Ravaged Hearts

Chapter 9

But then again was it just a normal night and I am overreacting?

Stella did say that Aiden told Jacob about her father, so I just wonder if he said anything about me as well. But nonetheless, I shouldn't be thinking about that. I shouldn't be thinking about him all. I try to focus on my writing.

"I'm hungry as hell," I hear Stella groan as we make our way to the cafeteria accompanied by Jessica. "I can't comprehend on how we can finish that essay, ugh," Jessica snaps. "Guess we've got to pull an all-nighter ya'll," I yawn.

Just when I'm about to take my seat, someone taps on my shoulder. I turn around and I'm about to almost topple seeing Aiden stand SO close to me. But he pulls my hand and steadies me in an instant.

Okay what the fuck is all the fluttering in my stomach.

Go. away. flutters.

I chant mentally. "Sorry, what- why are you here?" I ask trying to ease myself. He huffs because of the 'why' and starts, "So, I'm pretty damn sure that we won't be capable of finalizing the task by evening, do you have any plan?" "Not any that I've thought of, no. What are you thinking?" I ask. " Yes, so uhh I am thinking, how about we meet up at my house? After school?" he suggests.

Now this is a school work and I am NOT letting him take all the credit after finishing it and be like "Oh Raelynn didn't help one bit!"

I'm not letting him get the credits, never. So I reluctantly agree to the proposal.

---

I can't anymore. Elsie has been glaring at me for the last ten minutes in the library. I'm trying to work desperately okay? But you can't just fucking concentrate when heavily keen penetrating eyes are practically death glaring at you.

I slam my pen to the desk which earns a glance from Aiden and look up at her, "Can you stop staring at me for God's sake and get on with the work?"

"I was just wondering how your head is," she smirks. I look at her in disbelief with a frown.

Don't tell me Aiden went on telling the whole school of that occurrence.

I glare at Aiden and he looks at Elsie and back at me repeatedly innocently and mumbles out "Don't give me death stares, I'm not someone who goes on telling other people about one's own business," and he frowns at Elsie.

Honestly, how's he friends with someone like her? Elsie just laughs it off and claims that one of her friend who had been there during the event saw the "fortunate event" in her words and told her. What a... nevermind.

I call and let my mom know that I would be coming home late because of a project. We three drive off to Aiden's house.

And then we reach our golden boy's abode.

If someone tells me to describe the house in one word, it'd be- White. Everywhere I look, it's just WHITE. Aiden's mother, Mrs. Anderson greets us and we go up to his room. White. We all sit around a round - shaped table and get on with the work. White. And I'm not even trying to be racist.

It's been 5 hours. 5 HOURS. It's even past dinner, who am I kidding?

My hand hurts as hell. God, I need a break. Atleast we're done with most of the work, we just need to find the perfect way to conclude. I texted Stella and she joked she will have to get a surgery tomorrow only for her fingers. Atleast I'm not the only one.

Aiden's away somewhere because his mother called him and Elsie already left because of a family emergency. I get up and my hips feel like they might break at any point. I take a look around his room and then I find my version of heaven. He has a stack of classic novels stacked beside his bed. He reads those?

Okay maybe all that blabbering was from experience and not made up shit he learnt in 5th grade.

I observe the stack carefully taking in all the books. He even reads Charlotte Bronte?! Holy lord. I'm still falling in love with the books I've seen a 100 times before when someone clears their throat behind me. Oh. What do I look like right now, going through his stuff? Some creep ass woman? But come on it's all classics! I'm a total sucker for those, ok.

I turn around and start "Uh I was just seeinv- what-" when I'm interrupted by him suddenly coming so close, TOO close to me, staring at me with those ember eyes.

Before I can interpret what's going on, he leans in.

He. Fucking. Leans. In.

My eyes close subconsciously, what- what is he DOING? IS HE OUT OF HIS MIND?

Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh. My. God.

All those flutters start AGAIN. I open my eyes slowly with a frown and see him leaning sideways arranging the mess I made when I was going through the books. I can feel his hot breath on my cheeks. I sigh of relief and what's that other emotion? Disap- NO. RAELYNN SKYLAR YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY GET THAT EMOTION!

I force the flutters to shut down.

Hearing my relief, he chuckles. "Relax, I'm not going to kiss you."

I scoff, "Shut up, not even in your wildest dreams. Also your breath stinks. " I walk away before my cheeks flush even more in embarrassment.

How could I even think of something like that?!

I want to punch myseld right now. It's all because of this stupid heart. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. He's supposed to be a jerk in my story. Not the... reason I get flutters god damn.

We finish the work in silence and I don't dare look up at him, because I feel like if I do, he's gonna start laughing at my utter idiocy. And he'd be right. I am not stupid enough to fall for a guy like him-

a guy who spends his time with children who're on their way to dying and tries to make every living second of theirs worthwhile-

Dear Heart, I'd appreciate it if you shut up right now.

My life has been full of stupid decisions and I definitely cannot make any more of those. These flutters need to stop. But. How. God I need to have a therapy session with Stella tomorrow.

As we finish the writing finally and get done with it all, I make my way out of his house and start my car.

Dear dear flutters, what have you done?