There was a knock on the door the next morning, Mum let Aden in as I finished off my cereal.
"Good morning Aden," greeted Mum. "How was your first day yesterday?" she asked. Aden smiled at me.
"It was good, Georgia showed me around school, and I met her friends," he told her.
Mum nodded as she cleaned George up. I took that opportunity to get up and go. Quickly, I finished my breakfast and before Mum could say anything embarrassing, I grabbed my backpack and left. Aden walked beside me quietly until we were close to the shops.
"Georgia, can I ask you something? It's kind of personal," he asked. I shrugged and nodded.
"Do you like Matt?" he asked. I stopped in shock.
"W…. w…what makes you think that?" I stammered my face feeling just as hot as Aden's hand had yesterday. Aden chuckled.
"You do that when you get embarrassed, stammer I mean and blush," he said with a smirk. I shook my head and continued to school.
"Well?" he asked again. I took a deep breath.
"Of course, I like Matt, he is one of my closest friends," I said avoiding his eyes, I could feel my heart racing, any minute now it would stop altogether. For some unknown reason, I didn't want Aden to know that I had a crush on Matt, I don't know why.
"That's not what I meant Georgia and you know it," he said. Luckily, I was saved.
"Georgia! Aden!" called Hannah and Lucy. I waved at them as we got closer. Aden looked at me before walking off with Thomas and Matt. Hannah and Lucy pulled me back, so we could talk.
"Well, yesterday you said he was a jerk and now you're walking to school with him. You better dish," Hannah said as Lucy nodded. I sighed and told them all about my first meeting with Aden and then with him eventually apologizing. Lucy and Hannah were giddy by the time I finished my story.
"Oh, just think Georgia. Aden could like you; you know what they say, boys are mean to the girls they like." Lucy gushed as she watched Aden laugh at something Thomas had said. I was blushing at this point.
"Luce, that's more for little kids that don't know how to express their feelings," I said. Lucy and Hannah laughed at me.
"What's so funny girls?" Matt called. Hannah waved him off.
"Nothing for you boys," she said.
"Lucy's right Georgia, you've liked Matt for years and the boy is clueless. Don't get me wrong I love the guy, he's a great friend, but I think you could have something here with Aden. Just think, he's right next door, so you don't have to wait for school to see him and neither of you will have to spend half an hour on a bus just to see each other on the weekends," Hannah said.
"Hannah, Aden and I are not going to be a thing, ok," I said. Hannah and Lucy exchanged a glance that said 'yeah right' but I ignored it. I could see Aden watching me, for a moment I thought he heard what we had been saying, but then he turned back to talk to Thomas.
The day passed quickly and soon it was the end of the day. As my friends rode off Aden and I started walking home.
"So, I talked to Hannah and Lucy at dinner time," he said, I looked at him as if to say, 'yeah so?' He shrugged
"Well you wouldn't answer my question this morning, so I went to another source, or two," he said. It took me a minute to remember what he had asked me this morning, once that light bulb clicked, I looked at him in shock and a little fear.
"What did they say?" I asked, I was imagining the worst-case scenario. Knowing those girl's, they probably told him that they think he is a better boyfriend for me than Matt.
"They confirmed what I had guessed and said that they wanted you to be with someone that had a clue," he said. I couldn't think of what to say.
"What did they mean by that?" he asked. I shrugged my shoulders.
"I don't know," I said. I was in complete shock I mean wouldn't you be.
"Was he the boy you talked about, you know the one that asked someone else to a dance and not you?" he asked again. I sighed, wanting this conversation to end quickly.
"Yeah, he was" I confirmed, hoping to end it there. We walked in silence for the rest of the time. When we got to my house, he stopped me from going inside.
"Are you going to the den later?" he asked. I nodded. "Ok, knock on my door and I will come with you," he said before waving goodbye. I went inside still in shock a bit. 'Why did he want to know if I liked Matt or not?' I thought to myself.
Mum and George were in the living room as usual, so I went upstairs to change. After dinner, I got my coat and called Mum as I left.
"Mum, I'm going to the den."
I knocked on Aden's door and he opened it up a second later like he had been waiting for me just behind it. He looked upset.
"You ok?" I asked as we made our way to the den. He stayed silent until we went inside.
He sat down on the sofa and sighed. I sat next to him and waited; Aden eventually looked at me.
"I'm ok," he said.
"Clearly you're not," I said back. He groaned and leant his head back. His eyes were closed, and he looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
"I could help," I said, he turned his head to look at me. He stared at me for quite some time, I wanted to wriggle away, his stare was that intense, but I remained still and stared back. Eventually, he broke the staring contest and sighed again.
"It's nothing Georgia, at least nothing you can help with. Family stuff," he said as he stood up and walked to the bookcase. He picked up the book he had been reading yesterday and sat back down. I took the hint and went to my table, we stayed like that, in silence, for the entire time, we were in there for a couple of hours. I heard him get up one time and then sit back down but aside from that nothing.
