Wish You'd Met Me First (boyxboy)

Chapter 38: School Dread

A/N: Aiden goes back to school after his suspension, the nerves he might be feeling... :9

The school looms ahead of me as I walk toward the entrance, each step feeling heavier than the last. My heart pounds in my chest, but I keep my head held high. I can't let them see any weakness.

As soon as I step through the doors, the murmurs start. At first, they're just a low hum, but they quickly grow louder, buzzing around me like a cloud of gnats I can't escape.

"It's Aiden," someone whispers, loud enough for me to catch.

"Are Brett and he really a thing now?" another voice chimes in, sending a jolt of anxiety through me.

"What about Blaine?" a girl near the lockers mutters to her friend.

"Did you see what happened in the cafeteria?" another student asks, eyes wide with excitement.

"He punched Jake," someone else says, a mix of awe and disbelief in their tone.

"Poor Blaine," a voice full of pity adds. 

"Did they secretly date behind his back?"

My teeth clench, every word like a needle pricking at my nerves. But I keep walking, refusing to let them see how much this gets to me. I won't give them the satisfaction.

Just when I think I can make it to my locker without any more drama, I see him—Brett—standing by his own locker. Our eyes meet across the hallway, and for a moment, the noise around us fades. Brett's eyes are filled with concern, a longing that makes my chest ache. He looks like he wants to say something, to reach out, but I can't. Not here. Not now.

I tear my gaze away, the lump in my throat growing tighter. The last thing I need is to fuel the rumors any more than they already are. I turn and walk away, leaving Brett behind even though every part of me wants to stay.

I round the corner, hoping to avoid any more confrontations, but my luck runs out when I see Lexi and her entourage waiting by the lockers. Lexi steps forward, her smirk sharp and cruel.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the homewrecker himself," she says, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.

Sarah and Jenna snicker behind her, their eyes gleaming with malicious delight. Megan, though, stands off to the side, still flashing her usual flirty smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Lexi takes another step closer, her smirk widening. 

"I have to say, Aiden, I didn't see that one coming. You and Brett? Really?"

I feel the weight of her words, the insinuation behind them, but I stand my ground, meeting her gaze without flinching. I won't let her push me around.

"You know," Lexi continues, her tone turning more pointed, 

"you could have had any girl you wanted. You're handsome, popular, and you're on the football team. But instead, you went and stole Brett from Blaine."

The mention of Blaine hits me like a punch to the gut. But I force myself to stay calm, my fists clenching at my sides.

"I didn't steal anyone," I say, my voice steady even though my heart is racing. 

"And what Brett and I are or aren't is none of your business, Lexi."

Her eyes narrow, the smirk faltering for just a second. I can see the bitterness there, the jealousy she's trying to hide behind her cutting words. I know what this is really about—she wanted Brett for herself, and now she's lashing out.

"You think you're so special, don't you?" Lexi sneers, her voice losing some of its fake sweetness. 

"But you're just a selfish jerk who doesn't care about anyone but himself."