Walking right into trouble!

Competition is the most consistent thing in my life. Whether it was on the field cheering for our school's football team, my classes and school projects, or a board game with my group of friends, winning was something everyone around me basked in every time.

I threw my arms up in the air in victory, my mouth filled with popcorn. "Yeeffftthhh!"

Ari waved at me from her place on the field before running back up to take her spot. She has successfully perfected her landing after five trials. Considering I had no one to drive me home, I had to stay back and watch them practice even though I'll rather be sleeping on my bed now.

"You know, I still can't get over how weird you are." I turned my head to see Nolan coming towards me with a smile on his face.

"What can I say? Being weird is the new cool." He threw his head back in laughter, shaking his head slightly.

"Well, I love that cool." I smiled, stuffing my face with more popcorn. "How are you able to get that?"

"I have my ways." I winked, looking back at the field. They seem to be rounding up their routines. Suddenly remembering that I need to borrow advanced Calculus and Anatomy books from the library, I sprang up to my feet. "Hey, Nolan! Can you please tell Ari to wait for me? I have to go get something."

He nodded as I ran into the school's building. Aiden wants his book back, and I really need to step up my game before I get an awful F.

The field was empty by the time I stepped out of the front door of the building. I looked around, hoping to find Ari or maybe Ash around, but the place is empty except for two guys on the bleachers. I could recognize Nolan from here, but the other person, not so much.

Nolan must have heard me coming because he looked in my direction. "Hey, where's everyone?"

"I'm doing great, thanks for not asking," Aiden said, making me roll my eyes.

"I wasn't interested in knowing how you were, anyway."

"Rude." I stuck my tongue out to him before turning to Nolan, who was only looking between us in amusement.

"They left." He shrugged like he hasn't just said that I had lost my free ride home.

"Left? How could they leave? Ari knows I have no ride home." I exclaimed, confused as to why those two bolt heads will leave me here.

"He may have sent them home." I looked at Aiden with my eyes wide. He only seemed amused, looking down at his phone.

"Bro, that was my ride."

"It's no big deal, Hazel. I can drop you off if you want." I massaged my temples in frustration.

"Well, get to it then." I picked up my bag, shoving the books I went to borrow in it. I'm thinking of different ways to kill those two people I happen to call my best friends.

"Rude."

"Nolan!" He looked up from his phone. "How do you deal with him?"

"I ask myself that every day." He turned to Aiden. "Take me home on the bike."

"No," Aiden said.

"You're a nice guy," I said to Nolan, who seemed surprised at my compliment. I patted Aiden on the shoulder. "You should take notes."

"One, I never said I was a nice person, and two, I can't take him on the bike. My motorcycle's in the shop, but my car's in the parking lot."

"You have a motorcycle?" I asked, struggling not to laugh at the new information.

Aiden frowned, "How is that funny?"

"Because you're a walking cliché, dude. The leather jacket? Motorcycle? Is this Grease?"

He shot me a dirty look while Nolan chuckled loudly. Aiden was physically attractive, and he knew it. It is obvious in the way he carried himself and by his little comments. It added to his entire rude appeal.

"Honestly, I'm beginning to regret offering you a ride." He muttered under his breath, making us laugh louder. "Let's go."

Nolan waved goodbye to me as Aiden stomped away, picking up his duffel bag from the bleachers and heading to his car.

Sliding into the passenger seat, I turned to him. "Take me straight home, okay?"

He only smiled as he turned on the ignition.

**_**_**

"If I wasn't hungry, I would've decked you," I said as I munched on a honey bagel and my chocolate frappucino.

He hadn't taken me home. Instead, he had driven us to Crest Coffee Shop. We sat close to the window, watching as people kept spiraling about the neighborhood.

"Shut up and eat," Aiden said, giving me a lazy smile. He's lucky I can't resist food. "Thank me later."

I couldn't explain why he chose to drive all the way here when there was a diner beside our school. Though our last visit to the diner wasn't particularly a visit since I was out of it, and he ran out of the place as if someone set him on fire.

