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.