Inevitably Me

Chapter 7: New Connections and Unspoken Emotions

The late afternoon sun streamed through the windows, casting a warm, golden glow across the empty hallway. Allora and Aiden sat on the steps just outside the school, the quiet hum of the distant highway filling the silence between them. There was something about being around Aiden that made the chaos in her mind settle. Like everything made a little more sense when they were together, even when they weren't saying much.

Aiden leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head. His usual calm demeanor was still there, but Allora had noticed the small changes—the way his eyes darkened when he talked about his father, the slight edge to his voice when he mentioned home.

"You good?" she asked softly, glancing over at him.

Aiden nodded, though there was hesitation. "Yeah, I'm good. Just... tired."

She frowned, not quite believing him. But she didn't want to push. Instead, she leaned back, mimicking his pose, her eyes fixed on the sky. "If you ever need to talk, you know I'm here, right?"

Aiden glanced at her, his eyes softening a little. "I know."

They fell into a comfortable silence again, and for a moment, Allora considered asking him for his number. It wasn't like they weren't friends already, but something about having that direct line of communication felt more... real.

Before she could second-guess herself, she reached for her phone, holding it up with a small smile. "We should probably exchange numbers. You know, for when we're not sitting here in awkward silence."

Aiden chuckled, the sound warm and unexpected. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

They exchanged phones, typing in their numbers before handing them back. Allora felt a strange sense of relief—like the simple act of exchanging numbers solidified the growing connection between them.

"Now I can spam you with terrible memes," Aiden said, his usual dry humor returning.

Allora laughed. "I look forward to it."

The lightness of the moment made her forget, just for a second, about everything else—the pressure from her mom, the lingering uncertainty about her future. Here, with Aiden, it felt like none of that mattered. But in the back of her mind, there was something more. Something that felt like it could turn into something deeper if she let it.

The next day, Allora found herself staring at the whiteboard in her literature class, only half-listening to the teacher's instructions for their new project. It was supposed to be a partner assignment, and she felt a pang of curiosity, wondering if she and Aiden would end up working together. They could use the project as an excuse to spend more time together—outside of school, away from the noise.

But when the teacher began calling out partner names, Allora's heart sank.

"Allora Whitestone, you'll be working with Xander."

She blinked in surprise, glancing across the room to where Xander sat, leaning back in his chair with that same easygoing smile. His dark eyes met hers, and he shot her a playful wink.

"Looks like we're stuck together," he said with a grin, as if this were the best news he'd gotten all day.

Allora smiled back, though she couldn't ignore the small knot of unease twisting in her stomach. She hadn't thought much about Xander since they'd met, but after Aiden's warning, something about him made her feel... cautious.