Opposites Attract

30. business deals & basketball games

Everyone almost immediately stopped talking.

I hesitantly turned around to see the principle of the school looking at Ashlynn, Hayden, Kiera, Noah, and me with wide eyes. "You guys can not be yelling in the school hallways." She said sternly but in a calm manner. "The bell has rung a while ago. If there is a problem you can come to my office, if not you all need to leave until the game starts tonight."

I was the first one to speak up. "No, we're all very sorry. There's no problem."

The principal looked skeptical. "Okay," She nodded her head. "I hope to see you all soon." And with that, she turned around and walked away.

Before Ashlynn could even say anything and create more drama, I practically begged my friends to follow me outside. "Guys, come on."

I heard Ashlynn let out a loud huff of air before she stormed away.

Once everyone was out, I took a deep breath and put my face into my hands. "What was she thinking?"

"Wait... hold up," Kiera spoke quickly. "What were you talking about back there, Khloe?" She questioned, looking extremely confused. "What business deal is between Ashlynn and Aiden? How did she force him into an arranged marriage?" Kiera suddenly paused. "Marriage? We're all still so young to be getting married!"

"Yes, everything that I said was true." I then slowly glanced over at Hayden. "Look, before we were... dating Aiden kept asking me to meet with him so one day I finally agreed. I was going into it thinking that he cheated on me, but he seemed so desperate to talk to me so I finally just decided to hear him out."

"Why didn't you tell me, Khloe?" Hayden questioned. "I wouldn't have gotten mad."

My lips turned down into a frown. "I'm sorry." I slowly grabbed Hayden's hand. "But you shouldn't listen to anything that comes out of Ashlynn's mouth. She spends her whole life trying to find any reason to embarrass me."

"Then what truly happened?" Noah questioned. "I need to know if Hayden and I have to punch the guy."

Despite everything, I let out a soft laugh. "Aiden told me that he doesn't love Ashlynn. Apparently, she isn't as bad as she seems, and the only reason that she acts so harsh towards me is because she knows that Aiden still has feelings for me."

Hayden's eyes hardened. "Now that I know he has feelings for you, this makes things a thousand times worst. I already can't stand the guy."

I shook my head quickly. "You don't have to worry about anything." I paused for a second, trying to find the right words to say. "All you guys need to know is that Aiden isn't a bad person. The way he broke things off with me was horrible, but it turns out that he didn't cheat on me."

"What?" Kiera practically screamed. "He didn't?" She questioned. "There's no way..."

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's true. Aiden and Ashlynn's relationship was a business deal between their parents." Everyone looked beyond confused, so I continued. "Aiden's dad is a racist, selfish, and narcissistic man. I didn't say anything because I wanted to protect Aiden. His father is using him for money."

"What are you protecting Aiden from exactly?" Kiera questioned.

Even though Ashlynn was a horrible person towards me, I knew that it was because she was insecure and hurting. Past the mean girl act, I could see that she was crying for help. Everything that she told me about her family, I knew that she didn't want other people knowing, so I wouldn't get into the details, especially about her changing her name and stuff like that.

"You guys don't know his father as I do. He didn't accept my relationship with Aiden, because I didn't come for money and the fact that... I'm mixed. You all know that my mother is black."