Chapter 7

A/N Hey guys it's been awhile! I suddenly felt the inspiration to write again and tada a new chapter. I hope you guys will keep on reading and are still interested. Please comment and leave reviews, it makes me want to write more when you do. Thank you so much for reading!

My eyes met Alex's, the usual twinkling mischief in his eyes was now replaced with something darker. His face was also uncharacteristically solemn. "Evelyn, this is the friend I came here to surprise" Ian said some other things, but I couldn't seem to hear his words. Even though it's lame to say, it felt as if all that was left of the world was Alex. My heart ached and I didn't even know why. It wasn't like Alex did something wrong. He didn't know that I knew Ian; he didn't know that it was me he was going to meet today. So it wasn't his fault that I felt like a bomb had just been dropped on me. I felt a bit awkward after the initial shock; since it was only yesterday he professed his love to me. "Evelyn? Evelyn? Are you ok? You don't look so good…." Ian's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just a little surprised that's all."

"Surprised?" Ian passed me a puzzled look. "Why?" It dawned on me that Ian didn't know that I already knew his best friend or the fact that I've kissed his best friend, but I decided I was going to store that detail to the side.

"Oh…It's just that I'm already acquainted with Alex. He is my boss's son." The expression on Ian's face went from surprised, to smiling, but I think for a millisecond I saw a bit of anger.

"Oh, well I guess there is no need for introductions then? Lets eat!" Ian smiled at me and gestured for me to sit in the seat beside him. I walked over slowly, trying to not look at the cornflower blue eyes that were staring at me so intensely. I didn't know how to act; I hated it when I was placed in awkward positions. I usual start to act clumsy and quiet which I really didn't want because I wanted to avoid acting like a loser in front of Alex, even if I wasn't sure about my feelings towards him. After I sat down, Ian tried to break the awkward silence. "So, how do you guys know each other?" My eyes slowly traveled from my lap to look at Alex. I answered Ian without breaking eye contact from Alex.
"Mr. Burke wanted me to show Alex around town since he's new around here. Didn't I tell you that I had an internship at Burke, Rudolph, and Crane?" The last sentence I broke my gaze from Alex's and turned to look at Ian. Ian smirked, a smirk similar to the one I've seen on the boy sitting across from me. It was weird though, it wasn't like Ian to smirk like that. Ian was gentle and kind, not arrogant, but at the moment Ian didn't feel like Ian. I had thought the tension I felt was only between me and Alex, but now I could feel that there was something going on between Alex and Ian as well. I didn't know why, but I think Ian was angry.

"Yeah, I remember you telling me that, but I didn't think you would meet Alex there." For the first time in all my years of knowing Ian, his voice was--- was---dark and cold.

I glanced at Alex then at Ian confused. "Why didn't you think that I would meet Alex at his father's firm?"

Ian passed Alex a look that I couldn't see as he answered me. "Oh, it's just that when Alex said he was moving here he said he was going to work at his grandfather's office, not the office that his dad works at. That's why I didn't think you two would know each other because Alex hasn't said anything about meeting you. I guess it's my bad that I can't keep track of the millions of business that his family owns." He laughed, but it didn't sound sincere. Through out this whole time, Alex hadn't spoken a word. His face looked stoic and I couldn't tell what he was thinking. The atmosphere felt really tense and I felt extremely awkward and confused. All of a sudden though, Alex stood up, grabbed Ian by his arm and dragged him away from our table.

I sat there stunned for a few seconds. What the hell was going on? Why was everyone acting so strange? I felt useless sitting there without doing anything so I decided to find out what was going on my self. I walked towards the general direction I saw Alex dragging Ian. I walked past one of the pool table rooms. "You lied to me Alex" I recognized Ian's voice at once. I tiptoed my way to towards the room and pressed my ears against the door.

"Look Ian it's not what you think." Alex's voice was calm.

"Alex, you've done some pretty horrible stupid stuff in the past, but this man, this takes that cake. I should have known you know? Should have thought that there was a chance you were going to come here and try this, but I thought nah Alex wouldn't do that. Look, I don't care what you do with other girls, but Evelyn is not some girl you just mess with. Find some other girl to amuse you, not one of my best friends." There was a tense silence for a moment; it was broken by a cold and sarcastic laugh. It was Alex who was laughing.

"You caught me. I should have done better to hide it, but hey you aren't my best friend if you didn't know me so well right? I'll back off if that's what you want. I won't try for 'one of your best friends,' so chill ok?" At that moment I felt a searing pain in my heart, I felt used, gross, and sad all at once. Before anyone said another word, I pushed the door open.

A look of surprise was on both their faces. "Evelyn…" Ian's voice trailed off. I ignored him and walked towards those light blue eye. I stopped in front of him; he looked at me with a blank expression. Before I knew it, I raised my hand and smacked him across the face. Alex didn't flinch at all, but stood there firm.

