"Anyone but you" - Jaiden AU

Wrong time

The harsh fluorescent lights of the elevator flickered momentarily, casting strange shadows across Aiden Brooks' gaunt face. He leaned heavily against the metal wall, his lanky frame hunched under the weight of his overstuffed backpack. The gentle hum of the ascending elevator did little to soothe his frayed nerves, instead serving as a countdown to an encounter he'd been dreading all day.

Aiden's bloodshot eyes, ringed with dark circles that spoke volumes about his sleeping habits, stared unseeing at the scuffed linoleum floor. His mind, fuzzy from a potent cocktail of sleep deprivation and caffeine overload, kept replaying the events of last Friday night like a broken record.

It was supposed to be a casual get-together at Lakes and Tess' place - nothing fancy, just a few friends unwinding after a grueling week of midterms. Aiden had only agreed to go because Lake and Tess, with their uncanny ability to see through his always tired and angry exterior, had insisted it would "do him good" to socialize. He should have known better than to listen to her well-intentioned but misguided advice.

The party had been in full swing by the time Aiden arrived, the small apartment packed with a mix of familiar faces and strangers. The air was thick with the scent of cheap beer and greasy pizza, punctuated by bursts of laughter and the thumping bass of some generic pop song. Aiden had just started to think that maybe, just maybe, the night wouldn't be a total disaster when chaos struck in the form of James.

Aiden had been minding his own business, nursing a lukewarm beer in the corner and half-listening to a classmate's animated recounting of their latest coding project. Without warning, a solid mass collided with his back, sending him stumbling forward. Time seemed to slow as Aiden watched his drink arc through the air, its contents splattering across his chest and soaking into his favorite dark red hoodie.

For a moment, all Aiden could do was stare in disbelief at the growing stain. Then, a accented voice cut through his shock, dripping with annoyance: "Aw, man! Do you know how many followers I could've gained with that boomerang?"

Aiden turned slowly, his tired brain struggling to process the absurdity of the situation. There, standing before him with an expression of genuine dismay, was quite possibly the most irritating person Aiden had ever laid eyes on.

James Costa was everything Aiden wasn't - tall, tanned, and radiating an aura of effortless charisma. His artfully tousled hair and designer clothes screamed 'influencer,' a assumption quickly confirmed by the state-of-the-art phone clutched in his manicured hands. Under normal circumstances, Aiden might have managed a grudging apology just to avoid confrontation. But after a week of all-nighters fueled by nothing but spite and energy drinks, his last shred of patience evaporated like mist in the summer sun.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Aiden drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm thick enough to cut with a knife. "I didn't realize I was in the presence of such an important influencer. Should I kiss your feet, or will a simple bow suffice?"

James' eyes narrowed dangerously, all traces of his camera-ready smile vanishing in an instant. "Listen here, you obese whale-"

What happened next was a blur of shoving, shouting, and flailing limbs. By the time Lake and a few other partygoers managed to pull them apart, Aiden had been knocked to the floor and James' perfectly coiffed hair was sticking up at odd angles. They glared at each other from opposite sides of the room, chests heaving and faces flushed with anger.

Now, barely a week later, Aiden found himself living in very good apartment building. Great view, center of a city and it takes ten minutes to his college

The elevator dinged softly, its doors sliding open to reveal the last person Aiden wanted to see. James, stood in the hallway, one hand casually tucked into the pocket of his designer jeans while the other, predictably, clutched his ever-present phone. His trademark cocky grin spread across his face as he recognized Aiden.

"Well, well," James drawled, stepping into the elevator with a swagger that made Aiden's teeth clench. "If it isn't my favorite fan of Cruella DeeVill. Still mad, I see?"

Aiden grunted noncommittally, tugging his beanie lower over his eyes in a futile attempt to block out both the harsh lighting and James' overwhelming presence. As the elevator doors slid shut with a soft whoosh, Aiden resigned himself to what was sure to be the longest ride of his life.

The contrast between them couldn't have been starker. James, freshly showered and immaculately dressed, smelling faintly of some expensive cologne. And Aiden, rumpled and disheveled, giving off an aroma that was equal parts coffee and desperation. They stood at opposite corners of the small space, an entire world of difference contained within a few square feet.

As the elevator began its ascent, the silence stretched between them, thick and uncomfortable. Aiden found himself acutely aware of every small sound - the soft tap of James' fingers on his phone screen, the quiet hum of the machinery, even the sound of his own breathing seemed unnaturally loud.

He risked a glance at James from under the brim of his beanie, only to find the other man already looking at him, one eyebrow raised in what could have been amusement or disdain. Aiden quickly averted his gaze, suddenly finding the elevator buttons absolutely fascinating.

It was going to be a very long ride up indeed.