F I F T Y - T W O
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"Oh my god!" Thomas came running over to me the next day, attacking me with a tight hug. "I'd rather get arrested than getting drugged!"

Burying my face in his shoulder, I chuckled. "I was worried about you too."

"Well, another adventure we survived." He muttered. "Anyway, ready to go to Spainnn?"

"What?" I immediately let go of him. "We're already going to Spain?"

"Mhm. It's been six days. We wanna leave now. It's five p.m, so I guess we'll be there in the morning."

"Ah, right." Quickly I adjusted to the sudden news. "By train? Car?"

"Car. Our Minho managed to get those weird Porsches. Kinda cool. But too fancy." He rubbed his chin. "It's two seats. Hey, you wanna go with me?"

"Sure." I agreed happily. "Who's driving?"

"Me."

"Do I need a helmet?"

"No. I'm a professional driver! You know, at home I got a blue Jeep. It was my dad's, but now I have it." He grinned. "I'm so excited for Spain!"

"Hey, you two coming? Dinner!" Teresa gave us a warm smile before she lead us to the dining hall, where our group already sat. Thomas and I quickly got some food and sat down, Newt and Minho in front of us.

"So, uh..." Thomas started, glaring up and down from the table, mostly at Newt. "We got those Porsches, right?"

"Yeah."

"Great. Awesome. Very cool... but..."

"But...?"

"Did someone make partners?"

"Nah." Newt shrugged a bit.

Thomas nodded. "So I assume that I can go with Quinn?"

Both the boyfriends in front of us stopped moving, then looked up with a questioning expression. "What are you two planning?"

"Nothing." I promised. "Just to drive to Spain. Thomas will drive."

Minho squinted one eye. "I don't trust his driving."

"You drive way faster than me. You're lucky my dad spares you the bills!"

Newt frowned. "I bet you're planning on going out or whatever."

"No. No!" I shook my head. "All we want is to be in one car together. Is it that big of a deal?"

"Well, I would've said yes if it was someone else than Thomas—."

"Hey!"

"—you wanted to join." Minho said. "Since you always get into trouble. So... I'm not sure about this."

I knew damn well that this was not something I had to compare Aiden with. He didn't allow me to hang out with Oliver. Minho didn't allow me to go with Thomas because he wanted to keep us safe and not let bad things happen... but still! It offended me he didn't trust us like that.

"But that's unfair." I bit my lip. "We're not gonna get in trouble. What could even go wrong?"

"Right?" Thomas joined in. "Please...?"

"Look, Tommy. I'm not trying to ruin this for you or somethin', but I really agree with Minho. It's not the best idea. Just take another partner, drive safe to Spain, and go do something together there. Not sneaking out, though."

"Ah, come on!"

"It's just a few hours!"

"You can drive behind us!"

"To keep watch!"

"Yes, and we'll be safe!"

After a long discussion, it was decided I had to go with Minho and Thomas with Newt. It wasn't the worst, no, definitely not. I really enjoyed being with Minho, but Thomas would've been fun too. More... tea.

We finished our dinner and went to pack our bags. I did smile at the memory of Minho and I kissing here. Six days in a relationship with him and everything was perfect, except the little issue about the drive to Spain.

A bit grumpy, I told everyone bye and sat down in the car. Minho joined a few minutes later, greeting me with a kiss on my head.

He started driving as my arms were crossed and I stared straight forward. Okay, maybe I was overreacting a little bit... well—

He turned his head to me. "You gonna be angry the whole ride?"

I didn't look at him. "I'm not angry."

"Mhm. Sure you're not." Minho chuckled in such an annoying way it only made me more pissed. "Then what are you?"

I grunted.

"Sorry? What was that? I'm your girl, Minho? What I am, is super cute, Minho? Especially when I'm angry." He mimicked.

I elbowed him on the shoulder. "Stop it."

"Yep. Definitely cute when you're angry."

"I'm about to be glamorous."

He laughed out loud. "You're always glamorous."

"Stop." I muttered, irritated because those compliments couldn't make me angry much longer.

"I'm only complimenting you!" He protested.

I kept my face like stone. "Stop complimenting me, then."

"Pass. Gotta have some kind of way to let my thoughts out when I have to see a beautiful face like yours everyday."

I glared at him.

He kept on smiling. "What is it? Your period will come in more than a week, so that can't be it. You have mood swings before it? Or are you just angry?"

"Angry."

"And what can I do about that...?"

"Let me go with Thomas."

He pouted dramatically. "You don't like it with me?"

I sniffed, turning my head away. "I do like it with you. But I wanted to go with Thomas."

"Well, sadly we can't change that right now." He readjusted his seat. "Perhaps I could kiss you happier?"

My stomach did... a flip at that thought.
"No. That would take a day."

"Ahw." He touched his neck. "Not that I want you to be that angry, but I was hoping for it to take a week."

It was getting harder to hide my smile and be angry at him. Way too hard. "Still angry."

"So you wanna fight me?" He paused. "Hit me... with your lips? On mine? Softly of rough?"

I threw my head back in annoyance, but then said, "If that's how we fight, I want to fight all the time."

"Sure. If only this car had a backseat." An unnecessarily long sigh.

