ᗯOᑎᗪEᖇᗯᗩᒪᒪ - Aidan Gallagher imagines

Studying distraction pt. 2

When we were finally dismissed for lunch, which in my opinion is the best part of the day, Aidan grabbed my arm and pulled me to sit back down next to him. I frowned, but then realized that a crowd of people had gathered around his table, and the pleading look in his eyes told me he needed saving. So, I grabbed his hand and quickly spurted out the one thing I knew would make everyone leave:

"Well, why don't we go see all the teachers and greet them before they have their much-deserved lunch break?"

The stalkers all dispersed like I had just sprayed 'get out of my life' on them (a reference to the video above). I grabbed his hand, ignoring the way my face heated up and trying to suppress the sweat on my palm as his fingers gripped around mine. I took him to the printer room, where no one ever goes because the creepy janitor is always there, but it was the safest place for the time being.

"If you don't want to face the mass of hopeless fans, I can buy our lunch and we could eat near the football pitch." I offered, grabbing my purse from my bag's pocket.

"You sure?" He asked, concerned.

"Yeah, why not." I smiled, fishing out the twenty dollars I knew I had saved for going to McDonald's after school, and told him to meet me in the exact same spot in ten minutes. I was craving a burger, so I ran down the road after having a friendly conversation with the guard by the gate to persuade him to let me leave school. I bought my usual for myself, and then remembered that Aidan was vegan, so grabbed a veggie burger as well. I was back in less than fifteen minutes.

When I walked back into the printer room, I was annoyed to see that Aidan wasn't there.

"Jesus, where'd that sonofagun go?" I muttered, imitating my uncle's favorite phrase. I turned on my heels, huffing as I looked at his lunch in my hands, but felt am arm snap around my wrist and pull me towards someone. I let out a small, embarrassing squeak as I flushed, seeing Aidan scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"I was hiding behind the printer." He explained. "Some people came in talking about me."

I nodded my head and handed him his lunch quietly, silently cursing at myself and my stupidity. Of course he had been hiding. But he elbowed me playfully in the ribs and I forgot everything, except the feeling of our sides brushing together as we walked.

The football pitch wasn't far away, about a hundred meters from the cafeteria, but we went the long way to avoid any person we may meet. I knew that underneath the bleachers was a popular spot, so I veered away from it and instead cut across to the other side of the field where there was a small ditch. There had been a problem with the plumbing, and the people who came to fix it never filled it back in, so grass had created a soft blanket over the ground. I bowed to him and gestured at the floor.

"Your table, kind sir."

He smiled, but stuck out a hand.

"Ladies first, Princess."

Princess. I looked at him suspiciously, but took his hand anyways and allowed him to help me sit down, not that I needed it. Then I pulled out my lunch and took a huge bite, feeling my stomach growl in happiness.

"Mmphh." I exhaled, "So good."

Aidan laughed but soon agreed with me as he practically inhaled his own food. And although it was just the two of us, it was the best lunch break I'd ever had.  That was before Olivia came over.

"Hey." She said, voice dripping in so much honey it made my stomach twist in loathing. "Lovely day, huh?"

"Not really, you're blocking the sun." I spat, glaring at her perfect face as she flipped her perfect hair.

"I didn't ask you," She snapped back, eyes so furious that I almost laughed. "I was talking to Aidan."

I saw him stiffen, and felt his arm lay protectively on mine.

"You didn't specify who you were talking to." He said it gently, but there was a certain warning in it. "I think her response is totally valid."

"What?" She cocked her head to the side.

"I'm saying that Y/n is right, you're blocking the sun. So if you could move..?"

She sneered, spinning around and started to strut back to her boyfriend who looked as though his head may blow up any moment then.

"Olivia, wait." Called Aidan. "You seem like a lovely girl, honestly, but try a little kindness."

Olivia still looked mad, but a slight, genuine smile tugged at the corners of her lips. It made me like her a little bit
more. Aidan hadn't called her beautiful, or offered a date, he had talked like a real person, and I think she appreciated that slightly.

"Nicely handled." I praised, hi-fiving him.

"She was being rude to you." He laughs, removing the hand he had placed on my arm. "I don't like people who are rude to my friends."

I hid my smile. I was his friend.