"That was a dick move." I said as I dragged myself to my next class.

"No. It wasn't." Adam said from behind me.

"Really? So marking someone isn't remotely cavemanish?" I stopped in my track and turned around, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

He sighed before jutting his lower lip out in a failed attempt of pouting. "OK fine. I shouldn't have done that."

"Exactly." I said.

"But I'm not sorry for showing people what's mine." he challenged back, staring down at me.

"See. Caveman." I rolled my eyes and stepped inside my classroom while Adam made his way to his next class. My eyes looked around for an empty seat and I licked my dry lips nervously when I found one beside Noah.

Well, that's awkward.

Sitting down beside him, I passed him a smile which he didn't return.

"Noah!" I whispered after leaning towards him.

His eyes flicked to mine and he blankly asked, "What?"

"I'm sorry for hurting your feelings." I whispered, making sure nobody heard me. "But I love him and I can't change this fact."

The corner of his lips turned downwards and he cast me a grievous glance. "You could've told me sooner."

"It was complicated." I said, pulling my hair away from my face.

"You could've saved me from this pain if you had told me that you were interested in Adam." he said and I felt another wave of guilt inside me.

"As I said, it was complicated." I told him again.

He shook his head at me, as if he was disappointed in me and then turned his attention back to the board while I fought the tears pricking the back of my eyeball.

It is complicated.

...

"Guys please. I'm sorry." I pouted once again. "I know I should've told you before." Once again, Sophia turned her face to the opposite side. By the look on Emily's face, she was ready to forgive me but a glare from Sophia stopped me.

"We are your girlfriends. You should've told us the minute it happened." Sophia said, glaring at me.

"I know. Just tell me what I have to do to earn your forgiveness?" I asked and they both turned their faces away.

"Please guys." I whined again, loudly this time.

They both exchanged a look and a smile appeared on their faces. "Well, you can lend me those sexy, blue heels of yours." Sophia shrugged and I laughed at her demand.

"Fine. And you Em?" I looked at her and raised my eyebrows.

"One big tub of Häagen-Dazs Caramel crunch." she said excitedly, causing us both to laugh.

"OK on a serious note. Tell me, what exactly happened in the hotel that changed the dynamic between Adam and you?" she asked and I blushed when I remembered what exactly happened.

"She's blushing." Emily pointed towards my cheeks.

"No. I'm not." I lied.

"Yes, you are." Sophia added. She observed my face closely, from forehead to chin, while I bit my lips nervously and lowered my gaze to the ground.

"You both fucked." she screamed and I clamped her mouth shut with my hands.

"Slow down. Dad will hear you." I said and she muttered sorry under her breath.

"So you guys really banged?" she whispered this time and I gulped.

"Umm.."

"I knew it. I knew the condoms I packed will come in handy." she exclaimed and I slapped my forehead.

Emily was looking at me with her mouth wide open. "Did you really.. Um.. Do the deed with him?" her cheeks grew red as she contemplated what to ask.

I nodded shyly.

"How was he?" Sophia asked and I glared at her. "What? You owe me miss."

"It was great. I am not telling anything else." I said and lay down on my bed, hiding my face with the help of the duvet.

"Was he bi-" before Sophia could complete the sentence, I threw the pillow at her and she winced.

Yes he was. But she doesn't need to know that.

...

After Emily and Sophia left, I went downstairs to eat something and when I didn't find Dad anywhere, a wicked idea appeared in my mind. Locking the door behind me, I slowly trudged towards Adam's house and knocked on the door. It was already unlocked so without knocking further, I walled inside to surprise Adam.

Hushed noises could be heard from the living room, as if two people were arguing. Not wanting to intrude in their family matters, I turned around to leave but the sentence I heard next stopped me from doing so.

"You abandoned me. You abandoned Adaline. How dare you ask for forgiveness?" It was Adam's voice, trembling with anger and hurt.

"I was scared Adam. I was scared of losing my family, my wife and my son." a familiar voice entered my ears and I immediately recognized it.

It was Mr. Brown and there was a heated argument going on between Adam and him.

Stepping towards the living room, I peeked inside through a window and found both of them standing face to face. Mr. Brown's shoulders were slumped while Adam's hands were balled into a fist.

"Yes. You chose your family and now, I have chosen mine. And I have no place in my family for you or your son." Adam shouted at him.

"My wife is ready to accept you Adam." he said in a low voice.

"But I am not ready to accept your wife sir." Adam countered.

"Son.." he started again but Adam cut in.

"I'm not your son Mr. Brown. Forget about me and forget about my sister. And don't bother to pay her bills from now onwards." he shouted once again.

"Ad-"

"Just get out." Adam growled, turning his face away from him.

"Listen to me once." Mr. Brown looked defeated, his face dripping with agony.

"Just leave."

Saying this, Adam left the living room from the opposite door. After he left, Mr. Brown slouched down on the sofa and hid her face in between his hands. For a moment, a very small moment, I felt bad for him but then I remembered what he did to Adam and the hatred towards him returned.

Walking past their living room, I climbed the stairs and reached his room. After two knocks, I barged inside without his permission and stared at his lying figure on the bed.

"Hey." I whispered and sat down beside him.

"Hey." he murmured, his voice tired from the argument.

"Are you fine?" I asked him and he shook his head in no.

"I hate him Ali." he said and then sat up. Pulling me into his lap, he rested his face in my neck and wrapped his arms around me. "I hate him so much."

My heart ached for him, the exhaustion in his voice clenched my insides. I brought my hands to his hair and massaged his scalp slowly. My action seemingly calmed him and soon, his harsh breaths turned softer.

Parting away from me slightly, he stared at my face for a moment, an incomprehensible look plastered on his face.

"Thanks for being here for me." he said and pulled my face up my holding my chin. Our lips met softly in a gentle kiss, his hands still holding me close to him. I smiled against his lips when he tried to deepen the kiss and I didn't let him, causing him to let out a small groan. At last, he gave up. Breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead against mine and we both stayed like that for a long time, breathing in each other's scent.

After about half an hour, his soft snores started filling the room. Laying him down on the bed, I covered his body with a blanket and kissed his forehead before turning the light off and making my way towards my own house.

As soon as I stepped inside, I jumped in surprise when I found Dad standing in the lawn, probably waiting for me. I swallowed the lump in my throat when he assessed my face with his sharp grey eyes, my stomach churned in anxiety.

"I.. I needed Adam's help in homework." I said despite the fact that he didn't ask me.

"Oh." he said, his face still hard. "Where's your notebook by the way?"

Sweat drops appeared on my forehead when I realized that he had caught me red-handed, more like empty-handed.

"Uh.. I.. Uh.."

"Go to your room Alicia." he ordered and it took me less than a second to dash inside the house. By the time I reached my room, my breaths were coming out in gasps due to my lack of physical activity. My thoughts diverted to Dad and I tried to imagine what he would do to Adam if I tell him about us.

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