Aiden's POV

I headed to school with my regular jeans and T-shirt. Well, as regular as they get. As I walked through the building I saw my best friend Ethan standing at my locker.

"Hey, Ethan," I greeted him, smiling once I was in front of him.

"Hey, Aiden," he replied when he saw me.

"What's up?"

"Nothing really, I just finished getting my stuff from my locker so I thought I would come over," he explained. "I have nothing else to do."

I rolled my eyes at his statement as he laughed at his own joke.

"OK then, way to make a guy feel special," I joked back.

I turned to my locker and grabbed my books for the first period while Ethan told me about all the interesting things he had heard the day before.

"Hey look it's Scarlett." He suddenly said in the middle of a sentence. I wasn't completely paying attention to what he said, only half listening really, and everything registered in my mind late. But when I finally processed his words I tensed up.

"What?" I turn towards the main door to see Scarlett Hale walking into school, today she looks beautiful as always.

Her black high-waisted pants went over her white tank top with her red crop top hanging over the top, she had her leather jacket on giving her whole outfit even more of a retro feel. She wore her high tops today instead of the high heels that most of the nicely dressed girls in our school wear, her hair was curled and put back in soft waves, and her dark almost black eyes beamed confidence as she walked down the hallway.

"She looks amazing," I said with a sigh. Watching her with a dazed expression.

"You say that every day," Ethan added teasingly.

"Because she looks amazing every day," I retorted.

And I was being honest she looked amazing, now I just have to talk to her. I sucked in a large breath, shaking out my hands and pulling my head to both sides, loosening up. OK, I can do this. Just say hi.

"Hey, Scarlett!"

Arrgh!...why did I say it like that?! I am too enthusiastic.

"Oh hey, you're Aiden aren't you?" She smiled, stopping in her path and coming up to talk to me.

Me!

And she knows my name!

"Yeah," I said, struggling to keep up my confident facade.

"I remember you, from the first day, you were on the swing." She told me, her eyes light up with the memory.

"Yeah," I said excitedly. "I'm surprised you remember." I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly feeling bashful.

"Of course!" She grinned, looking absolutely adorable. "Wait, you still have your diamond right?"

"I would never forget it," I told her honestly.

"That's great, so what's up?" She asked.

Shit! I never thought of anything after hey! What do I do?

"Umm..."

"Ummm?" She questioned, chuckling awkwardly. "I don't know what that means."

I cringed in my head, my fingers crossing and threading together like crazy while my mind struggled to come up with anything.

Come on think, think!

"I'm, wondering... If you...want to hang out on Friday?"

"Really?" She seemed surprised and genuinely skeptical. "Really."

"Yeah. Like you said, we haven't talked in a while and I want to see what's going on with you," I continued, playing along fully with whatever had just popped out of my mouth. "What better way?"

She studied my face for a moment, looking for something completely unknown to me.

I wonder if she will say yes?

"OK Friday, let's talk at lunch and decide from there," She finally said.

"Yeah, that sounds great," I agreed, sighing in relief under my breath.

"It was nice talking to you, see you later," She smiled before giving me a shortwave and going whenever she had been before I had stopped her.

"Bye," I whispered under my breath as she left. Grinning from ear to ear once she was out of hearing range.

With that, she walked back into the crowd.

"Dude! I can't believe you got a date with Scarlett Hale!" Ethan whistled, clapping his hands in respect. "I can't even remember the last guy who was able to do that. You're a legend man!"

"Calm down Ethan! It's not that big of a deal and...it's not a date." I finished dejectedly, feeling some of the excitement turn into disappointment.

"Oh yeah, now I remember!" Ethan exclaimed. "The last guy who got a date with her was her boyfriend! Oh, she still has that boyfriend," Ethan's excitement turned to worry as he looked at me.

"Yeah, I know," I sighed, I didn't let myself feel down for much longer and toughened myself back up. "But it's fine, I'll still get her." I was convinced that I would be a much better boyfriend to Scarlett than *gag* Aaron. I just needed to show her how great I am.

Ethan still looked reluctant to agree but tried to show his support nonetheless.

"If you say so Aiden," He pats my back, pulling me away from my now-locked locker towards our classes. "I'm sure you can do it."

