“Screw it.” I felt completely uncertain this was a good idea now I’d seen myself in his jersey, and nerves were prickling my skin. I had to do something though. I was running out of time, and this was the best idea I’d come up with that had a chance of truly fooling Aiden.
I opened my bedroom door and peered out into the corridor to check it was empty. The only thing worse than Aiden seeing me wearing this outfit was the idea of Aiden’s family catching me in it. Thankfully, the house was silent and the coast was clear. It was late at night, so I imagined Jade and Elliot were sound asleep.
A soft light crept out from under Aiden’s door, so I knew he was still up. I squeezed my eyes shut as I allowed myself one last moment of doubt before I opened them again and tiptoed across the hallway. I didn’t bother knocking when I got to Aiden’s room. Instead, I silently pushed the door open. Aiden had been comfortable barging into my room this morning, so it only seemed fair I returned the favor.
My heart was galloping as I pushed the door inward and snuck into the room. I hadn’t been into Aiden’s bedroom before, and I was surprised to find it extremely orderly. All his school textbooks were piled neatly on his desk, and his bookcase was filled with rows of trophies. There weren’t any dirty clothes on the floor, and the scent of his aftershave permeated the air, giving the room a pleasant smell. I’d noticed him cleaning the house obsessively over the last few days, so I probably should have expected his room would be just as spotless as the rest of the place.
I scanned the room until my gaze finally reached Aiden. He was lying on his back on his bed. He seemed to have fallen asleep on top of his comforter with a book resting open on his chest. I didn’t know whether I was more surprised Aiden was reading a book or that he was actually wearing a shirt indoors for once.
He hadn’t opened his eyes as I entered the room, and his breaths were flowing gently in and out. I was kind of relieved to find him sleeping, but my lips scrunched as I considered what to do next. I was winging this whole plan and really wished I’d had time to come up with a strategy. I wasn’t flirtatious by nature and felt completely awkward as I stood just inside the doorway. I needed to be more confident if I wanted this to work. The first thing I needed to do was wake him up.
I walked over to his bed and climbed onto it. The mattress dipped as I crawled over to Aiden and lightly pressed my hands onto his chest. I was trembling a little, and I hoped he wouldn’t notice.
“Aiden?” I murmured.
He slowly blinked his eyes open and gave me a dopey smile. His gaze remained dazed, and he looked like he was still half asleep.
“This has to be a dream,” he murmured.
I smiled and fluttered my eyelashes at him. I was absolutely useless at flirting. I should have gotten some pointers from Zoey first. “It’s not a dream,” I replied softly.
“No, I’m pretty sure it is. I’ve had this dream before.”
I almost spluttered out a laugh. Was he being serious? He still looked like he was waking up, so I wasn’t sure if he knew what he was saying. I quickly refocused though and forged forward with my plan. I leaned closer to him and lightly brushed a hand across his cheek. My fingers tingled as I touched him, and I tried to ignore the way my stomach clenched at how close we were.
“Aiden… I want you.”
His eyes widened, and he blinked several times, as though he was finally waking up. “What?”
“I’ve always wanted you, and my feelings have only grown stronger since I started living here. I don’t want to deny it anymore.”
His throat bobbed as he swallowed, and his eyes were troubled, as though he wasn’t sure whether to believe me. I hoped he couldn’t feel how much I was shaking with nerves; otherwise, he might start to see through my little act.
His eyes dipped toward my lips. He stared at them for a long, drawn-out moment before he finally lifted his gaze to meet mine once more. The corner of his mouth lifted in a sweet smile, and the light flickering across his eyes seemed to dance. “You do?”
There was almost a sense of hope in his gaze, and I had to remind myself who I was looking at. Aiden was a player. He would have reacted the same way to any girl who got into his bed and uttered those words to him. I couldn’t quite bring myself to repeat them though, so I simply nodded in reply.
His smile widened in response. “Well, stop talking about it and kiss me already.”
I froze. I hadn’t really thought through the mechanics of the prank in detail, but this was not how I saw it going. I thought I’d just flirt with him a little and give him a taste of his own medicine before finally laughing it off as my April Fools’ revenge. I definitely didn’t plan on kissing the guy. I wasn’t going to back down so quickly though.
I smiled and lifted myself up so I could crawl on top of him, my legs straddling either side of his body. His eyes grew even wider, and his breath caught in his throat. My body was buzzing with adrenaline. Was I going too far? Probably. But as I looked down at Aiden, I saw a flash of lust in his eyes, and I felt a matching pulse of excitement flow through me. I was playing with something dangerous, and it was fun.
I draped my hair over one shoulder and placed my hands down on the pillow, one on each side of his head.. Then I slowly lowered my lips toward him. The room was silent, and Aiden seemed to have stopped breathing entirely. His body had gone completely still.
It would be so easy to kiss him, and for a crazy second, I considered going through with it. Being this close to him was intoxicating in a way I never imagined, and my body urged me closer still. I hated him, but right now, my body seemed to be overriding my mind, and I wanted him too.
