All Along

chapter 12

"Kaylaaaaa!" It was Jen. She was standing at the front steps of the school and when she saw me she ran towards me, all excited.
We hugged each other.
"Where is Aaron today?"
"He had practice earlier today."
"Already sounding like a girlfriend." She teased me and I rolled my eyes.
"God... Not again." I said looking towards the sky. She chuckled.
"Okay I won't tease you again... for now." I glared at her on hearing the last part. She took my arm within hers and we walked towards our lockers.
"I have to tell you something really important." She was all giddy and excited again.
"What is it?"
"Do you remember what I told you yesterday?" She was looking at me with a smile, waiting for my answer.
"Ummm... Something about Aiden?" I wasn't sure whether she was talking about this or not.
"Yeah. He was asking about you."
We had reached the lockers by now. I opened the locker and took out my books for first two classes. She was
standing besides me, clearly impatient. She had already taken out her books.
"So where was I?" "Ah yes. He was asking about you."
"You said that yesterday but who is he? I asked you this yesterday as well but you hung up on me."
"Yes. We were on double date yesterday, with Chaz and Irelene, and they were throwing water at me so I had to run and I hung up on you."
"Oh."
"You alright?" She asked with concern.
"Yeah." I smiled at her. "So who is this, Aiden?"
"Do you remember the hot waiter?" She asked with a smile.
I had to think for a while and then it clicked. The hot waiter, who was looking at me and I smiled at him.
"Yes I remember."
"His name is Aiden." She clapped her hands with joy like a child. I laughed at her expression. She was so excited.
"What are you laughing about?" She narrowed her eyes.
"Nothing. Carry on."
She gave me the look and then started talking again.
"We were sitting in the restaurant when I looked sideways and I saw him. He was looking all hot and dashing in his white shirt. He waved at me and I smiled at him. After five
minutes he was standing besides me. He said hi to us all and then asked me if he could talk to me alone. You
should have seen Sam's face. Jealousy was written all over it." She smiled at that part. Sam was not the one to
get jealous that easily, but Aiden was good looking enough to make him jealous. After all he asked to talk to his
girlfriend alone and that too in front of him.
"So Sam told him whatever he had to say to his GIRLFRIEND he
could say there in front of him. On that Aiden chuckled and told him to
chill he wanted to talk to me about someone else. I had a feeling it was you he wanted to talk about." We were standing at the door of the classroom. As we entered Sam
and Aaron were already there. They were sitting behind each other and the seats beside them were empty, saved for us.
"Hey Sam. Hey Aaron." I greeted them both and they both said their Hellos.
"How are you here so early? I thought you were not coming till lunch break." I said looking at Aaron.
He looked at Sam.
"We left the practice early." It was Sam who answered. Aaron nodded. I looked suspiciously at them and Aaron smiled at me. I smiled by reflex at him.
"Have a seat babe." Sam said to Jen.
"Actually I have to talk to Kayla about something. Could
you please sit with Aaron?" She said with puppy dog eyes. Sam looked at Jen and then at me. I pleaded with my
eyes. He was getting up when Jake walked in and came towards them.
"Hey man." They did a bro hug thing and then Jake looked at me and smiled. I did the same. Jake is a very friendly guy. We have known each other since our kindergarten days. He was also on the basketball team. He was tall, dark and attractive.
"By the way why weren't you two in practice today?" He asked Sam and Aaron.
They looked at each other and then at us. They both blushed. They mumbled something.
"What?"
"We had some work today."
"Oh okay. Take care." With that he left. They looked at us and we narrowed our eyes.
"Listen." Sam and Aaron said to Jen and me respectively.
"We are listening. Why did you lie to me Sam?" It was Jen in her angry mode and angry Jen was like a she devil. She crossed her arms on her chest and pouted with anger.
"Babe listen to me."
"Don't you dare babe me. Are you cheating on me?"
"What?" The three of us said at the same time.
"Sam would never cheat on you. I guarantee that. It must be Aaron." I said.
"What? Who would I cheat on?" Aaron was defending himself.
"Shut up." Jen said to Aaron and he grew silent. She then pointed a finger at me. "And you, don't you dare defend your best friend."
"Yes ma'am."
Sam got up and tried to hug her. She moved away. Jen hated lies.
