wonder if this is how it’ll go for the rest of the night.
“Come on in, guys,” someone calls from what I presume is the dining room. “We can all get re-acquainted while we eat.”
“Yes, please,” Kyle yells over everybody. “For the love of God, let’s eat already!”
I follow Alex’s lead, and when he pulls me into the room and toward one side of the table, I don’t fight it. I drop into the chair he pulls out for me and look around at the faces staring back at me.
“Ray.” I nod at Alex’s friend, then look at his wife. “Hayden, I apologize for holding dinner back. Alex said he didn’t care whether you get to eat or not.”
“I swear I hate you,” Kyle mutters toward the man at my side.
Hayden claps her hands together to get his attention. “It’s all good!” She turns back to face me. “We are so happy to have you.”
The smile she gives me is weird, like she’s overly excited about something, and I don’t see how that something could be my presence.
“I appreciate the invite.”
Under the table, I feel Alex’s hand squeezing my leg lightly. When I look at him, he smiles, and that throws me off as well. He was never affectionate toward me in the presence of his friends.
“Let’s all dig in!”
The relief on Kyle’s face is obvious. He is the first to load his plate, adding a little bit of everything and making us all laugh.
“So, Mona…” He is the sloppiest eater when he speaks. “What are your intentions toward my buddy over there?”
The question is so out of nowhere, I freeze with the fork at level with my lips. But I manage to recover in an instant, and decide to play his games.
“I have no intentions.” I shrug and stick the food in my mouth. “We used to date, and now we’re…”
Okay, this part throws me off. What are we now? I can’t say friends with benefits, because I have no idea if we’re even friends.
“People who know each other,” I finish.
I expect everyone to laugh, but instead, the table is quiet, almost awkwardly so. All you hear are forks hitting the plates as they scrape the food off.
“So we were late eating by almost two hours, and he’s nothing to you?”
My eyes widen in surprise.
“Kyle!” His girlfriend slaps him on the shoulder, looking mortified.
I clear my throat, then take another bite out of the food on the plate, as I try to look as unaffected as possible.
I give Alex a side eye. “You didn’t say that there were rules for attending this dinner. It’s not the fun you promised.”
He grabs a roll that he proceeds to throw at Kyle’s head. “It will be fun once Kyle shuts his damn mouth.”
Kyle, with the charm and humor he is known for, picks up the roll and takes a big bite out of it.
“I’m not me when I’m hungry,” he says with a mouth full of bread.
That finally breaks the tension, and we all bust out laughing. The conversation flows, and it’s weird how comfortable I feel around these people who I never bothered to get to know before. There is so much laughter as we eat, I forget that I am an outsider.
“I’m happy that you came,” Alex whispers into my ear, causing me to freeze in my chair when he places a soft kiss on my lips.
“I didn’t expect to have this much fun,” I admit. “I never liked your friends much.”
He lets out a loud chuckle. “They always liked you.”
“Doubtful,” I smirk back.
Thankfully we’re both whispering so no one can hear what I just said. I feel guilty for saying it after they’ve all been so welcoming to me tonight.
“Well, I’ve always liked you.” He leans forward and kisses me again. “And I’m happy that you’re here.”
I hate the way my heart goes wild at hearing the words. I would’ve done anything for him to say this to me before. And I want to say that they don’t mean much now, but I’d be lying. Still, I don’t want to play his games either.
As I drop my forehead against his, I can see the hope in his eyes.
“Nice try.”
“Mona…”
“Hey, you two!” Someone calls from the other end of the table. “Get a room!”
There’s no embarrassment as I can always take a joke, even if at my own expense.
“Well, since you’re offering…” I grin at everyone, then let out a sigh of relief when they laugh along.
Alex throws an arm over my shoulders and pulls me into him. The whole thing gives out weird vibes, like we are a couple. I get a little chocked up at how much I love it.
Suddenly, Hayden stands up and runs to the large window behind us.
“It’s snowing!”
I turn in my seat, surprised to see that it is indeed snowing.
“I hope it doesn’t stick. I need to get home tonight.”
Alex drops a kiss onto the top of my head. “I’ll make sure you get home safely.”
“You can’t drive in this, though,” Kyle butts in. “It’s not safe.”
“What?” I frown. “It looks like nothing.”
His eyes go from me to Alex, then back. It’s as if he’s buying himself some time before he says anything else.
“Not safe,” he repeats. “Right, Zara?”
She seems startled to be put on the spot like that. “I don’t think it’s that bad…”
Kyle gives her a look, and there’s some silent communication going on between them.
“But it will get worse,” she continues. “So you shouldn’t go back home.”
I lean back with what must be an incredulous look on my face. “What am I to do? Spend the night in Alex’s car?”
If they’re suggesting I pay for a hotel room, they can think again. Better yet, they can pay for it.
“You’re spending the night here,” Hayden declares.
I spin in my seat to look at Alex. Thankfully, he looks as surprised as I feel, or I would think that he planned this entire thing beforehand to trap me out in the suburbs.
“We have plenty of room,” Hayden adds. “And you’ll have privacy.”
“Privacy for what?” I sputter.
Alex clears his throat. “Privacy is good.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “Have you lost your mind? I need to go home.”
“It’ll be too late by the time we’re done here,” Hayden says. “So you spend the night, then Alex can take you home sometime tomorrow.”
“Too late?”
I don’t understand what’s happening right now. They are ganging up on me, and I have no options and no allies to help me.
“What is the plan for the rest of the night? Play charades?”
I’m only joking but regret suggesting it when I notice Alex’s head bobbing up and down while his friends all nod in approval.
“We’ll have a game night,” Hayden yells out. “That’s brilliant. We’ll start a tradition. Why didn’t I think of it?”
I turn to face Alex. “This is weird, and I will kick your ass if you don’t tell me what’s going on here.”
He just puts his hands up and shrugs. “It’s game night.”
I cross my arms over my chest and pout. I get the sense that I’ve already been played.