One Temptation

What Makes her Special (Chapter 17)

"Okay, well... there's this girl," Aiden begins, scratching the back of his neck, a nervous habit he's never grown out of.

I raise an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Yeah, I've got that figured out. Have you met her in person?"

"Obviously," he deadpans, "She's... I don't know."

"Aiden." I drag out his name in a whiny tone, just to rile him up. "Spit it out. Please."

 His usual laid-back attitude is gone, replaced by something far more vulnerable. It's honestly weird seeing him like this—he's not the type to stumble over his feelings.

"She's... different," he finally says, voice softer. "Like, when I say she's smart, I don't just mean she aces tests. Yeah, she's smart in school, but it's more than that."

I lean in, intrigued. "In what way?"

He shifts uncomfortably, like he's not used to talking about this kind of thing. "She just... gets things. Like, she'll notice stuff. Not just around her, but about people. She pays attention to things no one else does—about me without me even saying anything. It's like she sees more than what's on the obvious."

I blink, taken aback by how genuine he sounds. This isn't some random crush; this is something deeper. I lean back, crossing my arms, letting him continue without interruption.

"And she's funny," he goes on, "Not in that 'I'm trying to make everyone laugh' kind of way. She'll just say these random things that catch me off guard, and I'll end up laughing, even when I don't want to."

I watch him carefully as he talks. His eyes soften when he mentions her, like he's replaying moments in his head. It's almost... sweet. Weird, but sweet.

"So, she's got jokes," I tease lightly.

Aiden chuckles under his breath. "It's not even that. It's more... she's got this way of looking at things like nothing really phases her. But it's not because she doesn't care. She just... handles it. Like, she'll see the craziest things happening and somehow keep it together while everyone else loses their shit."

I nod, biting back a smirk. "Sounds like she's going to match your energy." I say, which makes him smirk.

He hesitates before speaking again, "She's wealthy, you know? Comes from this really great family, but she's not one of those stuck-up girls who flaunt it. She's so humble. So down-to-earth."

"One time, I jokingly, or well, I don't know if it was a joke, maybe I was trying to convince myself it was. But I picked a random flower from this bush by the river when we were hanging out, and she lit up. Like, she wore the damn flower in her hair all day. Just a simple flower, and she looked so happy. Like it was enough."

Aiden's never been one to get caught up in feelings, and yet here he is, completely lost in them.

He glances at me, maybe expecting me to laugh or throw in a snide comment. But I stay quiet, absorbing what he's saying.

"And she's... she's kind," he continues, "Like, really kind. Not that fake 'I'm nice to everyone so people will like me' shit. She stands up for people, even when no one's watching. I've seen her call other's bullshit out when she doesn't like it."

"She's perfect, huh?" I ask, trying to lighten the mood.

Aiden shakes his head quickly "No, she's not perfect. She's stubborn as hell sometimes, and she's got this weird habit of zoning out for like, a full minute. But... I don't know. That's just part of who she is. And it's... it's kind of what I like about her."

"So, what's the problem? Why are you stressing about it if she's this amazing?"

He looks at me, "Because... she's not like anyone I've met before. She doesn't just fall for some gym rat or some good-looking guy. She's got her own life, her own priorities. I don't wanna be just another dude in the background. What if I mess this up?"