Chapter 2: Strong dislike

“If you see Asher tonight, you will walk in the opposite way okay, Rubs? I don’t…”

Ruby’s eyebrow almost hit her hairline at the reveal of that information.

Out of all the thought she had about what Aiden had to say, she had to admit that Asher’s return to Roseville hadn't even made it onto her list of immediate concerns. And for good reasons too.

As per Aiden’s usual reminder when it came to Ruby and all things ‘boys’, Asher was the brother she was supposed to steer clear off. Ruby didn’t know if it was because of Asher’s accomplishment, but she damn well knew that she didn’t need anyone reminding her of that.

Ruby didn’t like Asher one bit. She wouldn’t go as far as calling her dislike for him hatred because that was too strong of a word, but she really-REALLY didn’t like him and she didn’t exactly even know why.

She frowned.

Or maybe she did...

She wasn’t particularly keen on souring her mood with the thought of Asher this hot afternoon, so she made herself focus on the rest of Aiden’s words. Words that were pointed out to her all over again in that accent of his that did things to her.

Ruby admired Aiden a whole lot. The man was gorgeous. She still didn’t think she’d seen anyone who could top him in that department.

An extremely clear image of his immediate older brother flashed through her mind and she was quick to get rid of it. Asher was nothing like her Aiden.

Where he had raven black hair that sometimes fell into his eyes in the tabloids she’d seen of him over the years, Aiden’s was honey brown and had a curl to it. And where Asher had similar eye colors with Aiden’s hair, Aiden’s was, well, black.

The brothers were almost similar in looks but whatever. Why was she even thinking about Asher? The thought of him was the easiest way to irritate her especially now that he was probably within school grounds.

Who knew where he was and what he was doing? Probably in Aiden’s campus flat playing video games or whatever men of his caliber played. FIFA, perhaps… Or he probably had his dick shoved down some poor girl’s throat.

Ruby thought the ‘poor’ girl wouldn’t appreciate that term. She would most definitely think she was much rather fortuna—

“Babe, you with me?”

Uh oh. There came that word again.

Ruby forced a smile, nodding. “Yeah, yeah. Avoid your brother tonight.” She tilted her head to the side, suddenly bracing for an impact to the reply of her next question. “What’s the second thing you wanted to tell me?”

Aiden didn’t hesitate.

“Let’s see other people, Rubs.”

Ruby’s fork froze midair on hearing the words that effortlessly spewed out of Aiden’s mouth. The moment she’d stepped into the café, she had a feeling that Aiden was going to be saying something that would either make or break her. But never in all their four years together did she see this coming.

Graduation was in less than two weeks. What did he even mean by that?

“Excuse me?” She muttered, at the same time struggling to swallow the suddenly bland pancakes in how mouth. She loved pancakes.

“I want us to see other people.”

“Wha—why? Where’s this coming from, Aiden? Is this because of what happened today?” She hated that her voice broke at the end of that question.

“Don’t be upset, okay? Just hear me out. Please.”

Genuinely, she found it hard not to be upset, but she was willing to let him explain himself. She wanted to hope it was the alcohol doing the talking, but who was she kidding. The only drink on their table was his Americano. Black, bland, and bitter. Just how he loved it. Maybe he’d drank before meeting her here? Had she upset him that much?

“Look, babe,” Aiden continued, leaning back into his seat slightly. “I like you more than anything. And someday, I want to have a life, get married, and all that, but before that happens, I want to have my fill of the outside world before settling with one person forever. I mean shit,” He laughed as he shook his head. “Forever’s a long time, babe. That’s why I’m not asking for this alone. Let’s do it together and see, okay? We could even arrange for an orgy or something before graduation. I already have a few people in mind. What’d you think?”

What did she think?

Ruby thought every single word he’d just said went through one ear and never managed to leave through the other. Those words got stuck in her head, and they were seeping into drawers in her memories, shutting themselves there so that she would never forget this day any time soon. How cruel.

