Chapter 8: The Garden Meeting
Alena felt a wave of anxiety wash over her as she walked through the hallways, the weight of the events from the night before pressing down on her. Her mind was consumed with thoughts of Alexo, the kiss, and the trap she now found herself in.
"Lexy, I need to use the restroom," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Lexy, always attentive, nodded with a concerned glance, but allowed her to go.
As Alena walked down the hall, her thoughts raced. When she turned a corner, she froze. There, leaning casually against the lockers, was Alexo. Her heart skipped a beat, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She tried to step back into the classroom, but it was too late.
"Alena," Alexo called, his voice low but firm.
Her stomach twisted as his gaze locked onto hers. Panic surged through her, but before she could react, he crossed the hallway in two long strides, grabbed her arm, and pulled her into a nearby restroom. The door slammed shut with a jarring finality, and Alena's back hit the cold wall.
Alexo stood too close, his presence looming and intimidating. "Is this how you're handling what happened last night?" he asked, his voice sharp, eyes cold.
Alena's breath caught in her throat. The memories of that night crashed into her—his kiss, the dizziness, the regret. "I'm sorry," she managed to say, her voice shaking. "I didn't mean it. It was a mistake. I wasn't in control of myself."
Alexo's gaze hardened, his skepticism evident. "A mistake? Is that all it was?" he asked, his voice low and steady.
Tears welled in Alena's eyes, a mix of shame and fear flooding her. "Please, Alexo. I swear, I was dizzy, everything was blurry. I didn't know what I was doing. It won't happen again," she begged, hoping he could hear the sincerity in her words.
For a long moment, Alexo just studied her, his expression unreadable. Then, without warning, he leaned in close enough that she could feel his breath on her ear. His voice was low, a commanding whisper. "If you want me to forget this, meet me tonight at 8 PM in the old garden behind the library."
Alena's heart pounded in her chest. Her first instinct was to refuse, but she knew she couldn't. "No," she whispered, shaking her head, hoping to stand her ground.
Alexo's grip tightened on her arm, his jaw clenching in frustration. "You don't have a choice," he said firmly. "You'll be there, or things will get worse."
Alena's heart sank as she realized there was no way out. She was trapped. "Okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible, as the weight of the situation pressed down on her chest. "I'll be there."
With a final look, Alexo released her arm and walked away. Alena leaned back against the door, her mind spinning. She had agreed to meet him, but what would happen next? What choice did she have?
---
Back in class, Alena tried to force a smile as she rejoined Lexy. He looked at her with concern, sensing something was off, but didn't press her.
"Everything okay?" Lexy asked gently.
"Yeah, just needed a moment," Alena replied, her voice flat as she tried to mask her inner turmoil.
Throughout the rest of the day, Alena struggled to concentrate. Every class felt like a blur. The meeting with Alexo was all she could think about. Lexy, noticing her distraction, insisted they grab lunch together. His attempts to cheer her up with silly stories and jokes helped her push the anxiety back for a while.
Afterward, as they walked back to the dorm, Lexy kept talking to her, trying to keep her mind occupied. Alena was grateful for his presence, though guilt tugged at her. She had to keep her distance from Emma, and the thought made her stomach churn.
"It's not right, Lexy. Everyone's starting to notice," she murmured as they reached the dorm.
Lexy smiled reassuringly, his tone gentle. "We're friends, Alena. Let them watch. You don't have to worry about that."
Alena smiled weakly as she thanked him. She watched him leave, her heart heavy. Once inside, she stripped off her clothes and took a long, hot shower, hoping to wash away the lingering tension. Afterward, she set an alarm for the meeting and lay down, her mind racing with what to do.
---
When the time came, Alena found an excuse to avoid Emma, who had been looking for company. Alena couldn't risk seeing her, not when everything was so fragile. With a deep breath, she stepped out of the dorm and made her way to the old garden. Her footsteps felt too loud against the quiet evening air.
The garden was serene, with tall trees casting long shadows and flowers blooming in the soft glow of the setting sun. It felt like another world compared to the chaos inside her head. Alexo was already there, sitting on a bench, looking out at the landscape. He turned to face her as she approached.
"You're here," he said, his voice quieter than before.
Alena nodded, her throat tight with nerves. "I didn't have much of a choice," she replied, her voice wavering as the weight of the situation pressed heavily on her chest.
They sat in silence for a while, the air thick with unspoken words. Alexo broke the silence first. "I used to come here when my parents fought. It was my escape," he said softly, his gaze distant as though the memories were haunting him.
Alena felt a pang of empathy. She understood what it was like to want to escape from the noise of a broken home. "My parents... they used to fight all the time," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I would hide in the dark, trying to block out the sound, holding my knees to my chest. My baby brother would cry, and I felt helpless. Like nothing would ever get better."
Alexo looked at her, his expression softening with understanding. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," he murmured.
Alena wiped her tears away, feeling an unexpected comfort from his words. "Thank you," she said quietly. "I've never really talked about it before."
They walked back toward her dorm together, sharing small, comforting stories, their laughter filling the space between them. Alena realized that Alexo wasn't just the cold, distant person everyone thought he was. He had his own scars, his own vulnerabilities.
That night, as she lay in bed, Alena whispered a prayer of gratitude. For the first time in a long while, she felt a spark of hope, a sense that things might not be as hopeless as they seemed.