Chapter 13: Ending This Right?

****Caroline's POV****

Dinner went on casually with neither of the 'audience' asking us about our 'relationship status'. Thank God! Yet, the ever-charming Aaron definitely shared a piece of his agitation on Hayden by grunting in response to his questions or sending him fiery glances that scared the shit out of me! Of course he did that when neither of the parents was looking. We didn't want a questioning session now, did we?

Whereas for Hayden and me? We were sitting right next to each other and I distanced myself a little from him and received a decent smile from Aaron. I grinned internally at his 'overly protective brother' attitude. Frankly speaking, I loved it! Hayden's mom would secretly send me warm smiles and so would his dad. My parents never knew that Hayden and I were ever in a relationship! The food was too divine as I savoured each morsel on my tongue. I wanted the taste of the delicacies to linger right there.

After gorging on dessert, the families were having casual chats and I behaved as though I hadn't known William and Samantha before as I answered the usual questions about travel, my likes and dislikes, hobbies, career choices, friends and all of that. Aaron grunted at my carefree façade and Hayden smiled amusedly. After sometime, Hayden excused himself.

"Umm...Mr. Stewart?"

"Yeah, my boy?" Dad asked, gleaming at Hayden.

"Would you mind if I took Carol to Avondale Park? It's not very far from here. I promise I'll drop her back home by 11." He swore.

Dad thought over it and smiled as an answer. "Go ahead. Have fun!" He cheered as mom pecked me. I rose, not so confidently, and Aaron steadied me. I nodded at him in gratitude but his eyes weren't focused on me. I turned behind and understood what his cold glare was all about. Hayden stood smirking back at him while Aar's glare only deepened if that was even possible! Aaron glanced at me and caught hold of my hand as he walked his way towards Hayden. "Aaron, are you going with them too?" Mom asked but he plainly ignored her; his concentration on Hayden. It seemed like his gaze could just snap Hay into two!

He walked in front of Hayden as Hayden waved back at our confused parents. As soon as we were out of earshot, Hayden's true colours loomed on his face. He intimidated anybody with his angry approach as he matched Aaron's height and glared daggers at him; his palms clenched into fists until his knuckles turned white. Aaron on the other hand was in the same position as him and anger radiated off of his body.

"So tell me, buddy, are you PMSing or something?" Hayden seethed between clenched teeth.

"No. I'm just always in my best behaviour especially when Carol's good for nothing boyfriend turns up and blesses the show!" Aaron spat back.

"Good for nothing? You don't even know what happened that day!"

"Oh yeah? Well, let me enlighten you, you scumbag! Carol was coming to your place as a surprise after hearing that you had come back from your 'world tour'..." He slurred the words with utter boredom but continued anyway. Deep in my conscience, I was praying that he wouldn't bring up that incident again but...

"It was your first anniversary, that day. She had come all decked up with bouquets and a cake when she...when she saw you making out... 'passionately' may I add, with another blonde! What does that say, huh? Does that not define what an awesomely loveable boyfriend you're, Albert?!" Aaron yelled. I cowered at his rage, the tears already welling up. That incident was painful enough to leave behind scars. Immediately the world came clashing down on me as our past rushed through my brain and made my heart clench in pain like never before. Our hugs, our kisses, our comfort, our care, our jokes, our teases, our fun, our adventures, our love...it seemed just like a dream...I was such a happy girl with him...then...then what happened? Why did he go away with some blonde?

"There is an explanation to everything and let me tell you one thing, Stewart, I've never stopped loving Carol and I never will. I'm going to tell her everything and that will only happen if you let us go together! You can put your trust in me." Hayden swore with all sincerity.

Aaron snorted in response and chuckled harshly. "I should put my trust in you? You?! Are you kidding me?! Dude, you're the fucking reason why my sister would cry all day and all night and she had only me to comfort her. Not that I'm complaining but you just dumped her, man! It's very difficult to trust someone like that! Jeez!"

Hayden hung his head in shame and pinched the bridge of his noise as his eyes shut tight. "Okay, look. Aaron, just give me this one chance. I'll prove that I'm the one for her. I swear to God that living without her was a curse! It was pain, Aaron! That's enough evidence that I love your sister!"

"Fine. But my sister has a say in the matter. Don't force her to get back with you or I'll kill you. She's going to be an adult soon, so there's no way I can say anything to her but just advice her. You guys can go and listen, bring her back by..." He trailed on while rubbing his chin; thinking.

