Erin McAfee

"Alex." I whispered and he smiled at me widely then he enveloped me into a bear hug.

To return his gesture, I briefly patted his back.

"W-what are you doing here? I-I mean, when did you arrive?" I asked after he released me from his hug.

"I landed late last night. I was going to come here but I realized that it's late already and I didn't want to disrupt your slumber." He smiled at me and you could clearly see how happy he is being here.

Alex, you should've come here last night, I wouldn't mind. Or later tonight... Why now?! Geez.

I replied in my mind while maintaining my smile.

"Oh and I came here to ask you to have lunch with me. Are you perhaps free today to hangout with me?" Hope was clearly evident in his tone especially in his face.

Oh my God. Why today?!

"Alex, I..." I was lost for words but then my subconscious quickly interjected.

REFUSE!

And yes, she's right. I could refuse to avoid both of these men see each other.

"I'm sorry but---" my eyes widened when I heard Zac's voice and I bet my eyes would now bulged out of its sockets when he stood beside me and harshly pulled me to him by my waist.

"Babe, what's taking you so lo... Vice." He spit Alex's surname when he acknowledged him.

I stared on the ground to avoid seeing the situation in front of me. This was exactly what I was trying to avoid.

"North." Alex spat.

I squirmed when I heard Alex's tone because this will be the start of a fight or a pissing contest between these two alpha males.

I tried to remove Zac's arm on my waist but he tightened his grip.

"What are you doing here?" Zac asked in bitterness to which Alex scoffed.

"None of your business." Alex answered him in the same manner.

Meanwhile, I was trying to think of a way to handle the situation in front of me but my mind suddenly went blank.

"As a matter of fact, it's my business. Given the fact that Erin and I are now dating." Zac emphasized the word dating.

For the nth time of the day, my eyes widened, and I swear this was the first time I knew that my eyes could widen even more than I could. Wow!!!

But that's enough. Zac just told him that were dating.

I mistakenly looked at Alex's face in front of me and I swear I just wanted the ground to eat me alive. The look on his face made me want to pull my hair. It was a combination of confusion, shock, anger, and the one that's most prominent was the look of dejection.

He looked at me with those eyes that begs me to tell him that it wasn't true and that Zac was just messing with him.

"Is it true?" He asked me softly.

"Alex, I... I was going to tell---"

"Is it true?" He cut me off with a stern voice.

I looked at the ground and nodded because I couldn't look at his eyes for I didn't want to see his emotions in them.

"Now that you know, it's time for you to stop seeing her." Zac spoke cutting the thick uncomfortable silence enveloping us.

But Alex just chuckled darkly.

"It's not your decision to tell me what to do or what not to do, North. You may be dating her but you're still not her boyfriend."

"I made it clear to you in the beginning Alex to stay away from Erin. But what did you do? You still stick yourself to her even though she's not interested in you. It's clear as day that she don't see as something more than friends, so a friendly advise and to save you from heartache, stop thinking that you have a fucking chance at her. You're nothing but a friend." Zac told him off and I swear when I saw his face, he was infuriated.

But I admit, it irate me to hear him telling Alex off because he wasn't suppose to do that. It was me whom should explain Alex, in a very nice way, everything because this concerns me and him only.

"Zachary." I called him in a low tone to warn him to stop.

"What? I'm only telling the truth." He reasoned out.

"Stop it." I said to him and looked at Alex who has a murderous look on his face. You could clearly see that he's seething in anger and if Zac had spoken another word, all hell will loose.

"Alex." I called him softly but he didn't react.

"Alex, I think you should go home now. We'll talk later. Please." When he looked at me, his face immediately filled with sadness. But then when I pleaded, he nodded at me.

"Alright. I'll see you later." He said and walked away towards the lift.

Zac shut the door angrily and I pushed him a little to get out of his hold. I walked to my living room but he was quick to hold my arm.

"You will not see him again, Erin." He bursted.

"I will see him again. I will explain to him everythi---"

"Fuck it. You don't have any explaining to do to thay asshole. I just told him that we're---"

It's time for me to cut him off. Anger starts to crawl inside me.

"You shouldn't have said that in the first place. It was supposed to be me. I should tell him everything in a nice way, so that he won't get hurt." I raised my voice.

"One way or another, he will get hurt. I don't even see how telling him was not my place. It concerns me, Erin. That the woman I am dating was still being chased by someone. Now tell me, how it was not my place?" He asked in irritation.

"But still, I should be the one handling it because unlike you, I can't fathom the look of dejection he has. It's better if it was told in a very gentle manner not dropping it to him just like what you did awhile ago."

