In the middle of Jason, Bree, Aiden and Marley's game of darts, the rest of the group filtered in.
Tristan and Brendan came back - both showing physical signs of what they had been doing before arriving, they're worse than her and Aiden - as well as Sarah with Kelly and Ryan. The two of them have been a little strained lately, Kelly's only explanation being that they butt heads on silly issues. Whatever that means.
Gabby and Ethan, too, who seems to get along with Ryan well, and is absolutely intimidated by being anywhere near Aiden. While Bree took her turn, Marley nudged Aiden with her elbow. He had his arm around her and was talking to Jason, but this was a deserving interruption.
"Did you threaten Ethan, Aiden?"
Jason snorted, earning a sharp glare from Aiden before he was running a hand through his hair. Marley watched his arm muscles move involuntarily, and was glad he was avoiding her gaze right now.
"I would-why would I do that, spitfire?"
She scoffed, "In some, back door, twisted, weird way of being protective of me, as usual. You did this with Ryan, too."
"And you appreciated it that time."
"I know Gabby. She wouldn't be this open with someone unreliable, and she wouldn't want me to intervene, either. She hasn't with us."
Aiden let her go to take his turn, "I vividly recall her threatening to force me to eat my dick for dinner if I broke your heart."
"I can second that I remember that too," Jason added, "It was hilarious."
"Not that," he paused to get the triple sixteen they needed, "the threat was necessary. Appreciated because she's your best friend and I like that she defends you, but not," he threw the last two darts at seventeen, "necessary."
Marley bit the inside of her cheek to hide her smile; Aiden could've gotten the triple seventeen and finished off the twenty or nineteen she's started, but knew she wanted to take some of the win herself. He's so cute.
Aiden handed Jason the darts, the digital scoreboard changing. Bree and Jason needed bulls, three twenty's, one fifteen and two seventeens. Marley and Aiden only needed bulls, the one nineteen and the one twenty.
Being on a team with Aiden Matthews, she knew a win was a sealed fate.
"Still, no more threatening everyone. If Gabby has a boyfriend, it's practically a given that he and I are close, too."
Aiden's eyes narrowed considerably, "How so?"
"You love that Ian and I are close. Gabby and I grew up together, we're practically sisters. We're going to be there for our future everything, you know? Like friendmergencies, maid of honour, all that."
She watched Aiden's expression change as he finally began to understand what she meant.
He sighed, "So telling him I'd break into his room, drag him out by the collar of his shirt and beat him up in front of his mom if he hurt Gabby was a bad idea?"
Marley's eyes widened, "You told him what?!"
Jason laughed loudly while Marley smacked him on the arm, "You better apologize to him, Aiden Matthews! I mean that!"
"Who'd he threaten now?" Tristan droned from behind Marley, while everyone else watched, unfazed.
Marley was flabbergasted at their nonchalant expressions, "He shouldn't be threatening anyone." she turned to lock eyes with Ethan, who was standing next to Gabby with a nervous expression, "And for the record, Ethan, Aiden will not be breaking into your house or doing anything to you in front of your mother. I'm sincerely sorry about his behaviour."
Aiden grunted from beside her, putting his arm back over her shoulders and tucking her into his side.
Ethan smiled politely, looking between them with no resentment whatsoever, "I respect you're looking out for your friend. But I..." he looked away, and Marley almost 'aw'd' at the blush on his cheeks, "have no intentions to hurt Gabby."
Gabby's cheeks turned dark red immediately, as she stared down at her shoes and shuffled her feet. Marley's smile was so wide it ached; Gabby deserves to find someone, too.
Aiden leaned in to whisper in Marley's ear, "When's he gonna grow some balls and ask her out?"
Marley elbowed him in the ribs, "When it's the right time. You're so insensitive."
"How was that insensitive? He's gotta go for it sometime. I did."
Marley shrugged in submission to his argument. He was the one who initiated their confessions the night of Dalton's party. She grabbed his cup from his hand and took a gulp.
"You can't even get your girl a drink?" Ryan tsked while Marley lowered the cup from her lips with a knowing smile.
"No," Aiden replied curtly, "I'll drink what she wants to drink, and when she isn't drinking it I have it in my hands and there's no chance anyone can slip anything in it. Foolproof."
"You're so fucking extra, it blows my mind. All the time, man," Ryan shook his head disapprovingly, "I mean aren't you two gonna be across the country anyway? In like, 6 months?"
Aiden's arm tensed from over Marley's shoulders, and she too felt the sudden darkness that surrounded the both of them whenever their future was involved.
She lifted her lips into a shaky smile, "For university, yes. But we'll figure it out."
"Always will," Aiden replied quietly, as if he didn't mean for her to hear it.
