Ava

I chuckled as Alex pushed Elias away from me and enveloped me in a hug. He scowled at him, shoving his shoulder, but moved on. Alex grinned at me, bumping his fist with mine, resting his chin on my head. "Did you plan on matching or was it coincidental?"

"All him." I muttered, letting him go. 

Paige crashed into me, though I knew it was deliberate, and we would have fallen down if not for Alex holding us back. She held on for a few seconds, then pulled back with a smile. Paige was beautiful. We had met through Elias two years ago, and hit it right off. Her vibe matched with mine completely and there were so many similarities between us that it was almost impossible to not get along.

"You've kept her to yourself a little too long, Eli." Aiden said, chuckling as he gave me a hug. 

"Nothing she didn't like." Elias replied back to him. He was already seated on a chair, a glass of wine in his hand, leaned back. His demeanour screamed control. "Sí, amor?"

"Whatever." Paige muttered, pulling me to a chair just next to his. "Oh, that's Emily." She pointed to the woman sitting beside Aiden. 

Blonde, blue eyes, the right height, perfect model material. She held a glass of champagne in her hand, taking a sip from it while looking at me. She smiled, but I had feeling it wasn't a real one. "Pleasure to finally meet you, Ava. Heard lots."

"All good, I hope." I smiled back, tilting my head. Her posture wasn't at ease like everyone else's was, and it seemed she wasn't totally into the dinner.

"Of course. So good that I don't think there is anything bad about you." As her smile widened, the falseness increased. 

I waved a hand. "Lots of bad in me. But I show it only to selected people."

"Oh she's very bad." Elias murmured, his lips curling up into the smallest of smirks. "Professionally, I mean." He added, raising his eyebrow to emphasise. "She does badass work."

But the innocent way his hand crept up onto my thigh, rubbing soft circles on my skin suggested otherwise.

"How is work, by the way?" Paige asked.

"It's alright." I said, gripping his hand in mine and pushing it back down. He grasped my thigh, not letting go.

He didn't do anything stupid, thankfully. I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of our friends, and he respected me well enough to keep that to ourselves. His hand still gripped my thigh, tracing my skin. There was a promise in his touch. A promise he would fulfil when we would be alone. 

"Mhm, and then he told me he'd pay me triple than what was agreed upon." Alex said. I'd dazed off for a while, distracted by my very subtle boyfriend, so I didn't understand where the conversation was headed.

"You agreed?" Aiden asked, cutting through his chicken.

"Heck yeah. I would have been a fool not to. Thirty thousand dollars for something so easy was a golden opportunity." Alex chuckled. "Not really ethical, but my job is doing unethical things."

"You should get yourself a woman, Alexander." Emily rested her arms on the table, leaning forward. "All this aimless working won't get you anywhere unless you have a woman who supports you."

Alex raised an eyebrow at her. "I won't get anywhere without a woman, is that what you're trying to say?"

"Precisely. Every successful man needs a woman. Plus you have to spend the money on someone. You can't do it all on yourself." She stated.

"Em, stop it." Aiden muttered.

Alex chuckled. "I don't spend it all on myself, Emily. I send one third of my income to my parents, and another one third to charity. Though I don't think I need to discuss my accounts with you."

The table had turned quieter than ever. There was music playing in the background, but everyone was either trying to ignore this conversation, or listening very intently. Like I was.

"You don't. But I'm saying you will have to settle some time or the other-"

"Emily, stop it." Aiden said more forcefully this time. "What are you doing?"

"What, babe?" She turned to him, wrapping an arm around his neck, which he moved away. "I know all of you want to say this to him, but you don't want to break his heart. Alexander is a bit too reckless, no? I mean I know you sleep around because you can't get Paige out of your head-"

Alex got up suddenly, his mouth open. He blinked in shock, the chair screeching behind him as he pushed it back harshly. He gave Aiden a look of betrayal, and I felt my heart break a little. "You-y-you told her?"

Paige beside me had frozen. Her fork was halfway to her mouth. She was looking down, her hair covering her face. Elias was gripping my thigh tightly, his mouth open to say something, but he was in shock just like I was. 

"Listen, dude, I-"

"Fuck you, Aiden." Alex said. He didn't raise his voice, but his face was enough to show his hurt and pain. "One thing I trusted you with, and you couldn't even keep that to yourself."

"No, no. It's not like that. I promise. Listen to me-"

Alexander flung away his plate, turning around and storming away. Aiden looked like he was about to cry. I was confused, I didn't understand what was happening. I looked at Elias with wide eyes, and he matched my expression. He appeared to be just as clueless as I was, but when he looked back at Alex's fading steps, his eyes hardened. "What the fuck just happened?"

Aiden slid down to his seat, holding his face. "Fuck, fuck-"

Elias got up, looking between one of his best friends and his girlfriend. Emily was typing on her phone as if she hadn't just done something that could probably ruin a childhood friendship. She looked up in surprise, tilting her head. "Babe, he'll come around."

"Shut up, Emily." He said, his voice muffled. "Just- just shut up. What do you want from me?"

"Fix this mess." Elias pointed a finger to her, then to Paige. "I'll handle him."

