Sharing Stories And Stolen Glances

Aiden leads me down the street, and after a few minutes, we reach a quaint little park café tucked away behind a wall of lush greenery. Fairy lights hang from the trees, casting a warm glow over the tables. It’s quiet, peaceful, and has an inviting charm that makes me instantly feel more at ease. I glance around, taking in the sight of people reading or talking in soft tones, while others quietly work on their laptops.

“This place is perfect,” I say, feeling a bit of relief wash over me.

“I thought you’d like it,” he replies, flashing me that gentle smile of his. “It’s great for focusing, too.”

We settle at a table by the window, where we have a view of the small garden outside. Aiden opens his laptop, and I follow suit, bringing up my notes as we start going over our project.

“Alright, so let’s divide the sections,” he says, typing quickly as he talks. “You’re comfortable with research and organizing, right?”

I nod. “Yeah, I enjoy putting everything together. I’ll just need some sources to work from.”

He smiles. “Perfect. I’ll do the data analysis and take care of any graphs or charts we need.” He glances over at me. “You know, you’re making this a lot easier. Most group projects don’t go this smoothly.”

“Same here,” I say, genuinely surprised. “Usually, there’s at least one person who doesn’t do anything.”

He laughs softly. “Oh, I’ve met my fair share of those.” We spend the next hour mapping out our project, deciding who’ll be responsible for each section, and agreeing on deadlines. I lose track of time, and before I know it, the café has started to quiet down.

“Wow,” I say, glancing at my phone. “Time flew by.”

Aiden looks at his watch and chuckles. “Yeah, sorry for keeping you here so long.”

I shake my head quickly. “I didn’t mind it, though.”

He raises an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Good. Want to grab a bite? I’d feel bad sending you off without at least getting some food after keeping you so long.”

I hesitate for a moment, my heart skipping a beat. “Sure,” I say, hoping my voice sounds casual.

“Great! I know a place not too far from here,” he says, standing up and gathering his things.

We head out of the café, walking side by side as we make our way to a cozy, dimly lit restaurant nearby. It has a modern, rustic vibe with a menu written in chalk on a large board behind the counter. We settle in and both order burgers with a side of truffle fries, something simple but satisfying.

As we start eating, Aiden glances over at me. “So, Raven, you don’t talk a lot, do you?”

I swallow a bite and smile, feeling a little self-conscious. “Uh… not really. I guess I’m more of a listener.”

He nods thoughtfully. “That’s rare. Most people love talking about themselves.” He gives me a warm look. “But you? You’re like this… mystery. And it makes me curious.”

I glance away, unsure how to respond. “I just… don’t think I have that much to say,” I murmur, poking at my fries.

“Well, I disagree,” he says, leaning forward slightly. “I think a lot is going on beneath the surface.” His gaze softens.

The sincerity in his voice catches me off guard, and I feel my cheeks flush. “Maybe… I don't think so,” I reply, giving him a small smile.

We finish our meal, and as we step out of the restaurant, the cool evening air hits my face. It’s refreshing, helping to ease some of the tension I didn’t realize I was carrying. Aiden walks beside me, hands casually tucked in his pockets, looking as relaxed as ever. We turn down the street toward campus, and I realize I know almost nothing about him beyond his relation with Maya and his knack for smiling.

“Aiden, I just realized… I never actually asked, but what’s your major?” I say, glancing up at him. “If you don’t mind me asking, of course.”

He chuckles. “Nah, I don’t mind. I’m studying Business Law. Second year.”

I blink, surprised. “Business Law? That’s intense.”

He shrugs. “It’s interesting. And useful. But hey, it’s not as intense as it sounds. You get used to it.”

I nod, processing this new information. “So, you’re a second year, but… wait, Maya mentioned you don’t stay in the dorms?”

He smiles, noticing my curiosity. “Yeah, I don’t. I have my own apartment nearby.”

I stop in my tracks, staring at him. “Wait, how? And why? Maya’s living in the dorms, so I assumed—”

“Whoa, slow down,” he laughs, holding up a hand. “One question at a time, Raven.”

“Sorry,” I mumble, feeling a little flustered. “It’s just… unexpected.”

“Nah, it’s fine,” he says with a grin. “I’ll answer everything.” He thinks for a moment, then continues, “As for why I live alone… well, I’ve always wanted my own space. Things felt a little… complicated growing up, so once I had the chance to leave, I took it.”

“Complicated?” I ask, genuinely curious.

He hesitates, then nods. “Yeah. Let’s just say it’s easier to focus when I don’t have a bunch of people around.” His tone softens, and he gives me a small smile. “But Maya? She’s in the dorms because, well, she can’t afford her own place right now. I can, so I thought, why not?”

He chuckles. “I started working when I was sixteen. Did a bunch of part-time gigs, whatever I could find to save up some money. Then, I did an online course in data science, and after that, I landed an internship.”

I raise my eyebrows, surprised. “An internship? That’s impressive.”

He shrugs modestly. “It was a good experience. Once the internship was over, I got a job in the field, and I just kept saving. So, by the time I got into college, I saw it as the perfect chance to move out. I could finally leave without any drama, without explaining things to my parents.”

