How this Hippie Fell in Love

Chapter 5

As August turned into September the days grew shorter and the nights longer.

Homecoming is fast approaching and the art club is in charge of choosing a theme and making decorations.

We decided to make it more casual versus formal and chose "Glow in the Dark". The idea is everyone wears as much white or black as possible and don glow sticks and neon paint.

Everyone seems really excited about the idea… well everyone except Callie and her squad. They enjoy dressing up to the nines and watching the envy in everyone's eyes as they walk by.

It was just last week the rumors spread that Aiden had broken up with Callie and he had done so because he found her in a compromising position with someone on a rival football team. It was also said when he found them he just laughed and said "she's your problem now" before shutting the door and walking away.

I don't know how much of any of that is true, but they don't seem to be together anymore. They don't walk the halls together or sit together at lunch.

Aiden has gotten a lot of unwanted attention from girls hoping he'll ask them to homecoming. So far, all have walked away disappointed.

The hair tugs have become more frequent. They started out after mutual classes, but now he's finding me at my locker and after school. It's almost affectionate. Almost.

He and I have never been friends- not even acquaintances. He has made it very clear after years of relentless bullying that he has no interest in me as a person, let alone a love interest.

So then what is it? And why start now? Whatever game he's playing, I don't want to be a part of it.

I settled in my chair for seventh period, excited my day was nearly over.

Mrs. Rose stood in front of the class and started her lecture on body culture and modern youth, the ideal body and the not so ideal body.

She opened up the floor for discussion. A mistake in my opinion.

"Huge t**s and ass!" Derek shouted from the back.

"Language, Mr. Tanner!" Mrs. Rose scolded. "That does fit the current beauty standards." She continued. "For so much of the 20th century petite frames were the standard of beauty. Women were expected to have small waists, smaller breast sizes, smaller bottoms, small feet, and even shorter stature." She said matter of factly. "Can anyone explain the negative impact this had on pre-teen, teenage, and even young women?" She asked

I raised my hand, but she called on an unexpected source for the answer.

"Eating disorders." Aiden states firmly. "Surgery for breast reduction and liposuction." He continued "Some women went so far as to have their heels surgically removed to make their feet smaller.".

Mrs. Rose smiled at him. "You are correct. Society has never been kind to people. There's always something wrong with everyone." She said

"I'm assigning partners for a project. Yes, yes. Groan, groan." She mocked "This project is worth a large part of your final grade." She continued after the complaining died down.

"Each pairing will have to pick a country and a beauty standard, then they will have to write a paper illustrating whether or not the beauty standard had a positive or negative impact on society at the time." She explained with her hands clasped and rocking on the balls of her feet.

"And…" the entire class groaned "there will need to be visual aids." More groaning.

"Our pairs will be; Tanner and Thompson, Richard's and Smith, Dalton and Rivers, Jenkins and Gibson, Abraham and Williams, Davis and Huffman, finally Gray and Carter." She finished

"Shit." I whispered.

The bell rang and I shot out of the room like a bat out of Hell. I made a mad dash to my locker trying to get home as quickly as possible.

"Emma!" A voice shouted for me "Emma!" He yelled again.

I swapped out my books, closed my locker door with a slam and bolted through the exit.

I sprinted as fast as I could through the parking lot unlocking my door as it came in to view. I grabbed the handle just as a large hand slapped my window holding the door closed.

I felt his presence behind me and his ragged breath on top of my head. I didn't dare turn around.

"Why did you run?" He asked, hurt lacing his voice.

I stood there silent.

"Emma?" He asked, the hurt creeping deeper in his voice.

"Do you have to ask?" I snapped. My back is still to him so I can't see his face, but I'm sure shock has taken over his feature.

"Honestly, Aiden, do you?" I asked again, turning around to face him. "Do you remember in third grade when you dumped your water on my chair and I sat in it, not knowing it was wet. Then you told everyone I peed my pants." I seethed.

"What about last year when Jesse Romero was going to ask me out and you told him I had Chlamydia?" I reminded him, poking him in the chest with every word. I also reminded him of pantsing me in gym class in sixth grade and telling everyone I had cooties in kindergarten. People didn't talk to me for a month after that, my mom had to forge a note from the doctor saying it was a misdiagnosis.

When my rant was over, I stood there in front of him, waiting. His beautiful blue eyes stared deeply into my green. I hoped the pain I was feeling resonated with him. I hoped he would march right inside and demand a new partner out of guilt. I hoped he would walk away and never bother me again.

My hopes fell flat.

"Be at my house in an hour so we can get started." He said completely void of any emotion.

He turned and walked away without another word.

My jaw was at my feet and I knew it. After everything I just confessed, how could he walk away as if I hadn't just lifted 13 years of pain off my chest.

After years of bullying and torment, this is the most broken hearted Aiden Gray ever left me.

"f**k him!" I thought

I went inside to insist Mrs. Rose change my partner.

"Mrs. Rose…" I began as I stepped inside her classroom.

"I'm not changing your partner, Emma." She explained, giving me a knowing smile.

"How did you know?" I asked

"Do you notice how I paired everyone up?" She asked. I shook my head no. "Let me put it to you this way, I teach sociology." She explained without actually explaining anything. "See you tomorrow!" She exclaimed way too cheery for someone who just ruined my day.

I have less than fifty minutes to make a decision and I'm standing at a crossroad.

"What's the worst that could happen if I go to Aiden's" I thought

"He could murder me." I suggested

Though it seems unlikely, it is still possible.

With forty minutes left I decided to go home and forget all about him. A nagging feeling in the back of my head told me that will never happen.

I pulled in my driveway less than five minutes later. I went inside and laid on my bed hoping I'll fall asleep and that will decide it for me.

After ten minutes passed I realized that wasn't going to happen. I went downstairs and ate a banana, who knows when I'll be able to eat again.

I resigned to the fact that I have no good excuses or way to get out of this meeting so I trudged to my car and made my way to the last place I wanted to be.