𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 | 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐧𝐞

Chapter 8

It had been a few weeks since Aaron had suddenly appeared in my life, and it seemed as if he brought bad luck with him.

I was at odds with Lance, whom I thought I'd never be, and the weather had turned dark and gloomy, matching my mood.

Outside the window, rain poured down in heavy sheets.

I stared out the window while Amanda animatedly recounted her latest argument with Amy.

My thoughts were drifting away from her words, pulled by the weight of everything happening around me.

I could barely concentrate on anything other than the swirling emotions in my head. Amanda's voice faded into the background as I reflected on how my life had become so complicated.

"Ruby! Are you even listening?" Amanda's voice snapped me back to reality, her hands on her hips in that classic way that said she wasn't having any of my daydreaming.

"Sorry, I just..." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I'm kind of all over the place right now."

"Really? You? Shocking!" Amanda rolled her eyes dramatically. "You're usually so calm and collected. What is this, amateur hour?"

"Very funny," I muttered. "I've just got a lot on my mind."

"Is it still about Lance? Because if it is, I swear I will personally track him down and slap some sense into him," she said, flicking her hair over her shoulder as if she were ready for battle.

I nodded, feeling the familiar  frustration tighten in my chest. "He's been bombarding me with texts. Even my parents are getting involved now, asking if I'm okay. It's like everyone is just... piling on."

"Ugh, that's the worst!" Amanda huffed. "Listen, you need to set some boundaries. Tell him you need space. This is your life, not a soap opera."

"I've tried!" I groaned, rubbing my temples. "But he keeps texting me, calling me. It's like he doesn't understand that I need time to process everything."

"Seriously? What does he think this is, a reality show? You're not his emotional support animal," Amanda said, rolling her eyes. "Just tell him to back off. It's not rocket science."

"And then there's Aaron." I slumped back in my chair, feeling defeated.

"Ooh, Aaron!" Amanda leaned in, a sly grin spreading across her face. "What about him? Has he swept you off your feet yet, or is he still just your new source of annoyance?"

I frowned. "He just won't leave me alone! He keeps trying to be my friend, and I'm not sure I want that right now. I'm not ready to make new friends when I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with Lance."

"Listen, I get it. You're heartbroken, and it sucks. But you also need a distraction, and Aaron's right there, waving at you with his pretty face," she quipped, smirking. "I mean, come on! If I had a guy like that hanging around, I'd be plotting our wedding already!"

"Very mature," I shot back, trying to hide my smile. "But it's complicated, and I don't want to mix things up even more."

We sat in silence for a moment, the sound of rain drumming against the windows creating a soothing rhythm.

"Just fuck him already."

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. "Just fuck him already?" I repeated, my eyes wide in disbelief.

"Come on," she rolled her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips. "He's just a distraction for heaven's sake. We know you're all up on Lance's ass all the time, but he's hitting it from the back with his new girl while you blush thinking of a word!"