Cabin Fever | ✓

(19) You Have The Wrong Equipment For Him

Marley nearly jumped out of her skin, her head shooting upwards as she blinked repeatedly, hoping she was hallucinating. But it was him. And he was livid. He didn't even spare her a glance, his fists balled, blue eyes narrowed on Noah.

Marley shrunk, wanting to disappear into thin air as everyone around them silenced.

Noah lifted his hands, palms facing Aiden in surrender, "Woah, man. Why don't you chill out-"

"Walk away. Don't talk to her again," Aiden interrupted cooly. 

Noah glanced between them, only taking a single step away. Marley was frozen. "What is your problem? You two broke up? You're just being a dick now."

Her eyes widened with fear when Aiden closed their distance, looking down at Noah with blankness behind his eyes, "I'm telling you to walk away. Walk away, McKinney," he warned lowly, his fists thankfully loosening.

Marley's eyes were wide on Aiden, feeling her pulse thrumming with his energy. It's been so long since they've done anything more than small sentences about Biology work and lingering glances.

But watching him face off with Noah after so long of not seeing him protect her, it made her fingers tingle with emotions she had buried.

Noah's eyes glazed over with resolve when they flickered to Marley briefly, "How can you treat her like this? She's not your girlfriend anymore."

Marley flinched at that, but Aiden was unfazed. "You know as well as every other guy in the cabin that she's off limits," he spoke lowly. "So turn around. Walk. Away."

Marley's face turned a critical red at Aiden's words. He'd threatened 90 guys away from her? Now or when they were together? She had so many questions but she knew now was not the time to ask.

"If she wants me to, I will," Noah pointed at Marley and she jumped upwards like a scared rabbit, watching every single eye around them land on her.

She was so overwhelmed by all of this her mouth opened and closed, and she had lost her ability to speak when Aiden's penetrating blue eyed gaze zeroed in on her as well. He took a step back from Noah - giving her the choice, too. His expression was emotionless as he waited for her to answer.

This wasn't like him to do this. To willingly allow her to choose another guy over him.

But she knew what her choice was, every time, despite the fact that maybe she wasn't his.

"F-friends," she blurted quickly, breaking she and Aiden's stare to lock eyes with Noah, "I only...friends...Aid-we're on a...on a break," she stammered looking back down at her shoes, "I'm still only with him."

The whispers started again around her, obviously thrown off guard by the real truth, that her and Aiden hadn't actually broken up.

"Marley-" Noah began.

Aiden had turned to stone in her peripheral.

"I'm...I need to go," she cut him off with a shaky voice, turning on her heel and walking away from the clearing as fast as she possibly could.

This time, it was Aiden watching her disappear until he couldn't anymore.

And not looking back. Not once.

-

She already expected school to be seventh circle of hell.

If the tension between she and Aiden was strained before, it was unbearable now. Her confession in front of all their peers had blurred the lines between them even further, and made everything more complicated than it was.