Inevitably Me

Chapter 5: Shadows and Revelations

The air had turned crisp by the time Allora made her way out of the school. The autumn leaves crunched beneath her feet as she walked across the parking lot, her mind still replaying the events of the day. Everything felt like a blur—her friends' conversations, the brief moments with Aiden, and the ever-present pressure from her mother.

She couldn't help but think back to the quiet comfort of talking to Aiden earlier that morning. He understood her in a way that made everything else seem more bearable. But then there was Brielle's teasing, the jokes about catching feelings. Allora wasn't ready to think about it like that. Not yet. But something was there, something that felt like it could grow if she let it.

As she reached her car, she spotted a familiar figure standing nearby—Aiden. He hadn't seen her yet, his back turned to her as he leaned against his motorcycle, staring at something on his phone. She hesitated, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of him. He looked deep in thought, and she wondered what was on his mind.

Before she could decide whether to approach him or not, a voice cut through the quiet.

"Allora!"

She turned around to see Xander and Xavier, two boys who had recently transferred to the school. They were walking toward her, their matching smiles stretching across their faces. Xander, with his shaggy brown hair and laid-back attitude, was always quick to crack a joke, while Xavier, his twin brother, was more reserved but had a certain intensity in his eyes that Allora found intriguing.

"Hey, guys," Allora greeted them with a smile as they stopped in front of her.

"You heading out?" Xander asked, casually stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets.

"Yeah, just about to," Allora said, glancing back toward Aiden for a split second before returning her attention to the twins.

"We were just going to grab some food," Xavier said, his voice quieter than his brother's. "You want to come with us?"

Allora paused. Xander and Xavier had only been at their school for a few weeks, but they had quickly become part of the social scene. They were friendly, always easy to talk to, but there was something about them—especially Xavier—that felt a little... different. Allora hadn't quite figured them out yet, but they were interesting, that much was clear.

She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, she noticed Aiden looking up from his phone, his eyes flicking toward her and the twins. The small tension in his posture was subtle, but she caught it.

"I—" Allora hesitated again. "Actually, I think I'm just going to head home tonight. Thanks for asking, though."

Xander shrugged, his easy-going smile never fading. "No worries. Maybe next time."

Xavier gave her a small nod of acknowledgment, his expression unreadable. "See you around, Allora."

The twins turned and headed toward their own car, leaving Allora standing there with her thoughts tangled up in knots. She glanced back at Aiden, who was now looking directly at her, his brows slightly furrowed.

Before she could stop herself, she walked over to him.

"Hey," she said, stopping beside his motorcycle. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

Aiden pocketed his phone and looked at her, his face softening just a little. "You weren't interrupting. What's up?"

Allora shifted on her feet, suddenly unsure of what to say. "I don't know. I guess I just... wanted to check on you."

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Check on me?"

She nodded, her voice quieter now. "You seemed... I don't know, like something was on your mind."