The atmosphere of the café was friendly but buzzing at the same time. It seemed like the customers here know each other personally, making it even more welcoming than it already feels.

"Why are we here?"

"Ain't you as fun as I thought?" I shot him a glare, making him raise his hands in surrender. "Fine! I usually come here when I want to be alone. I stumbled across this place after I got back from juvie. And it became my safe haven ever since."

The hairs on my body stood up when I heard that. Did Aiden just say what I think he said, or am I suddenly hearing things?

"You went to juvie?" I croaked out. He ran his eyes all over my profile, probably trying to read my emotions.

"Yeah. You didn't know? Pretty much everyone in this town knows, and they kinda hate me for it." That explains Ari's reaction when she found out I started talking to him.

"I didn't know." He nodded, looking into my eyes again.

"Do you hate me for it too?"

"Why would I? But seeing as I don't exactly like you, I can't hate you for something like that. Whatever reason it was that made you go there. I'm sure you have a reason for it." I said. And I meant it.

People shouldn't go around judging others without knowing what their story is. Apart from Aiden's annoying rudeness and cocky comments, I've not seen anything that would indicate that he was a bad or dangerous person. Either he had changed in juvie, or he had a reason for being there in the first place.

He looked at me for a long minute before a smile slowly crawled up his face. "I knew you were my soulmate."

"Ewww! gross." I gagged, causing him to laugh. His laughter made his emerald green orbs sparkle under the light, and at this moment, I could see that his shoulders were less tense. My response affected him. And this only irked my curiosity; what is your story, Aiden?

The table became silent after his laughter died down. I sipped my drink as I tried not to make the situation more awkward than it already is.

"Thank you!" I turned my head towards him. He passed me a small smile, making me nod my head. My phone rang, and I pulled it out only to see it's a call from my mom. Suddenly remembering that I didn't tell her that I would be coming home late, I excused myself from the table.

"Hello," I said.

"Athena, sweetie! Where are you? Are you okay? You didn't faint again, did you?" Levi's voice slipped through the other end of the phone. He's the only one that would bombard me with questions like that, except from Ari, of course.

"Hey, Levi. I'm okay. I'll be home soon." After telling me to take care of myself and to come home on time, we hung up. I washed my hands before walking out of the restroom.

Aiden was no longer at our table when I stepped out. I initially thought he left me alone here, but his bag was still on the floor. Maybe he went to the restroom too. I was about to take a seat when Nolan burst through the door, his eyes scanning the room before landing on me.

"Nolan! Why are you here? What's going on?" He came closer, taking deep and steady breaths.

"Where is Aiden? I have to speak to him."

"I don't know. I came back from the restroom to see Aiden gone." I pointed towards his bag that was on the floor.

"Dammit! Wait here. He never listens." I watched Nolan run out of the cafe. I don't think Nolan knows the kind of person I am cause if he does, he wouldn't ask me to wait. I ran after him, making sure not to lose him since there is a fair distance between us. I don't know how long it was that we have been running, but I'm sure it has been almost 30 minutes. "What are you doing? I told you to wait behind."

I rolled my eyes, coming to a stop behind him as I gasped to get air into my lungs. "You don't expect me to just sit there and wait?"

"Yeah! That was what I expected." I rolled my eyes again before looking around him. The area here looks shady and deserted. Nothing was here except for some bikes and a few cars parked.

"What are we doing here?"

"I have to look for Aiden." I looked around, searching for where Aiden can be.

"What makes you think he's here? This place looks empty."

"Trust me. It's not. Aiden will kill me if I take you in there. Go wait in the diner. We'll be there soon."

"I can't go back after running for that long. Let's go. I need to knock some sense into him anyway." He let out a sigh before pulling my hands. He led me through a secluded part that I didn't even see before.

"Are you sure you don't have plans to kill me?" He rolled his eyes before leading me through another path.

"Now that you've mentioned it, I might have to." I could hear cheers and random noises from afar off, making me even more curious. What on earth am I walking into? "Here we are."

Looking ahead, nothing prepared me for this.