Inevitably Me

Chapter 4: A World Apart

Aiden Blackwood leaned against the locker, watching the sunlight filter through the large school windows, casting long shadows across the hallway floor. The morning had passed in a haze, as it usually did, but something tugged at the back of his mind, making it hard to focus.

It was Allora.

Her name had been swirling in his head ever since they'd talked by the window that morning. There was something about her—a quiet strength mixed with a vulnerability he recognized. She wore it on her face like a mask, trying to be friendly, approachable, but underneath, there was this tension, a kind of uncertainty he could relate to all too well. He could see the weight she carried. It mirrored his own.

He sighed and looked away from the window. He shouldn't be thinking about her. Getting close to anyone here wasn't part of the plan. He wasn't staying long enough to form attachments—at least, that's what he kept telling himself. But that hadn't stopped him from thinking about her more than he should.

The last few weeks had been a blur of small conversations and passing glances. Allora was different from the others—she wasn't just interested in small talk or mindless gossip like the other students seemed to be. When she spoke, there was depth, a realness that caught his attention. And then there was her family. From the little she had told him, he could tell that her home life wasn't exactly easy.

It was strange, though—knowing that she understood. That she, too, felt suffocated by expectations she hadn't asked for. It was something Aiden rarely talked about with anyone, and yet, here was this girl who seemed to get it without him needing to say much.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, dragging him out of his thoughts. He fished it out and glanced at the screen. It was a text from his older sister, Vivian.

Vivian: Dad's in a mood today. Be careful when you get home.

Aiden's jaw tightened, and he slipped the phone back into his pocket without replying. He didn't need the warning. His father was always in a mood these days. No matter how hard Aiden tried to stay out of his way, it never seemed to be enough. Elliot Blackwood had expectations—big ones—and no matter what Aiden did, he always fell short.

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. School was supposed to be a break, but it felt like all his problems followed him here, like shadows he couldn't escape.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the period, and Aiden pushed himself off the locker, making his way toward his next class. As he walked down the crowded hallway, he caught sight of Allora again, standing with her friends by the quad. She was laughing at something Brielle had said, her face lit up in a way that made her seem like a completely different person from the one he'd seen earlier that day.

It was a strange thing—watching someone who could seem so put together on the outside but carried so much weight underneath. She was like him in that way, putting on a mask for the world. But unlike him, she still let people in. Aiden wasn't sure if he admired that about her or if it scared him.

As he passed by her group, Allora glanced in his direction and offered a small wave. Aiden hesitated for a moment, then nodded back, quickening his pace as he headed for class.

After school, Aiden found himself in the music room, fingers hovering over the strings of his guitar. The soft hum of the instrument vibrated through his chest, offering him a familiar comfort. Music had always been his escape. Whenever his father's voice grew too loud, or the pressure became too much, Aiden turned to his guitar. It was the one thing that made sense when nothing else did.