Falling Into Oblivion

Chapter 55

"Hey, Dylan," Aiden says casually, but there's a glint in his eyes. "You finally found a good teacher, huh?"

Dylan laughs, completely unaware of the subtle tension. "Yeah, man. Lyra here's promised to make me a pro by the end of tomorrow."

Aiden's smile tightens ever so slightly. "Good luck with that. She's pretty tough."

I shoot Aiden a look, but he just grins wider, clearly enjoying the subtle game he's playing. My heart races, caught between their exchange.

Dylan, still oblivious, laughs again. "I can handle it. What about you? You gonna show off your tricks tomorrow?"

Aiden shrugs, glancing at me with a playful glint in his eyes. "Maybe. Depends on how the day goes."

There's something in his tone that makes me blush, and I quickly look away, hoping Dylan doesn't notice. The air between us is thick with tension, and I can feel the weight of Aiden's presence lingering beside me.

"Anyway, idiot, I came over to ask if you got weed with you?" he smirks at me. Seriously? He just blurts that out? It's not like I wanted Dylan to know that detail yet. "I mean, obviously you do, you're you," he adds with a chuckle. Great.

I click my tongue in annoyance, shooting him a death stare, but he just grins back. Dylan looks between the two of us for a second, his smile faltering slightly, though he's still trying to play it cool. "Alright, well, I'll catch you guys later, I'm not the biggest smoker."

I nod, offering a small, apologetic smile as he heads back toward his group of friends, who are scattered around the bonfire. As soon as he's out of earshot, I turn to Aiden, my arms crossed, tension brimming between us.

"What?" I finally snap, staring at him with frustration.

Aiden shrugs, his smirk softening into something a little more genuine. "Nothing. I just needed weed."

I roll my eyes. "Right."

His gaze lingers on me, the teasing mask slipping slightly, and there's something else—something softer, more serious in his eyes. "You okay?" he asks quietly, his voice lower than usual.

I hesitate, unsure how to answer. There's too much going on inside me, too many feelings I can't quite sort out. "You know what?" I say, sidestepping the question. "Make your incredibly big mouth useful for once and light this blunt while I grab the thermos with the tequila."

He grins, stepping closer and taking the blunt from my hand, his fingers brushing against mine. "Bossy tonight, huh?"

"Don't you like that?" I mutter with a teasing tone, heading to grab the thermos from my bag. I can still feel his eyes on me as I turn away, and something about the whole interaction feels charged. I'm in a weird mood tonight, I want to mess with him. He's been messing with me too much lately.

By the time I return, he's lit the blunt and takes a long drag, leaning against a nearby log, his eyes never leaving mine. He holds it out for me, and I take it, feeling the warmth of the fire and the cool tension in the air mix in a strange, intoxicating way.

"So," he says, blowing out a cloud of smoke, "you and Dylan, huh?"

I pause, taking a few hits and passing the blunt back to him. "Don't start with me, Aiden."

He chuckles, shaking his head. "I'm not starting anything. Just observing."

"Yeah, well, maybe observe a little less," I mumble, unscrewing the thermos and taking a swig. The tequila burns, but it's a good kind of burn, one that helps calm my nerves.

Aiden takes the thermos from me, his fingers grazing mine again. "Just looking out for you, that's all."

I don't respond right away, letting the heat from the fire and the tequila settle in. He drags a nearby log over to where we're standing, a little off to the side from everyone else. He motions for me to sit, then drops down right beside me, so close that there's practically no space between us. My pulse quickens, but I keep my face neutral.