Page 26 of Bid For Me
Forty-seven missed calls.
He didn’t even try this hard to contact me to apologise for being a prize dick to my bestie.
Panic knots my stomach, as I contemplate the reason behind his relentless attempts to reach me. Could it be something serious, like news about our parents or one of the kids? I hit accept on the next call, bracing myself for the worst.
“What’s happened?” I blurt out, my voice laced with anxiety.
“You’re dating Sebastian? Are you fucking kidding me?” Aiden’s voice blasts through the phone, his tone sharp and accusatory.
I hang up, the sudden onslaught of questions and judgments leaving me reeling.
But Aiden is persistent, immediately calling back, his voice laden with frustration. “Don’t hang up.”
“If you’re just going to scream at me, I’ll go back to ignoring your existence, you dickwad.”
“Elle! FuckingSebastian? Come on. What were youthinking?” His words cut through me like a knife, stirring up a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
That I thought I wouldn’t be a virgin by now at the very least.
“It’s none of your damn business, Aiden!” I snap, my frustration boiling over.
“He’s my best friend, of course it’s my business,” he retorts, his tone defiant.
“Go away,” I mutter, my voice barely above a whisper, as I struggle to contain my emotions.
“Oh real mature, Elliebelly,” he taunts, the use of the childhood nickname grating on my nerves.
“Don’t call me that!” I growl, my hands trembling with anger and hurt.
“Elle, if you’re in some kind of trouble I can help, you just need to?—”
“I’m not in trouble, Aiden!” I cry, cutting him off. “Is it so hard to believe that Seb might actually want to date me and isn’t just stepping in to help me out of a bind through some sense of loyalty to you?”
“Are you fucking him?”
“Ew, don’t be gross, I willneverdiscuss sex with you. We didn’t when you dated my best friend, so I don’t intend to start now I’m dating yours.”
“Oh, so that’s what this is! Some warped, fucked-up revenge plan, then, is it?”
“Goodbye, Aiden. Be glad Seb gave you the courtesy call. We arenotlooking for your permission. Or approval.”
I hang up again, seething.
With a frustrated sigh, I toss my phone onto the bed, the screen illuminating the dim room as it lands with a soft thud.Aiden’s words echo in my mind, each syllable a reminder of the rift between us, the distance that has grown between siblings who were once inseparable.
When did my brother turn into such a dick?
I bury my face in my hands, willing the tears that threaten to spill over to stay at bay. The weight of Aiden’s disapproval hangs heavy in the air, suffocating me with its intensity. Even if me dating Seb is a sham, I still want our families to approve.
But amidst my inner turmoil, a flicker of defiance ignites within me. I refuse to let Aiden dictate my choices, to dictate who I can and cannot be with. Sebastian may be his best friend, but dating him…marrying him…is my choice.
With a determined shake of my head, I push aside the hurt and anger, replacing them with a steely resolve. I will not let Aiden’s judgement dictate my happiness. I will stand tall, unapologetic in my decisions, and I will not let anyone, not even my own brother, tear me down.
Taking a deep breath, I square my shoulders, ready to face whatever comes next. Aiden may disapprove, but I refuse to let his opinion define me.
My phone rings again and I grab it and snap, “What?” before my brain even registers that the ringtone was different this time.
“Good morning to you too, sunshine,” Seb says playfully, his voice warm and reassuring through the phone.