"11?" Hayden asked, unsurely.

"No. Make it quarter to 11." Aaron smirked evilly and walked off but not before giving me a peck and Hayden an 'I'll kill you if this gets any worse' look.

After Aaron left, there was an awkward silence between us. "Umm...so shall we?" Hayden asked. I nodded and followed him.

We took a cab to Avondale Park and the journey was silent. Surprisingly, the silence was pretty comfortable and I sunk deeper into the seat. It took around 20 minutes to reach and Hayden approached my side of the door to help me out. I guess chivalry didn't die then, right?

It was pretty surprising that Hayden was so freely walking in the open. Through those months of dating him, I had very well got into his habit of wearing black and always having a hoodie with him or shielding himself with his sunglasses. Well, it was getting dark anyway so I shrugged it off. Our relationship had always been a secret.

The Park had hardly anybody around and none of them seemed to notice our presence. There were couples are age making out at some benches but we ignored them and sat under an apricot tree. The place smelt good and it was very relaxing. "Feeling good?" Hayden suddenly asked.

"Yeah. You?" I asked, slightly shy. "Never been better." He grinned.

"So...how has life been for you?" He asked after a moment or two.

"It has been good, but yeah, I've been busy lately. It's my last year anyway. Lots of projects and all that stuff. Besides, shifting was hard. I miss my friends. I miss everything. I miss home, Hay Hay." I winked playfully as he chuckled. I used to call him Hay Hay back then when we had just become friends. He would call me Muffin.

Relaxing, he whispered, "Even I miss everything, Muffin. Everything."

I fiddled with my fingers knowing exactly where this was going.

"I-I've moved on, Hayden." I whispered, my eyes focusing on him confidently.

He looked baffled for a second but covered it up with a cool look. "You and I both know that we haven't moved on. We just cannot. We're meant to be."

"You're wrong there, Hay. We were meant to be. We're just not perfect now."

"You're lying. I could very well feel it back there when we were kissing. I'm sure you could feel it too! The attraction hasn't died down! Not even a bit! So don't kid yourself." He stated exasperatedly.

I faced him. "True that. The attraction has certainly not died down but I'm moving on from you. I seriously want to." I concluded confidently.

"Then why did you kiss me back?" He asked.

"Allow me to explain. The feelings I had buried for you long back which I thought were long gone erupted once again as soon as you laid your hands on me. I certainly haven't completely moved on from you but I most certainly will." I gulped in a deep breath as he scrutinised my expression.

"You seem pretty serious about it. About the 'moving on from me' thing." He seethed.

"Because I'm serious about it! I mean it!" I answered.

"Why? Won't you listen me out and then take a call, huh?" He asked but his voice sounded pleading.

I nodded and he let out a breath that I didn't know he was holding. Gosh! The great Hayden Albert was nervous?!

"I wasn't answering your calls that day because I myself had planned to come over to your place and wish you a Happy Anniversary. I didn't want to get you worried. That was not my intention at all! I had reached my penthouse early morning and decided to get fresh before coming over to your place. I wanted to spend the entire day with you. Just then, the doorbell rang and right there stood the person who I dreaded seeing. My ex. Remember Delilah?"

I nodded as my eyes grew wide. He continued. "Her reason for coming over was because she was partying at a school mate's house all night with her friends and she lost them somewhere so with the hangover that she had, she decided the best place to come to was my place. Luckily or unluckily for her, I was back."

"Go on."

"I didn't tell her to get out because that would be too harsh and I guessed I could handle her. So I had reached out for her phone and called her friend who said she'd be there in half an hour or so..." His eyes seemed far away as though reliving the incident. I scooted closer to him to bring him back to reality.

"It was when I was searching for my wallet that Delilah hurled herself on me and kissed me in the spur of the moment. I did kiss her back but it was just because I pitied her. Let me tell you something however corny this sounds, I felt like I was betraying you though it was completely unintentional. It was at that time I guess you had come." He added, sorrowfully, his voice a mere whisper.

My eyes filled with tears and they slowly rolled down my cheek. He cupped my cheeks and confessed, "I tried so many ways to get you back. But you just wouldn't listen. You simply walked out of my life without any explanation and without giving me a chance to explain myself! Hell! You were my only priority since then. My albums were becoming utter rubbish. I was so distracted and day and night I spent being locked up and depressed. I'm not even kidding, Caroline."