A laugh left my mouth without permission, and soon I was smiling, hard.

"Anyway. Gotta refuel. Mind waiting?" He drove onto the station.

I shook my head. "No."

"Great." He stepped out of the car.

"Bye."

"Hey!" Immediately his head appeared in the car again. "Bye means forever and you're not going anywhere, Princess. Sit you tiny ass down, along with that attitude!"

I giggled as Minho left again, watching him refuel outside the car when my phone went off. I exhaled, praying it wasn't Aiden.
It wasn't.

"Hey, Mom." I greeted. "What's up?"

"I'm sorry." She sounded in a panic. Sad. "I'm so sorry, honey." A sniff. "I tried to recover—but..."

Disappointment hit me, sending an uncomfortable wave over me. "Did you drink again?"

"Yeah." She whispered. "I feel so bad, honey. I just couldn't help it. I have to stay here longer now. Much longer. I drank way too much."

"Oh." A shiver went down my spine. I had hoped my mother recovered by the time I got home, so Minho would meet her being sober, and not crazy.

"I'm sorry." She repeated. "But, how is it there? I haven't called in a while."

"Yeah, it's great." I smiled to myself. "We're driving to Spain right now. Minho's just refueling."

"That boy again, hm?" I could hear her grin on the other side.

"Yep." My cheeks got redder. "I'm his girlfriend now."

A gasp. "Oh! I knew it would happen!"

I laughed under my breath. "Yeah."

"Does he treat you well? Nice... nicer?"

"Definitely." I confirmed.

"Give me some examples, come on!"

A stupid smirk was forming on my face. "Well... he calls me Princess and acts like I'm one. Compliments me, spends a lot of money on me, he—."

"How much?" She blurted out. "Wait. That sounded as if I wanted to steal. Didn't mean it like that. Was just curious."

"Uh... I don't know how much." I ran a hand through my hair. "He wouldn't let me look while paying."

"Then it must be a lot." She said. "What else?"

"He opens doors for me, offers to carry me, and he listens to Taylor Swift!"

"Approved." She clicked her tongue. "I'm really happy for you, Honey. He sounds amazing."

"He is." I said, half dreaming as I talked.

"Gotta go now. Bye, Quinn. Love you."

"I love you too. Bye, Mom."
I let out a relieved sigh, happy to see she still seemed to have motivation to get better.

Then my phone went off again.

"Yeah, Mom?" I wondered, expecting it was her calling me back.

It was not.
"Spain, hm?"

I froze in my place. How many friends did he have and how many phones did they have? Jeez. I had to change my number or something!
"Leave me alone."

"Fun, how in a week I'll meet you again. Hopefully you'll bring a little gift. Some money?"

I swallowed, in a hurry to look if Minho wasn't coming back, but he just went to pay inside the gas station. "No."

"No...?" He sounded offended. "I gave you enough time. Enough warnings. You're lucky it turns out you're not that dumb to fall into the trap of my French friend, Quinn. If he would've bought you a drink, you would've been lying in the hospital along with your weak little friend."

My hands turned white around my phone, but this didn't shock me. Of course it was Aiden behind the drugging. "Now what's waiting for me in Spain, hm?"

He scoffed. "Nothing yet, Darling. Nothing. I'll leave you alone 'till Greece. Can't wait, really. Bye!"

A second after he hung up, and I started panicking. He was ready to drug me too? How far would he go? If— god, if Minho would leave me for a second in Greece I wouldn't even feel safe anymore.

And I couldn't avoid Aiden. If I didn't come to his house with Minho, I was sure Minho would bring him over. He wanted the stupid money I didn't have, expecting me to magically get it from somewhere.

What if he stole from Minho and blamed me? Lead Minho into a trap to be alone with me? Convinced Minho to stay with us at night? Brought more friends? Used an excuse for the others to leave so we would be alone?

Anything could happen and I was not prepared.

"Hey." Minho entered the car when my phone was still in my hands. "I got some water. Thought you didn't like black coffee, so— hey, everything all right?"

I nodded fast. "Yeah, yeah. Water's fine. Black coffee's not really... my thing. Thanks." I took the bottle of water with shaking hands, attempting to take a sip.

Minho stared at the trembling bottle of water for a while before he parked the car on the side of the road, fully turning to me. "What happened, Princess? Did anyone hurt you?"

I shook my head. "It's nothing. Just... drive."

"I'm not driving until I know you're comfortable, cheerful, and not worried about anything." He stated as his fingers touched my leg softly. "What's wrong?"

I sighed, looking down. "My mom called. She... well, she's addicted to alcohol. In a clinic now, but it got out of hand and she drank again, so now she has to stay longer." I explained. "And I thought... no, would've found it nicer if you met her when she was sober and fully recovered, but now that'll take a longer time."

That was... half of the truth.

"I think you shouldn't worry about that." His softer voice appeared. "I really, really don't care. I'd love to meet your mom, but it's okay if she isn't doing well, or doesn't have time to meet me. I can wait. It can all wait."

This only fixed half of the bad feeling I had, but I nodded and ignored the aching pit in my stomach for the rest of the ride.

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A/n: Ugh, Aiden.
Hope you enjoyed!! x Vera