Tangled Hearts

Chapter#5

Katherine and Rhea sat on a picturesque bench in the university garden, surrounded by vibrant flowers and the soothing sounds of nature. They were deep in conversation when Aiden Romano appeared, his eyes scanning the area until they landed on Katherine.

Aiden's face lit up with curiosity as he approached the bench. "Rhea, who's your friend?" he asked, his eyes fixed on Katherine with interest.

Rhea smiled, happy to make the introduction. "Aiden, this is Katherine. We met on the first day of university, and we've been inseparable since."

Aiden's eyes sparkled with delight. "Katherine, nice to meet you! I've seen you around, but we haven't officially met yet."

Katherine smiled, feeling a sense of ease with Aiden's charming personality. "Nice to meet you too, Aiden. Rhea's told me a lot about you."

Aiden raised an eyebrow, grinning mischievously. "Oh, I'm sure Rhea's told you all my secrets. But don't believe everything she says, I'm a perfect gentleman."

Rhea rolled her eyes, laughing. "Sure you are, Aiden. That's why you're always getting into trouble!"

Aiden's expression turned serious as he turned to Rhea. "You know, Katherine wanted to help the boy this morning not knowing it will cause trouble to her because it is definitely going to hurt the ego of those bullies.

Katherine's eyes widened in fear as she realized the implications. "Oh no, don't tell me they'll bully me just like they did to that boy..."

Aiden's face softened as he noticed Katherine's distress. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey, don't worry, Katherine. I won't let them touch you".

Katherine looked up at him, her eyes searching for reassurance. Aiden's calm and confident demeanor helped to ease her fears.

"I mean it, Katherine. Those three think they own this place.

With that, Aiden stood up, his tall frame towering over them. "I'll catch you two later. I have some things to take care of."

As Aiden walked away, Katherine felt a sense of gratitude towards him. She turned to Rhea, who was watching her with a knowing smile.

"Thanks for introducing me to Aiden, Rhea. I feel like I can finally breathe a little easier around here."

Rhea nodded in agreement. "Aiden's a great guy. He's got your back, Katherine. And with him on your side, those three won't dare to mess with you."

As soon as Aiden was out of earshot, Rhea turned to Katherine with a serious expression. "Aiden wasn't always the charming, protective guy you see now."

Katherine's curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean?"

Rhea hesitated, collecting her thoughts. "Aiden used to be a bit of a playboy. He loved the attention, the thrill of the chase... but he never thought about the consequences. Until one girl he played with... she couldn't handle the heartbreak."

Katherine's eyes widened in shock. "What happened?"

Rhea's voice dropped to a whisper. "She committed suicide, Kat. Aiden was devastated. He realized too late that his actions had real consequences. After that, he changed. He became more serious, more protective of those around him."

Katherine's heart went out to Aiden. She couldn't imagine the weight of guilt he must have carried. "I had no idea," she said softly.

Rhea nodded. "Few people do. But that's why Aiden is so fiercely loyal to those he cares about. He doesn't want anyone else to get hurt because of him."

Katherine felt a newfound respect for Aiden. She realized that his charming facade hid a complex, vulnerable person. And she wondered if maybe, just maybe, there was more to their connection than she initially thought.

The next day, Katherine and Rhea were walking across campus when they stumbled upon a familiar scene. Ethan, Noah, and Nicholas were surrounding the same boy from yesterday, their fists flying as they beat him mercilessly.

"Who dared to help you yesterday?" Ethan sneered, his foot connecting with the boy's stomach.

The boy coughed up blood, but his eyes flashed with defiance. "There are some good people in this university too," he spat. "Not everyone is like you."

Katherine's anger boiled over, but before she could intervene, Aiden appeared out of nowhere, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Leave him alone," Aiden growled, his voice low and menacing.

The three bullies turned to face Aiden, their sneers faltering for a moment before they regained their composure.

"Or what, Aiden?" Ethan sneered. "You'll fight us? You're just one person."

Aiden smiled, a cold, calculated smile. "I don't need to fight you. I just need to make sure you never bother anyone again."

The three bullies charged at Aiden, fists flying. Aiden stood his ground, his eyes locked on the attackers. But just as the fight began, he glanced over at Katherine, who was watching in horror.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, Ethan followed Aiden's gaze and locked eyes with Katherine.

Katherine's heart skipped a beat as Ethan's gaze bore into her. She felt a chill run down her spine and suddenly, she was scared. She turned and quickly walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

Aiden's attention was pulled back to the fight, but his mind lingered on Katherine's frightened expression. He knew he had to make sure she was safe. But for now, he had to deal with the three bullies in front of him.