She exhaled loudly, knowing that Aiden hated this topic of conversation as much as she did.
"Marley, your turn," Bree nudged Marley's arm, and when they locked eyes she saw that her interruption wasn't purely coincidence.
She smiled gratefully at her friend, breaking away from Aiden's stiff hold.
Right now, it felt dozens of degrees colder to be away from him, but she brushed it off, "Ready to lose?" She grinned at Bree and Jason cockily, but her facade was rippling.
Aiden was still quiet.
This wasn't the time for this though, they were at a party surrounded by dozens of people, their friends included. Marley had to set an example for Aiden to move on from this, and let go of those dark thoughts right now.
"Okay, twent-"
"EVERYBODY GET DOWN!"
Gun shots.
One.
Two.
T h r e e.
Screams echoed around the room as everybody dropped like flies onto the dark hardwood. Marley's ears were ringing in fear and panic as she dropped on instinct, being shoved on her back while her eyes were squeezed shut and her body was trembling in fear. Aiden's warmth surrounded her.
"Aiden! Aiden! wh-what-what was that?" She curled her fingers around his shirt as the ringing slowed, hiding in his muscled chest, her heart racing a mile a minute.
The voices around them were still hushed and shaky with fear. She was so grateful it was dizzying, to feel his steady breathing and his body still very much intact and okay.
"What the fuck is going on?" He growled quietly in a wavering voice, hovered over her protectively.
"CAKE TIME MOTHERFUCKERS!"
Her eyes flew open, while the voices around them raised with shock and agitation. She appraised their position for the first time - Aiden's forearms pressed on the floor on either side of her head, muscles coiled, covering her with his body. His blue eyes locked on hers, realizing the same time as she did that this was some twisted joke.
They lit up with raging, black fury, "Oh fuck no."
"Wait, Aiden-"
But he was already rolling off of her, taking her hand and lifting her with him. Around them, their friends were standing up off the ground, rubbing their heads and rolling their shoulders. But Aiden took no time to breathe and relax, releasing her hand and shoving his way through the throes of people to the source of the sound.
"WHO THE FUCK DID THAT?!" He boomed, earning a clear pathway to the front doors of the room. Marley scrambled after him on shaky feet, trying to keep up as best as she could.
Beyond the crowds of their peers lifting off the ground, the planned cake on the rolling tray was revealed to be sitting in the open centre of the room. Beside it was the blonde and his two friends from earlier, the one on the left carrying an oversized Beats Pill in his hands. Conner was already standing in front of the blonde, shouting at him with wild hand gestures.
"You just lost your place at camp! Pack your fucking bags!"
"He just lost his life," Aiden hissed, stomping towards the blonde purposefully, body shaking visibly.
"Aiden please!" She shrieked, sprinting for his back as he grabbed the collar of the guys shirt, striding a few steps foreword to slam him against the wall with a loud and defeating thump.
"Dude it was a joke!" The blonde whined, his face reddening as Aiden pressed his balled fist against his neck.
"A shooting is a fucking joke?!" he snapped, his fist flying backwards to gain momentum for his first punch, of many, Marley knew - if she didn't put a stop to this.
"Mr. Matthews! You lay a hand on him you're gone too! Back up!" Conner ordered while Marley dove for his hand in midair, clasping her hands around it and squeezing tightly.
He froze.
"Aiden. Breathe. Please. I'm okay now, breathe," she pleaded, "Remember your promise. Don't hurt him. Please, please Aiden!"
He paused for only a second, "I don't want to hurt you, Marley. Back up."
"No! I'm not going anywhere. Please! It was a crappy thing to do but he's going to be in serious trouble for it! Don't hurt him!" She dropped his hand to circle her arms around his lean torso, feeling his muscles instinctively relax as she nuzzled her nose into his side.
Her final please was muffled, her arms tightening around him.
Aiden's breathing was still heaving and deadly, trembling, but he was slowly relaxing.
"You know this shit is real for people right now, right? It's an epidemic, not a joke. You could be in serious trouble with the school, university applications, and charges from the police. You're coming with me, Samson."
Marley watched Aiden drop him, and he fell to the ground with a loud crash, but she felt no remorse or guilt for his pain. He deserved it. She's never felt greater resentment for someone, it was a terrible thing for somebody to do.
Everyone in the room was shaken up, visibly pale and trembling. Marley released Aiden when she heard rushing footsteps come up behind her.
"Marley!"
"Gabby," Marley rushed out, instantly hugging her best friend tightly.
For a few moments, this was all too real.
"How could someone do this?" Gabby choked, squeezing her best friend tightly.
Marley felt tears prick her eyes at the idea of everything she loved being taken away from her, just like that.
