Complications

Chapter 20 - Busy With Someone Else

Later that evening:

I was lounging about blasting Shawn Mendes and texting in my room.

Monika: Sooo Angel, that guy - who was he?

Angel: What guy?

Selina: Don't play coy, we saw you ;)

Rosalie: Yep, spill

Angel: A friend okay, I needed help with Maths so I asked him.

Me: Sure, "maths"

Angel: I'm terrible at Maths! Why else would I talk to him?

Selina: That's what we're asking

Angel: Moving on - what was Keegan on about earlier Aria?

Monika: Ikr, I saw them talking

Me: Oh yeah - forgot to tell you. He wanted to know about how me and Mitchell came to tell each other that we like each other.

Angel: Bruh

Rosalie: Are you dumb?

Selina: :/

Monika: She's stupid

Me: What?

ALL: HE LIKES YOU.

Me: Wtf! No way.

Rosalie: Yes way

Monika: What else did he say? Like did he say why he was asking?

Me: Said he was just curious

Selina: *forehead slap*

Angel: He likes you for sure

Before I could retort, I got another text.

Mitchell <3 : Wanna hang out tomorrow? Just you and me this time?

Me: For sure - 1 ish?

Mitchell <3 : See you at the park.

********

The next day I found myself prepped for the freezing weather in Uggs, an oversized hoodie and a scarf over my usual clothes. I don't know why, but the park for some reason was our main hangout, whatever the weather.

My boots crunched against the slightly frosted grass as I stepped over the low park gate on to the hill.

I saw a figure in the distance by our usual bench by the football cages, and waved at them, and they waved back.

But the closer I got, the weirder the feeling got.

It was like I recognised them, but didn't know them, not like I should have.

I squinted my eyes as the wind blew, thinking it was a mistake, or a mirage, but it wasn't.

It wasn't Mitchell.

********

Mitchell's POV:

I rolled out of bed rubbing my eyes and reached for my phone, scrolling through my texts.

That was odd.

Aria hadn't been online since yesterday.

Nor had she texted.