Aliya Part 2

Aliya had just finished her breakfast and settled down to work on her assignment when her phone rang. Noting the caller ID, she answered with a smile on her face.
“Jase. Long time no see” It was so easy to fall back into the easy friendship after yesterday. All she had to do was not think about exactly why it was so easy and she would be fine. Damn it!
“Hey Sweetness. What you got planned for today?” Jason didn’t bother to hide the happiness in his voice. A result of the fact that she had actually answered his call this time.
“Weren’t you listening to me yesterday? I’m in my so called ‘study bubble’ and I’ve just started for today. Why?” Ali was just a tad suspicious at the tone of his voice.
“Well I thought I could bring you breakfast, or take you out for it?”
“Jase…” She was interrupted before she could even say she’s already eaten.
“Wait, I forgot! What a drip. You always eat early. Damn. Ok then, How about brunch instead? I’ll take you to Sammy’s. See you in an hour Sweet!” Jason hung up.
Aliya stared at the phone. Shit. Jason’s ‘hour’ meant he would be here in around forty five minutes. What on earth was he doing asking her out for ‘brunch’? He knew she had things to do. What he didn’t know was that she had actually only picked up her studying yesterday. In the two weeks after Blake had hit her she hadn’t left the house once. She’d been wandering about wondering what to do. The housework had gone undone, dishes not washed, clothes left dirty, until yesterday morning when she had woken up like a woman on a mission. “That’s enough moping around” she had said to herself. Her mother’s voice had slipped into her head as she’d woken. Pick yourself up and get on with something. You’ll drive yourself mad doing nothing all day! It had told her. And it was closely followed by her sister’s voice. Tidy house, tidy mind, Ali! That voice had brought a tiny little pang of hurt with it. Ali missed her sister since she had moved down to live with their parents. Until then they had been almost joined at the hip and she hated not seeing Cara as much as she’d like to. It was the blend of both these voices that had motivated Aliya to get her ass in gear and clean the house. Thank God she had otherwise Jason would have walked in to a pig-sty! Now she had another mission on her hands. A very different one. She always got butterflies when she knew she was going to be seeing Jason. That had been the case from the very beginning, and it had never faded. Ever. Now what was she going to do? She suddenly realised that she was nervous because this felt like a date. With no Callum, and certainly no Blake around, she was alone. She had been so surprised when Jason had just shown up at her door yesterday that she hadn’t stopped to think about anything else. Like what he might be after. He hadn’t even given her chance to refuse his offer of brunch. He’d just hung up! The arrogance of him! After a minute, she realised she was being completely stupid. Jason was her best friend. If he’d ever wanted anything more he would have made that clear years ago. Before she’d gotten pregnant. Before she’d married Blake. Jason probably just wanted to make sure she was ok, keep her company. Aliya realised she had been staring at the phone for a good ten minutes. Marvellous. She now had roughly half an hour to get dressed and be ready to face the outside world. True to form, Jason arrived forty five minutes after he called Aliya. She had just finished applying her lip gloss when she heard his car pull up outside.

Aliya answered the door just as Jason raised his fist to knock. She was dressed in jeans, a black shirt – which fitted her figure very, very well - and black ankle boots. Her clothes portrayed a quiet confidence in herself that did not match her eyes or body language. It was another mask, he realised. She was trying to appear happy, confident around him. But her eyes, her eyes told him the truth. She was hurting, even if she refused to acknowledge that fact to herself.
“Hey stranger!” Ali had half run downstairs to get the door.
“Breathless in my presence already Sweet? We’re only doing brunch!” Jason’s teasing smile was infectious. But she still couldn’t get the thought that this was a date out of her head. And then he gave her the flowers. Lilies. Damn but he knew her well. Lilies had always been her favourite flower.
“You know I can’t keep these Jase.” The automatic response when anyone gave her anything. She would have to explain it to Blake. Where it had come from and why.
“Aw come on Ali. Blake’s not here and they cost me a fortune!” He was still teasing her. But he was right. She had three months of not having to explain anything to Blake. That was a dangerous thought. But rather than let her mind swirl around the possibilities of the ‘what if’s’ she decided to just enjoy Jason’s company for the morning. He was still her best friend after all. She could get on with her studying this afternoon.
“I’ll put them in some water and then we can go.” 
“Great stuff. I’m starving!”