I hung my head on his shoulder as his arms embraced me. He planted a kiss on my hair as I whimpered slowly. I was such an idiot. I was such a bitch! I didn't even let him explain and immediately jumped to conclusions that broke not only me but him as well! That was enough proof to show that I didn't trust him and that was so idiotic when he used to trust me openly! What kind of a girlfriend was I?!

"But hey, do you like someone?" He asked out of the blue.

I was taken aback by his straightforwardness but answered him nonetheless. "Yeah."

"Woah!" He whistled slightly uncomfortably. I felt so bad for Hayden that it made more tears to spring up.

"Has he made you his girlfriend yet?" He asked.

"No. But we've confessed our liking for each other." I replied, my hands entwining on his arm as I scooted closer.

"Lucky that guy! To get a girl like you." He grimaced.

I chuckled lightly. "Well...I guess...but...aren't you going to try?" I asked him, unsurely. He seemed so determined sometime back so what happened now?

"Uhh...I...I really don't know. But there's something I need to ask you."

"Ask me." I said with a smile. "Well...your parents think that we're together and...I just hoped you could do me this one favour...I want to end things right if they've to be ended. I want the memories treasured and cherished so I hope I'm not asking you a huge favour...I just think it's reasonable..." He muttered nervously. What was up??

Unsurely, I patiently waited for what he was going to ask. "Would you, Caroline Stewart, be my girlfriend for just a month?"

My eyes stretched wide at his proposal. To think about it, it was kind of fair. But...should I?? What should I'd??

"Of course I don't want to ruin your relationship with the other guy but I just want to end this right if you really want it to end because honestly, I want to be with you. Always. So what say?? I'm not forcing you because I'm going to listen to your brother as he's right. It's your choice finally. So only if you want to-"

"Yes." I stopped his monologue as I surprised myself with the answer and him too.

"You really would do this??" He beamed, his smile as exuberant as ever.

I seriously pitied him. Anyway, I wanted this to end right. I wanted to go back to Kevin with a clear mind and a fresh start. Not in fear that I would lose him like the way I lost Hayden. I wanted to love Kevin and give him my everything. I didn't want to have mixed feelings and neither did I want to betray Kevin. Enough was enough and I didn't want to be another reason why Kevin thought of his life as 'fucked up'! I wanted to change things for him. Create a path for him that would make him appreciate things in life.

So I had decided what I wanted to do. Spend the month as Hayden's girlfriend and return as a happy go lucky girl.

"Hayden, let's do this." I said with a grin. He grinned back as we hugged each other under the apricot tree.

+ + +

It was utterly impossible for us to go sightseeing because of jetlag. The effing thing had to discourage us today and so we laid back on our beds as dad went off to work. After coming back from the park with my boyfriend..., oh wow! That reminded me, how was I supposed to deal with Kevin?!

"Ugghh!" I let out a frustrated groan into my pillow as I cuddled to the side. This was so infuriating! I woke up with a jolt and that made my head spin. "Ouch!" I swore. I trudged towards the mirror where my hair was ready to cocoon birds and I had drool on my cheek. I washed my face before heading to the kitchen. The hall was completely silent as mom and Aaron were sleeping. I had a peek at the clock and I couldn't believe that I had slept for 8 hours straight as I had hit the sack right after lunch.

Dusk had set in and I made myself hot chocolate and took out choco chip cookies from the cupboard. I peeped out of the window and sipped my drink. Wow! This was damn heavenly!

I walked out of the kitchen when I heard a door opening. Aaron trudged his way to the kitchen like a zombie.

"Slept well?" I asked.

He nodded as he took my cup avoiding my protest and sipped it. Leaving out a relieved sigh, he grabbed a cookie and that was when my phone rang. Since he was near it, he saw the caller ID.

"Kevin." He said.

My heart leaped in joy but owing to what happened last night, I told him to answer it.

"Hello?" He answered.

Silence.

The colour drained out of his face as I heard the beep of the phone from the other side indicating the end of the call. What had Kevin said? What was on?

Silently, he fumbled with my phone before handing it back to me.

Before I could even ask what was happening, he rushed towards me and his arms encircled my waist. I smoothened his hair as his voice cracked. "Sh-she's b-back. Abigail's back."

My eyes widened in realisation.

"Did she recognise your voice?"

"Yeah. She did. Then...she hung up."

That was weird. Ever since the party at our place 2 years back and a week or so after that, Abigail, who was Aaron's girlfriend, just walked out of his life.

"What're you going to do?" I asked.

"Wait. Wait with hope as long as it takes to get my Abi back." He replied.