TAMING THE PLAYBOY ALPHA - Chapter 98: Chapter 98

: SWEET WELCOMES
FREYA'S POV:
Once I pass through the gates, I hear the car pulling away and my chest constricts again, but I keep moving forward not, daring to look back.
My eyes sting with warmth.
I take a deep breath again, moving forward.
It's not like I won't see him again, right? We go to the same school. The distance is just necessary for now.
I walk a for few more minutes, rubbing my arms from the cold breeze that suddenly hits.
"Freya!"
I hear her scream before I see her. I turn to my left a second before she crashes into me and we both fall onto the ground.
"Xena..."
I know it's her from her familiar scent and just how tightly she squeezes my ribs, almost cracking the ones that have just started healing.
"Freya!" She says again, just as she begins balling her eyes out in tears.
Her body trembles against me as she wails out without a care of who might see or hear her.
"Xena..." I say, trying to pry her off me but my hands are weak for some reason and grow even weaker with every tug till my eyes grow blurry and hot tears pour out of them.
Instead of fighting it, I cling to her, my first friend. I had missed her so much even with most of my mind on Silas.
I squeeze almost as hard as she does, sniffling and rubbing my face into the corner of her neck.
"I'm so sorry. I should've done something sooner." She begins her usual self-blaming.
But she's wrong, she had no blame in any way for my hardships. She had been perfect since the moment we met.
"I should have told Silas about his dad sooner instead of doubting myself and the truth you told me before. But I didn't, and you had to suffer so much because of that."
"No way, it's not your fault. A normal person is supposed to doubt that. I should have told you just how serious it was and that I was being watched and all that." I correct her, wailing as loud as she does.
"You were the one kidnapped, you shouldn't take any blame."
"And you eventually told Silas about it, right? So, you shouldn't take any either. If anything, I should be thanking you. You're the reason I was saved."
We both pause in our crying just like that and she pulls away, kneeling over me with a frown on her face and residual tears flowing from her eyes.
"I mean, can you just let me take some blame for once!" She begins yelling while her entire face goes red.
"No way." I say sternly, frowning just as hard as she is.
We share a look for a moment again before we both break into fits of laughter, just like that.
I laugh at just how stupid we're both being, arguing about who should take the blame and who should be angry.
I laugh for a while and pause to watch her.
Her eyes are shut with a little tears sliding down from the side while she vibrates from it, holding onto her tummy.
I can't help but smile form the sight, instantly knowing everything is going to be okay without needing to be told.
Once she's done, she helps me to my feet, dusting off my clothes.
"Sorry for pushing you." She apologizes with an embarrassed smile.
"It's fine. I would have done the same." I say.
Before the moment is over, I finally notice Adam standing just a feet away.
He's been standing on the side watching us crying and yelling at the other person and now that we're done, he begins walking up to us.
I realized I also missed him as well. His funny jokes and the company he offers in my worst moments.
"Adam, I missed-"
He pulls me right into his arms, holding me just as tight as Xena had in the sweetest hug ever.
I can feel the warmth of his much larger body wrapping around me, like I'm a defenseless child needed to be protected.
It's instantly very calming and I hug him back as well.
I can feel just how much he worried over me and missed me from the way he holds on, even if he says nothing.
It lasts for a moment before he pulls away to look at me, and I see just how much my absence has taken from him in his eyes.
"Are you okay?" He asks.
"Yeah..."
"You look so skinny though. Are you sure you are?
Have you eaten? Do you need us to get you something to eat or do you just need to rest?"
"Relax, Adam. I promise, I'm fine." I assure him but he doesn't take it. I notice Xena doesn't either.
They both look so downcasted, even with me finally being right infront of them, probably still blaming themselves for what happened.
Still, how would they have known where I was or who to suspect when I had been so secretive of everything that had happened?
If I had spoken more in depth of King Darius' threats, or told anyone that I was suspecting Lucas of being one of his spies, I wouldn't have needed to spend weeks being tortured.
In actuality, my need to keep my identity a secret and lie to everyone about everything was the very reason why I had been taken.
It was my fault, and I couldn't bear to see them blame themselves constantly like this.
"Hey... I'm right here. You don't need to look so gloomy, guys."
"Adam is right, you look so skinny." Xena speaks again, agreeing with him.
"That just means you get to have fun feeding me all your latest creations."
"Really?" Her eyes light up just like that.
I know for a fact that I'm going to regret this, but I still nod my head.
"Definitely. And Adam, if you feel so bad, you have to be my slave and make sure I get everything I want from now on."
He chuckles just like that as well, finally letting go of that frown and nods his head.
"It would be a pleasure, I guess." "Perfect. From today henceforth, I dub thee cook and personal errand boy till I recover fully."
Their faces are much more brighter than a few seconds ago which I am most grateful for. The guilt flaring up inside me goes down a dial instantly.
"Let's get you in, it's cold out." Xena finally points out.
We all agree that I need to be taken to a much more warmer environment and begin making our way over to the dorms while Xena narrates just how terrible things have been since I was gone and displaying her disappointment that I couldn't go home because of what happened.
Little did she know that a of me was grateful this all happened during the break we had for that very same reason.
We stop by the door, realizing Adam can't come up with us, though technically, school is not in session, so it wouldn't really be so bad if he does.
"We'll see tomorrow then." Xena say as she holds my hand, attempting at taking me up with her till Adam takes a hold of my other hand.
"Hold up, I just want to say a few things to Freya before I leave."
She gives him a look of dissatisfaction before she gives in, sighing.
"Fine, only because you don't get to come up with us.
I'll be getting the room ready for movie night." She says just as she turns to leave.
"Wait, what?" I turn to her, wide eyed, but she ignores me, dashing up the stairs.
I let out an exasperated breath afterward. I don't think I'm awake enough to sit through an entire movie right now.
But, if it would make her happy, I would try.
"She's pretty excited that you're back." Adam comments, chuckling as she dashes away. "Yeah, aren't you?"
His eyes move to me, swiftly turning serious with a flash of emotion I see only briefly.
"Much more than you can imagine. I just don't want to overwhelm you right now." He says, smiling nervously.
It's cute watching him scratch the back of his head shyly like a little kid, and I reach out, pulling on his cheeks without even thinking much about it. "Aww, I really missed you, Adam." I say. The memories of the moments we hung out had been part of the reason my sanity had been so well maintained all this while.
He seems taken aback by the sudden contact that I feel for a moment that he's offended.
I try to pull my hands away, but he takes them before
I can, placing them back on his face while also palming my smaller hands in his and keeping constant eye contact.
I don't know what's going on or how to react, but I cannot look away for some reason.
He leans into my touch, resting his face in my palms, being supported by his like a little pup asking to be pet for being a good boy.
"Adam?"
"You have no idea how long I've waited for this." He starts, and I still have no idea about what he's talking about or what he means.
I can only watch him and wait for him to continue.
"I don't think I can wait any longer or hold back like before."
"What do you mean?" I ask again. "Forgive me, Freya, for the weird things I'm going to do in the future and please, don't pull away when I do them." He continues to speak in riddles that leave me even more confused.
I say nothing more and watch him as he gently pulls my hands away from his cheeks finally, dropping a soft kiss in each palm before letting them go. I'm still baffled when he smiles so sweetly, much like he used to in the past - like he's reversed back to typical Adam in a second.
He waves only briefly, turning his back to me right after he leave his finally words.
"See you later, Freya."