Secret Red

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

The next few weeks, Zoe was not able to stop talking about Tristan. His name was basically plastered onto her face whenever Alison and Layla saw her.

"God, Tristan was so sweet the other day he came to my house with a stalk of red rose and a slice of strawberry cheese cake. He knew my favorite cake. Can you believe it? Am I the luckiest girl or what?" She said for the nth time.

"I thought your favorite cake is Tiramisu?" Layla responded flatly.

"Yeah, it's a close second. Still it's one of my favorites. And he's just so sweet and amazing. Tonight, he's asking me to go to his house to watch my favorite movie. Isn't he sweet and thoughtful?" She sighed dazing, lost in her thoughts while Layla and Alison just exchanged strange look.

"What's your plan for tonight, Al?" Layla asked trying to divert the subject away from constantly fantasizing about Tristan but soon they saw Tristan walking their way.

"Hey baby, what time should I pick you up tonight? Wear something sexy." He whispered the last sentence in her ears but loud enough to be heard by Layla and Alison.

"I'll be ready at six, baby." Zoe said sweetly just as a tall boy walked up to them.

"Hey bro, they need you at the gym now. Hey Red! Didn't know you're friends with Tristan." Cole said to Alison.

"Hey, yeah I hang out with Zoe who happen to be dating Tristan. Do you play basketball as well?" Alison asked.

"Yeah, guess I'm not popular enough, huh?" He teased.

"No, I just didn't notice."

"Oh well, come on bro. Don't want the coach to start yelling. See you around, Red." He walked away pulling Tristan away with him.

"How did you know Cole?" Layla asked.

"From the detention period that I told you the other day." She simply replied.

"Oh." Layla gave a questioning look.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. So, what's your plan tonight, Al?" Layla quickly changed the subject but Alison noticed the awkward look on her face.

Later that evening, Jason and Alison were grabbing dinner at the fast-food restaurant near her home. Once they're seated, they ordered similar double cheeseburger with extra bacon meal, an upsized fries and chocolate milkshake.

"You sure, you can finish those by yourself, Ariel?" He asked in amazement.

"Watch me." She chuckled.

"You sure have a huge appetite, I'm going to be broke just having to feed you." He teased while she scrunched her face at his comment but shrugged it off by taking a huge bite of the burger. He liked how honest and carefree Alison was, how she was not afraid of being herself around him, other girls would have eaten a salad and took small bites playing the perfect image for him, but not Alison.

After dinner, they were walking towards his car when Alison's phone buzzed. Took her phone out and saw Zoe's name flashing on the screen.

"Hey, I thought you'd be with- What's wrong? Alright. Send me the address, I'm on my way now." Alison glanced over at Jason who gave her a questioning look then she mouthed the word please which he just nodded.

"Zoe begged to be picked up. I hope you don't mind, she sounded hysterical. I think she just had a huge fight with Tristan. That's weird, they're so lovey dovey just this morning." She received the location and showed it to Jason.

Soon, they arrived and saw Zoe already sitting on the side of the curb with her knees on her chest and her head laid on it. Alison stepped out of the car calling out to her and she quickly hugged Alison like her life depended on it, then they both went inside the car.

"What happened?" Alison asked.

"Zoe, did the bastard tried to hurt you?" Jason asked in a low voice.

"I don't want to talk about it. I just want to go home, please." Zoe said softly. As much as he wanted to barge into the house and dragged Tristan out of the house, he withheld the thoughts hearing the vulnerability in her voice and let Alison wrapped her arms around Zoe who was still trembling in the back seat. They drove to Zoe's home in silence.

"Are you sure you don't want me to accompany you? I can just text my mom and crash at your place." Alison offered but Zoe preferred to be left alone. Thus, Alison made sure her siblings knew she was home and told them to keep a close eye on Zoe and left with Jason.

"I had a bad feeling about this. I think Tristan did something terrible but she refused to talk about it. Gosh, I'm so angry at him already." Alison fumed.

"I know but let's just give her time and hear her out." Jason reasoned.

"I know, I know. It's just, I've never seen Zoe like that. Have you?" She cocked her head to the side and saw him shook his head. They went back to drop Alison back home.

"You're always the caring and thoughtful fiery red headed girl, aren't you, Ariel." He said tracing  her cheek to her chin to her lips with the back of his index finger. Never failed to make her heart flutter with his simple touch. His beautiful honey brown eyes searching hers, his face barely an inch away from hers. The anticipation to close the distance between their lips was killing her that she leapt forward to seal the kiss earning a smirk on his sharp face.

The next day, Alison drove to Zoe's house in the afternoon. Let herself inside the room to find Zoe still laying on the bed covered in her comfortable duvet.

"I brought comfort food." She waved a bag of McDonald's chicken nugget meal with sundae chocolate ice cream causing Zoe's head to pop from under the covers. They ate with Alison being the talkative ones. She had never seen Zoe this quiet, in fact, she had never seen Zoe being quiet, ever. Once they finished their lunch, cleared the trash, Alison sat beside Zoe on her bed.

"Want to talk about it?" Alison said softly but Zoe quickly broke into a sob and they hugged in silence.

"I thought he really like me, Al." Zoe finally broke the silence.

"He... tried to... make me... When I refused, he got so angry and frustrated. I wasn't ready, you know. We just started hanging out and... I just want to make sure I'm ready. It's not that I'm a virgin, but... I want to make it special with him. He just couldn't wait anymore. He was so mad... Next thing I know, he's throwing me out, just like that..." She trailed.

"He's an awful prick, Zoe." Alison fisted her hands.

"He was so sweet. He was... I thought I was so lucky to have met him..." She said almost in a whisper.

"Don't. It's good that you found out how much of a bogus he is now, rather than later. He's a jerk. You may cry over the loss but don't ever cry out of pity, for yourself or for the doomed relationship. He's not worth any of your tear. You will eventually find someone who will appreciate you and respect you, Zoe. You're amazing. You're smart. You're kind. While he's just a appalling." She exasperated, internally wanting to punch his annoying face to dare treat her friend that way.

"I just didn't think we'd end up like this. I thought he was..."

"It's for the better. You're better off without him. The way he treated you, that's awful, Zoe. No one deserved to be treated that way."

"I know. I realized that now. Thanks, Al. Please don't tell anyone about this." Zoe pleaded.

"Alright. Forget about him. I'm here for you, Zoe." She wrapped her arm around her shoulder as she rested her head on her shoulder crying her hearts out.