Teenage Dream

Chapter 19 : Arielle Reddy isn't half bad!? Who knew?

Breathe.

Breathe, Aiden.

He felt like he couldn't breathe, something that happened often after the whole Annette incident. Nevertheless, this felt different. His heartbeat was racing (not in a good way) and he was unbearably hot.

Aiden heard someone knock at the bathroom door.

"Hello? Aiden, are you in there?"

Aru.

She was the last person who he wanted to see at the moment, but he felt like he was getting suffocated and couldn't think straight.

Aiden wanted to tell Aru to wait outside for a few minutes, before his legs lost balance and he collapsed on the washroom floor.

Suddenly, the door burst open, "Oh my gods. Aiden are you okay?"

He found himself bound in a cold embrace, which was exactly what he needed because his body temperature was higher than usual.

The two sat there, on the bathroom floor as Aiden's breathing became more stable. He eventually returned her hug, wrapping his arms around her torso.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"Anytime," said Aru.

Aiden pulled back and looked straight into Aru's eyes, "I mean it. I really needed that."

She smiled, "It's fine."

"There's something in your teeth, Shah."

Aru immediately stopped smiling and raised herself off the floor, to the sink where she abruptly washed her mouth.

Aiden couldn't hold back his laugh as Aru scrubbed her teeth, even though he desperately tried not to. Aru, on the other hand, glared at him fiercely before splashing water onto his face.

"Oh, it's on," said Aiden, before turning the faucet on to a sink, gathering water in his hands.

Aru's eyes widened in panic, "Don't you dare, Acharya."

Well, it was too late, because Aiden had already flung water onto Aru's face, a few splatters getting on her blue sweatshirt.

"That was new!" she exclaimed before flicking water onto his green hoodie.

Aiden looked down at his shirt and then at Aru, "At least I have a spare." he said before cupping his hands together to accumulate more water and splashed it at Aru.

She squealed before doing the same.

They went back and forth a few times, before someone opened the door to the bathroom.

"This is the boy's bathroom."

The two turned around to see a random kid, in around 10th grade with straight blonde hair and brown eyes.

"Ehem. Yes, sorry." said Aru, before exiting the bathroom.

Aiden offered a smile at the guy before walking off with Aru.

"That was awkward," said Aru, as Aiden joined her in the hallway.

"Tell me about it," said Aiden.

"That reminds me," she said. "You might not believe this...but I saw Poppy and Arielle kissing in the hallway this morning."

"Oh?"

Aiden always thought that Arielle and Poppy were too close to be "just" best friends. He noticed the way Arielle's gaze lingered on Poppy for longer than necessary, and how Poppy was overprotective of Arielle in the way one would be to their partner. They shared a hug every time they departed to classes and were always seen together, hand-in-hand.