Fire & Snow

Chapter 3

Aydan’s POV

“Seriously Liav, this is how you plan on treating me after what you did to me,” I arched an eyebrow as we walked to the library. I just could not believe that Liav and Faith would make me babysit a sophomore, sophomore for Pete’s sake and it was not as though she was my type. I was royally pissed off and irritated that they would do that to me.

Liav threw me one of his devious smiles, “I did not in any way force you to do anything,” he said, “If anyone is to receive the full blunt of that stare of yours then it should be Faith.”

“What stare are you talking about? I don’t have any stare,” I asked defensively. Why? Why did I have to be friends with such people who can screw you over without much of a second thought? Liav really hurt me when he did what he did and I highly doubt I will be able to forgive him anytime soon.

Liav sighed and stopped walking, which prompted me to stop walking as well. “Look, this isn’t personal or anything but I want you to stay away from Neva. I know what Faith said but even she can agree that you aren’t the best of people to be around her,” he said seriously.

What the hell? Was that what my so-called friends thought of me? That I was a bad influence or something.

“I mean it Aydan; I don’t want what happened to Lacy to happen to Neva,” Liav said. “She isn’t as experienced as any of us or any of the girls you usually hook-up with, she is innocent and different and Faith seems to like her, so do I.”

It explained why Faith threatened me the way she did. She was afraid I would corrupt and taint that pure innocent soul that was Neva. I wish they were wrong about me but even I knew I did some really bad things.

“That thing with Lacy was not my fault. I did tell her I did not do relationships before we started hooking up and she seemed to be okay with it, so why are you still blaming me for something that I did not do?” I was pissed off. Liav and Faith always brought in the whole Lacy thing just to make me feel guilty about something that was not my fault and it pissed me off that they would rather choose to believe someone over their own best friend, someone they had known for three years.

“You knew that she liked you, really liked you and you chose to use that to your own advantage,” Liav said thorough narrowed eyes. I could see the vein on his forehead begin to throb and I knew Lacy was still a soul topic for him.

I raked a hand through my hair. I did not know how many times Liav wanted me to tell him that it was not my fault. “I know you still think I’m a bad guy, and maybe I am but Lacy was not my fault and the reason that she transferred after that was also clearly not my fault.”

Liav seemed to ease up and resumed walking. “You screwed with you, you used her, and you broke her until she could no longer take it. If it was not for Faith talking to her, she would have killed herself, did you know that?”

“So you two are now ganging up on me?” I asked and then added. “Besides, you have nothing to worry about; she isn’t one of the girls I usually go for.” Moreover, it was true; Neva had an innocence to her that rather made her seem boring and not worth the challenge and I guess a part of that was true. She wore baggy jeans and a sweatshirt, not my usual type but that did not mean anything. I liked girls who challenged me and were a good chase. Girls who also happened to have a sense of fashion and did not dress as though they did not know what their gender was. I am sure that if I even so much as blinked in her direction she would fall at my feet in now time.

Liav shook his head, “That’s what you said about Lacy as well but look how that turned out, for you and me.”

“I told you that was different,” I replied with a sigh and brushed my hair out of my eyes. I needed a haircut but I felt too lazy to do it. Sue me.

“Uh-huh.”

“I will get you back for what you did,” I said through narrowed eyes, “And Faith is on my side for this one. You screwed me over badly and I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive you until you get what is coming for you.”

“And I will be waiting because I know I deserve it,” came Liav’s reply.

We entered the library and both got lost in our own worlds. I opened my laptop, took out my headphones and just stared at it the screen; somehow, my mind was trying to figure out Neva and what her deal was. For a girl, she sure seemed unaffected by my presence, heck she seemed unaffected by my voice as well. That was first and I did not know how my ego was supposed to take that.

I know I said I was going to leave Neva alone, but she was challenge the way she was and I was going to win her. That was a promise I made to myself as the words on screen became visible once more.

I shook my head as well. This was going to be a long junior year.