His little pick-me-up speech wasn't amazing but I knew he was trying and I just smiled letting him turn the conversation away.

"So did you watch the Raptors game last night?" He asked, gasping in shock when I shook my head. "Aiden, it was amazing! Ok so-"

~~~~

The classes that day went by quickly. The topics were relatively easy for me to understand and others were so to-the-book, I could just let my mind wander and actually find out what they talked about later. But when lunch came that day I walked over to my usual table and was surprised to see Scarlett sitting down next to Ethan, talking.

"Oh, hey Aiden," She greeted me cheerfully, her pearly whites making an appearance. "I hope you don't mind that I sat down at your table."

"No! Not at all," I assured her, sitting down as fast as I could without looking rushed.

"Oh Good. I was a little worried for a second," She admitted. I couldn't believe that she was being so bashful, a quality I never thought to assign her to.

But the thing I could not believe the most was that Scarlett was sitting at our table.

This really could be my year! I had thought.

"So what were you guys talking about?" I asked casually. Mentally patting myself on the back for my great acting skills.

"Nothing much we just were talking about the art project we have," Ethan explained lazily with a shrug.

"Oh yeah, you guys have Mr. Lopez right?" I said, going back to a memory I had of a teacher Ethan had complained about before.

"Yeah, he's a pain in the ass," Ethan complained tiredly.

"He told us we have to do a project on Black history month and what it means to us," Scarlett criticized hatefully, clearly annoyed.

"What's so bad about that?" I asked, seriously confused.

"What's so bad is that that guy has such a specific view on art that if you don't make it the way he likes then you automatically get a D," Ethan huffed, irritated.

"Man, that's rough," I said sympathetically.

"Yeah, it is, last year I had Mrs. Grey and she recommended me for one of the best art colleges in the city. But thanks to Mr. Tight ass I have a C average in art,"  Scarlett sighed downheartedly, now looking depressed.

"Well I'm sur-" I started, reaching for my chance to console Scarlett when someone interrupted me.

"Hey, babe," He said suavely, his deep tone shaking the floor.

A chill ran up my spine as I heard the voice that had to be right behind me. I turn around on the bench I was sitting on to see my mortal enemy. Well at least that's what I thought of him, he probably didn't even know who I am.

"Hey, who are these guys?" He asked Scarlett, pointing to Ethan and I as if we were across the room.

And I am right.

"That's rude babe," Scarlett scolded him, her beautiful features turning into a frown as she looked at him. "You can't talk about them like they're not here."

I raised my hand, stopping Scarlett from continuing, and gave her a smile.

"It's ok, Scarlett," I reply smoothly. If I want to impress Scarlett I have to be a nice guy, not just to her but to the people around her.

Including her boyfriend.

I stand up right in front of him and try to look as tall as I can. My chest was up tall and my back was as straight as a board.

"Hey Aaron, I'm Aiden," I smiled politely. putting my hand out for him to shake. "Nice to meet you."

His face is blank for a moment before he smirks.

"Hey," he says, coming up to me even closer. "Nice, to meet you too."

I take a moment to properly look at him.

Most people would completely shoot me down if I told them I was going after Scarlett.

Why do you ask?

When I look at him I see what every girl wants, what every girl always wants. And that is pure perfection.

He shakes my hand. Another chill runs up my spine. Wow, he's even more handsome up close. His hazel eyes glow with so much emotion I can't even tell which one he really feels, all of them, none of them? His brown hair was swept back so effortlessly that it looked natural. His jawline was sharp but with a soft edge, just enough dimension that the Smirk he had on his face looked even more attractive. I could look at him all day.

Wait, what am I thinking? I don't like Aaron, I like Scarlett. He is my enemy. 

I pull my hand out of his grip.

"Hey, I'm Ethan," Ethan said cheerfully once Aaron and I finished.

"Aaron." They shook hands much faster than Aaron and I but I don't dwell on the fact.

Why did he have to sit with us? Oh, wait that's right he is dating Scarlett he wouldn't let her sit alone at a table with only guys.

Why did she have to be dating someone? Oh, wait that's right she is the most beautiful girl in school, of course, she will be dating someone.

I try not to let the course of my thoughts show as I look away.

Yet I still sigh.

I wish it could be me.