My lips were just about to brush against his when I looked into his eyes. There was an emotion there I couldn’t place. A sense of adoration I never would have expected. Seeing him look at me that way seemed to wake me up from the heady fog I’d disappeared into, and I jerked back slightly.
What the hell was I doing?
I’d nearly kissed Aiden. I needed to get away from him before I forgot myself again. Even now, my hands itched to touch him, and my lips wanted nothing more than to erase the distance between us. I had to get out of this room fast.
“April Fools’, Aiden.” I tried to drag up a confident smile, and I hoped he couldn’t see the confusion in my eyes. My voice was shaky though, and the elation I expected to feel upon tricking him was sorely missing. This was supposed to be a trick on him, but I felt I’d only pranked myself.
He didn’t move as he stared back at me. A flicker of hurt seemed to flash in his eyes, but it was gone before I could be certain it was even there. Slowly, he started to smile though, and a chuckle escaped his lips. “It’s after midday, Clary. Pranks don’t count anymore.”
“That’s not a rule.”
“It’s the only rule. And you just broke it. I think that means you’re the fool. Either that or this isn’t a prank and you really do want me.”
“It’s definitely a prank,” I quickly assured him, my voice holding almost a little too much conviction. “And it’s still April first, so it still counts.”
“I mean, I would love to agree with you. But the rules are the rules. Nice try though. I especially love how you look in my jersey.”
“Ugh.” I pushed myself off him, and he laughed as I climbed from the bed. He didn’t seem at all bothered that I’d just seduced him before rejecting him at the last moment. If anything, he seemed to find it hilarious.
I started toward the door, feeling defeated.
“Feel free to try this prank again anytime,” he said. “Seriously, I won’t mind.”
I glared at him over my shoulder but was only met by his happy smile, so I stuck my middle finger up at him. He responded with another chuckle as I opened the door and stormed from his room.
“I’ll be in here waiting,” he called before I slammed the door shut behind me. So much for my April Fools’ revenge.
I felt even more embarrassed than I had when Aiden pranked me earlier. He’d
reacted like he’d enjoyed my prank more than anything, and I felt like a total fool. I’d been an idiot to think I could outsmart our school’s biggest flirt and play him at his own game. I couldn’t understand why I thought it was a good idea in the first place.
I tore Aiden’s jersey from my shoulders as I entered my room and threw it back down on the weight bench where I’d found it. It landed in a scrunched ball, and I glared at the shirt. There wasn’t anyone else who irritated me as much as Aiden, and I was frustrated he wasn’t even slightly annoyed by me in return.
Seriously, did he really feel nothing in there? I despised the guy, but even I’d been confused by the flicker of attraction that had sparked when our lips nearly brushed. It had been a moment of insanity though, and I wanted to forget it ever happened. I didn’t want to recall how nice he’d smelled or how his body had felt beneath mine. I didn’t want to think about how my heart had been beating so quickly or how I’d been tempted to kiss him. Even now, a part of me wondered if it was really such a bad idea.
“Stop it, Clary,” I muttered to myself. No more thoughts of Aiden.
As I started to put on my pajamas, I couldn’t help but remember the way he’d looked at me when we came so close to kissing. His gaze and been tender, and he’d looked at me like I was the only girl in the world. I also couldn’t seem to shake the hint of hurt that had been in Aiden’s eyes when I rejected him. His smiled was a little too bright and slightly forced when he’d laughed the prank off, and a flare of guilt rushed through me at the thought.
There was no way Aiden was upset by my prank. Right?
11
Clary
“Morning, Clary,” Aiden said, as I walked out of my bedroom. He was lounging against his own doorway, his arms folded across his chest like he’d been waiting for me.
He seemed to have lost the shirt he’d been wearing last night, and I had to remember to look at his eyes rather than his bare muscles. It was far more challenging than I was willing to admit, especially since I’d felt how firm they were when I was in his room last night. I tried to push the memory from my mind.
Look at his face. Look at his face.
Zoey would be very disappointed if she knew I was wasting such a view.
“Morning.” I tightly smiled in reply and started toward the stairs. It was easier to avoid looking at Aiden’s body if we weren’t in the same room. I also wanted to avoid eye contact with him after my disastrous attempt at pranking him last night. It had taken me ages to get to sleep afterward. I couldn’t stop replaying the whole ordeal in my head, and my stupid heart had refused to quit fluttering.
I should have just gone with something simple like drawing a pair of devil horns on his forehead with permanent marker or something. Knowing Aiden though, he’d have somehow found a way to work those horns to his advantage.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“The kitchen.”
“Mind if I follow?”
I frowned. “Uh, sure.”
“Because my parents always told me to follow my dreams.”
A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. I quickly restrained it though and tried to look unimpressed. “That’s really the best pickup line you’ve got this morning?”
He shrugged but smiled brightly at me. When he smiled that way, it was easy to forget he was such a player. His expression was genuine and natural—not what you’d expect from the playboy of Harford High.
He started to respond, but my phone began to ring in my pocket. I whipped it out before he could say another word, relieved to see my mom’s picture flashing across the screen.
“Finally,” I said as I answered the phone. “You guys didn’t call me back yesterday.”
