𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 | 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐧𝐞

Chapter 14

Emma still hadn't texted me back about what Lance and my parents had talked about, and the longer I waited, the more anxious I felt.

But instead of letting that anxiety swallow me whole, I found a distraction—searching up Aaron. Something about him felt off, and I needed to figure out why.

I typed his name into Facebook again, but without a last name, I was getting nowhere. Just a sea of Aarons, none of them him.

Meanwhile, Amanda was still talking, completely ignoring my silent treatment.

I was sitting on my bed, scrolling through endless profiles, trying to find something, anything that could give me more information about this guy who had just moved across from me and who clearly had more going on than he let on.

I sighed, giving up on Facebook for a moment. "Do you know Aaron's last name?" I blurted out, cutting Amanda off mid-sentence.

Amanda gave me a look. "No. And I wouldn't waste my time creeping around like this either." She raised an eyebrow. "But you're obviously obsessed, so why not just admit it?"

"I'm not obsessed," I shot back.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Should you really be talking? You left me out there while you were off doing who knows what. So please, don't bother me right now."

Amanda gasped dramatically. "First of all, you literally emerged from Aaron's room. So, what were you doing in there?" She raised an eyebrow and gave me a pointed look. "And second of all, you could've just called me, like a normal person."

"I did give you a call," I shot back, crossing my arms.

"Answer the first question," she demanded, ignoring my excuse.

I sighed. "Nothing happened. I stayed there because you locked me out, and he offered his room. It's not that deep."

Amanda smirked. "Uh-huh. Sure, nothing happened. You, Aaron, one room—sounds pretty deep to me."

"Please. Get your mind out of the gutter," I muttered, trying to focus back on my phone. But I could feel her gaze on me, waiting for more details.

"You're the one avoiding answering, though. Sounds like I'm not the only one with my mind in the gutter," she teased.

"God, you're impossible," I groaned, tossing my phone on the bed in frustration.

"Yeah, and you and Aaron have something going on, which you won't tell me," Amanda pressed, folding her arms. "And I hate it, so please just tell me."

I groaned, rubbing my face with my hands. "Nothing is going on with me and him, okay? Stop trying to force something that won't happen."

Amanda raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "You two are always together, Ruby. People talk."

"Let them talk," I snapped, dropping my hands. "It doesn't mean anything. Aaron's just—" I paused, searching for the right words. "He's around. That's all."

Amanda gave me a skeptical look. "Right. 'Just around' sounds like denial, but okay."

I glared at her. "Think what you want, but you're wrong."

She shrugged. "Whatever. Just know if you keep denying it, it'll be even juicier when something does happen."

"You're delusional," I muttered, grabbing my phone again.

As if the universe wanted to mock me, Emma's text lit up my screen, prompting me to sit up straight. My stomach twisted as I stared at the message.

Emma: He was acting all sad and stuff, telling them you found new friends and fought with him because they told you to. He mentioned an Aaron. Is it true?