But Aiden wasn’t going to see her cry. No one would. Not until she was safely locked in a bathroom stall, and away from prying eyes.

“You’re not saying anything.”

God, he was still talking.

“What do you want me to say, Aiden?” Her soft tone was the complete opposite of how she truly felt inside. That was the issue in their relationship. Because she loved him—probably more that he did her— she swore she let him get away with a lot of things.

Their relationship wasn’t balanced. It wasn’t what she was accusAidened to seeing all over campus or even in the soap operas she watched, really. Ruby did more things for him than he did for her. And though they were on their fourth year of knowing each other, she thought they were finally getting somewhere.

How wrong she was.

What had she been thinking when she accepted to see where things would go with him even despite the warnings from her roommates. They’d told her all Aiden did was fuck around and if she accepted to go out with him, she was going to find out how much of a dating material he wasn’t.

But could whatever their relationship was be defined as dating when he’d never even asked her out. Ruby couldn’t ever remember that happening.

Ruby couldn’t even fault herself. No one knew how long she had crushed on Aiden for. He was the first guy on campus she’d noticed. Who wouldn’t notice over 6 ft. bad boy Aiden Kings. The pretty London boy with chiseled cheek bones, jaw line sharp enough to cut through paper and eyes as dark as the night.

Aiden was beautiful in all sense of the word. And he was rich too. But she wasn’t with him because of his money, and he knew it. She was with him because he stood out to her. Though that stance seemed to be wavering at the moment.

Wait, was she in a situationship? Was that was this was?

Was she the only one in a relationship with him?

“Anything at all. But I want you to agree. It’ll mean the word to me.” Aiden answered in response to her question.

She adjusted on her chair. “Okay, so let me get this straight. You want to see other girls… as in sleep with them.” She watched Aiden nod. “And I can do the same?” He nodded again, then immediately caught himself and shook his head.

“Whoa, easy babe. You can talk to other men. Just don’t… sleep with anyone, okay? We’ve been together for quite some time. It’s only right that I get to second base before them, innit?”

Aiden’s statement didn’t sound quite right to Ruby’s ears.

“So you’re only doing this because we haven’t slept together yet, then?”

He was quiet for a second before he opened his mouth to say something but she beat him to it.

“But I thought you said you didn’t mind?”

“And I still don’t, Rubs. I know we’ve been trying, which is crazy, but a man’s got urge’s… Unless you’re ready to give in properly this time…” He said that last part carefully, letting those words hang while staring at her intently.

It was like this was his plan all along. To tell her his plans to see other people in hopes that she would be jealous enough to stop his plans by finally giving in to him.

Ruby didn’t say anything. She only looked away, but that one action was all the answer Aiden needed. Ruby could see it in his eyes. He thought she was being selfish, though he didn’t voice it out loud. It looked like he had something to say but he held back and she was grateful that he did.

Aiden waved the same waitress over again— the one Ruby had seen shamelessly ogling her man. “I’ll see you later, okay. I’ve got evening classes to attend.” He adjusted his varsity jacket across his large shoulders as he stood up. “Don’t forget the party tonight. Want me to come pick you up?”

Ruby shook her head. “I’ll come with the girls.”

He handed the waitress a $20 bill. “Keep the change.” And to Ruby, he said. “Wear the red dress. The really short one.” And with that, he left the café, leaving her all by herself with the reminder that she had a party to attend at night. One she didn’t particularly want to go too, but had no choice seeing as it was Aiden who was throwing it.

Despite what she liked or didn’t, she would be there. She didn’t like party’s and couldn’t have sex with her man, but Aiden loved party’s and good sex—she could tell that much from how hard he always humped her whenever he got horny.

She would wear the short red dress he liked, and give him the best blow job she’d ever given him in hopes that he would forfeit that nonsense talk of seeing other people. The man was simply horny. She decided she was going to suck that thought right out of him.

He was her boyfriend. He just didn’t know it yet.