Snapshots

Chapter Nine - Curse Phone Calls

Aru raised an eyebrow at that. There was something going on between those two.

The other roommate, who Aru assumed was Cami, was painting her nails with a bright yellow nail polish, and winked at Aru and Kara when they entered.

Mini, Hira said, was dressing in the bathroom.

Classic Mini.

By the time everyone was dressed and had calmed down at least a little bit, Brynne finally said something.

"So, I got a girlfriend."

Kara dropped her lipstick. "WHO. WHAT? HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS?"

Aru dived to catch the lipstick because, hey, it was some expensive lipstick.

Then she had an appropriate reaction to that statement, something that perfectly described her shock and emotion. "Huh?"

Well, maybe not that appropriate.

Mini, who was standing in the small hallway between the bedroom and bathroom, let out a squeal. "Who is it?"

Hira raised her left hand, using her right to apply a small coat of lip gloss. "Me."

Cami squealed too. "About time, babes. You two are so cute together."

...babes?

"Camilla sure is something," Mini whispered in Aru's ear after she got closer.

"Her name's Camilla?" Aru whispered back confused. "I thought it was Cami."

"No?"

Aru made a mental note of that. Then she responded to Mini's question, "She really is something."

Brynne clapped her hands. "Let's get to the dance, then?"

Kara, who had borrowed Camilla's sun yellow dress, nodded aggressively. "Can't keep them waiting."

Aru furrowed her brows. "Can't keep who waiting?"

Brynne waved a dismissive hand. "Rudy's waiting for Mini at the bottom of the staircase. Don't freak out when you see him, but he's wearing a purple tie and he gelled his hair."

How Rudy was so blind to not see Mini's blush every time they were near each other amazed Aru.

They went out of the room, locking the dorm, and went down the staircase. Brynne had placed Hira's hand at the crook of her elbow, making it look like she was Hira's escort.

Aru had to admit, they were cute together.

And Rudy was actually at the bottom of the staircase.

His hair had the phantom traces of gelling, but was haphazard because of the amount of times he'd run his hands through it.

To his right, stood Aiden.

Black pants, black tie, black coat.

Aru's breath caught before she dismissed it.

But she wasn't going to deny that he looked the hottest he'd looked from the many times she'd seen him.

He smiled at her, looking careful and weary, and she smiled back.

Why were her hands feeling clammy?

Also, what was she supposed to do with her hands while she walked?

Rudy let out a squeak, his cheeks a bit too red, and his birthmark on his temple darkened.

He gave his hand to Mini, and she took it, an identical blush coating her cheeks.

"Y-you look very beautiful." He managed.

"Thanks." Mini said, flush darkening.

When were these two going to start dating. A statement, not a question, by the way.

Rudy nudged Aiden after Mini's hand was safely in his.

Aiden sighed. "Don't think too much of it, Shah, but Brynne dared me to escort you to the auditorium." He extended his hand, and Aru's brain lagged.

She placed her clammy hand in his.

She didn't dare to look at Kara's face.

Aru's hand was in the crook of Aiden's elbow, and she looked everywhere but him.

In the auditorium, he didn't let go of her hand, and Aru didn't pull away either.

She felt guilty, but it felt natural to have her hand in his.

Unlike Aru and Aiden, Mini and Rudy had jumped apart as soon as they'd reached.

Aru nudged Rudy with her shoulder subtly, and Rudy, with a frightful expression, went ahead and asked Mini if she wanted to dance.

She said yes, obviously.

"I saw that." And Aru felt Aiden's breath on her cheek, his voice directly in front of her ear.

"You saw what?" Maybe she was not as subtle as she thought. Her blush wasn't subtle either. She blinked up at him innocently. "You didn't see anything."

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "I always see you, Shah."

They stood in silence, and Kara was nowhere to be seen.

Aiden broke the silence. "Do you want to dance with me?" He asked.

She was about to say yes, and she would've, if it weren't for a call from her phone that rang at that very moment.

He sighed, letting go of her. "Another time, then."

Before he left, Aru blurted out a question. "Was that part of the dare too?"

Quietly, almost too quiet, as though Aru was never meant to hear it, he whispered one word that Aru was hoping would be the answer to her question.

"No."