He looked at me as I nodded at him, then turned around. I looked at Aiden, whose face I still couldn't see, then turned my head towards Paige, who was still in the previous frozen position. I shook her, and she snapped out of her daze. 

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"Did he mean that?" She asked, barely above a whisper. "Alex?"

"I-I don't know. But I think so, given his reaction."

"Why didn't he tell me?" 

"Maybe he was scared that you didn't feel the same way." I offered. "But you'll not the actual reason unless you talk to him."

She nodded, taking a deep breath. Her eyes slid to the pair in front of her and they hardened. "That was a pretty shit move, Emily."

Emily looked up. "What was shit about it?"

"Using someone's feelings against them. Even if you did know, you had no right to say it out loud."

"He wasn't gonna tell you anyway." She waved her hand.

"That does not matter." Paige spoke forcefully. "It was his decision. You stole it from him." She got up as well, then looked at Aiden. "And you? Did you really break your best friend's trust for a girl who doesn't even care about you?"

"I didn't tell her." Aiden said, looking up. His eyes were pleading, painful, and I knew he was serious. "I would never betray him like that. She overheard-"

"Don't lie, honey." Emily smiled. "Not to your friends at least."

But I trusted Aiden more than I trusted his girlfriend. And I knew him well enough to know he valued his friendship and wouldn't betray Alex like that. So I believed him. I held Paige's wrist, "Go."

She nodded, giving me a small smile, then turning leaving. I looked back at the couple, trying to make a conversation in my head when Aiden beat me to it. "Don't show me your face again."

Emily had the audacity to look offended. "Excuse me?"

"Tell your father he can go fuck himself. I can handle mine. My parents wouldn't want me to date someone who doesn't respect me or my friends."

"The merger-"

"We can live without it." He said. "You just cost me my best friend and I cannot tolerate this anymore."

Emily shook her head, glaring at him, getting up and leaving. My eyes were wide the whole time, confusion only increasing. "Shoot, Ava." Aiden murmured. "I know you have questions."

"You weren't dating for real?" 

"No. It was business. And family pressure." He said. "I would never voluntarily date someone who didn't care for me, however much I like them."

"We should go. You have tell Alex the truth, okay? He has the right to be pissed but he must know you didn't break his trust."

Aiden nodded, closing his eyes and taking a deep. "I should have ended this way sooner. I was so stupid to think it could work maybe. Emily never got along with any of them and I should have taken it as a sign-"

"It's no use thinking about that now, Aiden." I replied, getting up. "Come on."

Alexander was just outside the restaurant. Elias was in front of him, holding his shoulders, saying something. Paige stood behind them, and I didn't know how I understood that, but I knew she had not yet spoken to Alex. The pair shifted their eyes to us when we emerged from inside, and Alex stiffened.

"Hey, Alex." I started. "At least listen to him."

Alex tightened his jaw, but didn't say anything.

Aiden sighed beside me. "You left me a voicemail two days ago, when you were drunk. You know what you said in that. She played it before I could."

I watched as Alex unclenched his fists, blinking away. Elias looked helpless as he ran a hand through his hair, pacing back and forth. Alex took a step in our direction, then another, till he was standing right in front of us. 

"I'm sorry-"

"No. I am sorry for doubting you." Alexander said, and my heart clenched painfully. "I was pissed and I took it out on you. I knew you didn't tell her. I know you won't betray me like that." Then he turned to me and whispered, "Is she looking here?"

I swept my gaze towards Paige, who seemed to be burning holes in Alex's back. "Yes."

He shut his eyes painfully. "I'm fucked."

"No, you're not." I whispered urgently. "She might even feel the same way-"

"She does not." He hissed. "She hasn't even talked to me." 

"But-"

"I'm going home." He exhaled harshly, turning around. "I don't feel good. I'll talk to you later."

My eyes met Elias, to find him already looking at me. He looked confused, like he didn't know what to do anymore. Aiden beside me was looking down, and I had a feeling he still blamed himself for this mess, even though Alex had said he didn't blame him.

"Alex," Paige called out. Her voice was firm and confident, making him falter in his steps. "Drive me home."

He whipped around sharply, blinking. "Huh?"

She shook her head, smiling softly, walking towards him. I saw him gulp, his eyes following her move as she stood in front of him. "Take me home." Then she looked back, throwing a pair of car keys towards us which Aiden caught very easily. "Emily took your car. You can take mine, I want to drive with him."

She walked to the parking lot like a queen. And after a few deep breaths Alex looked at me with wide eyes, then followed her. I bit back a chuckle at how scared he looked. If things turned out good we'd probably meet again and tease him about it.

"What do you think will happen now?" Aiden asked.

"She'll give him hell for not telling her." Elias said, walking towards me and coiling his hand around my waist, pulling me to his chest. "That's for sure."

"Do you think she feels the same way?" I asked.

"I don't know." He said. "But I do know they understand each other like no other." Then he looked down, his eyes meeting mine, so intense and deep. "And that is enough for a start."

-⍣-

Double update? Why not. You hype me up all the time with your love and support, so it's only fair I give you something in return. 

Anyway, thoughts about the friends?