/æb.dɪt.ɹi/

♡♡♡

You killed me, my love.

♡♡♡

"You seem pretty calm for a girl who just had a boy over for dinner," Chase said, twirling the pen around his fingers as he eyed her. "Too calm."

Rose rolled her eyes at her best friend. "You're starting to get annoying again."

"My apologies, it's a boy who you like that came over for dinner."

She bit her lip, in hope that maybe her cheeks wouldn't flush. "Shut up."

Chase shrugged. "Well you didn't deny it, so that's a start."

She glared at him. "Are you here to talk about my love life? Just leave it alone Chase,"

He grinned. "You really aren't denying it." He chuckled lightly. "You have a genuine crush on him."

"Stop or I swear-"

"And I bet he doesn't know either!" Chase couldn't stop laughing. "This is actually rather cute."

Rose gritted her teeth. "How about we get back to your homework Chase? How about that?"

He rolled his eyes. "You're seriously no fun."

She shrugged in response before both of them got back to doing their work. When ever one of them had doubts, they'd ask the other and perhaps even take a little break.

"So, when are the leagues coming through?" Rose asked as she chewed on her biscuits. (Courtesy of her Mother)

Chase took a sip of his milk. "In a few months I think. Why?"

She shrugged. "Just wondering." She then smiled. "You're growing up dear boy, like you are going to be playing in a championship in a few months."

Chase grinned at her. "And you're growing up too little girl, you finally earned yourself a boyfriend."

She scowled at him. "He's not my boyfriend! God how many times do I need to clarify this!"

Chase held his hands in surrender. "Okay fine, soon to be boyfriend."

Least to say, Chase ended up leaving the McLean household soaked in milk.

✐✐✐

"I am so happy," Lana whispered to Rose's ear, making Rose lightly flinch in surprise. "This is the best day of my life."

Rose stifled a laugh. "Are you seriously this happy because you get to miss Biology?"

Lana tightened her lips as she gave Rose a look. "You're saying that as if it's a bad thing,"

Rose bit her lip, trying to hold in her laugh. "For all you know they might just announce that exams have been preponed 3 months earlier and they start tomorrow."

Lana shrugged. "It's not as bad as having to dissect a cockroach."

Rose bit the inside of her cheek. Being around Lana without laughing was a real challenge. "It also means that you'll have your biology practical exam earlier,"

Lana's face struck in horror, a look Rose only saw when Lana figured out Rose never wore a pair of heels. "You are the most terrible monster I have ever laid my eyes on!"

Rose shrugged. "Better safe than sorry,"

From the corner of Rose's eye, she noticed Aaron and Aiden walk into the gym too, and it was as though she couldn't hear any more of Lana's rambles.

He stood up straighter today, as though on high alert as he gave Aiden a few nods every now and then. But nothing about his eyes changed; they were still the luminous blue as they were yesterday.

Recalling the memory of Aaron at dinner bloomed a smile on her lips. It seemed so surreal, so impeccably unreal. Because she wouldn't have thought Aaron (Or any boy for that matter) would suggest meeting her parents, frankly telling them that their daughter has been taking care of an ill one. It tickled her heart every time she thought about it.

Aiden caught her eye, immediately pulling Aaron by the arm towards them. It was so astounding on how much taller Aaron was than Aiden, but it was also so astonishing on how much more muscular Aiden was than Aaron. Aaron seemed like a stick next to Aiden, but in her eyes, he was still so, so beautiful.

"Rose," Aiden's voice broke her thoughts as he gave her a wide smile. A muscle in his jaw then jumped when his eyes flickered to Lana. "Lana," He said, clenching his jaw.

"Aiden," Lana practically spat. But she smiled at the blue eyed boy next to him. "Hi Aaron." She didn't like the way she said his name.

Aaron gave small nods of acknowledgement to both of them, licking his lips as he sighed. Rose didn't know he looked beautiful doing that too.

"So what do you think this is about?" Aiden asked Rose, patting down on the seat next to him.

Rose laughed lightly at Aiden's childish manners as she sat down. She then shrugged. "Beats me, I have no idea."

