Chapter 7: Aiden's Tension with Jay
Elias POV
Jay and I were huddled in the library, sifting through piles of articles we could use for the documentary. I noticed Aiden nearby, focused intently on his laptop, though he kept glancing over at us. His gaze felt like a heavy weight pressing against the back of my head.
"Hey, do you think this one could work?" Jay asked, holding up an article, completely unaware of Aiden's watchful eyes.
Jay's relaxed smile made me feel at ease, like everything was going smoothly for once.
But just as I was about to answer, I heard Aiden mutter under his breath, "Could you two be any louder?"
Jay blinked in surprise, turning toward Aiden with a slightly raised brow. "We're in the library, man. If you need quiet, there are private study rooms."
Aiden's jaw tightened. "I'm trying to get work done, not listen to you two gossiping like this is some kind of social club."
Jay chuckled, shrugging it off. "Chill, Aiden. We're just talking about project ideas."
"Whatever," Aiden replied sharply, eyes narrowing slightly before he turned back to his screen.
Jay shrugged, but I could sense the tension settling between the two. Aiden's attitude felt sharper lately, more irritable, and I couldn't help but wonder why he seemed particularly bothered by Jay.
Trying to ease the awkwardness, I reached for a stack of papers and turned back to Jay, keeping my voice low. "So, you were saying about the article?"
Jay grinned, oblivious to the tension lingering around us. "Yeah, I was thinking we could pull some data from here, but maybe that's overcomplicating it."
As we dove back into the discussion, I saw Aiden watching us again from the corner of my eye, his expression unreadable.
The next moment, he slammed his laptop shut, gathered his things, and left without a word.
Jay raised an eyebrow at me. "What's his deal? He's been on edge lately."
I hesitated, not wanting to make assumptions. "Maybe he's just stressed. This project… it's a lot."
"Or maybe," Jay said with a smirk, "someone's jealous of our stellar teamwork." He nudged my shoulder playfully, and I chuckled, brushing it off.
But deep down, I couldn't shake the thought. Aiden's reactions were confusing, and I couldn't quite figure out what was causing this shift in him. He'd been distant, colder than usual, and these little flashes of frustration were unlike the calm, composed Aiden I thought I knew.
Later that evening, as I reviewed our project notes in my room, I got a text from him.
Aiden: Meet me at the library tomorrow. 8 am. Don't be late.
There was no hint of explanation, no extra detail, but the urgency in his message felt different.
The next morning, I made my way to the library, the early chill of the day clinging to the air. It was still quiet, the usual bustle not yet beginning, and I spotted Aiden right away.
He was sitting at a table near the window, leaning forward with his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the outside. The way he was sitting rigid, tense, told me this wasn't going to be just another filming session.
I walked over, feeling the weight of his silence before I even reached him. He didn't look up until I sat down, and even then, his eyes seemed distant, as if he were somewhere else entirely.
"So… morning," I said, keeping my tone light, hoping it might ease some of the tension.
Aiden finally turned his gaze on me, and there was something guarded, almost reluctant, in his expression. "We need to set some boundaries for this project."
The words hit me like a splash of cold water. "Boundaries?" What did he mean by that?
"Yeah." He took a deep breath, fingers tapping against the table. "Look, I get it... You and Jay are friends. That's fine... But when we're working on this, I don't want... distractions."
I blinked, surprised by the sudden direction this conversation was taking. "Distractions? Aiden, it's just Jay. We were discussing project ideas."
He shook his head, jaw tightening. "It's not just about Jay. It's... I don't know. Maybe I'm just not used to working with people who are so close-knit. You and Jay—" he paused, looking away for a second, almost as if he were struggling to find the right words. "I just don't want the focus shifting from the work we need to do."
I felt a flicker of frustration. "Aiden, we've been working hard on this. I don't see how a few conversations with Jay are affecting anything. We're on track, aren't we?"
His gaze softened for a moment, and he seemed to hesitate, like he wanted to say something but couldn't bring himself to. "Just… keep it professional."
There was an edge to his voice that stung, but I nodded, sensing that pressing further would only make things worse. "Fine. I'll be careful."
He looked back at me, something unreadable in his eyes. "Good. We're almost done with the initial footage, but there's still a lot left. Let's not waste time."
The rest of the morning was quiet, with Aiden keeping a steady distance. He didn't joke around or lighten up, and it was like a wall had gone up between us. It was strange—after the past few days, after the way we'd almost started to feel like a team, this sudden coldness felt jarring.
As we reviewed clips, I found myself glancing at him, wondering what had really triggered this. Had I crossed some invisible line without realizing it? Or was there something else weighing on him that he wasn't willing to share? The more I thought about it, the more his reactions seemed like they stemmed from something deeper, something beyond just annoyance with me and Jay.
But Aiden's walls were firmly in place, and for now, I knew better than to try and break through them.
Aiden's POV
I kept my eyes on the footage we were reviewing, pretending that I didn't notice Elias occasionally glancing my way. My frustration still lingered from earlier, but I told myself to stay focused, to keep things strictly professional. The last thing I needed was to let emotions cloud this project, even if Jay's easy friendship with Elias grated on me in a way I couldn't quite understand.
"So," Elias said, breaking the silence as he adjusted the camera settings. "I was thinking for the next few shots, maybe we could try a different angle? Capture the subjects' expressions from a closer perspective, make it more personal."
I nodded, barely acknowledging him. "Fine. Whatever works best for the narrative."
I could feel him watching me, that slight crease between his brows that usually appeared when he was trying to understand something. "You know," he started, almost hesitantly, "if there's something bothering you about this project, you can just tell me."
I kept my face blank, focusing on the screen. "There's nothing to tell. I'm here to get the job done, that's all."
"Right." He looked away, his tone suddenly cool. "It just seemed like… never mind."
The silence that followed was thicker than usual, pressing down with an awkward weight I wasn't used to. Elias had always been easygoing, a little too much for my taste, but I'd come to appreciate it, in a way. Now, though, he was quiet, his movements precise and professional as he set up the next shot. And for some reason, that frustrated me more than his usual cheerfulness.
The minutes ticked by, each one feeling longer than the last. We were barely speaking, and every now and then, I caught myself glancing his way, noting the way his jaw tightened when he thought I wasn't looking. I knew I was being difficult, but I couldn't bring myself to relax.
Finally, as he adjusted the lighting for another shot, I couldn't hold it in any longer. "Look, Elias, if I was out of line earlier… it's just that this project means a lot to me."
He looked up, his gaze meeting mine with that same openness that had always set him apart. "Aiden, I know it means a lot to you. It means a lot to me too. But we're a team, right? And that means trusting each other."
I swallowed, suddenly uncomfortable with how easily he cut through the tension I'd built up. "Yeah, I get that."
Elias hesitated, watching me for a moment. "I know you're not used to working closely with others, and maybe I'm too... casual about it all. But, for what it's worth, I think we make a good team. Or at least, we could."
Something in his tone softened the edge of my irritation, and I found myself nodding almost without thinking. "You're right. I could… try to meet you halfway."
A small, almost relieved smile crossed his face. "Good. Let's get through this project. Who knows? We might even surprise ourselves."