I nod, feeling a mixture of admiration and curiosity. “That must’ve taken a lot of planning.”

“Yeah, but it was worth it,” he replies, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. “I wanted my own space. And being here, without having to explain myself all the time? That was freedom.”

I feel a strange sense of understanding as he says this, recognizing a familiar longing for independence.

“Wow,” I say, genuinely impressed. “That’s… really admirable, actually.”

“Thanks,” he says, glancing down at me with a soft smile. “Sometimes you just have to do what you need to to survive. You know?”

I nod, feeling like I understand him a little better now. We walk in comfortable silence for a few moments, the glow of the campus lights guiding us back to the dorms.

As we finally reach the dorm building, Aiden slows his pace, turning to me with a playful smile. “You know,” he says, his gaze warm and direct, “you look cuter when you’re expressive. So don’t stop on anyone’s account, alright?”

I feel my face heat up instantly, my cheeks betraying me with a rosy hue. “Oh… um, thanks,” I manage to mumble, feeling embarrassingly flustered.

With a casual wave, Aiden flashes me one last smile. “See you around, Raven.” And just like that, he turns and walks away, leaving me standing there, trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart.

After a moment of gathering myself, I finally make my way up to my room. Opening the door, I find Maya sitting on her bed, scrolling through her phone. She looks up as I enter, her eyes immediately narrowing.

“Do you have a fever or something? Why is your face bright red?” she asks, her voice laced with curiosity.

Shyly, I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, fumbling for an excuse. “Oh… um, no. It was really cold outside.”

Maya gives me a look, clearly not buying it. “Cold, huh? So, where were you all day?”

I hesitate, then answer as casually as possible, “I was… out with my project group leader.”

Maya’s eyes light up with interest, and she smirks. “Wait, isn’t my brother participating in a project related to your class? Was it… my brother you were with all day?”

I feel my cheeks burning again and manage a small, awkward nod. “Uh… yeah. But we were just working on the project. That’s it.”

She grins even wider, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Girl, I know. What else would you two be doing?”

“It’s not like that!” I insist, but my voice comes out a little too quickly.

Maya laughs softly, clearly entertained. “Hey, I don’t mind, honestly. In fact, I think you’d be good for him. He needs to get his head out of those books once in a while.”

Blushing furiously, I shake my head. “It’s really… not like that. We’re just… project partners.”

“Uh-huh,” she teases, stretching the words out, obviously unconvinced. “Whatever you say, Raven.”

Desperate for an escape, I mumble something about needing a shower and quickly grab my pajamas. After a hot shower to calm my nerves, I change into my pajamas and come back out, only to find Maya already asleep, curled up under her blanket.

Quietly, I walk over to her bed, noticing that her phone is still lying next to her. I pick it up and place it on her drawer, gently pulling her blanket up to cover her. A soft smile escapes me as I watch her peaceful face for a second.

I slip into my bed, pulling the covers up to my chin, still feeling the heat in my cheeks. My mind drifts back to Aiden and the way he’d looked at me, the things he’d said. But then doubt creeps in, making me shake my head. There’s no way someone like Aiden would ever see me like that… right?

Rolling over, I try to push those thoughts away, telling myself it’s just silly to even think about it. Still, the memory of his smile lingers, and with one last sigh, I close my eyes and let sleep take over.

It's been a couple of weeks, and I can't shake this weird mix of worry and relief that's settled over me. I haven’t heard from Sophie, which is… unusual, to say the least. She’s usually texting every other day about something, even if it’s just to vent. I know I might’ve let her down by not replying right away before, but I didn’t think she'd actually ghost me over it. And then, there’s my mom. I should feel relieved that she hasn’t reached out, but the silence from her end is unsettling, like the calm before a storm. After what happened last time, though… maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. Still, I can’t help but wonder if something else is going on.

The upside, at least, is Maya. I didn’t expect to get close to her when we were first assigned as roommates, but she’s been such a persistent force in my life lately. We started with just hanging out in our room, and now she’s always trying to drag me out to meet her friends. I keep saying no, but Maya never seems to give up, which is… oddly comforting. It’s like she actually cares if I’m there or not, which is still strange to get used to.

Then there’s Aiden. Working together on this project has given us a reason to spend more time together, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t come to look forward to it. We’re supposed to be working, but half the time, it just feels like we’re hanging out. And even though we’re in a group with seven other people, I’ve only managed to talk to three of them. Aiden never pressures me, though. He just… gets it.

Today’s our final group meeting. Aiden texted everyone in the group chat, saying we’d be meeting in one of the spare classrooms at two in the afternoon. It’s almost ten now, and I see his message pop up on my phone. A small smile tugs at my lips. This project is almost over, but part of me wonders if things will stay the same with Aiden.

I felt a strange excitement as I got ready, the kind I hadn’t felt in a long time. My scars were healing, finally, and with no one around to reopen them, they were fading, almost like a bad memory. I even dressed a bit nicer, though I still wore long sleeves. My hair looked good too, styled in the way Maya had shown me. It was a small thing, but I felt... different, better maybe.

