Love You For Infinity « BxB »

{ 17 }

« 9/13/18 - 10:10 a.m. »

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The conversation after that was hard. It was too long to count the amount of awkward silence we had after I said Aiden's name. I've been trying to deny it since the first day of school but it always just comes back to haunt me.

It definitely made it more awkward when Aiden, Andrew, and I walked together through the hallways. At least Andrew accepted me and supported what I thought I had or wanted with Aiden. I would've thought that he would be one of those overprotective best friends, but instead, he cherished it. At least a little too much. It got to the point where I had to make sure Aiden stayed away from Andrew as much as humanly possible. He can't find out. Not yet.

Now it was the next day, at lunch, with my overpacked table, Tessa's usual head on my shoulder resting position that I dreaded.

Andrew felt uncomfortable every time Tessa would give me a kiss on my cheek. Then every now and then he'd look at Aiden for a reaction.

The teasing was unremitting.

Andrew, after sitting, quietly judging Tessa for the past few minutes, suddenly jumped up in his seat like an idea popped into his head or he remembered something that he was supposed to do or say. Either way, his face was extremely lit up.

"Hey, Aiden," he says, with a little too much enthusiasm. "Vinni- err- Vincent and I are gonna meet up with Serena and Lily on Thursday. Do you plan on coming with?"

Immediately, both Tessa and Aiden look at Andrew. Aiden, blankly. Tessa, a little concerned.

Before answering, Aiden glances towards me for a brief second, a light blush dancing across his cheeks, which made his scattered freckles stand out. Is it bad that I couldn't stop looking at his face? "Y- yeah," he stutters, almost nervously. He looks at me again. "Why Serena and Lily, though?"

"They want to hang out with us," I say with a shrug. I don't know if it should make me happy or not to be surrounded by girls that aren't Tessa, considering that on the first day of school, they were nonstop staring at Aiden and I. "But I think it'd be fun."

I really shouldn't have said that.

"Who's Serena and Lily?" Tessa snaps.

"Just friends," Andrew answers for me. He pointed to the table across from us where they ate and talked. I don't know if Serena knew this, but every time she looked at Carter, it was pretty obvious.

Tessa looks at them in disgust. "What are you guys doing hanging with those losers? Serena has social anxiety it's pathetic. And Lily can't do shit," she spat. Tessa laughed in a rude tone. A laugh from Vanessa followed, but you could tell it was forced.

Tessa wouldn't be talking the same way if she knew that I also had social anxiety. In fact, I would probably just be sitting by her and a few friends that I was okay with if she knew. But when she said that, it's like I couldn't tell her anymore. Sure, I didn't like her. But I also don't like it when people feel bad for me.

I looked towards Carter after that comment, watching him as he mumbled something under his breath. I'm a decent mouth-reader, and all I saw was, "Don't talk shit about someone you don't know anything about."

I can't tell if that was supposed to be directed to a certain someone or not. Either way, at least Carter knows his facts.

"What exactly are you guys going to do while you 'hang out?'" Tessa said with a sassy tone. "Huh? I'm listening."

You can't hit a girl, Vinnie.

"We'll probably be hanging out at Andrew's house or something," Aiden butts in. "And no, I won't let Vinnie over here do something he's not supposed to. I'll have my eye on him. Plus, it's not like he'll do anything with anyone else while you're not there. It's you!" He side-eyes me and confidently smiles. "Right?"

I couldn't stop blushing. "Right."

"That better be right," Tessa scoffs towards Aiden. "He's your friend after all. You better keep your promise or I'll beat your ass."

Like she could do that.

Aiden laughed. "Yes, ma'am."

He always saved me from Tessa. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I liked him so much. And because of his personality, his face, his hair, his-

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"So we're good for Thursday, then?" Lily asked. I nodded and so did Andrew. This whole aquatic-animal project got us dead. So we decided to talk instead.

Who knew the Chironex Fleckeri—the most poisonous jellyfish in the world—could be so so boring?

"Can I bring someone?" Serena asked.

All of us, knowing that she was talking about Carter, shouted, "No!" in unison.

We were talking for Aiden too.

She rolls her eyes. "Fine."

We continue to talk about what's gonna end up happening on Thursday, what we're gonna do, where we'll be when we'll leave. The regular fifth-grade planning shiz.

But something felt wrong. Serena, Lily, Aiden, Andrew, and I, all in the same room was going to be a gamechanger. A big one. An important one. To the depths that even I don't want to explore.

The premonition dream. Homecoming. Aiden. Dating?

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After school, Jack decided not to walk with us again. Apparently, Allison wanted to hang out again.

That was just more reason to make it awkward between Aiden and I. We barely talked most of the way. He spent most of his time staring down at his phone, while I made sure he didn't accidentally run into a pole or a tree.

I couldn't strike conversation because being around him felt weird. Telling Andrew that I felt this way about Aiden made me feel weird. Coming out to a best friend was a lot easier than I thought. Just imagine what would happen if I had to do it to my family or my brother.

The tension between us didn't make me feel any better. All I wanted to do was get home as quickly as possible before a conversation started.

I quickly glanced at him, only being able to see his side profile. Who knew that boys' jawlines could be so attractive? Who knew I could be attractive to boys. I mean, all other boys, I could care less about. Nothing about them makes me like them. I don't think they're cute. But it's different with Aiden.

Then I start talking. Without thinking, I say, "Aiden?"

He doesn't look up from his phone. Yes, I knew it was an invasion of privacy, but I had to know what he was too occupied with that made him deaf to my voice.

It only took me a moment to read the dozen of messages he was written saying, "Happy Late Birthday, A!"

Shit.

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