Aaron's POV

I've been looking for her from past ten minutes, I don't know where she vanished. There aren't a lot of people here so it cannot be that I can't locate her, but something tells me that she already left.

Of course she left! I know how she feels about my friendship with Diana, but best friends can't always rule your life now, can they? The worst part was, we were kissing when Lizzy found us!

No, wait, I was kissing Diana.

Why the hell would I do that? But, she did kiss me back, didn't she?

My subconscious mocks me when I question such things but I ignore it for now. I need to find either of these two girls right away. Considering that Lizzy already left, I make my way to terrace in search of Diana.

To my surprise, she isn't there anymore.

I rush to the living room and search for her but she's nowhere to be seen. I have no idea what will I even talk to her about once I find her, but something is better than nothing.

"Hey, have you seen Diana?" I ask Derek when I find him by some girl's side.

"She just left, what's up?" He frowns but shaking my head, I leave him.

It takes me just few seconds to get to the driveway where I know she always parks her car and sure as hell, she's there. While I'm approaching her, I notice how her eyes are closed and she's just leaning against the car.

"Diana?" I call out and she startles at the sound of my voice.

She always does.

"Err.. what are you doing here?" She questions, looking unsure of what to say.

Wow! That certainly doesn't happen a lot. Diana has always been the confident one, she knows what's she's doing, or at least she's great at pretending that way. So, whenever I've caught her off guard like this, it has never seemed to amaze me when I realize that she's also like any other girl out there.

Except, she's a little bitchy.

Alright, a lot bitchy! But, I've come to admire that about her. She doesn't take shit from anyone, unlike me.

"Aaron?" She interrupts my trail of thoughts and I take a step towards her.

Her make up is bit smudged and her dirty blonde hair are a bit messy, but she still looks beautiful. I can never deny that about her.

I notice how she goes almost steady when I start closing more distance between us. It's like, she's all of a sudden so much alarmed

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kiss you again," I tell her and she stares at me.

"Why did you?" She asks and when I frown, she questions again, "Why did you kiss me, Aaron?"

"I don't know, I just had few beers and -"

She interrupts, "It's alright, I understand." She nods but it's almost like she can sense my lies.

I don't have even a single drop of alcohol in my system. But, what other excuse do I have for kissing her? I was probably caught up in the moment.

Probably.

"Why are you leaving so early?" I find myself asking, she always stays the night.

She gives me a small smile, it looks forced but I don't want to be any more creepy tonight.

"I told you Aaron, I'm done with Derek. No more fucking around."

I try not to cringe at her words. She looks hurt, but I know for a fact that she doesn't care about what people think about her. Although, she did look a pretty bummed out when Shane called her out something I didn't expect him to. And, when Derek joined in, I knew that was it for her.

But, why does she care about what Derek says? He never means anything. Can she possibly have any kind of feelings for him?

The thoughts seems disturbing so I immediately push it at the back of my mind. Diana doesn't deal with feelings, I know that.

"I'll see you in the office on monday?" I say.

It's a question, I'm not sure if she would want to see me considering what I did tonight. But, wasn't it her who said that people kiss all the time? She does! She wouldn't care about some loser making a move on her.

"Probably." She shrugs.

I nod at her but I cannot seem to let go of the way she's staring into my eyes. She's always the one to break it, why make it different this time? As if she heard my thoughts, she looks away.

"Are you okay?" I ask, I couldn't hold back anymore.

She gives out a bitter laugh, "Yes, what would happen to me?"

And there it's back, her usual tone.

"Nothing, I was just-"

She shakes her head as she cuts me off, "I really gotta rush now, I'll see you around." She smiles and steps forward, placing a quick peck on my cheek and just as I blink, she's sitting in her car and driving away.

Leaving me stunned.

I stand there for few minutes, collecting my thoughts before making my way out to Lizzy's place. She lives just few houses down from mine, we've been childhood friends. I would be lying if I say that there wasn't a time in my life when I forced myself to believe that I might be in love with her. But, I wasn't.

It doesn't mean that I never had feelings for her because I did once, but right now? I don't. I've never regretted that night when we had sex, I really thought I would eventually, but I don't. The only thing I'm thankful for is that things aren't awkward between us.

I wonder if Diana is still friends with the person she lost her virtue to, or if she even remembers who he was. I push the judgement out of my thoughts as I knock on Lizzy's door.

She eventually opens the door and I notice how red her eyes are. She has been crying.

"Oh, Liz!" I sigh as I step forward and wrap my arms around her. She immediately hugs me back.

She has always been the person I come to for comfort, and for her, I'm that person. But I can't help but question myself right now, am I consoling her just because she saw me kissing someone she doesn't like?

"Why would you do that, Aaron?" She cries into my arms and I find myself speechless.

When I don't respond, she steps back but doesn't let go of my hand. She closes the door behind her and takes me to her room. I know for a fact that her parents aren't home right now. They are out on a weekend trip with my folks.

"Did she force you into it?" She asks as we sit on her bed, facing each other.

"What? No! She didn't." I immediately defend Diana, not knowing why.

