2nd update in a weeeek, just as promised! I'm so proud of myself for this plus I enjoyed writing this chapter a lot and hope you guys do too.

Chapter 26; first rejection hurts the most

Edmund almost shook her awake as her head drooped over the book she was reading but before he could move she rose up with a start, running her hands through the tangled mess of her hair, blisfully unaware of his presence only a few feet away.

"It's well past midnight." he commented after a while growing somewhat weary of this same process of her nodding asleep only to wake up rub her eyes and proceed with whatever she was reading. After his impossibly long day and a sudden visitor Edmund had much on his mind to relieve and this found his alcohol ridden self craving the sweet company of his literacy companions, but what he found instead was someone completely different.

"And I'm well past being a kid with a bedtime curfew," Aline retorted, nothing concealing the anger in her voice clearly from their prior- and well, almost all their interactions these past few days.

"Would you ever treat me with an ounce of respect?" Edmund rolled his eyes almost half amused at the way she was succeeding at avoiding his stare. She'd always enjoyed their banter, did she not? Then why did she sound so.. tired this time?

"Depends. Would you ever try having a conversation with me without trying to be a jerk?"

"Fair enough." he smirked as her eyes flickered to the almost burnt out candle on the desk she was reading with.

"That's going to last you about another five minutes,"

"In that case, I shall go and get another one."

Edmund looked at her exasperated, "Why? Just to prove a point against me for spite? That's surely very adult-ish of you Aline."

The girl in question slammed the book she was reading shut with noticable strength. "What do you want from me, Edmund?"

"I-" he faltered. Edmund wished he had yet another glass as Carissa had insistently kept on pouring until she had inevitably passed out on his bed and he had not the heart to wake her up shifting to her quarters. Especially not after the traumatic ordeal she'd been through so much so that he wondered the girl still function fine. But neither could he sleep in the same bed as her. His mind was too scattered with thoughts of the girl who stood in front of him instead. Despite everything, he could not shake her off and all that alcohol he'd consumed just wasn't working in his favour right now. He ran his fingers through his already ruffled hair as she looked on expectantly, with a perfectly arched eyebrow raised.

"Well?"

"We need to talk." he managed out loud. What the hell was he thinking?

"I don't think there is anything left for us to talk about."

"But there is. Aline, I'm-"

She held her hand up to stop him instead, "Let me guess, you're sorry? For the way you snapped at me before? And you did not mean it? You were only trying to "protect" me or something like that, and you'll make it up to me, one way or another?"

"Something like that," he muttered under his breath.

"I'm getting way too used to your apologies, Edmund." she sighed, "Please-" the crack in Aline's voice did not escape him, "leave me alone, Ed. I want nothing to do with you. Surely, not anymore."

Aline did not stick to see his expression but she sure seemed to have struck a nerve at that, as she always did. Did she truly not want him around? Then before he knew it, the Just King's thoughts drifted off to something else, how much more time had she been spending around Peter? He hadn't seen his brother much since the fiasco today. Obviously without a doubt he would've been there for her, reassuring her she had done well.. Oh Aslan, what had he done? Edmund felt his heart sink.

"You surely don't mean that," as much as he wanted to he could not help the disappointment and sadness that creeped into his voice at that, damn those drinks, "Aline, we need to talk-"

Aline turned around, "No, just stop," she cut him off. "I do. I really do mean it this time. All you do is hurt me, Edmund. You say you want my friendship yet you seem to do everything in your power to make sure there is nothing of it left between us. I cannot-" she sighed before she could continue. "I've- We can't keep doing this. You don't get to just say mean stuff to me then get drunk, and come apologise and expect me to just be fine with it or just "talk" to you. I can't- I don't want to do this anymore."

You don't mean that, Edmund wanted to scream at her for not the first time today. She hadn't directly answered the question he had in mind, however he'd gotten the response he'd needed.

She had feelings for Peter, what else could explain her disinterest in him?

"If that's what you really want, Aline. I shall leave."

He almost lost it all, poured it all out to her like he had come close to so many times before but the Just King stopped not. This was for their own good, both of theirs, he had to reassure himself again. He recalled how happy she had seemed with his brother. The way she never was around him, well she was but then he'd always say or do something that caused her to snap at him. This is what's good for the both of us, Edmund told himself with a newfound determination. He had let his feelings for her cloud his judgement before but never again, he was going to let her go. If only for her own happiness.

Instead he felt a tug at his arm. "Ed," he turned around. She was a whole head shorter than him. Her pale face shone back at him almost like it reflected the cold pallor of the moonlight that surrounded them.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"For what? You weren't wrong." he knew that came out harsher than he'd meant it to and the look on her face only confirmed it.

"I know, but- the way your face changed. If my words hurt you in any way, I'm sorry for it."

"You did not," he couldn't help but snap back, "If anything you just showed me who you truly are. I thought you were different, but it only seems I was wrong again."

