Well, as usual as it can get when you're fake dating your enemy. Fortunately, I haven't run into Brandon.

"Hello, Ashley." A familiar, gruff voice says.

"You again?" I say, turning around. I am trying so hard not to shake from fear. "I told you, I already have a— a boyfriend."

"Well, I was hoping I could make you reconsider your... choice." He drawls.

"That is not doing to happen." I huff. Before I can say anything else though, Brandon pins me against the locker in two strides, his smokey breath surrounding me. 

"What were you saying?" Brandon whispers, too close for comfort. I freeze in place, not even being able to move my mouth to talk. 

"I..." 

I don't know what to say. The nervousness is fogging my brain, and my heartbeat races as I try —and fail— to escape from him. My hands clench until my knuckles go white. From fear or anger, I don't know. 

And suddenly, Brandon is so close I can count his fucking moles. Which is too close, in my opinion.

 As if on cue, Aiden comes walking round the corner of the hallway, and spots me. Brandon sees him, and quickly steps about a foot away from me, which is still not enough. I do not want to see his creepy face anywhere near me again. My heartbeat quickens still.

Aiden steps closer to me, lacing his fingers through mine, and I hate the fact that a blush creeps up my face. His hands are surprisingly warm. And soft. And—

"Hello, Brandon." Aiden greets, and a smile so sweet that it's bitter, occupies his face. Brandon rolls his eyes. 

"I was looking for my girlfriend, but I guess you did it for me. Thanks, mate." He chimes. For the first time, I'm grateful to have Aiden anywhere near me. 

Not that I couldn't have defended myself. I was just— caught off guard.

"You—" Brandon starts, but before he can do anything... drastic, the bell rings, saving me for the second time today, and the third time this week. Brandon storms off.

I should rename the bell as my guardian angel. Speaking of—

"Um. Thanks for that." I mutter. 

"Good thing I came before he... Yeah. Well, you still owe me, sweetheart." 

I smile. His last word makes my heart thump more than it already was.

"Yeah.. ok." I say, not trusting myself to say more words than that. That encounter scared me more than it should have.

I realise that we're still holding hands, and I guess Aiden notices it too, because he let's go a little too quickly, like he got an electric shock. The tip of his ears turn crimson. 

There is a light cough from somewhere behind me. It's Cole. "Am I inturrupting someting?" Cole asks.

"N—no. I was just thanking Aiden for... nevermind." I say, looking everywhere but at Aiden. 

Or his hands.

"I should go. Third wheeling and all that." He says rather sheepishly, and we both watch him walk towards the wrong class. He then registers that fact and goes the correct way though, stumbling on the way. Aiden suppresses a laugh. But my mind wavers somewhere else. What did Cole just say—?

"Did he say— third wheeling?" I ask. "He does know that it's fake, right?" Aiden remains silent, his face nonchalant.

"Right?" I repeat.

"Uhm... not really—"

I try not to go anywhere alone for the rest of the day, fearing that Brandon might corner me again. I hate how vulnerable I was, not even being able to think straight. I force myself not to think about what would've happened if Aiden didn't see me when he did. 

And to my immense relief, Brandon is nowhere to be seen, for real this time. 

I should tell someone. But then again, Brandon is the son of a distinguished teacher— according to Lyn— so I don't think any action can be taken against him.

The rest of the day drags by, and as I promised to Katelyn, I'm never alone —not even in the washrooms. I'm always accompanied by either Lyn herself, or Aiden. Or someone else. 

I'd told her as soon as we finished our class. She'd noticed that something was wrong as soon as I entered the classroom. 

Guess I'm not good at hiding emotions then.

-----------------

"Hey, do you know about the party next week?" Lyn asks as we're walking to my house. She volunteered to give me a 'lift' to my place. 

"No, where is it?" I ask, curious. There's always mentions of parties and what—not in our school, so it's not surprising. Katelyn pauses for a second, like she's deciding whether to tell me or not.

"At Claire's house— I mean— mansion."

Ah. Of course. 

Aiden's ex.