"Come on," he says and pulls me away from the trash bin and into the crowd so that we don't look suspicious.
"When did you see me standing there?" I question.
"The moment you walked after them I followed you," replies Omar.
"Oh," I reply.
"Girl you done fucked up, Aaron has been pissy since the party."
"Did he tell you-"
"No but I last saw him with you and lately the only person he cares about is you so I figured you're the reason why he's in such a bad mood. What happened?"
I look around and find Aaron standing in the crowd of girls again and also find Nat with Chris.
"Let's talk in my car," I say and Omar nods. We walk over to my car and sit inside. Once we're settled in and its finally quiet Omar stares at me expectantly.
"Aaron kissed me when he dropped me off home and I sorta," my voice trails off.
"You sorta?"
"Ran away right after."
"Damn blow to the heart. Geez why did you do that?"
"I'm afraid of getting hurt."
"Getting hurt?"
"Yeah," I say, "I know it doesn't make sense but I'm afraid of liking Aaron."
"Why? He's cool."
"I know but I just...in the beginning everything was for show and then somehow we became friends and then our feelings grew. And I just don't know what's real or fake."
"You didn't read the letter did you?"
"Letter?"
"Yeah the one Aaron gave you."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"The letter, with the picture of himself and the bear."
And just with those words it clicks.
The letter.
"I didn't read it."
"You should," Omar says, "he genuine with you since the beginning." With that said Omar walks out of the car leaving me completely dumbstruck.
The next day I walk to my locker as fast as I can searching through the mess inside of it to find the letter. When I finally do I open it up and read it.
Dear Lex,
I know your name isn't Lex and is actually Lux. I just think it's funny when you get mad lol. I know that you probably hate me, which if we're being honestly I can understand why. Which is probably the only reason you've peeked my interest. You're the first person to call me out for being "fake" or "phony" unlike everyone else in this school who think I'm something that I'm...not. I mean yeah I'm probably the best looking guy in school and the coolest and well I'm getting off track. The point is that I like the fact that you weren't afraid of calling me out. So thank you, I sincerely mean it. Along with that I want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry that day behind the trash bin and the way I talked to you. I'm sorry the way I made you feel and for acting like a douche. I'm mostly sorry because you were right, I am afraid of acting like who I really am because the one thing I fear the most is being rejected, especially when I am acting like myself and not the bad boy that I've made out of myself. I know what you're thinking "why do I care if you're sorry?" And if I'm being honest, you don't have to care...call me coward but I don't want to be myself around people. I don't like being vulnerable nor letting people see my flaws. I want people to see me as someone cool...someone interesting...someone worth being around. Look, I know you don't like me, we've been through this, but I promise that if you just help me prove to people that I'm worth being around then I'll leave you alone. So as Aaron-not Aaron Reeves the bad boy of Colins High School-but just plain out Aaron, I ask for your help. How about we talk about this later today at the diner you work at? (Also no, I'm not a stalker...I went in the diner one day with my family and saw you there that's why I know you work there) Meet me there after school, I'll be waiting and I'll buy milkshakes so I hope I see you there.
- Aaron
I never went because I didn't read the letter. I wonder if he waited like that one day at the park. With a sigh I fold the letter and put it back before shutting my locker. I turn around and find Aaron standing not too far away, he's drinking water at the water fountain and surprisingly enough isn't around any people.
I walk his way and I can tell he's startled once he sees me standing beside him.
"Aaron," I say. He doesn't say anything to me but instead wipes his mouth and walks past me. I walk right after him.
"I read your letter," I say to him.
He turns around and finally I see it. The anger.
"So?" he says.
"Aaron I'm sorry, I-"
"Save it Lux. Of course you're barely reading that stupid letter. I should've figured you didn't read it when you continued to act like a bitch to me."
"Aaron," I say again.
"You're too late Lux."
"Please just let me explain."
"Explain what? That you don't like me? Believe me I got it through my head."
"But I..." my voice trails off because he's not even listening anymore. He's walked away and within seconds he's out of the hallway.
"I do like you," I whisper to myself.
When I get home I feel more deflated than ever. My mind drifting to Aaron.
As I'm walking upstairs and to my room I hear some noise come out of the bathroom. I walk closer and try to open the door but it is locked so instead I put my ear on the door to hear what's happening on the other side.
Sobs.
Sage's sobs.
"Sage," I say, "What's going on? Are you okay? Open the door please."
"Go away Lux," he says between sobs.
"Come on Sage, tell me what's going on. What's wrong? You've been acting like this since the party. Please just tell me what-"
"I told you to leave me the fuck alone," he yells and turns on the water in the shower.
Startled by his words I hesitantly walk back to my room, making sure to leave a bit of my door open so I can hear when he walks out of the bathroom. I begin to have a headache and I sigh realizing what bad of a day it's been.
Sage finally goes to school the next day. He's quiet the entire ride to school and when I park he walks out of my car without a word. I let out a sigh, not exactly expecting much from this day. I take my bag and walk out of my car. As I'm locking the car though something weird catches my attention and my eyebrows furrow as I watch the scene unfold.
Eric is in his truck at the front of the school and Giana, the sophomore who put up the audio recording of Aaron and me on her Instagram, is getting out of his car.
"What the fuck," I mutter under my breath and watch as she says goodbye and he drives away. Before I lose sight of her I run over to her.
"Hey," I say.
She gives me a confused look. "What do you want?"
"How do you know Eric?"
Within seconds her expression changes from shocked to annoyed.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"But I just saw you-"
"Well you saw wrong," she snaps before walking away from me.
"Are you sure?" is the first thing Nat says when I tell her what I saw in the parking lot.
"Positive."
"But Eric has always been so...nice. I don't know what he would be doing with Giana."
"Me either, that's why I am so confused. And then when I asked her she just plain out denied it."
"What if you ask Eric?"
"And say what? That I saw him with Giana? No way."
"Okay then why don't you just ask him if he was here earlier today? If he denies it then we know something is up."
"Fine," I say and text Eric.
Me: Hey
Eric: Hey! (:
Me: By chance were you here today?
Eric: Where exactly is here?
Me: My school...
Eric doesn't respond right away. In fact he doesn't respond until lunch time.
Eric: No.
I show Nat the text as soon as I get it. We both give each other looks, unsure of what to think.
Sage and Ethan arrive to the table at the same time but don't say or look at each other, both sitting on opposite ends of the table. Nat gives me a questioning look but I shrug, unsure of what exactly is going on between them either.
"Hey guys," I say. Sage grumbles a hello while Ethan looks at me and gives me a small smile.
"Is everything alright?" I can't help but question.
"Just peachy," replies Ethan sarcastically.
I look back at Nat, this time completely concerned and puzzled with whatever is going on. The rest of lunch is spent in silence, a thick awkward tension in the air and as soon as the bell rings both of the boys get up and go their separate ways.
"What the heck did I miss?" questions Nat.
"I have no idea."
The ride back home is awkward again. I try multiple times to question Sage again but he ignores me and when we get home he walks out of my car grumpy again.
I let out a sigh and walk inside the house. I greet my mom and she's about to serve me dinner when I receive a call from Nat.
"Hello?"
"I know why Eric and Giana were together this morning," she says, her voice in a whisper.
"Why?"
Short, but here is another update (:
I hope you all liked it
Told y'all that wasn't the end of Giana (;
Lol what are your guys' thoughts on all of this?
Also in case I didn't say it before, I love you all, thank you for everything you do for me â¤
Check my bio for the date of the next update sometime this week! I'm trying to write as much as I can in my free time so hopefully there's another one later this week
Anyways bye, love you, have a good day, you the best
-ari