Hard Boy ✔️

13

- OK; Wallows -

Aurora Holland

The car ride to Paige's was silent. Well, silent on my side. Paige rambled on and on about how Carter was totally into her, and about how this was only the beginning of their 'beautiful relationship'.

The longer I sat in the passenger seat, the more I sat and switched from twirling my ring to scratching my hand. I took a glance down at my hand as she pulled into her driveway and shut her car off, noticing I'd somehow managed to make myself bleed. I didn't notice, probably because I'd been scratching at it so much for so long today that it was past the feeling of numbness.

I sighed in disappointment at myself as I ran my thumb along the raw skin, smearing the small amount of blood. It wasn't a lot, but enough to notice. If I kept going, I was surely going to make it worse.

Paige and I unbuckled at the same time, and I watched as she checked herself out in the rearview mirror to make sure she looked okay.

"I'm telling you, Aurora, he's going to drop dead when he sees me trying on all these beautiful dresses," Paige told me, wiping the edges of her lips.

"Paige," I said quickly, not thinking before I speak. "Don't you think you're reading a little too much into this?"

Paige looked taken aback by my sudden statement, her brows pushing together in confusion. "What do you mean?" She asked.

I took in a sharp breath, deciding whether or not to continue with where I was going. Part of me knew this was a bad idea, especially since Carter and Logan could pull up at any moment. But I also know that now that I've said something, she's not going to let it go until I tell her. And I'd rather do it here when it's just us two instead of other people around.

"I think you're looking too much into it. The entire car ride home from the party was you talking to Carter, him not even listening. He's not shown one ounce of interest in you, yet you're already talking about a relationship. Just like with Logan and I. I'm kind to him the way I am to everyone, and he smiled at me once. You assume I like him when I don't like anyone, simply because I don't know anyone well enough and it's a lost cause." I rambled, twirling the ring quickly. I very much wanted to scratch at my right hand, but I knew I'd make it worse so I used all my strength to not resort to that.

Paige's mouth closed shut, not seeming to expect me to say what I did. But I did, and it was out now. I said what I said and I can't take it back, and I really didn't want to.

"You're not being very kind right now," She said, seeming to only get that one part out of everything I said.

"Paige, I--"

"No, Aurora. I get it. You're just jealous because I have attention and you don't," She said, cutting me off.

"What? No, that's not what I'm saying at all!" I exclaimed, frustrated. I'm not usually the type to lash out or yell, so this was definitely a first.

"You're just trying to get back at me with Asher, aren't you?" She asked, "You know I apologized and you know that wasn't my fault."

"This has nothing to do with Asher," I denied. It hadn't even crossed my mind until she said something, so each word that came out of her mouth hurt more and more.

"It is about Asher!" She shouted out.

I blinked, hating the fact that tears were beginning to fall. The last thing I wanted to do was make her mad because when Paige is mad it takes a long time for her to calm down. I honestly thought it'd just feed more into her delusional thoughts if anything, but clearly, I struck a nerve.