Meaningless Routine

For the rest of week, I skipped lunch. Instead, I would go to my house and stay there, since it was close to the school. It seemed silly for me to get so worked up over what he said to me. I knew that how I was reacting was ridiculous, but it didn't matter. My stubbornness took over and I wouldn't give in until he apologized, which I didn't actually give him the chance to do.

At school, I avoided him. At home, I ignored his calls and texts. Sure, it was such a sophomore thing to do, but I was a sophomore and I was very... sophomoric. That was that, it wouldn't change.

Of course, I did go out with Austin. In my mind, I had pictured a nice dinner or maybe a movie. Y'know, the typical high school date stuff. However, I got a 'get-together' as he called it, at an old baseball field they used to hang out. Not exactly my choice of a first date. All the baseball boys were there, with their dates as well. A few were flying solo and for that, I actually respected them.

I made friends with the girl that Ben brought. Her name was Melinda, but she insisted that we all call her Mel, which we did. She was a short, thin little thing and she had the greenest eyes I'd ever seen in my entire life. In return, she told me that my blue eyes were the bluest she'd ever seen. Her hair was the opposite of mine. It was dark brown, contrasting my extremely blond hair. Our skin tones were similar - a golden color that was around from summer.

As she stood next to me, my five foot five frame had to look down at her exact five foot frame. We were both thin, but since she was so petite and tiny, she didn't look as thin as I was told I looked. All in all, though, she was perfect for Ben.

And of course, Aiden was there with Harper, who I had learned to be was quite the little whore. According to Madeline, she would break up with him whenever she found a boy toy she was interested in for five minutes and they would stay broken up until she wanted him back, or in this case, she was jealous that I was around. To say that she disliked me would be a rather large understatement.

It was fun, despite the fact that it lacked first date attributes. The people there were my good friends and good drinks with good food was passed around and good music was playing. It was, dare I say, good.

Around eleven, when I had gone to the keg to refill my - classic - red plastic cup, I finally had my run in with Aiden. A couple minutes before, Austin had gone to who knows where to 'take a leak' - ew - and I was left to get my own drink. Back then, being a simply fifteen year old, I hadn't had much experience with a tap on a keg. Now, however, give me a keg and I was a expert with said tap and I could do a pretty good damn keg stand. Mind you, that took years of practice.

Anyways, Aiden had grabbed my cup from me. He put it under the tap and let the disgustingly bitter yet lovely beer flow into the cup.

He glanced at me and then across the way. I followed his gaze, which was just Harper, talking to another guy. No doubt, she was actually flirting with him. However, Aiden didn't look angry. He seemed as if he really didn't care what she was doing and at that, I laughed. My laugh made him look at me, raising an eyebrow and handing me my drink back.

"Your girlfriend's a whore," I said simply, taking a sip from the rim of the cup.

Shrugging, all he did was nod. "I thought I told you not to go out with Austin," he told me.

Just as he did, I shrugged. "Well, if it matters at all, I'm highly disappointed. I expected a carriage pulled by horses and he would take me to the ball, I'd be home by midnight, and he'd kiss me like in the movies. And if not that, at the very least, a dinner and he'd walk me to my door. Not that he'd be drunk and hitting on Marissa McCarver," I said, rolling my eyes as I spotted him leaning into the pale brunette across the way.

Despite the bitterness in my voice, Aiden laughed. "Yeah, that whole carriage and ball thing was a long shot. Dinner, maybe not. Him hitting on Marissa McCarver and being drunk, however, is right on the ball. I told you, Alex. He's not exactly date material. He's Austin Owens for crying out loud."

I took in a deep breath and let it out. "I see that. But the thing is, you need to let me figure that out on my own." He nodded, but didn't say anything. "Well, it seems as if both our dates are macking on others. Wanna sit by the fire with me and silently mock the drunks?"

And just like that, we were fine. Aiden laughed and he led me to the fire. We sat down on an old wooden bench and a blanket was used to cover our shoulders to block the wind. It was a simple night. It was a night I knew I'd always remember, because it was the night that Aiden and I... connected on a deeper level than we'd already been on.

That was the night that no one knew us as a single person. We became nearly inseparable after that. Aiden and Alex. Alex and Aiden. That was the night where I realized that I was living his story and not my own anymore.

As typical as it sounded, that was the night that I realized he would be the one for me. It sounded young and naive, but it was true. We were perfect together.

The following week held a lot of things. At school, Austin had apologized for the terrible date and asked me out on another. For some reason, I had agreed to it. The following night, he took me to dinner. Again, however, it just wasn't right. Don't get me wrong, Austin was great and the date was lovely, but he just... he wasn't Aiden. He wasn't the guy I wanted him to be. And he knew that. He knew it before even I admitted it officially to myself.

Along with that, on Wednesday, after my date with Austin, Aiden had officially and completely broken up with Harper. They were over and according to him, never going to be 'on' again. When he said that, I laughed and told him that I'd give it a week. Well, that week was over and he hadn't even spoken to Harper once.

And lastly, on Friday, Aiden asked me out. To say that was the most exciting moment of my life would be pretty much right on the ball. Me, a young sophomore girl, was asked out by Aiden Parkson.

Aiden freakin' Parkson asked me out.

He asked me, Alex Callahan, out on a freakin' date.

That, was chapter two of his story. It was only the beginning.