"I don't know. I don't know. I'm so glad you're okay. I'm so glad it was a joke. I don't know what I would've done if..." she cut herself off, "I love you, Gabby. You're so much more than my best friend. You're my blood."
"I love you, too, Marley. You're my sister."
Marley felt a warm hand against the small of her back. Aiden didn't want to intrude, but she got the message that he needed to be close to her right now. She needed that, too.
They pulled away, "You okay?" Marley placed her hands on Gabby's shoulders, scanning her face.
"I'm alright," Gabby promised, just as thudding footsteps raced into the room.
"Move. Fucking move!"
Leo.
He nearly knocked people over in the front, bursting into the empty circle panting and choking for air. His green eyes desperately searched. Locking on the one person Marley already knew he was looking for.
"Jesus Christ,"
he growled, storming right past Marley and straight for Gabby.
"You hurt? Anything? Blondie? Talk to me," he rushed out, cupping her cheeks and scanning her over.
Marley wasn't sure how to feel right now, and clearly by the shock in Gabby's expression, she didn't either. Leo has never shown her a hint that he cared this much, but this was all instinct and the heat of the moment. Just as Marley was Aiden's first priority in the life-threatening situation, Gabby was Leo's.
This was a lot more intense than she originally thought. Could he-could he-
"Le-Leo," Gabby stuttered breathlessly, beginning to struggle in his hold.
After a few of his heaving breaths, he stumbled backwards from her, the adrenaline fading and rationality coming back to him.
He cleared his throat loudly, turning away from her and facing Aiden, "Who-who did this?"
Marley could see the frazzled, bewildered look on his face. He was just as surprised by his own actions as everyone else.
"Samson," Aiden responded finally, his voice raised in surprise.
Still, Marley felt him wrap an arm around her waist and hold her tightly against his hard chest, "Conner took him out. He's kicked from camp."
Leo's fists balled, expression darkening, "You didn't kick his ass? I would've asked you to tap me the fuck in."
"It's not right Leo," Marley cut in, swallowing harshly at Gabby frozen solid in the background, "Getting kicked out too would be the worst possible revenge for this."
He ran a hand through his blonde hair, looking incredibly aged and tired. Aiden, too. In fact, everyone in the room was just as shaken, holding onto each other and whispering shaky affirmations and words of comfort.
The green, screen door swung open and everyone turned to watch Jay walk in clad in grey sweatpants and a black hoodie, "Party's over, everyone. Pack it up. We'll have a group discussion about this tomorrow at the mess hall. 8am. Get some sleep."
-
After spending another half hour quietly cleaning, the guys walked the girls back to their cabin. Apart from Leo, he didn't even help clean. As soon as Jay gave the go ahead to head back to their respective cabins, he took off like a bat out of hell. Marley nudged Aiden to go after him, but he made it clear with a sharp blue-eyed look that he wouldn't be leaving her side right now.
Neither Bree, Jason, Brendan, Tristan, Kelly, Ryan, Sarah, Gabby, or Ethan spoke as they walked back down the dark pathway, illuminated by streetlights - but it felt as though they did nothing tonight. Aiden's arm was tightly wrapped around her shoulders, his head tilting to kiss the top of hers every couple minutes. She had her arm around his back, her body pressed as tightly as possible against him. Even the idea of losing Aiden beyond an argument or a breakup was so terrifying that it crushed her windpipes.
Marley can't imagine a world without him in it, even if it's not in hers.
"I love you," Aiden told her as he held her by the hips.
The guys had walked inside to say goodbye, but they both wanted more privacy than that.
Marley cupped his cheeks in her hands, scanning over every handsome feature of his face. Tonight made her realize that there isn't an endless amount of time to say what she needs to, and right now she was lucky that she had this moment. Her eyes bored into his swirling, beautiful blue ones as he looked into hers with enough love to put any of the most romantic couples to shame.
"I should say this more," she began shakily, brushing her hands along the sides of his face. She was stood on her tip toes, "we argue. You do stupid kid things and I push you away even when I don't mean to. We've both made mistakes when it's come to the other person. But despite all of that, you make me the happiest I've ever been or ever could be, and I'm so beyond grateful for that, Aiden."
It wasn't the time to have armour or too much pride. Boys need validation, too.
He tugged her closer by her hips and pressed his lips against hers. She circled her arms around his neck, responding to the most meaningful, loving kiss anyone's ever given anyone.
Marley pulled away, and he took her hand, lacing their fingers together and kissing the back of it. She noticed right away that his eyes had become distant and thoughtful.
"Are you okay? Aiden?" She asked with concern, watching the fog fade in the next second.