I knew It was time to get back, so I started packing my things away. I made for the door and noticed he wasn't moving.
"Are you coming?" I asked. He shook his head and lifted up the book he had in his hands. It was like he was giving me the silent treatment. I turned and left in a huff; I didn't even say bye. He was doing it again, whatever was troubling him at home, he was taking it out on me. Well, he wasn't like he was before, with the whole being rude, but this was just as bad. I mean I get not wanting to talk about it, but did he have to not talk at all. Not even to say he wanted to stay and read some more.
I was halfway across the field when I heard him calling my name.
"Georgia!" he shouted. I ignored him; I could be like that too. "Georgia please!" he called. I got angry, was he serious? He just acted like a child and still expects me to still talk to him. I turned around.
"What!" I said in anger. I don't know why I was so angry, but I couldn't change it. He stopped a few feet away from me. He looked a little shocked, I stared at him as he tried to think of something to say. "Well!" I demanded.
"I'm sorry ok, whatever I did to make you angry I'm sorry," he said. I didn't say anything I just turned and carried on walking. I didn't stop to see if he was coming, I didn't stop to say bye to him. I went inside and straight up to my room. I looked out the window as he walked up to his house. He looked up at my window, he looked sad.
I was about to turn away when he reached his front door, but it opened before he got there and a girl, my age maybe slightly older, stepped out and hugged him. I was transfixed, she was drop-dead gorgeous. Tall, tanned, long blonde hair, everything I wasn't. I was angry for a different reason now. Though to be honest I wasn't sure why.
The next morning, I left earlier than usual, I told my parents I had to meet with my English teacher before class started, to talk about my homework. I didn't want to walk with Aden, I didn't want to meet or hear about his girlfriend. I felt terrible; I honestly didn't know why I was upset that he had a girlfriend. I mean, I had told Hannah and Lucy that I wasn't interested in him. So, why was it bothering me?
I made it to the shops, to the little alleyway behind the last shop, to be more precise, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I was pulled back into the alley and pushed up against the wall. My breath got knocked out of me for a moment, in front of me was the very person I wanted to avoid.
"What the hell Aden!" I called as I regained my breath.
"I called for you, and your mum said you had left already. I was calling your name and you were ignoring me," he said. I scowled at him I reached up and pulled my headphones out of my ears.
"I had my music on, I couldn't hear you," I said as I made to move past him. He blocked my way, I huffed, like a kid, and folded my arms across my chest.
"What did I do?" he asked. I glared at him.
"I shouldn't have to tell you," I said. I know I wasn't being reasonable, he gave me the silent treatment and didn't tell me about his girlfriend, though, I didn't ask if he had one.
"Is it because I didn't want to talk about my family troubles yesterday?" he asked. I took a deep breath, I needed to be calm otherwise I would say something I would definitely regret.
"No, I get not wanting to talk about problems in your family. It was the silent treatment you gave me afterwards, even when I asked you if you are coming, you just held up the book. You were being rude and mean again. So, I got cross, then you were like what did I do?" I didn't give him a chance to respond, I quickly moved past him and raced off to meet my friends.
I didn't speak much with Aden that morning, I could tell my friends had noticed, well at least Hannah and Lucy had. At lunchtime, Hannah and Lucy dragged me away from the guys.
"What's wrong with you and Aden?" Lucy asked. I really didn't want to talk about it.
"It's nothing guys," I said.
"Come on, you can tell us," they pleaded. I sighed, maybe they would understand why I was so upset with him.
"Ok, yesterday after dinner I went to the den with Aden, he was obviously upset about something. I asked him about it, but he didn't want to talk about it, or anything else. He gave ME the silent treatment like I had been the one to upset him. When it was time to go, I asked him if he was coming and he just held up a book he was reading. Then after I left, he called after me and was like 'what have I done?' I went home, straight upstairs and I looked out my window and this tall skinny blonde, our age, comes out of his house and hugs him," I explain. Both girls shared a knowing glance.
"He has a girlfriend?" Hannah asked. I shrugged my shoulders.
"I don't know, he's never said, and I've never asked." Lucy took my hand and stood up.
"One way to solve that," she said. We walked back to the boys, or rather I was pulled back to them.
"Oh, nice of you girls to join us," mocked Thomas, "I didn't think you were friends with us anymore," he joked. I laughed at him as I took the seat next to him. Aden was watching me as the girls took a seat on either side of him.
"So, what were you girls talking about?" asked Thomas. Matt slapped him on the head, which had me laughing.
"Dude, that's none of your business," he said.
"Thanks, Matt, it's nice to know one of you is a gentleman," joked Hannah.
"Yeah, Aden are you a gentleman?" asked Lucy. I wanted to sink into my seat. Aden chuckled
"I'd like to think so," he said as he turned to look at her.
