A Series of Aru Shah Oneshots

Confidence (Aruden)

A/N This took way too long...I wrote this at the request of @Ave107 who wanted something that showed Aru and Aiden knew each other as more than classmates. Hope you enjoy!

When Aru was pulled out of class, she had no idea why. Had they figured out she kept a Swedish fish stash in her locker? Or that she had instigated that year's Halloween candy black market?

But when she stepped out of the classroom, much to her surprise, she saw Aiden standing there. He wore his typical black hoodie and his camera, Shadowfax, around his neck. Her heart stuttered a little when he smiled at her. "Hey," he said.

"Uh...hi?" Aru offered weakly.

A girl stepped out from behind Aiden. She had light skin, dark brown hair plaited over her shoulder, and gold-rimmed glasses that flashed under the fluorescent lights as she walked forwards, balancing a large stack of files in one arm so she could extend her hand. "Hello! We're here to interview an Arundhati for the yearbook."

Aru shook her hand quickly and let go. "I go by Aru." She glanced at Aiden, who tilted his head apologetically.

"Yes, sorry. I'm Maylin." Her smile was a bit like Opal's; wide but somehow insincere. "How about we sit down?" She herded them to an empty table that sat in the hall.

Aru took a seat on one bench, and Aiden and Maylin sat across from her. Under the other girl's piercing gaze, Aru felt like she was about to be interrogated by the principal.

Aiden caught Aru's eye and smirked a little. "First question's easy. Do you feel welcomed by the upperclassmen?"

She returned the expression. "Yeah."

"Would you mind giving us some names?" Maylin cut in.

"Mini Mercado-Lopez, Brynne Rao--"

"Oh, you've met them?" Maylin's tone made it clear she didn't think highly of them. Her nose crinkled as though a tray of cafeteria food was nearby. "They're kind of...well, odd."

Aru's blood boiled, but Aiden beat her to it. "Don't talk about our friends like that." He narrowed his eyes at her.

Maylin looked very taken aback. She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it, and said at last, "You two are friends?" She shot Aru a wary glance.

"Yup," Aru said, lifting her chin.

"Maylin," Aiden said coldly. "I think you'd better go sort through your photos in the classroom and leave the interview to me. If you don't mind?"

"No, not at all," she trilled, standing and scooping her folders into her arms.

"Sorry about that," Aiden said, his face creasing in thinly veiled contempt as he watched her leave.

"It's fine. You were going to ask me some stuff?" she prompted.

"Oh, yeah." He shuffled a few papers. "You attended the school dance. Was your experience enjoyable?"

"It would've been better if you hadn't been off taking pictures," Aru teased.

"You missed me?" Aiden grinned shyly.

Aru rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach. "Duh."

The corner of his mouth tugged up as he pulled a printed photo from his manila folder and slid it to her. "So, who's in this picture besides you?"

"Besides...me?" Aru scanned the photo. She'd been caught mid-laugh at something Brynne was saying off-camera. Her smile seemed dorky. And she looked awkward, out of place in her yellow flower-patterned dress. Next to her, a group of people in her grade milled about in suits and formal wear that looked as itchy as it looked uncomfortable. But they smirked coolly, raised their plastic cups for the camera. Why couldn't she look like that?

She realized she'd been staring at it for too long. "Well, there's Rowan, Isabel, Prakash, Akila..." She rattled off a few more names as he wrote them down.

"You seem bothered," Aiden noted, looking up and meeting her eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't like the way I look." Aru laughed a little self-consciously. "But that's not important."

"But...you look great," Aiden said. He actually sounded...surprised. Indignant, even. Did he believe that?

"Thanks, but--"

"You do," he insisted. "Have a little more confidence in yourself, Shah. I wish you could see yourself the way I--others--see you."

"Thanks," she said. Her cheeks felt warm and she looked away quickly.

"I'll walk you back to the classroom," he offered, sliding his legs off the bench.

This doesn't mean anything, she told herself as she stood. He's just a friend.

Maybe you want the same thing, a voice whispered in her head.

She pushed it down. Why would she risk ruining her friendship with Aiden? And why would he ever want to be with her? He'd made it quite clear that he only saw her as a friend. Aru shook her head and dispelled her thoughts as they reached the classroom door.

Aiden's shoulder brushed against Aru's as she reached for the handle. She opened the door and looked at him questioningly when he still stood there. "Well, see you later?"

He hesitated for a fleeting moment, almost like he wanted to say something. Then he smiled and looked normal again. "Yeah. Take care, Shah."