“Sorry, sweetie.” I was surprised to hear my dad’s voice on the other end of the line rather than my mom’s. “We were trying to sort things out and didn’t want to worry you until we knew for sure what was happening.”
“What do you mean, worry?” My stomach dropped and twisted at the same time.
Dad drew in a long breath. “We’ve tried everything we can to get out of here, but we’ve finally run out of options. Our last attempt fell through this morning, and it looks like we’re going to have to stay put until the restrictions are lifted.”
It felt like the air had been stolen from my lungs. I took a step back against the wall and then sank down onto the carpeted floor. “You guys can’t get home?” The words were whispered, as though saying them too loud would make them more true.
“We can’t get home,” Dad confirmed. “Not yet.”
My body started to shake as tears cascaded down my cheeks. I’d been trying to ignore the dread I felt about my parents being stranded and convince myself they would get home soon. But now my worst fear was a reality, and I felt like I was falling to pieces.
“I know you’re upset, kiddo, but we’re going to be safe here,” Dad continued. “The hotel we’re at is staying open for the guests who are stuck here, and there have been no reported cases of the virus in this town. Everything will be fine, I promise.”
“You also promised you’d get home to me.” It was a bratty response, but I felt like I needed to lash out. I was terrified for my parents, and I was powerless to help them. I immediately backtracked. “I’m sorry. I’m just really worried.”
“I know.”
I rubbed a hand across my cheeks, wiping away the tears. “Is Mom with you?”
“I’m right here, honey.” Her voice sounded slightly distant, as though I was on speakerphone.
“Are you okay?”
“We’re both fine,” Mom said. “You don’t need to be upset. Your dad and I are both doing well, and no one here is too concerned. It feels like we’re on an extended vacation.”
I shook my head. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”
“I’m really not,” Mom replied. “Everything is going to be fine.” I wasn’t sure whether to believe her though. I sat still on the floor as she continued talking, silently trying to absorb it all. My parents weren’t coming back. And there was every chance they could get really sick because of it.
The two of them continued trying to reassure me, but their words felt meaningless. Neither one of them could be truly certain of how safe they were or how things would transpire. They weren’t making me feel any better about the situation. If anything, I only felt worse.
Eventually, Dad drew the conversation to an end. “We have to go, kiddo. We need to make some other calls.”
“Okay,” I murmured in reply. I wasn’t ready to hang up on them. It felt like if we kept talking that maybe the situation might change. It was silly to feel that way, but I did all the same. I couldn’t keep them on the phone forever though.
As I hung up, I realized Aiden was still in the corridor. His eyes were filled with concern as he came over and sat beside me. He reached out and gently wrapped his arm around my shoulders. He didn’t say anything, and I was surprised by how comforting I found his touch.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head against him, allowing him to pull me in close as the soft scent of his aftershave surrounded me. Normally, I would never have let Aiden hug me like this. It was far too intimate and unnervingly familiar.
Right now, it didn’t feel like we were Clary and Aiden though. I was nothing but a cracked shell, so close to breaking apart, and Aiden’s firm, warm grasp was the glue holding my fragile pieces together. I’d never needed anyone before, but I needed Aiden’s support right now as much as I needed oxygen to breathe. There was nothing I could do to help Mom and Dad, and for once, I was glad I wasn’t alone.
A knock sounded at my door later that afternoon. I’d put myself back to bed after extricating myself from an all too familiar hug with Aiden. I’d practically run away from him once my senses had returned and I realized exactly whose arms I was snuggling into for support. Thankfully, he’d left me alone after that, giving me the space I desperately needed.
I couldn’t say the same
about his mom though. Jade had spent the morning in my room, trying to reassure me my parents would be okay. When she wasn’t trying to fix my misery with copious amounts of food, she was reiterating it was only a matter of time before they returned. She also kept reassuring me I could stay with her, Aiden, and Elliot as long as I needed. The thought of living with them wasn’t nearly as worrying as it had been at first, and I was surprised to find I was comforted by the thought.
Jade only left when I told her I was tired and needed some sleep. Really, I just wanted a break from talking and having to constantly turn down Jade’s offers of more food. I wasn’t sure why people thought food fixed things when you were sad. Whenever I was miserable, I couldn’t eat at all.
The knock sounded a second time, and I let out a groan. Whoever was out there wasn’t going away. I imagined it was Jade, back to try and force-feed me soup again.
I sat up in bed and tucked my hair behind my ears. “Come in,” I called out.
The door creaked open slowly, and a hesitant-looking Elliot popped his head inside the crack.
“Elliot?” Of all the Moores I expected to see, it wasn’t him.
“Hey, MJ, I heard about your parents.”
I nodded, not quite able to respond. I couldn’t put my feelings into words, so it felt better to remain silent.
“It sucks they can’t get back, and I was thinking you might like to do something that will take your mind off it,” he continued.
“Okay…”
He opened the door slightly wider at my response and tucked his hands into his jeans. It was a move I’d seen his older brother make whenever he was uncertain, and it was uncanny how similar they looked at moments like this. “So, I was wondering if you wanted to come play Horde II with me on my PlayStation…”
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