Chapter 2:
It started with borrowed pens.
Mine always went missing, and Aiden always had extras—though he claimed he didn't know why he brought so many. He'd hand one to me with a lazy grin, and I'd pretend not to care. But secretly, I kept every single one in a small pouch at home. I told myself it was just for emergencies. I lied.
He was quiet, but not shy. There was something about the way he observed people, like he saw more than he let on. One time, during a group activity, I couldn't stop fidgeting with my sleeve. He leaned in and whispered, "You okay?"
That was the first time someone actually asked me that and meant it.
We started sharing playlists after that. At first, it was just for fun—he'd send me weird songs with titles like Lemonade Tears or Sad Pizza. But then came the real ones. The ones with lyrics that made you feel like someone took your heart, turned it inside out, and wrote a melody about it.
It wasn't loud or dramatic, this thing between us.
It was quiet. Safe. Soft.
And maybe that's what scared me the most.