[center][img]http://txt-dynamic.cdn.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjgwLmYzMzBhNy5UWGtnUTJGeVpITWdUMjRnVkdobElGUmhZbXhsLjA,/the-illusion-of-beauty.regular.png[/img]
[img]http://78.media.tumblr.com/83d9ef315aa5792be65e388845a0acc4/tumblr_n9jvdkzIAK1tba8a1o1_250.gif[/img] [img]http://78.media.tumblr.com/ee9a90eac32441f170d53cd60dc5b1fd/tumblr_n9jvdkzIAK1tba8a1o2_250.gif[/img]
[i]Whoa, you stress me out, you kill me
You drag me down, you fuck me up
We're on the ground, we're screaming
I don't know how to make it stop
I love it, I hate it, and I can't take it
But I keep on coming back to you[/i][/center][hr]
After being abandoned by her sister and cousin, Delilah was left alone sharing a couch with a stranger. Although handsome in his own way, there was something about him that put the teen on edge, as if there was something inside him that he wanted to keep hidden. Frankly, it creeped her out a little, so at the moment this was why she was at a loss for words. The awkward silence was soon broken by him, asking her if she was always that ‘obnoxiously loud’.

Lila scowled at the young man, her lips in an annoyed little pout. [color=purple]“Are you always that obnoxiously rude to people you don't know?”[/color] she shot back, raising a defiant eyebrow. [color=purple]“You know, you would [i]really[/i] get along nicely with my sister. She can be just as rude as you're being to me right now. Also, I'm sure she could use a smoking partner,”[/color] she added snobbishly as she stood up, pointing at the box of cigarettes peeking from the top of one of his trouser pockets. [color=purple]“Her favorite place to unwind here is the gardens. I'm sure you’ll find her of you follow the smoke trail.”[/color]

And with that, the petite teen was happily skipping away in her Auntie Elisabetta’s direction.[hr]
Upon asking Alexandros for a moment to talk, the latter snarkily asked if she was sure it was him she wanted to talk to. He was quickly scolded by a swift punch to the ribcage courtesy of Ava, and the brunette smiled internally at the exchange between the siblings.

[color=deeppink]“Yes, I'm sure it's [i]you[/i] I want to talk to.”[/color] Audrey replied, sighing impatiently and rolling her eyes.

Thankfully, Alex agreed to speak to her, and suggested that they should find a more quiet place. Audrey nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with his idea. So the brunette gently took his hand and guided him out of the hallway, up the stairs, down the left side hallway of the second floor and into her bedroom. Not only would there be less noise there, but it would provide them with privacy and the peace of mind of knowing that their conversation wouldn't be interrupted or eavesdropped on. The Latina waited until they were both inside the room before closing and locking the door behind them. She gestured to Alexandros to take a seat on her bed, which he did, while she remained standing right in front of him.

Today, Audrey meant business.

[color=deeppink]“Look, here's what's going on.”[/color] she began, her arms crossed in front of her.[color=deeppink]“I'm going to put all my cards on the table right here and now. We’ve been playing games for way too long, and I think it's about time we put on our big kid pants and deal with this situation more maturely.”[/color] She sighed, tapped her foot nervously three times before continuing. 

[color=deeppink]“Alex: I like you.”[/color] Audrey declared, her chocolate brown eyes locked on his. [color=deeppink]“I really do. I've liked you ever since the moment I laid eyes on you. And, honestly? I've never wanted a person as badly as I wanted you. Truly. Of course, there were images to maintain, so that's why our first meeting didn't go that great. Then the Bianca Thing happened, and I got rid of that envious, slutty bitch as soon as I could so that my way would be nice and clear. That week, we played our little games. And at the end of the next one the locker thing happened, and I thought that maybe, just maybe, something good was about to happen.”[/color]

Audrey’s beautiful face turned angry, and even pained. Her arms were no longer crossed, but being used to gesture instead. The change was also visible in the tone of her voice. [color=deeppink]“You remember the night of my party, when Leslie interrupted us?”[/color] she paused for dramatic effect, then continued. [color=deeppink]“Well, the reason why she did that was to show me a video of you and Janice Nelson getting it on in the office just [i]a half hour[/i] after our little encounter in the locker rooms. I took care of that little problem as best as I could, but nooooo, that wasn't the last of it. [i]Then[/i] you decided to pull [i]another[/i] one of your little stunts by showing up with the mayor’s daughter after a month of being away. Then shit went down with her and her family -which, by the way, I didn't have anything to do with- and you [i]finally[/i] come crawling back to me. And me, being stupid as only I could, gave you the one chance and we ended up in bed for the first time.”[/color]

Audrey’s face softened up a little as she remembered their first time together, and the warm feelings it brought to her. [color=deeppink]“I won't lie and said it wasn't good, because it was amazing. I'd never felt such a connection with someone before. And I don't know if you felt that way as well or if this was just some routinary fuck, but I know what I felt. I remember waking up the next morning feeling butterflies in my stomach when I saw you sleeping beside me, hopeful that this meant the start of something that could evolve into more.”[/color]

Once again, the Latina’s face hardened. [color=deeppink]“Then, having Ava tell me all about your womanizing ways during breakfast, I got scared. And angry. And hurt and betrayed and stupid. I didn't want to be just another booty call in your list, so I bailed. I figured it was the only way I could keep myself from getting hurt even further than I'd already had.”[/color]

Her voice rose and fell with the matching emotion at her every statement, and her eyes were alight with them as well. [color=deeppink]“You know what's the worst part? Even with all the bullshit you’ve put me through, I [i]still[/i] couldn't bear to hurt you. When your brother came onto me today, I thought [i]‘Well, here's a chance to finally get back at Alex. Let's take it!’[/i] But you know what happened? One look at your face after him and I kissed, and I was feeling like the biggest piece of scum in the world.  [i]That[/i] is just how much you mean to me.”[/color]

[color=deeppink]“If you need further proof, here’s one another one: even though I know the huge risk I'm taking by telling you this, -being completely rejected, humiliated, made fun of- I felt like I needed to. Because, deep down, I know that if I didn't at least try to put my ego aside and go for what I really want, I would always question myself the ‘what if’.”[/color]

Audrey let out a deep breath, feeling instantly lighter. She'd never realized just how much weight this situation was putting on her until now that She’d finally confronted it and let it out of her system. No matter the outcome, this feeling of peace with herself was a reward enough. She sat next to Alex on the bed, leaving enough comfortable distance between the two. If he wanted to say anything, here was his chance. If he didn't, then at least the air was clear between them.