Pretend (26 page)

             
"Me too and it was my pleasure," he said.

             
For the first time tonight, I actually felt peaceful. After all of
 
the arguing and fighting, I just needed some time out to think. I still can't
believe that Kyle kissed me.
I have no idea what the hell he was thinking. Then Ai
den just appears out of nowhere
like some crazy guy. When I watched them trying to score points against each other with me, I just felt used. They actually had no idea how similar they were. Calling Jake to come and get me was weird but I knew that he wouldn't ask any questions and let
’
s face it, who else could I call? My mom? I think not.

             
"Here we go," Jake said, interrupting my thoughts.

             
"That was quick, thanks," I muttered.

             
"No problem. Look, if you still want to
,
we can meet up tom
orrow and chill out, might take your mind off of things
?" He asked.

             
I didn't
want to
but I could hardly say no after what he had just done for me.

"Yeah, ok," I finally said.

"Great, so I'll pick you up around seven?" He asked eagerly.

             
"Yeah, seven's great," I replied, trying to sound enthusiastic.

             
"See y
ou later Jake and thanks again.”

             
"No problem," he said before watching me walk towards my front door.

             
I slipped my key into my front door, waved at Jake one last time and then walked inside of my house.

             
What a night
.

             
I sighed as I felt a vibration in my pocket. What now?

             
I looked down at the screen and wasn't surprised when I saw his name.

KYLE’S POINT OF VIEW

             
"Hope you're happy now!" I said through gritted teeth.

             
"Get lost," Aiden said as he jumped into his stupid, silver mustang and drove off.

             
I was angry as hell! If that jerk hadn't come charging like that, then I know that I could have talked April round. She can deny that she felt something but I know that she did. She kissed me
back for at least thirty seconds before she pushed me away, that tells me all that I need to know. I know that she's trying to fight it because of what I did but I kno
w that she still feels something.
I've just got to keep showing her.

             
Giving up wasn't something that I did and if that moron, Aiden thinks that I'm going to back down, then
 
he can think again. She might feel something for him but she loves me and he better get that through that thick skull of his.

             
I only just realised how much my nose was throbbing, if that jerk thinks that this is over then he has another thing coming. I needed to drive off some of this anger, so I jumped into the driver's seat of my Audi and started to cruise down the road.

As my speed increased, I started to think about that dude in the red truck. I knew that he was one of moron's friends but what I didn't understand was why he
had co
me to get April.

             
If there was one thing that I was absolutely sure of,
it
was that I was going to find out. April would be mine again no matter what it took, so Aiden a
nd that red truck dude better get
ready for a war.

             
I slid my phone out of my pocket and started to type. I knew what I had to do.

AIDEN’S POINT OF VIEW

             
As I drove away and left Kyle stood on the sidewalk, I let out a huge sigh. I had just screwed up so bad!

             
What the hell was I thinking, charging over to them like that?

I don't know what is wrong
with me
lately
but when it comes to April, I just lose it. The last thing that I wanted to do was to hurt her. Seeing her
sat there, outside of that cafe
 
with tears in her eyes made me feel like a complete jerk. If she didn't hate me before then she would now.

             
Maybe it was too late to make it up to her. Maybe Kyle was right. Maybe he did still have her heart.

             
How could I compete with that?

             
I guess
that
when all was said and done, I couldn't.

JAKE’S POINT OF VIEW

             
As I waved goodbye to April and drove off I couldn't help but try and work out what had gone on tonight.

             
Wh
y was Aiden there with
April
and her ex
?
Well I think it was her ex based on that big argument that I overheard at Crystal’s party.

             
Nothing really made much sense. Obviously they had both upset her and that's why she called me.

             
What other explanation was there?

             
Maybe tomorrow will cheer her
up,
I was kind of looking forward to spending some time with her at long last. I had planned to for a long time but it se
ems that her ex has ruined any chance of her moving on. I'm not worried
though
, I’m very persistent
.

             
April may say that she wants to be friends for now but I don't intend for it to stay that way and soon, neither will she.

