To Break Free
Chapter Five
On the Monday after Riley's second encounter with Aiden at the pond, she didn't flinch when he walked up to her. She even tried to smile when he wrapped her in a hug. When she returned to her house after her time at the pond with him, she had done some thinking. She wanted desperately to break from her shyness, and so if a nice person wanted to be friends with her, she needed to go with it. So if he hugged her, she would let him. She would try to start a conversation. Riley just wanted a friend.
Aiden was surprised when the girl hugged him back and more surprised when he heard her mutter the words "Good morning." He was happy, though. It meant that she was beginning to warm up to him, and he wanted her to warm up to him. To let her guard down. When he saw her that day in the woods, Aiden knew that he wanted to be with her. The way she shied away from him, her hesitance to speak, her awkwardness. He had to be the one to convince her to let her guard down. He wanted to be the one to break her.
"Hey, Riley! Aiden," she scoffed a bit as she said his name, "how was your weekend?"
The two looked up to see Shayla standing in front of them. While Aiden took on a look of disgust, Riley smiled at the other girl. She couldn't speak though. She didn't feel quite comfortable enough. Did Shayla really care how their weekend went? Could she have known that she and Aiden had spent some time together? Did everyone lurk in the woods? That would just be creepy, she thought.
Apparently Shayla had expected an answer. She spoke again, "Uh, okay then. I guess I'll head off to class. Be careful, Ri." Riley blushed at the new nickname.
After the other girl walked off, Riley thought for a moment before speaking, "Um, A-Aiden? Why doesn't she like you?" she looked down at the floor.
Aiden wasn't sure what to say. If he explained his history with her, then Riley would surely shy further away from him. He didn't want that. She was already distant enough with him. It didn't usually take so much effort to win a girl's affection. He wouldn't normally lurk in the woods for a girl. Damn, couldn't she go to a movie or something?
He realized that he should probably answer, but what could he say? He finally answered, "I don't know, she's crazy. Let's get to class, Riles." He knew the nickname would cause her to blush and likely forget the topic.
And he was correct. She stuttered, "Uh, y-yeah, let's, uh, go."
Aiden was surprised when the girl hugged him back and more surprised when he heard her mutter the words "Good morning." He was happy, though. It meant that she was beginning to warm up to him, and he wanted her to warm up to him. To let her guard down. When he saw her that day in the woods, Aiden knew that he wanted to be with her. The way she shied away from him, her hesitance to speak, her awkwardness. He had to be the one to convince her to let her guard down. He wanted to be the one to break her.
"Hey, Riley! Aiden," she scoffed a bit as she said his name, "how was your weekend?"
The two looked up to see Shayla standing in front of them. While Aiden took on a look of disgust, Riley smiled at the other girl. She couldn't speak though. She didn't feel quite comfortable enough. Did Shayla really care how their weekend went? Could she have known that she and Aiden had spent some time together? Did everyone lurk in the woods? That would just be creepy, she thought.
Apparently Shayla had expected an answer. She spoke again, "Uh, okay then. I guess I'll head off to class. Be careful, Ri." Riley blushed at the new nickname.
After the other girl walked off, Riley thought for a moment before speaking, "Um, A-Aiden? Why doesn't she like you?" she looked down at the floor.
Aiden wasn't sure what to say. If he explained his history with her, then Riley would surely shy further away from him. He didn't want that. She was already distant enough with him. It didn't usually take so much effort to win a girl's affection. He wouldn't normally lurk in the woods for a girl. Damn, couldn't she go to a movie or something?
He realized that he should probably answer, but what could he say? He finally answered, "I don't know, she's crazy. Let's get to class, Riles." He knew the nickname would cause her to blush and likely forget the topic.
And he was correct. She stuttered, "Uh, y-yeah, let's, uh, go."
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A bit of a filler, but also some insight into Aiden's mind, yeah? Comments please? :)