"So, you wouldn't ask stupid personal questions like Thomas here," she asked pointing to Thomas. He shook his head as Thomas scowled and pulled his tongue out at her.
"What about your girlfriend, would you ask her personal questions like that?" she asked. He looked at me when she asked that, I pretended to be watching what Matt was drawing.
"No, I wouldn't," he said again. 'Talk about vague' I thought, I wanted to roll my eyes.
"So, you have a girlfriend," said Hannah, Aden laughed.
"No, no I don't. I just meant that if I had one, I wouldn't ask questions like that," he clarified.
"Really no one from where you moved from?" she asked again.
"There was someone, but that was over long before I moved," he explained. Whatever Hannah wanted to ask next got interrupted by the lunch bell, signalling the end of lunch and the start of lessons. I felt a little better knowing that the girl wasn't his girlfriend. Maybe she was a relative or something.
The rest of the day went quickly and soon Aden and I was waving bye to the guys. He looked at me as the bus sped off.
"So…." he started. I didn't respond, "Can I walk with you?" he asked. He seemed really shy, maybe even scared. Like, he was afraid I would say no.
"I guess since we both live that way," I said. I didn't mean to be rude, but I didn't know what else to say or do. We walked in silence until we reached my house, before I could turn in, he grabbed my hand to stop me.
"Can we talk?" he said. Again, I wasn't sure what to say. "Get changed and meet me back here in ten minutes, please Georgia. I know I probably don't deserve a chance, but I'm asking for a chance to explain. If you don't come out, I will completely understand, and I won't bother you again, just, please. Ten minutes," he said before going home. I wasn't sure what to do, I guess he hadn't done anything that bad. I should give him a chance to explain, right?
Ten minutes later, I left my house and he was there. He looked relieved to see me.
"I wasn't sure if you were going to come. Let's go to the den," he said, we walked in silence until we got there. Once inside we took a seat on the sofa and I waited.
"I'm sorry, for the silent treatment. I wanted to tell you what was wrong, but I thought it would change your opinion of me," he said. I raised my eyebrow at him.
"That implies I had a good opinion of you before," I said jokingly, he laughed.
"True, my first impression didn't go very well, did it?" he said. It was my turn to laugh.
"Yeah, or the second or third," I joked. He laughed but then quickly turned serious.
"I know you were only trying to help, and I acted like a little kid. So, I am sorry for that," he said. I nodded accepting that apology. "As for the reason as to why I was upset. My ex showed up yesterday whilst I was at school. She broke up with me because she met someone else, she said was better. Her parents and mine have always been good friends. They came for a visit, mum told them to make sure she doesn't come, but of course, she has. She was acting like nothing had happened, trying to hold my hand, kissing me on the cheek and trying to hold me or have me hold her. I tried telling her, but she wouldn't listen," he sounded so frustrated.
"I have known her since we were little, she was a very sweet, kind and friendly person. Then when we got older, she went to a sort of boarding school for a few years and when she got back, we started dating. I thought she was still the same person just all grown up. Then after a few weeks we erm... Well, we err ...slept together."
He actually looked embarrassed here, if I wasn't feeling the same, I might have laughed.
"She changed. She started being very demanding, always wanting to know what I was doing, who I was with and all that. She started wearing tighter clothes, at first, I didn't mind. I thought I was in love with her, but then she started spending time with some older guys, and her clothes got shorter. I didn't want to tell her what to do or anything, but I did tell her that she might be giving those guys the wrong idea, with her clothes. She told me to stop being boring, the next day she broke up with me in a text. She said I was controlling her, and she found someone who could give her what she needed. What that was I had no clue. I was heartbroken of course but then being here, meeting you. It's made me realize, that what I felt for her wasn't love. At least not that type," he was looking down at his hands when he finished, waiting for my response. I was confused.
"How did meeting me help you realize that. We've only known each other for about two weeks and only one of those days was us being friendly," I said with a chuckle. He laughed as well.
"Well, that one day did it," he said with a smile. We both laughed, I liked this side of him playful and friendly. We talked some more about his friends back home and things until it was time to go. He walked me to my door and stopped me from going inside.
"Georgia?" he said, I turned to him, but before I could realize what was happening, he kissed me. It was really quick, but it took my breath away. I blushed and once I found my breath I asked.
"What was that for?" He smiled.
"I've been wanting to do that since you came to help me unpack and got embarrassed about emptying a box of my underwear." I went to hit him, but he dodged it laughing.
"You knew?" I demanded as I tried to hit him again.
"Not right away, but when you stormed out, I looked inside the box," he explained. He dodged me again, but this time he grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer. My heart stopped as he leaned in.
Just as our lips touched, we both heard a loud cough. 'Please don't let it be mum or dad, or even his mum or dad,' I thought as we pulled away and looked.
It was worse, I started to wish it had been my parents.