Chapter 35: I don't like playing with fire
I looked up and saw Peyton approaching the table with our drinks. "Here you go, doll." He placed my coffee in front of me.
I smiled at him. "Thanks."
"He sat down in front of me and and took a sip of his coffee. "So, any idea what you want to do on Thursday?"
I leaned forward and thought about it. "I don't know. I'm pretty sure I'll be happy with whatever you have planned." I told him.
He smiled at me. "Why are you so amazing?" I shrugged.
"What should I wear anyway? I don't want to show up in jeans if you take me to this fancy restaurant." I told him.
"It's okay. I'm sure you'll be fine in anything. You always are anyway."
"You're so cheesy." I rolled my eyes at him.
"But you love it, though." He winked at me.
"No, I don't." I said playfully. He rose his eyebrow and stood up from his seat.
I raised my eyebrow as he made his way over to me and crouched down until his mouth was near my ear.
"You sure about that?" He whispered. He was trying to tease me and sure enough, it was working. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and put his nose in my neck.
"Peyton, people are starting to stare." I whispered to him as he tickled me with his nose against my skin.
"Good. Now people will know that your mine." He mumbled.
I looked and saw that there was a group of boys with a certain expression on their faces. They looked jealous at Peyton and how he got to hold me.
I rolled my eyes. "You're terrible." He picked his head up and kissed my temple.
"Only for you." He told me before offering one of his million dollar smiles.
****************************
"I have to study for my English test and then I have an advanced algebra quiz fourth period. I'm already failing two other classes and I'm extremely exhausted." Jackson rambled while we walked down the empty hallway.
Everyone else was at lunch. If you haven't noticed by now, me and Jackson like to take advantage of the silent halls during lunch. It was the only time we could get some peace and quiet.
I reached out and pinched his cheeks. "You poor thing. I can help you study after school." I told him.
He took his arm and pulled me into a sideways hug; that was in fact crushing every bone in my body. "Thanks, Marshmallow. You're the best."
"Get.....off me." I grunted, while I was still squished into his side. He laughed and then let go.
"So, you still didn't tell me why you didn't answer my calls yesterday. I was literally drowning in mathematics and you couldn't even pick up the damn phone to help your best friend." Jackson shook his head at me.
I rolled my eyes and smiled. "I was with Peyton." I said simply. Jackson made a face. The same face Aiden would make anytime I mentioned Peyton. I don't like that face.
"Why are you making that face?" I asked in a whiny voice.
Jackson shrugged. "I love you, Corey. I really do but there's something about that guy that I don't like."
Ughh.
I felt disappointment run throughout my body but I quickly covered it up. "Fine. I understand that everyone has an opinion. And if that's your opinion on Peyton, I respect that."
He rose his eyebrows at me. He knew I didn't mean it. "Oh really?" I nodded my head and pursed my lips. "Come on, Corey. Tell me how you feel."
I sighed and pouted. "I just don't get why everyone thinks there's something bad about Peyton. I really don't get it. I don't see what's so bad about him." I said honestly.
Jackson shrugged again. "Maybe I'm wrong. I said I get a bad vibe from him, but maybe he's not even a bad guy. Who knows." Jackson said.
I guess he's right. I still never figured out the true reason why Aiden hated Peyton.
Jackson had a 'bad feeling' about him.
Well, all that matters is that I love him and he loves me, right?
***********************
"I'll see you later, Marshmallow."
"Bye, Jay." I hugged him and he walked out the front door. I made my way towards the kitchen where Jessie and Aiden were. "What are you guys doing?" I asked them.
Jessie turned to me. "I'm trying to make dinner." I sat down next to Aiden on one of the stools while he played a game on his phone.
"You're making dinner?" I asked incredulously. "Jessie, I don't think that's a good idea. The only thing you can probably make without destroying anything else is pancakes." I laughed at him.
He just glared and turned back to the stove. "So how's it going?" I asked Aiden who was still looking down at his phone. He looks up and have me a half smile. "I'm fine."
I didn't believe him. There was something wrong with him. "No you're not." I told him and he furrowed his eyebrows.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Something's bothering you." I told him. It was obvious. His eyes didn't seem as bright as they would. He was extremely quiet. He didn't even, acknowledge me when I entered the room. Something was definitely getting to him.
The expression on his face softened and then he gave another small smile. "Really, Corey I'm fine." I squinted my eyes at him. I didn't like this Aiden. I've never seen him act like this before. I didn't like it.
I wanted the old Aiden back. In a quick second, I grabbed his phone out of his hand and caught a full smile on his face before I started running out of the kitchen. As soon as I got out, it wasn't long before Aiden grabbed me from behind. I started to laugh. He grabbed me sideways and carries me back into the kitchen.
