Aiden was walking towards X apartments, specifically toward James's home. But he was not alone; with him was the girl he met for the first time today, Emily.
But the atmosphere between them was awkward, as both of them were silent.
"Um, so why did you suddenly transfer here?" Said Aiden to ease the tension between them.
"At last you said something; I thought you were just going to stay silent until we reached X apartments." Said Emily with a sigh, and Aiden just looked at her with a straight face.
"This is because of my dad's job; his company suddenly transferred him here." Said Emily as she saw Aiden didn't react to her previous statement.
"So, that's why you came here, huh." Said Aiden softly.
"No, because this is my mom's hometown and there are good colleges here, so we shifted here permanently." Said Emily as he heard Aiden.
Aiden just nodded his head as he heard Emily and became silent again.
"And you? What about you?" Said Emily as she saw Aiden becoming silent again.
"I was born here. So I've been here since my birth." Said Aiden softly.
Both of them became silent after this conversation, and again, the atmosphere became as it was before.
"Why are you going to X apartments?" Asked Emily suddenly.
"To help a friend in his studies, you know Mr. Kim is going to take a test tomorrow." Said Aiden.
"So you will stay there tonight." Said Emily as she made an assumption.
"Probably." Said Aiden with uncertainty.
Aiden became silent as he answered Emily.
Their destination was getting close; only the sound of them walking could be heard.
They had an absolute silence between them as if the atmosphere had been awkward before. It was now more awkward.
They arrived in front of X apartments.
"You know…" Said Emily, slowly gaining Aiden's attention.
".. You should stop being grumpy. Show some enthusiasm when you answer." Said Emily with an annoyed frustration.
"It was the first time I had a hard time having a conversation; you sounded like an old man." Said Emily with a sigh.
It was really hard for her to have a conversation with Aiden.
Aiden just stared at her with a slight shock. Well, he knew he didn't talk that well, but an old man? AN OLD MAN?!!
"Forget it; I'm going to that building, and you?" Said Emily as she saw Aiden's expression and pointed toward a building on the right.
Aiden didn't say anything and just pointed toward a building on the left.
"Okay then, bye." Said Emily as she started walking toward her building.
'An old man?!' Aiden thought inwardly as he just stayed in his position.
"And listen, I will wait here for you tomorrow morning; let's go to school together. Good night." Emily shouted, interrupting Aiden from his thoughts.
Aiden just nodded at her unconsciously, and Emily went into her building as she saw Aiden nod.
Aiden just stared at her as she entered the building and started moving toward the building on the left, where James's house was.
—--------------------------------------------
*Ding Dong*
*Ding Dong*
"James!! Check who's on the door!! A middle-aged woman shouted.
She was James's mother, Mrs. Olivia. She was washing dishes when she heard someone ringing the doorbell.
As she was busy, she shouted for James's help.
*Ding Dong*
But alas, her shout didn't help much.
"James!!! Can't you hear the doorbell?!!" She shouted again.
She waited for some time, but there was no reply.
She assumed he was busy again playing his video games, as every time while playing, he always used his headphones, which resulted in him not hearing anything except the game sound.
*Ding Dong*
She again heard the doorbell and had no choice; she had opened the door herself.
"I have been too lenient on him." Olivia muttered as she stopped doing the dishes.
"This boy doesn't deserve the peace." she muttered again as she dried her hands, but now there was some anger in her voice.
James, who was busy with his video games, didn't even realize that without any intention. He has activated a volcano, which hasn't been activated for ages.
He didn't even know a calamity was coming towards him, and here he was having fun, smiling like a child as he was winning his match.
May his soul rest in peace.
*Ding Dong*
The doorbell rang again as Olivia was near the door.
"Coming!! Who is this impatient person?" Said Olivia as she was about to open the door.
"Hello, Mrs. Olivia." Olivia heard a voice as she opened the door—a voice she hadn't heard for some time.
She knew this voice very well, as she had been hearing it many times—the voice of her best friend's son and her son's best friend.
"Aiden?!!" She said, shocked.
There she saw the owner of the voice, Aiden.
"Hello again, Mrs. Olivia." Said Aiden sweetly, a small smile on his face.
—-------------------------------------------
Aiden was standing in front of James's house. He has been pressing the doorbell for some time.
'It seems he's again busy playing video games.' Aiden thought inwardly; he had experienced this before, and every time, the culprit for this was Yours Truly, James.
"Well, let's wait a bit." He muttered.
It's been some time since he's been to James's house and is quietly excited to meet Mrs. Olivia, James's mother.
Mrs. Olivia is not only his friend's mother. But also his mother's best friend.
He's been seeing her since his childhood. She's sweet, and caring, and sees Aiden as her own child.
She shows Aiden the motherly love, which he's been-
*Click*
Aiden awoke from his thoughts as he heard the door opening sound.
He knew his wait was over as he saw Mrs. Olivia opening the door.