Aiden turned to Aaron, pursing his lips. "What about you? Any predictions?"

Aaron shrugged too. "I just want to get this over with,"

Aiden nodded his head, a sly smile on his lips. "You miss Accounting already huh?"

Aaron rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Can you quiet down before you give me a God damn tumor?"

"I agree with him," Lana chimed in dryly, gritting her teeth in annoyance.

Aiden bit back a smile, but Rose couldn't. There was always this mist of humor around Aiden, and it never fails to make Rose crack a smile. "Well since both you depressed people find my humor annoying, then let's switch places." Aiden looked at Lana. "You come here and I go next to Rose."

Lana shook her head. "As if I'd put her through that kind of suffering."

Aiden pursed his lips in annoyance. He then looked at Rose. "Do you not want me next to you?"

Rose bit her lip. She missed Aiden's company, and she knew Lana wouldn't like it much. Rose never really wrapped her brain around why Lana despised Aiden so much, but she knew that she never could.

"I guess it would be alright for you to be next to me Aiden," Rose smiled reassuringly at Lana. "You go, I wouldn't want him to bore you."

Lana quirked a questioning eyebrow. "You have the patience to be around this prick?"

Rose could see Aiden set his jaw from the corner of her eye. "Yeah I do,"

Lana gave Rose a smile. "Alright then, we'll switch."

Aiden's face lighted up like a Christmas tree as he quickly walked over and sat beside Rose. He gave her a sly grin. "I knew you couldn't resist me,"

She playfully punched his shoulder, laughing. "Now don't get too ahead of yourself."

Aiden shrugged, still smiling. His blue eyes were fixed on the group of people in the gym, his eyebrows furrowing in question. "It is still intriguing on what this could possibly be about."

Rose nodded her head, her gaze lost between the crowds too. "It must be something important, I mean look at all those people."

Aiden nodded his head too. "Poor Tristan, out there on his own."

Rose's eyes widened. "What? No, I'm going to-"

Aiden took her arm, eliminating her from any movement. "Rose, I really wouldn't want you moving around now. Look at how crowded it is, you could get hurt." She never heard Aiden's voice as stern as it was now.

"But Tristan-"

"Tristan can take care of himself," Aiden said, his blue gaze returning to the crowd. "And I know you can too, but I wouldn't risk it." He softly nodded his head, as though trying to reassure himself too.

Rose swallowed before she too nodded her head. But it felt all kinds of wrong to leave Tristan there all alone, and it was killing her, killing her, killing her-

"Don't think about it too much though," Aiden said quietly, smiling. "The idiot probably ditched this whole thing."

"Seriously?"

Aiden's lips broke off into a grin. "He did it before, he can do it again."

Rose then focused on the chaos in front of her: the loud bangs and clanks of metal against metal, the loud chatter of the students among themselves, the screeching of tables and chairs. It made Rose's mind a chaotic mess too, and she clenched her fists mindlessly the more she thought about it.

What if she was right? What of exams really were pre-poned to tomorrow?

The thought made her finger nails dig deeper into the palm of her hand.

She bit her lip in anxiousness, her brown eyes racing across the room as she tried to fit the pieces together. What could possibly be this important that it called on all high school students? What could possibly be so completely urgent that-

She could feel Aiden unclench her fist, lacing his own fingers with hers. She looked over to him, seeing the smirk that climbed his lips. "No need to be nervous princess, everything's going to be fine."

She inhaled a small breath. "I can't keep calm."

Aiden nodded his head. "Well from those nail marks on your hand, I think I can see that." He shook his head. "You don't need to be worked up over this shit Rose, it's probably nothing."

She pursed her lips. "You wouldn't know,"

Aiden's blue eyes glinted in amusement. "You're right I wouldn't," He grinned. "But it's nothing life threatening I can tell you that."

"What if aliens invade Earth?"

Aiden bit back a laugh. "So the first thing they do is collect all high schoolers in the gym?"

She snickered. "You don't know what God can do,"

"Never said I did," Aiden told her. "But on how much your squeezing my hand, you look like you're going to pass out."

She looked at their entwined fingers and sure enough, her grip was so tight that she thought she cut off his blood circulation.

