ᗯOᑎᗪEᖇᗯᗩᒪᒪ - Aidan Gallagher imagines

Studying distraction pt.3

It had been a day since Aidan had stood up for me on the football field, but I was still feeling lightheaded. For some reason all I could do was smile. I couldn't decide if I hated it or loved it, but I chose not to dwell on my indecisiveness, as what I was choosing between was entirely irrelevant.

At that very moment, I was sitting in English class, sketching a long leafy tree into the pages of my book. It was terrible, but for some reason I loved to draw them, with their swooping branches. I suppose it's because they seem so sure on everything, old and wise, like they know that what will happen cannot be changed. I, on the other hand, am the exact opposite, wanting to believe that I have control over my own life. That I get to choose.

I looked up from my paper just as Aiden entered the classroom, talking to a boy called Max. Max was a nice guy, medium height, with brown hair and glasses, the typical attractive nerd. Last year I had a major crush on him, but as my attempts to be his friend got more and more successful, my attraction to him dissipated as I realized how much I liked just being friends. However, I felt a twinge of jealously in my chest as they both burst out laughing, gasping for air as they looked around for a place to sit. Aidan's eyes locked with mine and I smiled at him, giving a sly thumbs up as if to say 'congrats! you aren't a loner anymore!'. He stuck out his tongue cheekily but carried on walking past me and to the back, where they chose a seat. I felt my heart sink slightly. I immediately shook myself out of it, scolding myself mentally for being upset. I barley knew him. It didn't matter he was making new friends, he would still hang out with me, right? I pursued my lips as the flurry of emotions in my chest turned into utter contempt, watching Mr DuPont scratch the chalk over the board he insisted on having for, and I quote, "tradition".

Usually, I quite enjoy English, even though I never say it. My grades are decent and sometimes the topics are actually kind of interesting, but today the clock ticked slower than I had ever seen it. I kept on getting this overwhelming urge to glance behind me at Aidan, to see his dimples when he smiled. It was like I was addicted to them, but the best way to break an addiction is to stop yourself, so that's exactly what I did. Throughout the long period, I talked to Mandy, giggling about the newest episode of whatever Netflix show she was watching and how  she thinks that 'cris-cross-apple-sauce' should be replaced as 'buttock squish squash'. Apparently its much more realistic. After a while, I actually forgot about Aidan, and bounced out of class when the bell rang without even looking at him. It felt nice, and when he shuffled besides me, I ignored him completely and turned my attention to the pencil I was twiddling between my fingers. That was until Olivia smashed into my side, on purpose of course, and sent me flailing backwards into the arms of the person I had been avoiding. Aidan. He clutched me to his surprisingly strong chest and glared at her, sending a deathly chill her way. I started to struggle out of his hold, but he held me tight, and when Olivia opened her mouth to say something, he snapped.

"Oh lay off." He growled, left hand finding my own and pulling me away.

I stumbled after him through the corridor, heat rising in my face as people's eyes fell all over us and whispers arose. Word traveled fast. We ended up in the printer room, me awkwardly taking a seat on the ground and him following suit, lips pressed together in a thin line.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled, fiddling with the lace of his shoe.

"What?" I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. "Why are you sorry? I was the one who dragged you into this whole thing."

"No, it's not that. In English class, I kind of ignored you. I thought it would mean that you wouldn't get annoyed with me and..." He trailed off, then laughed. "I didn't want to like you as much."

"Huh?" I squeaked.

"Well, you'll get bored of me eventually, and I decided that if I didn't get so attached to you, I wouldn't
be so sad when you had enough of me and moved on with your other friends."

"Aidan Gallagher," I laughed, feeling some of the colour return to my cheeks. "I will never get bored of you."

(A/N: srry I haven't updated in so longgggg)