The morning passed without any awkwardness and Aliya was just beginning to relax when Jason decided to invite himself back to her place.
“Jason I told you I need to study. I’m almost finished with this assignment and I really want to get it done.” Plus, she didn’t quite know how she was going to handle Jason being in her space for so long.
“I know Sweetness. I’ll just chill out at yours and watch TV while you work. My kitchen fitters still haven’t finished and I’m getting sick of not being able to relax in my own house.” It was kind of true. He had told Aliya he was having his kitchen done. He just left out the fact that the fitters actually left this morning…
“Mmmm hmm. You just want more of my biscuits. I’ve got you sussed Mr. Greedy.”
“Hey you know I’ve always loved your baking. I swear to God you could solve all the problems of the world with your chocolate chip muffins!”
“Why thank you. And just for that, I suppose you may use my house as a doss house this afternoon. As long as you make yourself useful and brew up for me.”
“Deal”
And that was exactly how the afternoon went. Aliya worked on her assignment and Jason kept the cups of tea coming. It still amazed Jason just how focused Aliya was when she wanted to get something done. Just being with her this morning had eased some of the harsh protectiveness in him, and it made him feel better to think that she still enjoyed his company. She was relaxed enough with him in the house that when they got back from the coffee shop she had changed into her ‘comfy’s’ as she called them, and was now sitting at the dining table wearing a very old pair of pyjama bottoms and that damned hoodie. Jason placed the latest cup of tea next to Aliya and absently ran his fingers through her hair as he leaned over her shoulder. She stiffened immediately. The last time anyone had touched her, it had resulted in a lovely big bruise across her face. Stupid. She thought. Jason would never do that.
“You almost finished? It’s getting late.” Aliya had been concentrating so hard on what she was doing that she hadn’t seen the light fading outside.
“Ha! Yes. I’ve just written my last word! I can take it in tomorrow. You staying for dinner?” Why had she asked him that? He was supposed to be going home. Actually, he should have left ages ago.
“If you’re offering, Sweetness. Who am I to say no to a free meal?”
“Who indeed. I’ll think of a way you can pay me back later.” She barely managed to force her mask back into place. Jason couldn’t have noticed the way she had reacted to his touch. He would have said so. She knew him well enough to know that. Best not to let things slip or he would push her for answers. Answers she wasn’t ready to give him.
Jason let Aliya prepare dinner without imposing on her space. He needed time to think about her earlier reaction. When they had first met, and even through their time in college, they had always touched. Only the simple caresses of friendship – She mock punching him, he playing with her hair, a simple hug – But she had never, ever been hesitant. Never reacted with… fear. The realisation hit him full force. She had been afraid of him touching her! What the fuck? He needed answers. Now. He couldn’t be gentle about this. If Blake had hurt her…

***

It didn’t take a degree in psychoanalysis to realise that Jason was angry about something. But what? She hadn’t been in the kitchen for that long and she hadn’t heard his phone ring. But he couldn’t be angry with her, she hadn’t done anything! He moved to take hold of her hand, but she quickly moved it out of his reach, disguising it as an effort to readjust her hair. She met his gaze and her heart stuttered. Jesus! His eyes were… burning. That was the only way to describe his expression.
“Jase?” She couldn’t say anymore. The words seemed to stick in her throat.
“What’s going on Aliya?” Oh, God he was pissed about something. He never called her Aliya unless he was annoyed with her. He didn’t let her speak.
“I know something’s wrong. Now why don’t you save us from having a fight and just tell me”
“Having a fight? The way you’re speaking anyone would think we were married!”
She was getting defensive. Well it wasn’t going to work. He knew he wasn’t hiding his anger well, so with considerable effort he gentled his tone.
“Please, Sweet. I can see you’re hurting. What’s the matter? What aren’t you telling me?”
“Jase, I’m fine” A blatant lie.
“Ali, you haven’t called me for the last two weeks. You’ve been avoiding me like the plague. What’s going on?”
How the hell did he do that? His eyes had softened to some emotion Aliya couldn’t name. But they were so sincere. He was worried about her. And he was her best friend. She could almost feel the pain he felt for her, his gaze was that intense. She made a choice.
“Blake… Blake hit me.”
“Jesus Christ Ali! When?” He couldn’t believe it! How dare anyone lay a finger on her? He’d kill the little shit. Simple as that.
“Two weeks ago. That’s why I didn’t want to see you. I knew you’d freak out and he didn’t mean it. He was just drunk. I know he won’t do it again.” Or would he? He’d done worse. She told the little voice in her head to Shut up!
“He bruised you?”
“Jase you’d better not do anything stupid.”
“I’m going to kill the bastard” His voice was so steady she knew he wasn’t joking.
“Jase don’t be silly. You know what would happen. He’d make you out to be the one in the wrong and then I’d never see you again. You know he’s got all sorts of powerful friends.” She was rambling, but he knew she was right. Blake did have some powerful friends and who knew what they were capable of.
“You should have told me Aliya.” The accusation in his voice hurt.
Aliya let her mask slip. “I’m telling you now Jase. Please. I just want to forget about it. Until he comes home, I just don’t want to think about him.”
“Ok. But if he ever so much as looks at you wrong Ali, you have to tell me.” Jason hated agreeing to that. It went against every one of his protective instincts. And he had those by the bucket load when it came to Aliya. But of this was what she needed from him right now, then that was what he would give her. He could help her forget about Blake for the next three months.