"I guess I was wrong huh? You are the chauvinistic, arrogant, conceited, selfish asshole that I first met. God how could I have believed you to actually be a decent guy?" Tears were running down my checks now. My hands were throbbing a little from slapping him. "Everything you told me was a lie wasn't it? I was just to amuse you? Well I hope making a fool out of me amuses you enough Alexander Burke." My last few words were said with an icy tone and with that ladies and gentlemen, I made my dramatic exit. Now I didn't run away crying with my hand covering my face, no no, nothing so cliché. I turned my back firmly away from Alex, walked out the room then the restaurant, without shedding another tear. I got into my car and just started to drive. I didn't go home, but I still kept driving though I didn't really know where I was going. My heart ached and I was sad. I hated admitting it to myself, especially now, but I like Alex. I actually talked myself into believing that he might be my knight in shinning armor. What happened yesterday only made me believe this more, but I didn't want to admit it because I didn't want to get hurt. Though now it didn't matter, I was hurt either way. It was then, in the privacy of my own car that I allowed myself to really cry. Streaks of tears ran down my cheeks. My vision was starting to get blurry, but it was ok because I had reached the place where my unconscious mind had guided me too.

I got out of the car and allowed the cool sea breeze blow into my face. I walked slowly towards the beach, taking off my flats, and allowing the cool sand wedge between my toes. After finding a good spot to lie down, I closed my eyes and made myself melt into the sound of the waves crashing and the feel of the wind against my face. I embraced it all to make myself feel numb. I was there for about a good hour before I heard someone calling my name. "Evelyn?" It was Ian. I sat up and looked at the direction in which his voice was coming from.

"Ian?" I said hesitantly. He walked over then proceeded to sit himself beside me. We sat there in silence for a little while. I looked at the waves crashing and falling against the sand, mesmerized by the beauty of the ocean. "How did you know where to find me?" I finally asked.

"I remembered you told me you liked to go to the beach when you wanted some peace and quiet. You said it was your favorite place to go." I could feel his worried eyes looking at me, but I didn't turn to look at him. I smiled.

"You know why it's my favorite place?"

"Why?" he asked.

"Because this is where I met my first love." Ian was quiet, but I continued after a short pause. "When I was seven, I was living in California and my parents took me to the beach. I don't know what happened, but I wandered away from them. I met a boy there. I remember us playing together in the ocean. That was probably the happiest day in my life." Ian still didn't respond, but I wasn't really looking for a response. "He saved my life you know? We were playing in the water and this huge tide pulled me under. He saved me from drowning, though in the process he got hurt by cutting his arm against some rocks when he was trying to bring me to shore." I laughed. "I think its better when guys stay as innocent children; they at least act more humane when they are younger."

"Evelyn…Alex really isn't a bad guy. He just does stupid stuff at times. He probably was just scared of moving to some place new and asked to go to his dad's office because he knew you were there."

"Why would it matter that I work at his father's place? Why go there because of me?" I asked him.

"Because he knows you through the pictures he's seen of you and me talking about you. I think you were the closest thing he had to a friend here."

"But back in the pool room you said that he was just messing with me, toying with me." Ian scratched his head and a let out a small sigh.

"I guess my words were a bit harsh since I was angry at him for lying to me, but Alex isn't really that type of guy."

"Ian, he himself said he was toying with me." I said my voice a little bitter.

"I know, I know, but I don't think he meant it. I think he was trying to hurt me and hide the fact that he was lonely. Alex has a lot of pride and doesn't turn to many people for help. I've known him since we were children; he doesn't have many people to turn too. I'm not sure what he has said to you, but I want you to know that he isn't completely bad. He may be arrogant at times, but I think you can tell it's a mask. Alex just has a lot of baggage he has to deal with."

"So are you mad at me for slapping him?"

"No, I'm not mad at you. You were hurt, I can understand why you would have done what you did, but I think most of it was my fault. I shouldn't have been acting the way I was, I should have realized sooner that Alex would never do that."

"Ian, it's ok to be angry. You are human after all and not everyone is perfect. I'm sure Alex knows that you are a good friend and if it's any consolation, I don't completely hate him. I mean if your friends with him, he can't really be that bad can he?" It was true, I didn't completely despise Alex; my feelings were just still a little raw. I needed time to process what I had just learned from Ian and also to sort out my own feelings. I mean I think I like him, but I don't want to like him because I didn't want to get hurt.

"Come on, lets take you home." Said Ian

"You go on first, I'll catch up with you later." With that I laid back down into the sand and closed my eyes. I could feel Ian debating internally whether to argue with me or not, but decided against it and walked away. I don't know how long it took me to drift off into sleep, but when I did I felt at peace.

I felt the hot sun shining against my eye lids, I flickered them open. Taking a couple of moments to say goodbye to the ocean for the time being, I started to head towards my car. I was walking up the hill, when I noticed Ian's car parked beside it. I picked up my pace and ended up jogging to his car. Ian's head was lying on the steering wheel and his eyes were closed in deep sleep. He had been watching me the whole night till well into the morning, making sure I was ok. It was so like Ian. I smiled and sat in my car. It was now my turn to watch over him.