"Hello, Mrs. Olivia." Said Aiden.
"Aiden?!!" She said, a little shocked. She was surprised to see Aiden, surprised happily.
"Hello again, Mrs. Oliva." Siad Aiden again; he was happy to see her again, the woman he saw as his mother.
"Oh! Aiden, How are you?" said Mrs. Oivia in a sweet voice as she approached Aiden.
"I'm good, Mrs. Olivia." Said Aiden as he nodded slightly.
"And how's the school?" Asked Mrs. Olivia.
"Oh!! Why am I asking you here?" Said Mrs. Olivia, as she hadn't even let Aiden open his mouth.
"Come, come inside!! We have a lot to talk about." She said happily as she pulled Aiden inside the house.
'She's always cheerful.' Aiden internally smiled slightly.
He has experienced situations like this before. Mrs. Olivia doesn't let anyone talk except herself when she is overly excited or happy about something.
'Well, it's not like I hate it.' Thought Aiden inwardly as he let her pull himself.
Mrs. Olivia shut the door, and they both went inside.
It can be said that James's house was like any other house.
As they entered the house, a hall could be seen; it consisted of a big television. In front of it was placed a big white sofa, which could comfortably seat four to five people.
A dining table was also placed in the hall, and a path beside it led to the kitchen. Even then, there was a good amount of space left in the hall.
A path was also going through the hall, which led to James's and his parents's room, and a vacant room, which was used for various purposes.
All in all, this house was sufficient for a family of three, which consisted of James, his mother, Mrs. Oliva, and his father, Mr. John.
"So, tell me. How's it going with the school? Any problem?" Asked Mrs. Olivia happily as she made Aiden sit on the sofa and went towards the dining table.
"No problem at all. Everything's going well in the school, Mrs. Olivia." Said Aiden, as he made himself comfortable on the sofa.
"Oh Aiden, how many times have I told you, just call me Olivia." Said Olivia as she poured water from a jug into the glass.
She came to Aiden and handed him the glass.
"Am I that old now?" Asked Mrs. Olivia in a fake angry voice as she handed him the glass.
"No, no!! It's not anything like that. It's just… I'm not comfortable calling you that way." Said Aiden as he tried to reason with her.
"I guess I am an old woman now, huh.." Said Mrs. Olivia in a sad voice as she sat beside Aiden.
"No, no, why are you thinking that way? There's nothing to do with it." Said Aiden as he was trying to make her feel good.
"Why? It has everything to do with it."
"The child, who used to call me by my name in his childhood, isn't doing this anymore." Said Mrs. Oliva as she thought of cute little Aiden calling her name.
"I'm not that young anymore..." Said Mrs. Oliva, her voice on the verge of crying.
Aiden was watching all with a shocked expression on his face.
'What's happening?' Aiden thought inwardly.
He hadn't even dreamed that a woman the same age as his mother was going to behave like this and too in front of him and that she was his best friend's mother.
'What if James came to know I made his mother cry? What will he think about me?' Aiden thought inwardly.
'I didn't think you would do that, Aiden.'
'I thought of you as my best friend, my brother, Aiden.'
'She thought of you as her son, Aiden.'
Aiden was thinking of how James would react. Well, he has certainly exaggerated his thinking.
James knew his mother very well and was not going to react this way; it was all Aiden's imagination.
"Olivia!! Fine, I will call you Olivia." Aiden tried to explain to Olivia as he awoke from his thoughts.
"Re…really?" Asked Olivia as she wiped an emerging tear from her eyes.
"Absolutely!! Anyway, you're not that old. So, it's fine to call you by your name."
"But please don't cry; it doesn't suit you." Said Aiden in a convincing tone.
"Well… Okay then, but don't make me feel old again." Said Olivia, regaining her normal voice.
"Don't worry, you have my word." Said Aiden confidently, and Olivia smiled upon hearing his reply.
"Now, now, you haven't drunk the water I gave you." Said Olivia, pointing toward the glass filled with water in Aiden's hand.
"Oh, I forgot about this…" Said Aiden as he chuckled.
'Colse call.' thought Aiden inwardly as he started gulping the water.
He doesn't want to know what the consequences of this situation are.
Olivia just smiled at Aiden, who was gulping the water.
'Sorry Aiden, but no one can make me feel old, not even you, Aiden.' She smirked internally as she thought this.
Aiden can't even imagine he has been scammed by Olivia; not even in his wildest dreams he thought of this.
And the reason? Because he was making her feel old?!! OLD?!! REALLY WOMAN?!! FOR GOD'S SAKE, HE IS LIKE YOUR SON!!!
Aiden felt a slight tremor in his body as he was being observed by a dangerous.
He checked his surroundings; there was nothing strange—just Olivia, staring at him with a slight smile.
'Weird…' He thought inwardly as he continued drinking water.
Truly, women are really dangerous.