I don't even think about checking behind me. Judging by the disgusted look on Aiden's face, those two are probably showing some major PDA right outside this window. I smile at him, trying to make the situation light.
"What are you talking about?" I laugh, but it sounds forced even to my own ears.
"Just look behind you!" he snaps, pointing a shaky finger at the outside.
I slump my shoulders at his command and unwillingly turn around to see if Travis and Kimberly have blown their cover.
It was them, alright. It's getting pretty easy to identify the couple that never seem to leave each other's side.
Currenty, they're both seated on a bench in the middle of the stream of people. They seem to be happily discussing something while Charlie, Kimberly's dog, wags his tail enthusiastically and watches Kimberly with an endearing, protective manor. Travis notices and scratches the dog behind his ear. Charlie, immensely enjoying the attention, places his paw on Travis's lap. Although it's silenced through the window, Kimberly laughs out loud and throws her arms around the dog's neck with affection.
"They're just talking, see? There's nothing wrong with..." Kimberly, with her horrible sense of timing, snuggles into Travis's chest. He ties his arm around her shoulders and keeps her close to shield her away from the oh so very brutal weather. It's not like they have on layers of clothes or anything.
Then Kimberly tilts her head upward and puckers her lips. Travis, unknowing of his watching best friend, presses his mouth against her's in a sweet and gentle kiss. She responds with eagerness as she wraps her hands around his neck.
"Just talking?" Aiden repeats with a dry laugh, watching the two swallow each other with disdain. "How come we never 'just talk', Addie?" he snipes, turning his head away from the window to face me.
I roll my eyes at his remark, immune to his charming whips at the moment.
"I'm gonna go ask them what the hell is going on," he tells me, scooting out his seat in the booth.
At that, I abandon my school bag and clumsily twist out of my seat as well. "Wait! You can't!" I beg, catching up to Aiden.
"And why not?" he calls over his shoulder as he pulls open the door.
"B-because it's an invasion of privacy!" I argue futilely, squeezing through the door before it slams in my face.
In a desperate attempt to keep him away from poor, unsuspecting Travis and Kimberly, I grab onto Aiden's hand and dig my heels into the sidewalk, ignoring the odd and judgemental glances thrown to me by onlookers. Aiden grunts at my try to stop him, and yanks his hand out my grasp with ease, as if he's merely pulling it away from a toddler's.
"Babysitting your sister, huh?" Aiden growls as he finishes off the walk toward the couple in three long strides.
It takes a lot more steps for me than it did for Aiden, but I eventually get there as well. Travis and Kimberly pull away from each other's lips with mildly annoyed faces, obviously just thinking that it was some rude stranger who interrupted their passionate make out session. When they see that it's instead Aiden, their unamused frowns turn into wide-eyed looks of horror.
"What?" Travis mumbles, struggling to twist away from Kimberly.
Kimberly doesn't argue as her boyfriend pushes her away. She just continues to stare at Aiden, horrified.
I catch up to conflict, panting at the sprint that I just had to accomplish. I curl over with my hands on my knees, waiting for the air to return to my lungs.
"That's why you said you couldn't hang out with me after soccer practice, but the only thing you seem to babysitting is Kimberly's lips," he hisses, throwing an accusing finger at my poor, red-headed best friend.
Charlie, not pleased by Aiden's tone with Kimberly, straightens his ears to points and pulls his lips back in an angry snarl, stepping in front of Kimberly as if to guard her. She absently pats his head, but doesn't tell him to stand down. Aiden's eyes trail down to the dog, and he matches Charlie's expression with one of his own, even adding a dog-like growl. Charlie stands his ground and pulls his lips back even further, showcasing all of his canine teeth.
"Alright, enough," Travis orders, stranding up from the bench. I never noticed before, but Travis seems to be about the same height as Aiden. Maybe even a little taller. "Aiden, I wanted to tell you, but I knew you would react like this."
"React like what?"
"Like an over dramatic little child who's having a temper tantrum."
"I am not acting like that, you asshole. I'm just shocked. I can't believe you lied to me."
"It wasn't Travis's idea!" Kimberly chimes in, standing up from her place on the bench as well. Everyone, including me, turns their heads at her. "Down, boy," she says to Charlie, who immediately runs toward me with a wagging tail.
"I wanted to keep it a secret because I thought you would try to convince him to break us up. I know you don't like me," she admits shamefully, her eyes on the pavement. She looks significantly shorter compared to Aiden and Travis, especially since she's standing between them.
Aiden just stares at her with a look that edges on sympathy. "Hey, don't be crazy. I would never ruin Travis's relationship with someone if they make him really happy."
"She does," Travis agrees, winding an arm around Kimberly's waist and planting a kiss on her cheek.
"Well, there you go. I'm happy for you too. Just in the future, tell me what's going on." He laughs, clapping a friendly hand on Travis's shoulder.
The couple both release breaths, as if they've been holding it since they started dating.
"Oh, thank you for understanding, Aiden. We really did want to tell you, and Addie told us to tell you---"
At the sound of my name, I stop patting Charlie and frantically wave my arms to stop Travis from saying anything more. Viewing the panicked look on my face, Travis instantly slams his jaw back into place, stopping himself in the middle of a sentence.