He smiled softly, "Yes. More than okay. But a moment like that, it makes you think about the future. About what's important. And that's you for me. Above all else."
Her eyes misted, "Ditto," she whispered cheekily, watching him roll his eyes playfully.
"Goodnight, spitfire."
"Goodnight, Aiden."
-
"What the hell is that?" Kelly groaned quietly, the top bunk creaking as she rolled over.
In the next second, Tristan growled out, "Shut. Up. Kelly."
Marley's eyes rolled beneath her lids, as she lifted her head to see what Kelly meant, still half asleep. Listening in, she finally heard the sound of muted muffles in deep baritone. Fluttering her eyes open, she sat up on her elbows and waited for it to stop. After about a sixty seconds, it was still a constant drone that was beginning to bother her too.
"Hear tha-"
"Kelly shut the fuck up."
Marley kept her lips pressed together as not to annoy Tristan more, who seriously valued her sleep to the point where the claws came out if anyone bothered her.
She slid out of the covers, stumbling upwards with a loud yawn. She was dressed in Aiden's black hoodie and shorts concealed by said hoodie, and long fuzzy purple socks on her feet. Her coffee brown hair was a rats nest on her head, but she was only planning to peek out the door, and if it was a bother that wasn't going away, unleash a tired Tristan on them.
Twisting the golden doorknob, she slid open the door and peeked out, using one hand to rub at her eyes as they burned with the lights of the hallway.
"What?" She blurted in a sleepy croak, shifting the door open entirely.
In front of her was Aiden, Ryan, Jason, and Brendan. They were all sitting in various positions against the wall or the railing across the wall, in sweats, t-shirts, and hoodies. Jason had just been catching a football in midair but they all quieted at the sound of Marley's voice.
She stepped outside on wobbly feet, letting out a louder yawn, "Wha-what?"
"What's going on?" Bree asked from down the hall. Marley watched her exit her room, blue eyes widening at seeing what Marley did.
She watched Aiden lift himself gracefully off the ground, his blue eyes heatedly trailing over her frame as he tugged her by his hoodie into his chest.
"So damn cute in my clothes," he grinned, kissing her forehead.
She shoved him off with a wrinkled nose, "What?"
"Is that the only word you know past midnight?" Brendan snorted, earning a surprise throw of the football from Jason, right in the cheek.
"Seriously," Bree grunted, her socked feet thudding across the floor as she approached her boyfriend's side, "what's going on?"
Aiden bent to nuzzle his nose into the hair on her shoulder while Jason replied.
"You've just stumbled upon the boyfriend's protective panel. We've reconvened and decided that the best course of action at the moment is to stay in the girls cabin for the night."
"You're freaking kidding," Bree hissed, "It's two o'clock in the morning!"
Marley's hazel eyes widened at that, placing her hands on the centre of Aiden's chest to push him away, "Go back to sleep! You need it!"
He shrugged as his eyes scanned over her face, "I agree with Letterman on this one. It didn't feel right being so far away after that."
Bree slapped a hand over her forehead while Marley blinked the fog out of her eyes and studied Aiden carefully. His expression was soft, but stiff with resolve.
"You're not leaving."
"Not in your wildest dreams, spitfire."
She sighed, reluctantly tugging herself away from his insane warmth, "Alright. I'll be right back," she conceded, turning around and heading back into her room.
"Close the do-"
"Tristan! Kelly! Brendan and Ryan are outside with the boyfriend's protective panel," Marley cut her off quickly as she grabbed the things she needed, "Just so you're aware."
"The boyfriend's fucking what panel?!"
Kelly was already climbing down from the bunk as Marley turned on her heel to head back outside with her hands full. She peeked at Aiden over her husky, who was already sat back down with an incredibly amused expression and a raised eyebrow.
"If you're here, I'm here," she grumbled, dropping her pile in front of him.
His chuckle was a deep and warm as she weakly crumpled to the ground and tiredly adjusted her pillows and blankets and the husky he won her at the carnival as a body pillow. All on Aiden's lap without saying a word to him.
"Go ahead and lay on my lap spitfire. I don't mind," he teased, snickering at her quick, harsh look.
Nonetheless, he adjusted the blankets before she laid down on top of his lap, throwing her small arm around the husky.
She sighed quietly at his smell and his warmth, the two most comforting things in her world. He shifted and circled his arms around her body, running a hand through her hair to smooth it down.
"Marle-"
"Less talking. More petting. More sleeping."
His chest rumbled while she buried herself in her red quilt to mute the hushed whispers happening between the others outside and their appearing girlfriends.
There was also the fact that Marley had seen something. A flash down the hall before it disappeared. Even with her limited vision, she knew it was a glimpse of nearly white blonde hair.
***