But just as she was going to pull her fingers away, his grip tightened. "It doesn't bother me Rose, but I sure as hell could endure the pain rather than seeing you pass out."

Rose tightened her lips. "I don't even know why I'm nervous,"

Aiden shrugged. He seemed really relaxed about this whole thing. "I guess it's the adrenalin or something,"

Rose exhaled a long breath. "And you're really calm, aren't you even curious? Just a little bit?"

Aiden shook his head, laughing lightly. "I honestly don't give a crap on why they called us here, as long as I get to skip Accounting, I'm a happy man."

Rose laughed. "Makes sense."

"Okay shush now, here comes the almighty Principal," The sarcasm in Aiden's tone was enough for Rose to crack a smile.

Rose then watched as the whole gym quieted down, the small murmurs here and there as Mr. Kale (The school's Principal) stood right in the middle of the gym. The thing about Mr. Kale was that he was a very sweet old man, who has a deep love for all his students, so it wasn't surprising when Rose noticed the smile on his face.

He adjusted the black tie on his collar before he spoke. "Good morning students. Thank you for joining me and your teachers here today at such a small notice, but we do have an announcement to make." He offered the students one more comforting smile. "As you all know, your Spring Break is coming soon, and the school has been planning this event for about 2 years now, and we decided this year will be the year we will launch the Bitterne High University Program."

Rose hands unconsciously squeezed Aiden's.

"It is a program that selects 15 high school students based on their intelligence or physical performance. Practise tests and games will be given, and the best scored individuals will receive a chance to visit one of the most greatest universities standing today." Mr. Kale cleared his throat, his dark eyes flickering towards the crowds of students. "And along with the visit, it will give the school utmost honor to sign a letter of recommendation to Steiner's Univeristy," His fave broke out into a grin. "situated in London, England."

Whispers and mutters echoed around the room, while some students rolled their eyes while others sparkled in curiousity.

Aiden gave Rose a look, as if telling her I told you so.

"Now now now students, this is a program you can enter by choice. No one is being forced to enter nor leave, it is up to you. Neither does anyone get extra points for entering, or deducting any for leaving. It all depends on you. But-" His eyes were sparkling in amusement, and that was probably when Rose saw the sadist in him. "-you will have to attend the classes and quizzes in the Spring Break."

Groans and curse words were thrown around the room, the aggravation so intense that the teachers has to quiet the students down. But Mr. Kale's eyes were still as bright as they were in the beginning.

Rose's eyes flickered to Aaron, noticing how stiff his shoulders were; as though carrying a boulder too much for his strength. She wanted to comfort him.

"But as usual, you all will be going on a trip as you do every year, but you can consider it as a sort of good luck occasion if you will," The atmosphere seemed to thicken at his words, but a few smiles shot into the air. "If you have any further inquiries, then please do not hesitate to approach your teachers." Mr. Kale seemed pleased with himself, his grey hair gleaming silver in the light. "That would be all."

Everyone watched as Mr. Kale flashed them one last smile before he left off, exiting the gym doors as though nothing has happened.

And that was when the chaos begun.

Students voices boomed louder and louder, the scowls obvious in their tones as they shook their heads either in confusion or rage. Some considered this an outrage while others thought of this as a blessing from above.

And Rose was part of the latter.

"That sounds pretty sick," Aiden said, nodding his head as he smiled.

Rose smiled back. "I guess so."

Aiden grinned. "And I bet you'll be joining."

She grinned too. "You guessed right."

A small chuckle escaped his lips. "I'm rooting for you Rose," Aiden gave her a small wink.

She rolled her eyes playfully, still smiling. "You're weird Aiden,"

He shrugged at her comment. "Like I said before, you're really clueless."

And she argued back about how she doesn't notice things as fast just as Aiden expected her too.

But the one thing she didn't notice was Aaron's blazing blue stare at their entwined fingers.

✐✐✐

She didn't know what to expect as she walked to English.

Her heart was beating so fast so fast so fast that she thought it might split the Earth in half.

She missed him, she really did.

She wondered what he thought about this whole thing, and whether he would participate. Because Rose knew she would, and it wouldn't be that bad if Aaron did too.