"Whatever do you even mean by that?" she questioned, a look of confusion marring her features.

"You think I don't notice Aline? I know about your walks with my brother and I know you've spent more than a few nights late over at his wing. Do you take me to be a fool?"

"What the.." she looked at him incredulously, "How dare you even ask this of me?"

"Well, was I wrong?"

"Is that what this is really about? You're jealous? Of Peter, but why?"

Edmund almost slapped himself at that as she seemed to put the pieces together.

"Oh my god. You like me." she concluded.

He knew there a million different things he could tell her instead. He could lie that he was simply looking out for his brother or even that- but never mind any of it. Nothing hid the plain truth of it in his eyes, and she was staring right into it. Edmund knew not what to expect next, he'd hope for her to finally see it for what it is and maybe run into his arms or maybe she would simply turn him down and walk away from him forever as much as the very thought of it scared him. But what happened was far more bizarre than either.

The sound of a slap echoed throughout the empty library.

"Do you really think that Peter- Do you think that after everything that happened between us, I could choose Peter over you? That too for the reasons you very clearly insinuated I would?" This time, the tears in her eyes were evident, though it was through his face that the burning sensation of pain spread and Edmund knew there was no coming back from this.

"Aline-"

"Don't you dare utter my name ever again. You not only questioned my integrity but you've completely destroyed whatever it is that was still holding us together. Well, I'll have you know Edmund, if there is anyone behind the reason we're nobody to each other hereon forth, look for it in the mirror because it is not Peter or anyone else, but you."

This time it was his turn to grab her hand as she began to walk away, "I-"

"Why?" she questioned, cutting him off as she usually did. "Why could you not just talk to me? Tell me what you felt like any normal person would?"

"Because I never thought you would feel the same."

She laughed. It was humorless and outright scary how devoid of any real happiness or emotion she sounded, "Have you seen me around you? You get me senseless! I never knew what to expect from you. One minute you're almost flirting with me and the next you're making me feel like shit. One moment you're kissing me and the next.. I don't even know. How else could you expect me to behave especially when I could make no sense of this.. intense attraction I felt towards you despite it all?" she was screaming now but he didn't care as he felt a spark of anger cross him at her words..

"I was ignoring you? You made it very clear exactly what all of it, that night, meant to you. That it was nothing more than a mistake. You said it yourself Aline that was what you wanted not me, don't pin all of the blame onto me."

"Let go of me!" she said at his hand clenched around her wrist.

"No." he replied instead, his head whirling. "I cannot let go of you knowing if I do that might be the last time I have anything to do with you."

"You're drunk." she stated. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I may be a tad bit intoxicated but never have I been more clear or determined about anything in my whole life."

"Let go of me Edmund!" in rushed an atypically sudden gush of wind that parted his hair and blew out the candle that would've been dead in a minute anyways, but Edmund could barely feel its chilly fingers wrap around him his gaze instead on the girl in front of him, her hair blown in to a halo around her head.

"Is that what you really want Aline? We've finally admitted our feelings for each other and you want me to let go of it all?"

She looked at him as if he had slapped her. "What did you say?"

"You heard it." he looked at her steadily.

"You said it yourself," she said in a small voice, "You said it yourself that we're too toxic for each other and it would be in everyone's best interest that we remain just friends."

"That was before I realised what you meant to me and before I tried to fight off whatever it is that I feel for you."

"This can't be true," she stopped struggling against him, instead giving up leaning into his embrace, "you can't do this to me Edmund. This isn't a game to me like I know it is to you. You can't make me fall for you, believe everything you say only for you to end up breaking my heart afterwards."

"Look at me, Al." and she did, "It hurt me every single day that I was away from you after that night we'd spent together in that cottage. I wanted nothing more than to touch you again, to hold you yet you weren't with me. You were with someone else, and you seemed happy, happier than you ever were with me-" she opened her mouth to object yet he cut her off. "And I know for a fact that he would treat you better than I ever could. He would be perfect for you and if you still choose him over me you would have my complete blessings for all I want is for you to be happy. Yet if you think there is even a miniscule chance that your heart might want me, even after everything I put you through and all the ways I hurt you.. I am weak enough to be selfish and ask of you to act on it. Give me a chance. Just one more."

"I don't know what to do," she looked up at him confused, "You can't do this to me. We're dysfunctional and all you do is drive me crazy. I don't see any way in hell that we could work out." she deadpanned just as his face fell visibly.

"I'm sorry."

"Is there anything I could do to make you change your mind?"

Aline said nothing for a while and he could do nothing but nod, the message clear.

"Well then," he was utterly defeated. Edmund had never known heartbreak before, at least not of the romantic kind but what he felt should be very close to that notion.

"Maybe," he finally heard her call out, stopping him in his tracks, just as he realised the breeze around them had seized, "next time, show me. With more than just empty words."

A/N: Sooo that just happened! Let me know what you think is going to happen next ;)