Falling for my Best Friend’s Bully

"My Shaylaaa!" Shari's voice rang out the moment she stepped into class.

Every pair of eyes in the room turned toward me as Shari bounded over with her arms spread wide, a grin plastered on her face.

Before I could stop her, she bent down and wrapped me in an enthusiastic hug. "I missed you yesterday!" she said, squeezing me tightly.

"You saw me yesterday," I mumbled, my face redder than my hair.

"Yeah but only for the first class. Do you feel better?"

I gently pushed Shari back and smiled up at her. "I do. Thanks so much for your concern."

"It's more than fine," Shari said with a smile before walking to her seat.

"You were sick Ellie?" Aiden asked. It was the first thing he'd said to me since I'd come to class and plopped my bag down on the same window chair from yesterday.

I half turned my head and gave him a terse nod.

Aiden stared at me, eyes deep and unreadable. He had on a black compression shirt and black jeans. His footwear were white sneakers.

I slowly turned fully when I noticed the large K tattoo on his neck. That had definitely not been there yesterday had it? He'd worn a hoodie so I wasn't sure…

"Something the matter?" Aiden asked.

"No, nothing." I said and turned my face forward. I was grateful when the teacher walked in and started class.

I could barely keep my yawns bottled up during the one hour lecture. Renaissance Period was such an interesting subject but the lady who taught it was the epitome of boring.

I blinked my bleary eyes as she walked away after giving books and poems to read up on.

"That was absolute torture," said Shari.

"I know right?" said another girl I didn't recognize. Her braids were midnight blue and she had honey brown eyes. The girl stretched and spoke again, "I thought I would collapse from how boring she was."

"Not everyone can make Shakespeare boring," said a guy with brown hair. "Miss Marcel is special."

I laughed weakly and picked up my phone. Still no texts from Noah. He hadn't texted since I'd left yesterday. I swallowed down the lump in my throat and put my phone down.

I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Yes Aiden?" I said without looking back.

"Are you upset with me?" Aiden asked.

I internally groaned. I'd hoped he wouldn't notice how frosty I was being. But this was for the best.

I turned around. "Why didn't you come to class yesterday?"

"I had plans."

"Which plans? As a student, aren't classes meant to be your number one plans?"

Aiden raised an eyebrow at me. "Says you that didn't come either."

"Exactly!" I said, my heart stuttering at how he looked at me. There was frustration in his eyes, yes, but beneath it… something else. Something that almost left me speechless, and made it impossible to look away. Something soft and yearning.

"Because we both didn't come, now we are partners!"

"What is so wrong with that?" Aiden asked, his voice low as mine kept rising steadily.

"You. Bullied. Noah."

"Yes I did and I am sorry."

I shook my head in frustration. Why could I not get my mouth to work together with my brain. My words were as jumbled up as I felt.

"You're bad for me Aiden," I said slowly.

Aiden shrugged and looked away. He had a half smile on his face. When he looked at me, his eyes were narrowed and his gaze void of every emotion except desire.

My heart was slamming against my chest at this point.

"Ellie!" I heard a voice say. Probably Shari's but I was too far gone to tear my eyes away from Aiden's charged gaze.

Despite the argument with Aiden, there was something in his gaze as he looked at me, something that mixed with the open desire I saw in his eyes — a kind of pull, almost like he was daring me to see something deeper.

"Ellie, what do you think I want from you?" Aiden asked, his voice low.

"I-"

"Ellie."

My body went cold. I turned around slowly and my eyes traveled up even slower.

Noah was looking at me.