Rose took her seat in English, frowning over Aaron's empty one. She didn't see him since Mr. Kale left the gym, even though she was kind of hoping to have a little chat with him, but it was as though he vanished into thin air.

The anxiety rolled into her stomach, making Rose chew her lip in anticipation. She wasn't even aware if he had completely healed from his cold, and the fact that he wasn't on time again made her blood run cold.

Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry.

And when Mrs. Lory rolled into class, the anxiety flew up the roof.

Her chest started contracting with worry and concern; her throat tightening in distress. Her brown eyes always seemed to flicker towards the door, in hopes that the blue eyed boy would walk right in.

But he didn't.

"Oh and Rose?" She snapped her head to Mrs. Lory, the lump in her throat throbbing with fear. "Aaron won't be attending you today, he wasn't feeling quite well."

And when she heard he wasn't feeling quite well, she wanted to throw up. And by the surprised look Mrs. Lory gave her, she knew like she did.

Rose didn't even feel it as she nodded her head but she did. And her throat was too busy trembling with this undesignated despair that she couldn't fathom a reply.

Because all she wanted to do was run out of class, and see him.

She felt as though her legs and arms were chained to her chair, and she tried tried tried to break free, but it was all so futile.

As Mrs. Lory explained, Rose wasn't concentrating. All her mind could process was that Aaron wasn't next to her, and that she needed to see him. His blue stare consumed her mind, and she was going to do everything she could to see it again.

She didn't care that she had Physics next period or that she should be at lunch eating, because the moment that bell rang, she ran like her life depended on it.

And in a way, it did.

Because Aaron DeGarner: the boy with hypnotising blue eyes, with untamed brown locks was her life line.

And she couldn't lie to herself any longer.

✐✐✐

She was late for Physics.

Because she found him.

She watched as Aaron sat against one of the shelves again, an opened book resting on his lap, with the most heartbreaking expression she has ever seen.

It was like acid; sizzling every ounce of happiness that was once in her; demolishing every single fleck of worry and fear into this heart clenching sadness.

Because as Aaron laid there, completely unaware of her presence, she was looking at him without his mask. And with the amount of emotion flooding his eyes, made her want to cry cry cry.

Aaron frustratingly closed the book, his jaw set as he ran both his hands through his hair. His hair seemed almost black from here, and he was pulling on his roots so tightly that she wanted to hug him, to run her own fingers soothingly through his hair, to whisper to him that everything was going to be okay.

But she couldn't.

Because when Aaron looked up, he caught her copper gaze.

And

nothing

else

mattered.

The breath wheezed out of her; vanishing into oblivion as she noticed how wide his blue eyes became.

She swallowed. Looked away.

✐✐✐

She remembered.

She remembered seeing the same look on his face when she took care of him. When he whispered out the name "James".

Rose had no idea whether this James has something to do with the way Aaron was right now, but what she knew was that Aaron was looking at her and she wanted to run.

She has never seen Aaron look at her like that.

With this intense emotion glowing through those sapphire eyes, this undoubted fear whispering its presence to her. Because the moment she locked eyes with him, it was as though she was under this spell.

A magic so strong that she thought her knees were pieces of wood and were going to split in half.

Aaron looked away, his head ducked in shame before he got up. She caught the shaky breath he released, but she also noticed the twitches his arm was making.

"Rose," He breathed his name like a secret, the syllable of her name sounding absolutely beautiful beautiful beautiful. "What are you doing here?"

Rose could feel the bubble of courage blow inside her, making her gently take Aaron's arm as she guided them back to the shelf he was on. The fact that he didn't even protest made Rose's throat even tighter.

She sat down. He did too.

She looked at him. But he couldn't look at her.

She tentatively brushed her fingers against his own, swallowing the little courage she had left before she whispered. "What's wrong Aaron?"

And when he looked at her, it was the most painful thing she had to see.

Lips pressed together, jaw clenched, eyebrows furrowed - everything about him seemed absolutely normal, but it was his eyes that spoke the truth.

His armor was stripped off, his walls were broken down, his door was finally open.

Too bad it lasted for only a moment too short.