Empathy

Chapter Five

Like the first day of school, the following days were uneventful. I had gotten done with all of my homework during each of my classes. So little old me can concentrate only on Aiden and see what he wants from me.

Beth left to go back home this morning to her own daughter, Willow. That, and Beth didn't have the most lenient job when it came to days off, making her go back as soon as possible so she had a job to return to.

I sat by my desk in my final class of the day, Sociology. The class was on the far side of the second level of the three story building. Clutching my books to my chest and biting my lip, I waited for him to show up. I swung my backpack over one shoulder.

Aiden and I do have a majority of our classes together, but he was at a counseling meeting all of Sociology today. Probably something about homecoming.

"Hey, Marvel," Luna called from the opening of the classroom. Her hair was hanging loosely over her shoulder now, a bomber jacket over a white blouse and khakis with boots. The look wouldn't make a lot of sense if anyone else wore the outfit, but Luna pulled anything she wore off without even trying. That's how it's been for years. She was the more fashionable one of the three of us in our little group.

"Hi, Luna," I said as she walked over to me, a bounce in her step.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were going on a date with Aiden Thatcher-Ames?" Luna questioned, eyebrow raising suspiciously.

"How did you find that out?" I asked.

Luna crossed her arms over her chest. "Peri told me that she gave him your number and that he asked you to hang out today."

I glanced down. "Damn it, Peri," I whispered. Are you telling everyone we know that Aiden is hanging out with Loner Marvel?

"I mean, that works out just fine for me, hon. I have to pick up Hadley from school anyway in a few hours. Peri and I were going to go grab some material for reading pleasure in a few minutes," the beautiful Asian told me. "I was going to ask if you wanted to come-" A knock on the door frame had the two of us rearing our heads toward it. "But it looks like you have other plans."

Aiden smiled, his lips lopsided. I noticed he was wearing a baggy zip up sweatshirt over a black graphic T-shirt. His jeans were faded from years of washing and bleaching, rips and tears all over the knees. His feet clad in some kind of slip ons. "Hey, Marvel. Sorry I'm a little late, I just had to make sure that Rishi had a ride before we could hang out," he said, sounding out of breath, like he was running a marathon that no one knew about.

Rishi? Who was Rishi? Why am I now only hearing this name?

"Who's Rishi?" Luna asked. I silently thanked her for being the one to ask the question.

"My little brother," Aiden responded. "He's a middle schooler at Marcus McKinley."

"My sister goes there, too," Luna gushed.

I suddenly felt stupidly, irrationally, jealous. So stupid and ridiculous that it led me to wonder why couldn't Gemma be one more grade down so that she could know Aiden's brother? "What year?" she asked.

"He's in eighth grade. He'll be a freshman next year," Aiden said, his hazel eyes lighting up at the thought of being in the same school as his brother. He looked away from Luna to gaze at me. "You ready to go, Marvel?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Luna smirked at me. "I'll just leave the two of you alone. I have to find Peri anyway so we can go." Just like that, Luna sped off in the emptying hallways of the school.
I looked at Aiden thoroughly. "Alright, Thatcher-Ames, what's the big deal? What are you after?" I asked, feeling very stupid for agreeing to do this in the first place. Why did it have to be him? It could have been anybody else in the school, but no, it had to be the kindest and most popular person here.