Pretend (20 page)

             
"Yeah, I'm fin
e," I lied as we walked inside
of the house.

             
"
Mom’s not here by the way, she had to work. She said to say sorry and that she’d see you next time,” she said in a sad voice.

             
“It’s ok,” I said as I smiled at her. I wasn’t shocked. I grew up with Aiden and Crystal, and as the years went by I got used to the fact that there mom was around less and less. We all missed her but we got used to it, she had bills to pay and that’s what she was doing, I guess.

             
“
I've just got to go to the
 
toilet, just go through to the living room," she said as she leapt up the stairs, taking two at a time.

             
As I walked through the living room doors, I felt an all too familiar presence behind me.

             
"You are such a hypocrite," I snapped, without even turning around.

             
"Now who's not giving people the chance to explain," he said. I could hear that stupid smirk in his voice and it was making me mad.

             
As I turned around to face him, I felt my cheeks begin to heat up.

             
"Explain what? Everyone knows what happens when Cayce Hellman gets
invited for a sleepover,
it's not
exactly rocket science,
" I said in a low enough voice for Crystal not to hear.

             
"Oh and what's that?" He said with a smirk on his face.

             
Why the hell was he smiling?
He actually found this funny for some reason and it was making me so mad!

             
"Oh
, like I need to tell you. After last night I’m sure that you’re practically a pro in the subject,
" I
spat
back at him.

             
"You're jealous aren't you? He said as a smile filled his stupid face.

             
"No, why would I be jealous of Cayce and you? She can have you," I lied.

             
"She can?" He asked
as he moved towards me.

             
"Yes, she can," I mumbled as my heart started to race.

             
Every
time
that
he got close to me it was like I lost all control of myself. It was a feeling that felt both good and bad but right now it was just bad.

             
"Do you think that your stupid charm can just get you out of every situation?"

             
"You noticed my charm?" He said, smiling even more.

             
Oh, m
e and my stupid mouth. Get it together April! Stop looking at his muscular chest and his light brown eyes and the way...Stop! I was not about to let myself get drawn back in again. It was time to play him at his own game.

             
"Of course
," I said as a shocked expression came over his face.

Walking right up to him, I looked deep into his eyes and ran one finger down the middle of his chest, very slowly. I smiled as I felt his body shudder at my touch.
Typical guy.
As
I brought my face closer to his
I
could hear the speed of his breathing increase. I smirked to myself, this was too easy.

             
I brought my lips right next to
his ear, allowing them to brush the side of face
very
gently.

             
"Can you do me a favour?" I whispered.

             
I felt him nod his head, signifying yes.

             
"When you go to Jake's tonight, tell him that
I said, that I can’t wait to see
him tomorrow," I said before brushing past him and heading towards the door with a
big
smirk
spread across my face.

             
Before I got the chance to open the door, Aiden quickly slammed it shut and turned me around so that my back was
pressed against it. As I looked at the smirk on his face, I couldn't
help but want to kiss him
. I had never wanted someone so bad when they were making me so angry.

             
Moving his lips to my ear
just as I had done to him,
he began to whisper.

"I can do better tha
n that, h
ow about I pick you up tomorrow?" H
e said, st
ill with the sound of his smirk
ripe in his voice.

             
As much as I felt like I now had some control, I couldn't help but feel weak at the knees. I attempted to answer but I was cut off as he continued to whisper something to me.

             
"I'll get you, Jake and Cayce. I always wondered what it would be like to go on a double date," he said as he pulled away from me and allowed his smile to grow even larger than before.

             
"I'm not going on a double date with you and Cayce," I snapped back.

             
"Why? I thought
you said that you weren’t
jealous," he said as he headed over
to
the couch and sat down with his hands behind his head.

             
"I'm not," I lied.

             
"Prove it," he said.

             
As I watched him sat their smiling, my blood began to boil.

             
"Fine," I finally said before walking out of the living room door and slamming it behind me, leaving him sat, smiling to
himself
.

