Part B: Chapter 33

"Hey, fancy finding you here.”

I rolled my head to the side and was surprised to find Carter instead of Ivan. Was I just in the training room with Ivan a few minutes ago? What happened to me?

“Am I still in the training room?” I asked instead, sitting up and looking around the room. The place still looked like the training room, then how come Ivan was gone?

Carter rolled his eyes at me and folded his legs in front of him. “Yes silly, you are still here. I don’t know what you were thinking about because I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past twenty minutes with no success.”

I looked around the room again, trying to find the wall clock and check the time. It was way past noon. Had I spaced out for so long that Ivan left me? Ouch, that must have hurt him and now I felt bad about it.

“Have you seen Ivan by any chance?”

Carter bit his lip and looked around the room before he answered me. “Nope, but that wasn’t the question I was expecting you to ask. And here I thought you would ask about Aidan,” he tsked with his finger wagging in the air. “Does he have more competition that I should tell him about?”

I hit his knee and he burst into laughter, throwing his hands up in a surrender gesture.

“Sorry, I was just joking,” he said in between laughs. “You should have seen the look on your face, priceless.”

Narrowing my eyes at him, I folded my legs, sitting just like him, hands on my knees. “That wasn’t funny, I still regret what I did, no need bringing it up every time,” I said with a sigh. “I’m really sorry about that again.”

Carter waved me off, “water under the bridge. Aidan has forgiven you and I moved past it a long time so no need to worry.”
“You mean it?”

“Of course baby girl,” he winked at me and then laughed when I shot him a warning look. “I can’t get over the look on your face, that is worth every penny I have even if it meant Aidan getting handsy with me, if you know what I mean.” He wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

“You are such a creep,” I said with an eye roll, but I could feel a smile creeping up on my face.

Carter sobbed up, his sombre expression returning. “How are you? Truly? I haven’t had the chance to talk to you after that day because work got demanding.”

I sighed, not knowing what to say. Every time I thought about it, I felt angry with myself for having survived and for them having to die such a gruesome death. Was this all the Mood Goddess’ plan for my life, have it been so miserable that I would have faith and trust in myself, the world and all meaning of life?

“Some days are better and then other days not so much.” This was the first time I was saying this aloud. I couldn’t admit it, not to myself and definitely not to Aidan because talking about it made it just so much real and I wasn’t sure I was ready for all the emotions that came with opening up. “I’m afraid of what that means for me if I actually acknowledge what happened on the day that was meant to be the happiest.”

“I can only manage. Have you tried talking about it with Aidan? I’m sure he can help.”

“I honestly don’t think he can help with this even if he tried, it still wouldn’t change what happened.”

“You never know until you actually try. I know it seems he doesn’t really care about much but he really cares in his own way albeit it’s super weird and creepy at times because it feels like the complete opposite of what he actually feels.” Carter was now rumbling and I smiled because he seemed flustered. “You know what, just forget everything I just said because it makes zero sense to me too and I’m the one who just said it.”

By now, I was rolling on the floor laughing at the confusion and fluster on his face. He was trying so hard to make a point but ended up confusing me and himself in the process. “Just stop, you’re killing me,” I said in between laughs just as the door opened and I turned to see who it was.

“Did I miss something?”Aidan asked, looking between us, eyebrows knitted in confusion as he looked from me to Carter and back.

I just continued laughing without answering him and he turned to Carter, hands crossed across his chest.

“Care to fill me in?”

Carter shrugged as he pulled himself to his feet. “I don’t know what you’re talking about and just so you know, it’s none of your business.” He rolled his eyes at me then stretched out his hand to help me up. I took it and Aidan possessively wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his intoxicating cologne.

“Don’t be like that,” Aidan mocked in Carter’s voice. “Aren’t we all grown ups here?”

I burst into another round of giggles. Now that I was spending more time with each of them, I was noticing how their friendship actually worked. They enjoyed getting on the other’s nerves so much that it brought them pleasure and sometimes, I caught them acting like an old married couple, making me feel like a third wheel in my own relationship.

“Seriously? You’re mocking me?” Carter asked with an eye roll. “I don’t even sound anything like that, grow up.”

Aidan shrugged, “say whatever you want, I’m simply making a point.” Then he turned to me and asked. “Isn’t that correct Jemila?”

I pulled away from him, hands in front of me. “Woah, woah, woah, I am not getting in the middle of your lovers’ quarrel so forget it,” I said as I stood a good distance away from them.

Both of them turned to me with furious expressions and said at the same time. “What the hell?”

“You would make a really cute couple by the way.”

Carter rolled his eyes while Aidan folded his arms across his chest scowling. “I would never date him, he’s way too high maintenance and I like my date to be less of Aidan.”
“Hey!” Aidan turned to him now, “what’s that supposed to me? Why wouldn’t you date me? I’ve seen the women you date and I’m ten times better than them.”

I was laughing so hard that no sound was coming out, only tears and the shaking of my shoulders.

“See, this is what I am talking about, high maintenance and always up in my business, Goddess,” Carter said, throwing his arms up exasperatedly. “We can’t even have a proper conversation without you thinking all my ideas are dumb.”

“That’s because all your ideas are indeed dumb and I won’t waste time on such nonsense.”

“I won’t be insulted like this in front of Jemila,” Carter huffed. “I’m leaving and don’t follow me or there will be a fight and I don’t want sweet Jem over here to see that side of me.”