Dead Hearts

Chapter 13 - Darling

HELLO HI AIDEN'S POINT OF VIEW, IN THE PRESENT, "NOW". ENJOYYY

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Chapter 13

Aiden

Now

I stood still, my heart pounding in my chest, my throat closing in on me. I wasn’t expecting a meeting to come along until later. I was frozen in place, her eyes sliding to look at her dancing partner. She smiled a tight, fake smile at him, her eyes still wide. I looked down to see my grandma staring quietly at me, both of us unmoving. She scanned me for a moment, and sighed a resigned sigh.

“No wonder you never brought any girl home. She has been here all along.” She said quietly, smiling a sorrowful smile. I looked back at her, breathing in to say something, make up an excuse, when she cut me off again. 

“There’s no need to pretend, darling. It’s written all over your face.”

“No, grandma, it’s not what you think-” I tried to keep up my lie, composing my face as quickly as I could, my lips stretching into an elastic smile. After wearing it for so long, it came like second nature.

“Oh, but it is. It is.” She left her words wide open, and I marveled at my grandmother for a second. How could I think fooling her was possible? It wasn’t.

I dropped my smile, turning my head to look down at the floor again. I could see my grandmother’s sandals, my black shiny shoes, and I had to get out of there. I turned my face to look for her eyes again, and I couldn’t find them, but met icy blue ones instead.

“If you’ll excuse me, Aiden. I’ll go sit with Joe. I need to have a word with him.” I grinned at her now, knowing Joe would get murdered silently over the course of the day. I felt a little guilty, keeping this secret from her.

“Sure, sure. I’ll say hi to, um, some friends.” I finished vaguely, icy blue eyes still staring at me. I walked up to him.

“Logan.” I said, trying to sound pleasant, holding my hand out to him. He seemed more built now, more confident.

“Aiden.” He held his hand out, shaking my head firmly. I nodded.

“How have you been?” I asked, trying to keep things calm.

“Can’t complain. You?” he returned shortly, his tone clipped.

“I’ve been… well. College. Girls.” I almost winked right afterwards, had I not noticed whom I was talking to. What was I thinking?

“Oh, yeah. Girls. I bet you know all about those.” Logan’s eyebrows mocked me, his mouth set on a firm line. I looked down again for the second time, defeated. Things weren’t going as I hoped they would.

“Um, yeah, if you’ll excuse me now…” I sounded far too formal and polite. This was getting ridiculous. I felt like I was talking to the mayor or some shit.

“I think you should know she’s happy.” He said all of a sudden, his eyes taking a softer look. Logan and her were best friends still, then.

“I hope she is.” I said through clenched teeth, remembering her and her dance partner. He was holding her too close for my liking.

“Yeah. Bradley’s a great guy.” I could practically hear his words unsaid. “Unlike you.” Was written all over his face. I could feel my stomach twisting now. Hangovers were never good.

“Oh yeah?” My eyes were slits now. I tried to calm down.

“Yes. Absolutely.” Logan turned around and walked off, his shoulders tense. I stood there by myself again for the second time, feeling lost as ever.