APRIL’S POINT OF VIEW

             
As I read Kyle's name on my screen, my heart sank. I was mad at Aiden but yet it was still him that I wanted to hear from. One thing that I was absolutely certain
of
was that I was through with Kyle. It was crazy but I kissed him back at first, I had to know if I still felt anything but I didn't. I didn't feel the same about Kyle and I kne
w that for sure now. We
were over.

             
I looked at Kyle's message and sighed with frustration.

             
Please forgive me, I'm sorry. I love you. Kyle x

             
It was either now or never.
I began to type.

             
Kyle I forgive you but I need you to understand
             
something...we are over. I know that I kissed you back
             
tonight but
I just needed to know if there was still anything
             
there and the truth is...there wasn't. I don't want to hurt you
             
because I still care and I hope that we can still be friends but
             
I don't love you anymore, I'm sorry.
I hope that I can still see
             
Mimi?

             
xXAprilXx

             
As always my finger hovered over the delete button as I examined each word, one by one. I had never sent a message like this in my life, I always chickened out. Not this time. Breaking every rule that I had ever made myself, I clicked send. I actually sent the first message that I had typed. Things really had changed.

I stared at my screen, still hoping to hear from Aiden. Maybe I had overreacted tonight. Maybe he was just doing what he thought was right. I don't know but I just wished that he had talked with me instead of with his fists. He acted like a typical guy tonight, throwing out punches and snide comebacks to Kyle. I hadn't seen him like that before.

             
I quietly crept up the stairs and slipped into my room trying not to wake up my mom or Bob. As I took off my jacket and threw myself on my bed, I felt my phone vibrate again.

             
Aiden?

             
Oh great, it's just Kyle.

             
Ok. I understand. You can see Mimi when you like. Take care

             
I knew that he was hurt but there was nothing that I could do.
Kyle ruined what we had and he will have
to learn to live with that.

             
Thank you.

             
xXAprilXx

             
I typed back before resting my cell on the chest of drawers, next to my bed. Well,
I guess that was it, we
were
officially
over. I always thought that I would feel so sad when I finally had to come to terms with us being over but somehow, I felt relieved. I was more concerned
 
with the fact that Aiden didn't bother texting me. It annoyed me that he could be in a mood with me after what he did tonight.

             
How dare he?

             
As I looked
down at my cell and noticed
that it was midnight, I sighed. I guess
that Aiden really didn't care. M
aybe it was time to forget about both him and Kyle. I wanted to text him so bad but it was him that should apologise and I was being stubborn. His lack of communication told me one thing and one thing only...He didn't care.

             
Suddenly the vibration from my phone caused my heart to skip a beat as I jumped up to retrieve it from
 
my chest of drawers.

AIDEN’S POINT OF VIEW

             
I'm sorry about tonight. I n
ever meant to hurt you. You mean
             
too much to me x

             
This was now the seventh message that I had typed, ready to send to April.

             
I just couldn't do it. It sounds stupid but I was afraid of her reply.

             
What if she told me to get lost or that she wasn't interested?

I wasn't ready for that. Call it male ego but rejection was not something that any dude was
 
ready for.

             
I looked down at my watch, it was midnight. She hadn't said a word to me and maybe that was a sign.
 
I was probably the last person on earth that she wanted to hear from after what had happened tonight. She
 
probably hated me right now.

             
I cleared the message and turned off
 
my cell. I
 
had screwed up and clearly she was making me pay. I guess this was it...Time to move on.

APRIL’S POINT OF VIEW

             
The excitement that I had felt when I initially heard my
phone,
had soon died off as I realised that it was just Jake.

             
Hey beautiful, hope you're feeling better. Sweet dreams
Jxx

             
Well at least someone cared. Maybe giving Jake a shot wasn't such a bad idea after all. I gu
ess we'll just see how tomorrow
goes. I quickly replied before snuggling under my duvet and letting both Ky
le and Aiden slip into my past.
I guess it really was time to move forward, once and for all.

             
Thanks for checking on me and yes I'm fine thanks. See you
             
tomorrow :) Goodnight.

             
xXAprilXx