~

Just as I stepped outside, I barely made it a few steps before I felt someone grab my wrist. Startled, I turned around to see Sophie, and beside her, Emelie. My stomach dropped. Before I could react, Sophie yanked me towards a quieter spot, far enough that no one could hear us.

Before I could even open my mouth to ask what was going on, Sophie slapped me hard across the face.

“What the—” I barely got out, touching my cheek where it stung, but Emelie cut in with a sneer. “Wow, didn’t know your little pet could actually speak.”

My mind was spinning. I looked at Sophie, desperate for some kind of explanation. “Sophie, can we… can we talk alone, without her here?”

Sophie’s eyes narrowed. “No. I let you off, Raven, thinking you’d come crawling back. But here you are, trying to find yourself a new master to follow.”

Her words cut deep, and I felt the shock paralyze me. “Sophie, what are you even talking about?” I managed, my voice shaking.

She rolled her eyes, looking at me like I was nothing. “Don’t give me that pitiful look. When no one wanted to be around you, I was there. And this is how you repay me? By running off to someone else?” She scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. “You really think those siblings care about you? They’re just too polite to tell you the truth: you’re nothing to them. No one wants you, Raven.”

I opened my mouth, feeling the words choke in my throat. “Sophie, you know I would never— I don’t even know why you’re doing this. I’ve always apologized when things went wrong. I’ve done everything you wanted.”

She looked at me with pure contempt. “You think those apologies mean anything? You’re just a dog, Raven, following anyone who throws you a bone.”

Something inside me snapped. “Sophie, who do you think you are? I put up with all of this, with everything you said and did. And now you’re treating me like I’m not even a person? I’m done apologizing. I’d rather be alone than keep taking this. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

Sophie’s expression twisted with anger, but I could see something else—a flicker of surprise. Maybe she hadn’t expected me to fight back. “You’ll come crawling back, you know that? You think you’re something now, but you’re not. You never had a voice, and you never will.”

Emelie chimed in, laughing coldly. “Don’t worry. A dog like you will always come running back to its owner.” They turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, shaken to my core.

I stumbled backward, slumping down on a nearby chair. My head was pounding, my face still stinging from the slap. I couldn’t believe the words that had come out of my mouth. I’d never stood up to Sophie before, and yet… here I was, stunned at my own courage.

I leaned back, staring blankly ahead as my mind raced. *Was I really nothing to her this whole time?* She didn’t even see me as human. All those times I thought we were something that could have turned into friendship—how could I have been so stupid?

I put my head in my hands, trying to calm the spiraling thoughts. *What now?*

I took a few deep breaths, willing my hands to stop shaking. I glanced at my phone screen, using it as a mirror to check my face. The puffiness around my eyes had mostly faded; at least, it wasn’t too noticeable. I still had about 20 minutes before the meeting, so I composed myself, fixed my hair, and walked toward the meeting room.

When I arrived, five people were already there, including Aiden. As I walked in, I gave a small wave to the group, trying to act as casually as possible. Then, I spotted Aiden by the back, typing something on his laptop with that usual look of concentration. I made my way over to him and greeted him with a quiet, “Hey.”

Aiden looked up and smiled warmly. “Hey, Raven. Glad you made it.” He closed his laptop and turned his full attention to me. “Since you’ve been the most helpful on this project, I’m going to trust you with holding onto the final draft until it’s time to submit it. Think you can handle that responsibility?”

I tried to hide my smile. “That’s quite the reward.”

He grinned. “Well, if that’s not enough, I can also throw in your favorite ice cream.”

“That sounds fair,” I replied, trying to match his playful tone.

“Oh?” he raised an eyebrow, smirking. “I thought you’d want a different kind of reward.”

My brain blanked for a second and my cheeks felt hot. Wait. What? I opened my mouth to ask him what he meant, but the other four members arrived before I could say anything. Aiden gave me a wink and moved to the front to start the meeting.

The meeting went smoothly, with everyone discussing the final points of the project and making sure all the parts were cohesive. I mostly stayed quiet, listening, and taking a few notes. After about 45 minutes, we wrapped up, and people started to gather their things and head out. Just as I was about to leave, Aiden caught up to me.

“So, any big plans tonight?” he asked, an easy smile on his face.

I shrugged. “Sort of. Maya’s been bugging me to hang out with her friends, and I finally caved. I lost a bet to her yesterday, so I owe her this one. But it’ll only be an hour or two… you know how I feel about social gatherings.”

Aiden nodded knowingly. “I get it. But you’re really coming out of your shell more lately. Maybe you’ll have more fun than you think.” He handed me a USB drive, the one with the final drafts. “Take care of this, alright?”

I took it, smiling a little. “I will.”

He leaned in a bit closer, giving me a look that made my heart skip a beat. “Besides,” he said, his voice dropping to a playful murmur, “you can’t keep all that beauty hidden forever, cutie.” He winked before turning away. “See you around, Raven. Have fun at your little social gathering.”