Falling for my Best Friend’s Bully

I walked with Aiden back to our shared residence hall, my mind buzzing with thoughts about the afternoon we'd spent together.

After his admission about being jealous, Aiden had shut down, refusing to elaborate. Despite my attempts to press him, he'd simply shaken his head with a faint smile, brushing it off with, "It doesn't matter anymore."

Except it did matter.

I sighed, pulling out my phone to check the time. It was almost 5 p.m. My breath caught when I saw two missed calls from Noah. My eyes widened as guilt prickled at me—I hadn't even noticed my phone buzzing.

We stopped on the main floor of the residence hall. It was a three-story building, and my room was on the second floor.

Aiden rubbed the back of his neck, his expression uncertain. "I feel like I messed up towards the end back there."

I shrugged, my eyes fixed on my phone. "You do you, Aiden. You don't owe me anything."

"That's not true, Ellie," he said quietly.

I ignored him, frustration bubbling up. It was exhausting how secretive he was—his job, his emotions, everything about him was a vague, deliberate mystery.

I slipped my phone into my bag and looked at him, my voice sharper than I intended. "I don't have the time or patience to pick you apart piece by piece. If you don't want to share something, fine. But don't expect me to trust what little you do share."

Aiden gave me a weak smile. "Your words hurt, Ellie. For real."

I shrugged again, feeling the weight of the conversation pressing down on me. I didn't have anything more to say, and I still needed to call Noah back.

"Thanks for lunch," I said, shifting my bag on my shoulder. "I'll text you the details about meeting up for our novel so we can officially start."

I turned to leave, but I flinched when I felt a warm hand clasp gently around my arm. Slowly, I turned back to face Aiden.

"What is it?"

He seemed to be wrestling with something, his jaw tight and his eyes uncertain. Finally, he spoke. "Ellie… I work nights."

I raised an eyebrow, my patience thinning. "So you've told me, Aiden Hartley."

"I work nights as a bodyguard for an organization. I get paid by the hour. That's my job," Aiden said, his voice quieter now, like he was weighing every word.

I blinked. Bodyguard.

That was the last thing I'd expected.

Aiden let go of my arm and ran a hand through his hair, looking almost vulnerable. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone, so please don't go spreading this around. I could lose my job."

"But you told me," I said, my voice quieter now.

Aiden gave me a pointed look, like the answer was obvious. "Yeah, because it was clear you were completely done with me. I couldn't let that happen."

I looked down, feeling the weight of the moment. "I'll let you off the hook for now and won't ask which organization or about your jealousy."

Aiden closed his eyes, releasing a quiet breath, the tension easing from his shoulders. "Thank you."

When he opened his eyes again, the striking blue of his gaze caught me off guard, deep and serious. "So… can we meet up again tomorrow? Same place? Same time?"

I nodded. "Just make sure you get some sleep unless I'm walking out of there."

Aiden smirked. "You know you won't."

"Oh please, get off your high horse, Aiden, and go eat mud."

Aiden laughed. "Your insults seem to lose steam when you're dishing them out to me. Distracted?"

"I'll break your nose," I threatened, but the words lacked any real force.

We had slowly been inching closer, our banter pulling us toward each other, and the people around us seemed to disappear as the distance between us shrank.

Aiden's gaze shifted, growing more intense, as if he were seeing straight through me. His eyes, impossibly deep, seemed to pull me in as he stared down at me.

My heart hammered in my chest as I looked up at him. I watched his gaze flicker to my lips, lingering there for a moment longer than necessary.

Did he want to kiss me?

And was I really going to let him?

Aiden met my eyes again, his expression soft, almost asking for permission. I couldn't quite read what I was feeling, but I didn't pull away as he slowly lowered his head toward me.

His lips were a breath away from mine, his warm coffee-scented breath mingling with the air between us, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Scared?" Aiden whispered, his voice low and teasing.

It took every ounce of control I had to keep my voice steady. "You wish, Aiden Hartley."

Aiden smirked, leaning in closer.

"Ellie?" A voice called out from behind me.

It was like being doused with ice-cold water. I recognized that voice instantly, had known it for years.

I slowly turned around, the air in my lungs freezing up when I saw Noah standing there. A few feet away, but it felt like a lifetime. His eyes were on me, searching—dissecting—his expression unreadable, but it hit me right in the chest.

I couldn't speak, couldn't move. The silence between us felt too loud, too heavy. Aiden was still there, but it barely registered.

All I could focus on was Noah, standing like a ghost from my past, his gaze sharp and expectant.

My heart raced, my mind scrambling for something to say, but the weight of everything felt too much. The moment stretched out, thick with unspoken words.

The tension between us was suffocating, and I knew—whatever happened next, it would change everything.