"I will never cheat on you. You know how much I love you."
Jen calmed a bit on that. "We really had some important business to take care of. I will tell you all about it later."
Jen nodded.
"You can't tell her." Aaron whispered to Sam.
"She wont tell anyone."
I felt like an outsider. Sam knew, Aaron knew and now Sam was going to tell Jen and me, who will tell me? May be I will trick Jen into telling me later, I thought to myself. I wanted to know especially if it was related to Aaron. I was curious to know what he was hiding, what he didn't want me to know after all we have grown very close to each other. He almost tells me everything now.
Sam sat with Aaron and I sat next to Jen.
"So where was I?" Jen asked me.
"He wanted to talk to you."
"Oh yes. So I followed him outside. He asked me if I remembered him. I said yes."
"He then asked about you, the other girl with me who was beautiful and hot." I blushed at that. "He described you and then said who left with me. I told him your name and he asked me for your number."
"You gave him my number?" I asked a bit loudly. Then I looked behind me. Aaron's head was inches away from
Jen's back. He was listening to our conversation. When Sam saw me looking at Aaron he gave him a nudge. Sam looked at Aaron and then at me. Aaron then followed his gaze and smiled at me innocently. I raised my eyebrow.
"I was picking up the pen." He sat straight and showed me the pen in his right hand. "I dropped it."
"Yes he dropped it." Sam nodded in agreement.
I narrowed my eyes and turned my head in Jen's direction.
"Look ahead. Mr Gerard is looking at us." She said through her teeth. I looked at the teacher and he glared at me.
"What was so important Miss. Matthews that you are not paying attention?"
"I dropped my pen." I turned and took the pen from Aaron's hand. "See?" I showed the pen to Mr. Gerard. I heard a slight chuckle from behind. It was Sam.
"Fine. Pay attention."
"Yes sir."
As soon as he turned towards the board I turned to Jen.
"So what happened next? Did you give him my number?"
"I might have. He may call you later. And one more thing, he is not the waiter."
"What? You said he is the waiter."
"He was waiter that time. His family owns that restaurant and he said he pretended to be waiter to talk to you."
"What?" I was dumbstruck.
"That is romantic. Right?" She asked dreamily.
"Kind of." I said with slight smile.
I glanced at Aaron. He was staring at me. When he saw me looking he quickly looked away.
"What am I suppose to say if he calls?" I asked Jen.
"If he asks you out just say yes."
"No. I don't want to date anyone right now."
"Why? Is it because of Chaz?"
"Not completely. But a bit, yes. And besides I am happy with my life, with my friends and the way I am."
I was finally listening to Mr Gerard when someone threw a chit in my direction. It landed on my notebook. I opened it.
'YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL TODAY. ;)'
I looked at Sam but he was writing something on his notebook and then at Aaron, he was smirking.
'WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?'
I threw it back to him.
'WHAT? I SAID YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL. THAT WAS COMPLIMENT BABY'
Baby? Baby? He never called me that. What was wrong with him?
'WELL THANKS THEN. BUT JUST IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED I AM TRYING TO STUDY HERE.'
'FINE STUDY THEN :/'
Great now he is angry.
It was lunch break. I was sitting with Jen, Irelene and Sam when Aaron and Chaz arrived. Aaron sat besides me and Chaz sat with his girlfriend. We were all talking but Aaron wasn't talking much and to me, he wasn't talking at all.
"Hey." I gave him a nudge.
"What?" He said in a grumpy tone.
"You look super hot today." It was true. He was wearing dark blue jeans and V-neck black t-shirt. On hearing this his expression softened a bit.
"Took you a while to notice. But thanks anyway."
"Are you angry with me?" I said with a pout.
"May be a little."
"Why?"
"You were talking to Jen the whole time about that guy and when I wanted to talk to you, you wanted to study."
"Awww. Is Aaron Black jealous?"
"Me? And jealous? Why should I be jealous?"
"I was kidding. I am sorry okay?"
"Fine. Apology accepted."
I smiled at him.
At that very moment my phone rang. It was an unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Kayla?" It was some guy on the other line.
"Yes. Who is it?"
"Aiden."
"Aiden?" I asked and all of them looked at me. Aaron seemed to be annoyed for some reason.