‘And you have?’
‘I didn’t need to.’
I think back to my first day of secondary school and my determination to be a new, cooler version of me. That was, of course, until I got to my chemistry class and found none other than Aiden Edwards in the assigned seat next to mine.
‘Are you serious?’ his friends groaned, wasting no time.
‘Not this again!’ I heard another one wail as they guffawed behind us.
I couldn’t bear to look at him, or any of them for that matter. I took my notebook out of my schoolbag, put my head down, and resolved to focus all my attention on the task at hand. The new plan was to blend in– the less I was noticed, the better. But Aiden made that impossible for the rest of my time there.
‘Problem?’ he asks, snapping me back into the present.
He knows he’s got me. He knows I’m upset, and the way his lip is curling only makes the whole ordeal worse. I could not think of anyone I would detest sharing this tiny room with more. Not Pippa, not Gus, not the devil himself.
I huff, trying to hide my distress. ‘Let’s just get back to work.’
I know he can sense it; his infuriating little smile says it all. ‘Of course.’
I can’t bear to look at it any longer or give him his twisted satisfaction; every second I stay here with him is another second I die inside.
‘What now?’
‘What now?’
‘Your tone.’
His eyebrows raise in shock.
All those years next to him and I never actually bit; I knew all his little comments and gestures were just bait. But I’m older and wiser now, and he’s atmyplace of work, and I cannot go on like this for the next six months.
‘You got anything else to roll your eyes at or can we actually get started?’ I ask, doubling down on my snark.
His head cocks to the side, tongue rolling in his mouth as he carefully formulates his next response, but then decides against it.
‘Sorry.’ He shrugs, smile changed but unwavering.
There’s a new light to it– it’s brighter– he’s finding this fun. It flickers over his face, softening each feature on its way. But it quickly ceases once he realises that he’s let down his guard. I feel a fizz of excitement at this new upper hand.
‘Am I good to continue?’ I ask smugly.
If only I’d bitten back like this in school.
He nods quickly, avoiding eye contact as he brings the scribbled paper back into the centre.
I pull out my daily journal and flip to a blank page, making sure he sees.
Countdown:
Days until the Summer Splash– 175
Days until no more Aiden– 189
Nudge 6
The Agreement
‘Ihate him,’ I cry out as I throw my back against the mattress. ‘Tell me I don’t have to go in tomorrow.’