But the damage has been done.
Aiden's understanding smile turns into a suspicious glare. He turns his head back at me with a raised eyebrow.
"What do you mean? Addie knew, too?" he repeats in a slow, warning tone.
"No, not at all!" Kimberly disagrees a little too lightly.
"Addie didn't know anything, she's just finding about this," Travis lies, glancing at me.
Aiden just crosses his arms, clearly not buying it for a second.
"Okay, stop lying, guys," I tell them, and they both flash me looks that say 'RED ALERT! RED ALERT!'
"I knew about it," I confess, meeting Aiden's gray eyes.
"You what? And you didn't tell me?"
"She wanted to tell you! We just wouldn't let her," Travis supplies in a defending voice.
"Guys, it's okay. He said he understood. He should understand this, too."
The pair cease their efforts of lying to protect the fact that I knew about their relationship. We all stare at Aiden, waiting with bated breath, to see if he will completely understand, and just let the whole thing go. Or if he will totally blow this out of proportion, and be offended that I didn't tell him, and furiously storm off.
I bite my lip, anxious for his response.
This is it.
The make or break.
"Look at you guys. Breathe. Addie, it's fine. I'm just surprised you didn't tell me, I'm not mad. Am I really that bad?"
All three of us seem to sigh in unison, thankful for the surprisingly calm response from Aiden. Who, as we all know, is not well known for his understanding and sympathetic personality.
Travis endearingly scratches the back of his neck with a guilty expression. "Kind of," he admits.
Kimberly nods in agreement as answering Aiden's question. I, on the other hand, don't say or do anything.
No, Aiden is not that bad at all. Am I the only one who thinks so? Sure, maybe he sleeps around without a single care for the other person. And yes, maybe he has no regard for other peoples' feelings at all. I blame his parents for that, there's no way someone could just be born like that.
When was the last time a newborn child acted like a snarky little demon? Other than the fact that they may have pulled your hair, or stuck some dog poop in your sandals. I'd hardly call that demon-like behavior. Just typical five year old behavior.
Aiden's parents obviously did something that messed him up.
"No, you're not," I tell him in the most sincere voice I can manage.
His eyes flicker over to me, and gratitude flashes across his face. It quickly vanishes, but I still catch it. And savor it.
"Well, you two are obviously very busy," Aiden hints, wiggling his eyebrows at the couple. Kimberly rolls her eyes, but there's a slight smile pulling at her lips. Travis cracks a grin at his old friend, the expression seeming to contain a thousand words. Aiden returns it with a sly wink, and walks back over to me.
Charlie, not sensing everyone's ease over Aiden, still growls as he approaches. He showcases his middle finger to the dog's face, expecting the animal to completely understand this charming gesture. Charlie, not pleased with Aiden's disregard for his personal space, snaps at his finger. Aiden yelps at the sight of his teeth, and scrambles away from the dog.
Charlie seems to pant in laughter and, as a good-bye for me, he bathes me in his saliva with a cow lick that starts from the bottom of my chin, to the top of my forehead. I pat him in the head as a response and resist the urge to shutter, and wipe my face repeatedly with a grossed out squeal.
"Bye, Addie!" Kimberly says. She then releases a loud whistle, and Charlie bounds away from me.
"Well, that was interesting," I admit, getting up from my crouch on the ground. "We should get back to---what?" I ask him as I see the astonished, and practically disgusted, expression on his face.
"You've lost all your sex appeal ever since that dog licked you."
I laugh out loud, smoothing my hair over. "You're such a girl," I joke, pushing past him.
"No! I'm just saying it's gross."
"And I'm guessing you've never had a dog before?"
"I'm a cat person, in case you couldn't tell," he says.
I don't say anything as I push the door open of the coffee house. I make my way over to my school bag that I oh so intelligently left alone. I'm surprised that no one stole it, even if it has nothing but books and folders inside it.
"Hey, can I see your notebook so I can compare notes?" I absently tell him, holding out my outstretched palm.
"Do you seriously think I took notes?"
I huff at his words and turn to him with a raised eyebrow. He gives me a staring contest for about five seconds before finally giving in, and reluctantly snatching out his composition book from his backpack.
"Here," he gruffs, tossing me the book. I smile a victorious smile, and thumb through the pages. I stop on the page that's titled 'Othello Notes From Fatass Teacher'.
For some reason, the handwriting rings distant, almost inaudible bells in my mind. But I hear them nonetheless.
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A/N: Hello! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in the longest time, but I got a puppy. (Her name is Abby.) And, for those of you who've never trained or raised a puppy, it's pretty hard work. All I want to do is sleep. But I still love her!
Anyway, well here you go! Next chapter is going to be pretty interesting, I'm really excited to start writing it. Woo!
Happy reading. I was gonna update sometime next week, but decided I should just update today. So, here you go!
Dedicated to amandaaaax because she left a nice comment last chapter. I love reading everyone's comments, it makes me feel so loved. :'D