"Oh so now it's my fault? Erin, whatever manner you use, he will still feel dejected. You shouldn't have associated yourself with him in the first place. I told you also to stay away from him but what did you do? You befriended him!" Zac was now furious and has a murderous look in his face. But I could care less because I too was deep shit mad.

"It's none of your business if I wanted to befriend someone. He's a nice person."

"He's only nice to you because he wants something from you. Isn't it clear from the beginning or you just wanted the attention he's giving to you?!"

I slapped him.

Yes I slapped him. Really hard.

"How dare you accuse me of that. I never craved any attention from someone else! What, is it because of the flowers he's sending to me? Fucking shit, I've been telling him numerous times to stop sending me one but he's not listening. Even before you and I started dating, I never acknowledged any effort and attention he's giving me because I didn't want to lead him on. These past months I've been stressing about telling him." He tried to hold me but I took a step back and raised my palm to stop him.

"And then I decide to tell him personally when he came back because that was the most logical thing I thought. Now, tell me how the fuck I was enjoying the attention?" I glared at him and his expression softened then turned to regret.

"Erin. I-I'm sorry, I didn't meant to say that. I was just---"

"Save it. I don't want to hear it." I took a deep breath and continued, "Please leave me alone for the rest of the day."

"Baby..." He tried to step towards me but I was quick to halt him.

"Zac, please. I want to be alone." I said and went to my room.

Upon entering my room, I immediately called Jowee. In just two rings, she answered.

"What's up, buttercup." She answered cheerfully.

"Everything is so fucked up!" I groaned in anger.

"Huh? What happened?" She questioned.

"Zac and Alex happened."

"Huh? I don't follow."

I sighed and told her everything from Alex's arrival up to me walking out on Zac. I didn't know if he had already left or not but I didn't plan on getting out of my room.

"Woah. Zac is really something." Jowee commented after a minute of silence. I guess her brain was done digesting what I told her.

"He shouldn't have said it to Alex, right!"

"Yes but in his point of view, he's only being territorial. He was right you know, that it's also his business."

"But he shouldn't have told him off. It was supposed to be me to tell Alex, not him, Jowee." I countered.

"Yes but girl, the day you agreed to date Zac, was the day it became his business to. It's natural for a person to tell someone off that they're dating the one that someone is chasing. It's innate to us, Erin." She explained.

I groaned.

"But still, he could've told him off in a nice way. He shouldn't have used his arrogance."

"Erin, are you nuts? It's natural for every person to be arrogant while confronting someone." She sighed.

"Now, imagine a woman you know who has the hots on Zac talking to him. What would your reaction be? You'll get fucking mad, right? Right?! Now. It's normal, Erin. You cannot blame him. You know who you are to blame?" She paused briefly and continued, "your conscience. You're blaming yourself for hurting Alex when in reality, he needed to know what he needs to know."

"I know you already made it clear to him but you were delaying what needed to be done, Erin because you didn't want to hurt him. I told you, sweetie, that eventually, Alex will get hurt no matter what you do or strategy. It's just that you have to choose on how to tell him. However, fate was the one who decided because it knows that you will be delaying the inevitable." She told me and I just sighed.

She's right though. These past months, my brain have been blocking on how I should tell Alex that I am already dating Zac when he came back.

I just didn't want to hurt him, you know. He's a good friend to me and I didn't want to see him hurt.

As for Zac, I shouldn't have blame him in telling Alex. He was just also mad seeing someone chasing me now that we're more than friends. I mean, he had endured all the flowers that was delivered here in my apartment and he didn't even voiced out his concerns about it.

Well, I guess I need to rectify everything I unconsciously created.

"Erin, are you still there?" I heard Jowee called me and I nodded.

"Y-yes. I'm sorry." I answered.

"My God! I thought you hung up already. Anyway, it's only you who has the control of the situation. It's either you make it bearable or worst." She told me and I heaved a sigh.

"Yes. I know now. Thank you, Jowee." I replied to her.

"You're welcome. If you need someone to talk to, just call me, okay." She reminded me and I smiled.

"I know."

"Alright. I'll continue my late lunch now. Bye."

"Bye."

After the call, I tossed my phone ony bed and I laid down on it.

I though about Jowee's words, it's either I make it bearable or worst. Oh God, how would I know?

Ugh. I really hate my situation.

Hello loves!

You know, I pity Alex. :( Super.

Anyway, kindly comment if you're team Zac or team Alex.

Please vote, if you liked this chapter.
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xo,
kimmypatata