Unfolding

Chapter 33

But with Aiden, it was a whole new different because he could so easily just walk away.

I guess I was just so scared that if we put a label on our relationship, he'll have no problem walking away.

I'm not special – there's nothing distinctive about me. Hell – I'm not even that pretty. I could be skinnier. I could put in more of an effort into how I looked. And let's not even get started on my poor attitude.

Once you've been hurt, it becomes difficult to get attached again because you're scared. It's like this constant fear developed, and every time a new person comes into my life, I start to question their motives because I'm terrified that they're going to break my heart all over again.

As I continued to watch the blonde shamelessly flirt with Aiden, I couldn't help but wonder.

What if I really did push him away for good?

What if he didn't want me anymore?

But – then there was also the possibility that maybe I was just imagining it all and paranoia was getting the best of me. Perhaps I was looking too deeply into something that just wasn't there. Perhaps I was just another girl for him to check off the list.

Deciding that this is not how I want to start my week off, I spared one more glance in their direction and walked – well, more like limped – towards my first period class. As soon as I walked in, I was bombarded with how are you Natalie and I missed you Natalie from people I had only spoken two words to in the past.

Honestly, the hypocrisy.

Someone is all of a sudden out sick for a while, and only then you decide you want to talk to them and be nice to them?

When Aiden walked into first period, he first stopped at my desk. "Why didn't you wait for me at your locker? You know you're not supposed to be carrying heavy stuff."

"You looked busy." I had to physically restrain myself from rolling eyes.

"Are you okay?" His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Just fucking dandy.

"I'm fine." I coldly replied as I buried my face in my backpack, pretending to look for something. After a few more attempts at small talk, Aiden eventually took the hint and walked to his desk just as class was about to start.

The rest of the day didn't get much better, especially when Leo cornered me in the hallway as I was walking towards my locker to grab a book I had forgotten. It's safe to say I went to class without the damn book, because as soon as he approached me I turned around and walked away.

Speaking of Leo, during one of Aiden's daily visits, I managed to convince him to tell me how he got Leo to delete that video all those months ago.

"Pretty please." I pouted as Aiden laughed, spinning around in the chair at my desk.

"No." He smirked.

"Just tell me!" I crossed my arms hoping to look more intimidating. "It'll make me feel a whole lot better..."

Now that seemed to get his attention.

"Pretty please with a cherry on top! Just tell me how you got him to delete that video. Once it's on the internet, it's out there forever."

"Fine!" Aiden eventually gave in as he came to lay down next to me.

"After you stormed out, I cornered Young into a classroom and made him delete the video in front of me from his phone and iCloud." He took my hand in his and began playing with my fingers as I listened intently. "Then I had a buddy of mine who knows computers trace it to the source, and take it down permanently."