"Then, why?"

She looks like a lost child and I'm not sure if I can lead her back home. I don't have answers to her question.

"Are you attracted to her?" She asks, hesitant, as if she's scared of the answer.

Her question leaves me stunned. Am I attracted to Diana Rose? She's clever, she's smart, she's sassy, she's beautiful- totally attractive, and she's a really good kisser.

I'm not sure what to tell Lizzy when I'm not certain of things myself. I kissed her willingly tonight, in my sober sense. Heck, I have never kissed anyone like that, ever before. That has to mean something.

"I don't know." I find myself saying.

She doesn't give me a second to process as she slams her lips against me and I back off almost as soon as I register what's happening.

"What the hell, Liz?" I look at her, disgusted.

"Well, you need to know if you're attracted to her or not. If you can kiss me, that means you don't feel anything for her." She tells me, almost begging.

What? How does kissing Lizzy justify anything?

"I can't, I cannot kiss you." I tell her and stand up to leave.

"So, you do have feelings for her, no?" She scoffs, but she sounds more mad than hurt.

Where did even the term 'feelings' come from, in between?

"I don't fucking know!" I scream at her and realise how she didn't deserve it.

"Then why can't you kiss me, Aaron?"

She's sounding so desperate, I'm starting to question if she's the same girl I considered my best friend this evening.

"Because you're my best friend, Lizzy! I love you, but as one best friend loves another, nothing more than that." I try to explain and she snaps.

"Then why the hell did you kiss me that day?"

I give out a bitter laugh, "You were drunk as hell, do you even remember what happened that day? I never kissed you back, you forced yourself on me and when I held you, I was actually trying to get you off of me but you took it in a wrong way." I finally snap.

Her face falls at my words and her lower lip starts trembling. I can't watch her cry anymore, not when I'm the reason.

"Listen, Liz! I don't know what has happened to you lately, but I just want my best friend back. The crazy and stupid one, I'm sorry if I've hurt you in any way but I cannot deal with this. We've been through this before and we know how it ends. Please just call me when you're ready to be my friend again." I tell her before leaving her room and then her house.

I've never talked to her that way before, I don't know what got into me tonight. My thoughts have been driving me crazy and Lizzy's questions and her behaviour were just igniting my frustration. I feel guilty for the way I snapped, I really do, it just wasn't me.

But, do I feel guilty for kissing Diana? Heck, no!

Diana isn't the sweet girl you meet, find her attractive and you both get along. She's far from it. She's complicated in ways that drives me crazy. I've known her from few months only and I haven't been able to figure her out. She's secretive, a lot secretive. Just because no one else notices, she thinks I don't either but I'm an observant person.

Never has she ever mentioned her life outside office or weekend parties. I don't even know why she only works half day and what does she do the rest of the day. I want to know her, gain her trust and then keep it.

She doesn't smile often, but when she does, her whole face lights up. But, the real question here is, am I attracted to her?

Maybe! Well, yes, I am.

I know lying to myself wouldn't get me anywhere. But, attraction is far from having feelings for her. She's attractive in a way that made me want to kiss her, that's as far as it goes. Where the feelings are concerned, I know better than to have them for someone like Diana. Also, I can't do anything about being 'attracted' to her, apart from not trying to kiss her next time we talk.

When I get back to my place, I ignore everyone's presence and go straight up to my room. I don't even want to acknowledge my friends right now. Especially not Josh, he tried to kiss Diana and let's just say, I wasn't pleased about it.

I sigh as I quickly change and get into my bed, as soon as my head hits the pillow, I doze off.

My morning starts with a wake up call from my colleague from office, he asked me to deliver back some important documents that I was supposed to bring back home with me.

I take my time to get ready, I don't do formals today. I just put on a black round neck t shirt and blue rugged jeans along with my vans. I just have to give the documents and come back, why dress up for that?

Subway or car, I weigh the options while devouring my breakfast but then settle on my car. I hate New York's traffic but then I'm getting used to it after living for years in California.

It takes me half an hour to reach office and it feels a lot creepy than usual because there's absolutely no one in here. I'm used to being greeted by Diana's smile as soon as I step in the office while she sits at the front desk, and not seeing her there makes me feel weird.

I sigh as I get to my cubicle and my eyes fall on the one next to mine.

"Hey buddy, the documents." I call out for Nick.

He immediately looks up, "Oh thank god you came. Thanks a lot man!" He takes it and gets back to work.

I think he's doing extra shift.

I want to probe him more about it but I don't want to sound creepy, so I just shrug and make my way out of there. When I'm about to reach the elevator, I bump into someone.

Something falls down from her hands and I kneel down to pick up the stuff and notice how long her heels are. Damn! How do girls manage to walk in that stuff?

I hand over the things to the lady and mumble a quick apology. She's pretty, brunette hair, dark lipstick. Why does she look so familiar?

"It wasn't your mistake, I was just distracted." She says and I shake my head, but let go of it.

Both of our hands reach together to push the elevator button and she giggles. She retreats her hand and I finally press the button.

