And With A Twist Of Fate...

Chapter 2

"You want to watch where you're going clutz?" Aiden's venomous voice was like an igniting flame in the pit of Stella's soul. She instantly couldn't stand the air, the smell, the feel of the space around her. Her decent day immediately ruined. She couldn't help noticing his eyes flick up and down her body a few times. Probably making sure it was really me. 

"Well maybe you should work on that big head of yours. If you actually took the time to develop a decent sized ego, people wouldn't have to dodge you from down the hall." Stella shot back her hands raising to her hips instantly and her eyebrows pulling together angrily. Was this already starting. Really?

Aiden grunted disgruntled and took her elbow in his hand setting her aside in a stern but somehow gentle way. That was one thing Stella had always notice about him. He was gentle even when he was physically abusing her. Once when he'd shoved her aside and she went ramming into a bed of lockers, he'd slyly stuck his arm out before her head connect with the steel. She didn't realize until a few days later that he'd cushion the only part of her body that would actually hurt from hitting the lockers.

And then there was the time he said he'd get her back for tripping him in the halls. There were plenty of opportunities for him to trip her; she'd walked by him plenty of times dreading the fall but he'd only decided to do it when there was the soft grass of the courtyard for her to land on.

She was'nt justifying his actions in anyway. She'd ruined her favorite jeans with grass stain and skid marks that day in the courtyard, she was just saying she never expected to get hurt around him. She'd never really thought it possible actually, him being so strong and able, even though he was a complete ass didn't mean he had no morals.

Even she knew that. 

So maybe that's why she was so shocked when her body collided with the cold tile. The thud she made seemed to have quieted the individuals closest and sent a rush of warmth to her cheeks. She didn't even have to try to force hate into the glare she shot up at him but to her surprise he looked kind of concerned and surprised with a hand stretched out . Her cheeks burned more the gesture upsetting her more than her fall. Mostly because it was her fault. 

Waving his hand away she pushed herself up to her feet whipped her hands on her shorts, looked him over one last time and then turned swiftly away from him to her mortification into another set of broad shoulders. She felt herself stumbling backward again but before she actually fell Aiden caught her, obviously determined not to make the same mistake twice. She grunts as she shakes away from him mumbling an unappreciative thank you and looking up at her new culprit. 

Blond hair, Blue eyes, Broad shoulders, tanned skin; Stella sighed even more agitated. Keith Waters had never really done anything to her but he just happened to be Aiden's best friend and that seemed to just tick her off sometimes. 

Keith's hands reached out even after she was stable on her feet again. His big hands gripped her forearms tightly and Stella had to keep herself from looking down at contact. "I am so sorry, I didn't see you there. I do that a lot." 

Shrugging she wiggled her arms free of his grasp and smiled. "It's fine. I'm not that noticable." 

His eyes rolled over her body unashamedly an appreciative grin scaling up the side of his face. "The hell you're not." He mumbled. He was quickly cut off by a sudden jab in his side. Aiden had moved quickly. 'What?' he'd mouthed to his friend. 

"Stella." Aiden half cough half mumble and Keith's eyebrows shot up quickly. He looked back down to Stella quickly and then back at Aiden, an eevn bigger grin plastering itself across his face. Stella felt uncomfortable suddenly and she wanted out. 

"So nice running into you, im just going to go now--" Stella started turning away. She had been too ambitious thinking she'd get away form Keith Waters so easily though. He was known for being a meddler.

So with a long muscular arm looped around her waist Stella was led in the opposite direction she was going and to Aiden Sanchez's side. Keith seemed to be enjoying the sour look on both their faces as he stole her away from her everyday tasks and slowly worked her into his social circle.

Stella was surprised and kind of flattered at first but soon she figured out that her was basically doing this for his own amusement. Seating her and Aiden together, inviting them both to outings they didn't know would have a third and instigating sore points for arguments to start. 

Realizing this, she'd felt used in a way. But then she thought about her friend to acquaintance ratio at the school and how she'd actually had a decent first week of school in Keith's presence, minus the unfortunate addition to Aiden. 

And as she lay in her bed Friday night slowly drifting to sleep, she realized that she couldn't wait for the next to start.