Deadly Beautiful | ✓

Chapter Seventeen

Hailey Thomas.

"Why do you look like someone has just killed your dog?" Aiden asks, looking at me as I flop down into the seat across from him at his table in the lunch hall.

"Well, that's impossible, because I don't have a dog," I grunt. "But, to answer that question, I think Jack and I just had a fight," I mutter, resting my elbow on the table and my chin in my palm as I frown.

Aiden leans forward a little over his lunch tray and raises his eyebrow. "You think you and Jack had a fight?" He questions, sounding like my Mum whenever she's trying to have one of her heart-to-hearts with me.

I sigh deeply, biting my lower lip slightly. "Alright, fine. We had a fight. We never fight, Aiden. In all the years that we've been best friends, not once have we had a legitimate fight. Sure, sometimes we bicker over what toppings to get on our pizza, but we never legitimately fall out."

There's a sick feeling in my stomach. I think it's because I know I've upset my best friend. It makes me feel sick because it was never my intention to hurt him or upset him. My lips twist into a frown, and my eyebrows scrunch together as I stare down at the table.

"Hey, come on, Hails," Aiden says softly, reaching across the table to take my hand in his. My heart skips a beat, and I feel my cheeks turning a slight shade of red. "I'm sure the two of you will make up in no time. He's your best friend, and best friends fight. Don't worry too much about it."

Neither of say anything else, but Aiden doesn't let go of my hand, and I just watch as his thumb strokes my knuckles. Aiden, however, returns to eating his lunch with his free hand that isn't holding mine.

After a few moments of silence, I realise something and I sit up properly. "What happened with your Dad?" I ask, bluntly, and then I cringe at my bluntness afterwards.

Aiden glances up at me, his eyebrow raised, and I smile sheepishly and say, "Sorry. I should have been more... Sensitive about the topic."

"It's fine," He says, his hand never letting go of mine. "Mum wants to work things out with him, but I refuse to talk to him. He comes over for dinner, usually, but I either leave or lock myself in my room. He's staying at a hotel because Mum knows that I'll literally move out if he moves in. I mean, I can't believe she's letting him worm his way back into our lives."

I simply nod, refraining from making a comment about his situation with his Dad. I didn't want him to freak out like last time. One, because he's intimidating when he's angry, and two, I prefer when he's smiling. I don't like seeing him that worked up.

"Hails, you don't have to keep quiet just because I snapped last time," He says softly as if he's reading my mind.

"I don't really have anything to say," I reply, shrugging. "I just want everything to work out for you. That's all."

Aiden smiles at me, his eyes staring so deeply into mine that I fear he may be staring into my soul. He opens his mouth to speak, "Hailey, I-"

"Hailey!" Kate calls, cutting Aiden off. I sigh quietly as Aiden's hand slips from mine and he leans back as Kate makes her way over to us, sitting in the chair beside me. "Hey! I'm glad I found you," She says, smiling brightly at me, completely ignoring Aiden. I guess she still has a problem with him, then.