The Hard Knock Life

Part 4

The next morning was pretty good so far. I went downstairs into the kitchen for some cereal and saw that mom bought my favourite. Sugar crisp. I brought it down from the fridge and helped myself to two bowls of it with some hot chocolate. Both my parents were at work early and my brothers and sister weren't annoying me or crying at all. I finished my breakfast as fast as I could, grabbed my bag and headed out the door before anything went wrong.

•••

On the bus ride to school, scenarios of Aiden and Lea kept popping up in my head. I knew Lea liked him because she was talking about it in detention, but Aiden liking her..? I couldn't imagine him liking anyone. I didn't want to imagine him liking anyone.

Aiden + girlfriend = -Abigail.

He's not really the the greatest at balancing female friends. He can keep tons of guy friends but once he gets a girlfriend - which isn't very often, but when it happens, it's serious - he lessens his association with other girls. Now, that could potentially be because of something his girlfriend might have said, but one time, I'm sure it wasn't the her because she always wanted to include me in things, but he said, right in front of me, "no".

Now, Lea seemed like a cool girl - like a keeper. If Aiden ended up liking her, I would be nobody.

I got off the bus in front of the school and scanned the grounds for my friends, meaning, Aiden and/ or Lea. Those two were pretty much the only two people I would consider being around. I saw someone that looked like Aiden but got distracted and took a double take on the person calling my name. Bridgette.

I don't want to be your friend! I thought. She just won't quit.

"Hey, girl." she said.

"Hi." I said, hesitantly.

"Whatcha looking at? You seemed lost over here."

I looked back at the spot where I saw the familiar Aiden head and realized that it wasn't just a familiar head, it was Aiden. He was talking to someone, a girl, I couldn't figure out who until she turned around a bit more to face him. It was Lea. I saw Bridgette in my peripheral view trying to see what I was looking at.

"Are you looking at Lea and Aiden?" she asked.

I didn't say anything. I didn't want her here.

"She likes him." She continued. "They look really cute together, too. I'd be so jealous if they started dating 'cause Aiden is....."

I had to look at her when she paused. She looked like she was having trouble breathing. I looked back at Aiden. I couldn't see what everyone else saw.

"I just can't take in all his beautifulness. God really did know what he was doing with him. Damn." She looked at me. "Have you ever talked to him before?"

I had to hold in my laugh so hard.

Dude, I thought. I've grown up with the guy since I was born.

I didn't want to tell her that, though. It wasn't any of her business. Then, without thinking, I began to walk up to him. On the way there, Lea did a double take on me while she spoke.

"Hey, Abigail." She said when I reached them.

Aiden looked at me with a poker face and I knew exactly what he was thinking.

Damn. I don't know what to say.

Yea, I bet you don't, I thought. I narrowed my eyes at him briefly, then stopped because I didn't want Lea to suspect anything.

"Abby, this is Aiden." She said.

"Hi." I said, more stern than not.

"What's up?" He said a bit too casually.