"Charlotte Wilson," she finally introduces herself, pulling out her hand for me to shake.

I do that and pass her a smile as I say, "Aaron McCall."

It takes me a moment to register her name and I frown as the elevator door slides open and we both get in.

"Are you Mr. Wilson's -"

She cuts me off mid sentence as she laughs, "Daughter? Yes." She smiles and I nod my head in response.

"You must know Diana, then?" I find myself asking.

Why would I do that? That must sound really creepy. I notice how her facial expressions change a bit at the mention of Diana's name but then she smiles.

"Of course I do, she's the evil cousin." She jokes and I smile, relaxing a bit. "How do you know her?" She asks.

"She's my friend, well, sort of." I tell her and she just looks at me. I don't know how but I suddenly know why she seems so familiar, "Oh god, we met at that dinner!" I say out aloud and it's like she realises what I'm talking about, she nods.

"She brought you on a family dinner, few weeks back." She registers with herself and then looks at me again, "Are you one of her -"

Before she can complete it, I interrupt, "No no no, I'm not Diana's anything other than just a friend." I tell her but then start mumbling again the next second, "Although I did kiss her last night."

She laughs at my words, as if she's amused by the whole situation.

"Well, Dee has that kind of effect on guys. It all begins from a kiss, but if you really want nothing more than friends, you should talk it out with her before it ruins things between the two of you. Sex is never a pleasant business with her."

I choke on my own saliva at her words and start coughing at the mention of the word sex. I'm starting to doubt if Diana and Charlotte are even close, because I didn't miss the judgement in her tone when she said the last sentence.

She immediately pulls out a water bottle from her bag and offer it to me and I chug it down. I take a deep breath when I stop coughing.

"Thanks," I say, not clarifying what I'm really thankful for.

"I didn't mean to come out so harsh like that, but you should drop by today if you want to talk things out with her." She tells and I nod, appreciating her suggestion.

She must know Diana well, after all. They're cousins. Even if she doesn't, she was right about one thing, I really need to talk to Diana. I don't want her to get the wrong idea because I know how things go between any guy and her. It all, in fact, begins from a kiss after all.

After Charlotte waves me goodbye, I get in my car and decide to go to Diana's apartment. She must be home, even though I have no idea where else she might be. All the way to her apartment, my thoughts are filled with what am I going to say her but I think I just need to see her once and I'll figure it out.

I park my car and take the elevator up to her floor. I remember the first time Derek dragged me down here, I didn't want to come because I wanted to meet Lizzy but then he offered that I could bring her along and I agreed.

Diana was a lot more bitchier in the beginning, she snapped at me so much that I thought I hated her. Never did I ever think I would be friends with her, let alone set in the fact that I kissed her.

I ring the bell outside her door and when she doesn't show up, I ring again. Wow, I can be impatient sometimes. The door swings open and as soon as she sees me, her eyes go wide in surprise.

She closes the door behind her and steps outside in the lobby before I can even get a single glance of her living room.

"What are you doing here?"

I frown when I notice that she looks panicked. Her hair are a wet, the ends sticking to her face and I have to practically resist myself from brushing them away. She's in her shorts and a really baggy t shirt and while I'm checking her out, her eyes are roaming around my own body.

"Aaron?" She says and I snap out of my thoughts.

Yes, what am I doing here?

"I came here to talk." I tell her, hoping she would invite me in but she just shakes her head.

"Right now isn't a good time." She scowls and I find myself getting disappointed.

She's about to walk back in when I speak up again, "I met Charlotte today."

I notice the way her face turns cold at the mention of her name and her eyes turn into slits.

Wrong move, Aaron!

"Who?" She frowns, almost like challenging me to say her name again.

"Your cousin." I mention and she pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Never mention her name in front of me again." She says, but quickly takes a deep breath. She has been doing that a lot since what happened with Ethan. "What did she say?"

"That we should talk?" I sound so unsure of myself.

She glares at me, "You told her we kissed, didn't you?"

"It slipped, Diana!" I defend myself.

"Well, it shouldn't have! It must've been her genius suggestion that you drop by today, no?" She whisper yells, I can tell she's trying her best not to shout at me in the lobby. It will create a scene and as much as I know Diana, she hates attention to herself.

"If you're so ashamed of what happened, why the fuck did you kiss me back?" I snap and her face turns pale at my words.

It's like her anger melts away and she sighs as she looks at me, "I really cannot do this right now, Aaron. I'm in the middle of something."

In the middle of something? It's just after one o'clock, what could she possibly be doing right now other than finding reasons to avoid me? Unless, she has someone in there with her.

"Do you have a guy in there?" I ask, not even trying to cover up how disappointed I sound.

"What? No," she says and it's as if something registers in her mind and she sighs, "Yes, I do!" She finally confesses.

Is she lying? I don't miss the way she looks away when she says that. But, what do I know about Diana Rose? She could be kissing me one minute and fucking someone else the next.

I don't even respond to her as I start walking away and I expect her to call for me but when she doesn't, I feel something deep inside of me.

I feel hurt!

Well, fuck feelings for coming hand in hand with attraction!