             
 
If Aiden wanted war then it was a war he was going to get!

"Why are you just standing there?" Crystal asked as she walked down the stairs, towards me.

             
"
Erm
...I was just going to get a drink," I lied.

             
"Oh, why didn't you ask Aiden? Or was he too lazy to do it!" She shouted, loud enough for him to hear.

             
I don't know why but Crystal and Aiden didn't seem to be getting on as well as they usually did for some reason.

             
"Come on, I'll get you one," she said as she headed towards the kitchen.

             
"Yeah, thanks," I said as I followed her.

             
"So, what do you want?"

             
"Huh?"
I asked, feeling rather confused.

             
"To drink?"
Crystal asked impatiently. I see that she was back to her old, lovely self.

             
"Oh, just water please," I replied.

             
She handed me the glass of water and then sat on the stool, facing me. As I took a sip of my drink, I suddenly realised the glint in he
r eyes as she continued to look
at me.

             
"What?" I said with a confused expression on my face.

             
"I don't know, something's different," she said with a smirk on her face.

             
"How do you mean?" I asked, feeling rather self conscious.

             
"Ok, well since we made up earlier, I haven't once heard you talk about Kyle," she said as her smile grew.

             
"Isn't that a good thing?" I asked.

             
"Of course
it is
. I mean, I feel sorry for him and all but he's still a jerk," she said.

             
"Ok, so where exactly are you going with all of
 
this," I asked, feeling a little frustrated and curious.

             
"Well, I know you and something's changed. You seem to be moving on from Kyle
,
which can only mean one thing, there's someone else," she exclaimed.

             
Oh, she thinks
that
I like Jake.

             
"And it's not Jake," she continued.
Wrong.

             
"What do you mean?" I asked as I felt my cheeks begin to heat up.

             
"Well, I know that something's distracting your feelings towards Kyle but I can also see that you don't like Jake enough for it to be him. So
,
that leaves me wondering, who?" She said
,
now raising one eyebrow at me.

             
Ok, so now I get
how it feels on those TV shows
when a criminal is under interrogation. I had no idea that this was coming or that it was coming my way, more importantly. I hadn't
even
noticed that Crystal had been watching me so much lately.

             
What had she seen?

             
What did she suspect?

             
If she knew anything
about Aiden surely she would be
mad, wouldn't she? Or would she just do what she's doing now, force me to confess. Maybe I should, maybe I should just confess. Maybe that's why she was doing this, to test me.

             
"So?" She said, peering into my eyes.

             
"
Erm
...I...
erm
..." I began to stumble, I couldn't lie, I was nervous.

             
"Look, Crystal...I'm sorry. It's Aiden," I said.

             
What the hell did I just do?

             
Why did I just say that?

             
I wanted to cover my mouth but it was too late, the words were out.

             
How was I going to explain this?

             
What would I say?

             
Oh yeah, I know
that
we're best friends but I'm totally into your brother. I have dreams about him and think about him all the time.

             
Wait! I have dreams about him?

             
Is Aiden the mysterious guy from my dreams?

             
Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted.

             
"Aiden?"
She asked, raising one eyebrow at me and scrunching up her nose.

             
"Yes," I whispered.

             
"I don't understand," she said, her voice now a little higher than usual.

             
Was it too late to
save myself from this situation?
Think April, think!

             
"Yeah," I said, trying to sound
 
casual.

             
"He,
erm
...wants
to go on a double date.
Him and me, and Jake and Cayce.
I mean the other way round," I said, trying to prevent my smile from cracking.

             
"What!" She screamed.

             
She was mad. Oh dear, she didn't believe me.

             
"He is being such a jerk lately! Why does he have to ruin your perfectly wonderful date with Jake and bring along 'mis
s free ride for all'! No wonder
you're so distracted
,
having to worry
about the double date from hell.
You could just tell him that he can't come
you know, don't worry about being nice," she sa
id
sympathetically.