I was still laughing when he said, "You find this funny?" He asked in a playful tone. He shifted me until I was upside down. He started shaking me and I couldn't stop laughing.
He eventually put me back on my feet. He smiled at me when he started tickling me. I dropped to the floor but he didn't stop. "Is it funny now? Huh?" He asked playfully again.
"Aww you guys are cute. Goals." Jessie chuckled.
"Shut.....up...Jessie." I said in between laughs.
Jessie rose his eyebrows. He walked over and began tickling me with Aiden. Now, there were tears spilling form my eyes of all this laughter. I managed to push them both off me. I quickly stood up and faced them.
"You guys are terrible!" I told them as I brushed myself off.
"You took my phone." Aiden defended.
"You told me to shut up." Jessie added. We both looked at him. Idiot.
I was about respond when the both of them changed their expressions. They both looked shocked at whatever was behind me and I turned around to see a medium size fire completely covering the stove. My jaw dropped and I looked back to Aiden glaring at Jessie.
Oh my god!
"Don't just stand there, we need to stop the fire!" Aiden yelled. All three of us bolted in different directions. We searched all over the bottom floor and we couldn't find the extinguisher.
Where the hell was it?!
Oh my god, there actually a fire burning in my house. I ran back into the kitchen to find Jessie trying to put out the flames. "What the hell do we do?!" I asked.
"Just help me while Aiden goes find the extinguisher!" Jessie yelled back.
I ran over and grabbed a towel. I started to pat the flames with the towels. I felt my body becoming hot and sweaty.
It's not working! We need to do something before the whole damn house burns down!
Suddenly, I felt a cool gas spread all around me and onto the flames. Soon enough, the fire had completely died down. Me and Jessie were covered in the cold, white gas and we slowly turned around. Aiden stood there, a weird expression on his face.
He wanted to laugh?! He found this funny?!
He burst out laughing while me and Jessie glared at him. "I'm...Sorry. You-You guys....look ridiculous." He said in between laughs.
"Not as ridiculous as you're going to look when I'm done with you." Jessie growled and stepped forward. Aiden furrowed his eyebrows in confusion when his eyes widen and he sprinted out the kitchen, Jessie following after him.
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I now lay on my back staring up at the ceiling. I couldn't fall asleep, and it was just one of those nights where you're just not tired.
Obviously, we managed to get the fire out and the ceiling in the kitchen is slightly burned. There's a black mark where the fire had been underneath. We had a lot of cleaning up to do. However, the stove is completely trashed. The neighbors had came over to 'see if everything was alright.' We told them we were fine and that no one was hurt.
I spent the rest of my evening cleaning the kitchen and arguing about who's fault it was. Jessie says it was my fault because I was 'goofing around'. Aiden says it was Jessie's fault and I agreed with him. It's not my fault that he's a shit cooker.
I sighed. I just wanted to go to sleep. Why couldn't-
"Corey?" I was interrupted.
I sat up and turned on my night lamp. The whole room wasn't bright but I could still see Aiden standing in my doorway.
"What's up?" I asked him. Without replying he came and sat on my bed across from me.
"I can't sleep." He said simply. I wonder if it's because of his nightmares. I decided not to bother him about it. "Do you mind if we talk?"
Talk? Talk about what? "What do you want to talk about?" I asked him. It took him a while before he spoke.
"I love you, Corey." He blurted out.
......
What?
Aiden just said he loved me? Like, he actually....admitted it out loud.
Holy shit.
I knew Aiden liked me but I'd never thought he would admit it out loud.
He act-
Wait.
He said 'Love.' Not Like, Love.
He said that he loves me. I swear my mind is going to explode.
"Corey." He waved a hand in front of my face. I snapped my gaze to his. "You okay?"
Am I okay?
I don't even know.
I shrugged my shoulders. He stared at me for a moment before saying, "I know you like me too." He says.
Okay. Now I really don't know what to do. Where the hell was this coming from?
But he was right. I did like him. "I don't know if you love me or not but that doesn't matter. All I know is that I love you, Corey. I'm in love with you. I have been for a while." He says.
"I don't know how I feel either." My voice is low and hushed. "But, I do know that I care for you, Aiden. A lot. I don't know if I'm in love with you. It's-it's just confusing."
I felt like he needed to know that. He deserved to know that, right?
"I know it's probably confusing. I also know that you love Peyton. I can't do anything about that. All I can say is that, if you need me, I'll be right here for you. Always know that, okay?" He seemed really serious.
I nodded while I stared into his blue eyes. He gave me a smile and by that simple gesture, it was clear to me now.
I wasn't confused anymore.
I was definitely in love with Aiden Praxston.
•••
Yay, she said it! Well, not out loud, though. But still, she admitted it to herself. But, what about Peyton?
Dun. Dun. Dun.
Until next time, munchkins.
-brittany.