Managing Boys

Managing Boys (33)

Going back to school was just as fun as I thought it would be. And I had thought that it wasn’t going to be fun in the slightest.

There were a few girls who glared at me, just like I thought they would, though there weren’t as many as I had expected. I could hear the snotty girls whisper behind my back, but I didn’t let them bother me. I knew they were going to gossip about untrue things, so I just ignored it.

I also knew that there were going to be people I didn’t even know coming up and saying how bad they felt for me. I forced a smile and thanked them for their concern, but I really just wished that they would leave me alone.

Facing the boys was the hardest part. I wanted to have lunch alone with them, so I asked Parker to eat somewhere else with Mae for only that day.

They were still battered and bruised, and I apologized for it immediately when I saw them. I was afraid that they would be mad that I had avoided them for so long, but I was wrong.

The first thing Sawyer did was wrap his arm around my neck and pull me toward him. I was still getting used to physical contact again, but I didn’t push myself away from him. “We’re just glad you’re okay,” he smiled into my hair.

“Yeah!” Ben nodded, hopping up from his seat and wrapping his arms around both of us. “We were worried about you, Aria! We didn’t know how you were after what happened!”

They weren’t mad at me. They were worried about me. These boys had gotten into a fight and had gotten so much media attention, but they were worried about me.

When I felt my eyes water, I didn’t know why. I felt like a complete and utter idiot for tearing up, and I had been crying so often that I was beginning to feel like a baby.

“Aria?” Ash blinked, surprised by my tears.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, wiping at my eyes. “I told myself I wasn’t going to cry anymore, but I just... I’m so happy I met you guys.”

Ben’s eyes lit up completely before tackling me in a hug. “We love you, Aria!”

I smiled at him once he pulled away, and wiped at my eyes again. I used to think I was the unluckiest girl for being stuck with them, but I now knew I was the luckiest.

Grim wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close and kissing my temple. This caused the three boys before us to stare, completely shocked.

“Oh, yeah. Aria and I are dating now,” he informed his band mates, pulling me even closer to him. I felt my face heat up.

Ash grinned and leaned back in his seat. “About time,” was all he had to say.

Both Ben and Sawyer had the same dumbfounded look on their faces as they looked from Grim and me to Ash, and then back to Grim and me again. I said absolutely nothing.

“Well, that’s good, I guess,” Sawyer shrugged, plopping back down into his seat. “Grim isn’t going to be acting like an emotional little girl anymore.”

Ben laughed as he sat, agreeing with the guitarist. “True that! Remember all the wallowing and pouting he did?”

My boyfriend did not seem to enjoy what his band mates were saying about him. His grip on my waist tightened. I placed my hand on his and smiled. This seemed to calm him down.

“How is it, being back?” Ash asked me once we were all sitting down at the table. “I’m sure the first day back is always the hardest.”

I shrugged. “It’s been alright. The people aren’t all that great, but I was expecting people to stare at me and talk behind my back.”