Neva’s POV

I would be lying if I said that meeting Aydan had been the best thing. It was not, I got the impression that he did not like me and when Faith he had to do certain things for me at no cost, I swear I could almost feel his anger radiate of him in waves.

Chance snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Are you in there or did you go to one of your many dream worlds?” he asked once I regained my composure.

“Of course, you know me so well Chance,” I replied sarcastically. I do not have a dream world and if I had one, then everything that happened during lunch would most definitely not be there.

“I knew it,” Alex exclaimed, “See what I told you Chance. Can you hear what I told you?” he was looking at Chance with a triumphant smirk and I could not help but laugh at that.

Chance rolled his eyes dramatically and slammed his textbook. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said with a shrug.

Alex scowled at him, “You know what I am talking about but you just don’t ever want to admit when I am right. Is it so hard to just admit that I can be right about something for a change?”

“Pretty much,” Chance replied and I smacked him with my pen. “Ouch, what the heck Nev? What did I do to deserve such cruel treatment from you?” he narrowed his eyes at me while rubbing where the pen had hit him.

I shrugged and picked up my pen, “I just felt like it,” I replied and Alex laughed, which earned him a glare from Chance.

“Y’all are both mean and I cannot believe I thought it would be cool to have such people as you as my friends,” Chance said and began packing up his things.” I will not sit here and tolerate such cruel treatment from my supposed best friends.” He stood up and hoisted his bag on his right shoulder.

I quickly grabbed Chance’s hand before he could really walk out on us and knowing him, he would definitely do it.

“Look, we are sorry or at least I feel a little bad for what I said,” I said and Chance gave me that ‘are you really serious look’.

“Nice apology,” Chance replied and pulled his hand of out my hold. “How about you try harder while I walk away and find friends who do not treat me the way that you both do and who actually appreciate me.” then he left Alex and me sitting there watching his retreating figure until he was out of the library.

I sighed and looked around the library where people seemed to be minding their own business and not paying us any attention. Chance was always like this and even though it had been a year of knowing him, I still found it hard fully understanding him and what he did.

As I continued looking at the people there, my eyes landed on Liav and right next to him was Aydan. My blood ran cold and I immediately looked away from him before he saw me.

Aydan’s whole persona was not something I was used to. Sure, he just wore a pair of jeans, which if I now admit were riding dangerously low on his hips and a black dress shirt that had the sleeves rolled up with his hair pushed to one side of his head.

‘”Nev,” Alex said and I snapped out of thinking about Aydan and remembered why I had to stay away from him. I did not want to end up like Liav’s former assistant or whatever happened to her.

“Yeah?” I asked.

“Isn’t that Liav?” Alex pointed to where I had been looking and I looked back.

Aydan’s head turned in my direction and our eyes made contact. I would be lying if I said that the look he gave me was friendly. It felt cold but I could not stop looking at him and neither could he, it was as though we were the only ones and everything else disappeared. I was his prey and he was the predator.

“Neva,” Alex snapped his fingers in front of my face and I looked away but not before, I saw Aydan smirk.

“Umm… I think we should go. We have been studying for really long,” I offered and began packing up my things. “Or you can stay if you still want to study.”

Alex grabbed his laptop and textbooks, “Nah, I think I’ll go and take a nap for a while before dinner,” he said and I sighed in relief.

We left the library but the entire time I would feel someone’s eyes on me. Alex and I went our separate ways and entered my room; I could still feel a chill at the back of my neck as though someone was watching me.

“You’re early,” Kylie, my roommate said from her position on her bed.

I sighed and plopped on my bed face first.

“Long day?” Kylie asked. I mumbled something that I was certain she did not catch and minutes later, my bed was dipping and Kylie was patting my back. “You can tell me, Kylie is here for you.”

I turned and laid on my back as I stared at the ceiling. “It really has,” I replied. “I feel so drained right now that all I want to do is just sleep and probably never walk up.”

“Don’t say that,” Kylie scowled at me. “It gets better; all you have to do is preserve through it all.”

I nearly laughed but by the look on Kylie’s face, I knew it was a bad idea. “I will try and preserve through it for your sake and nothing else,” I replied and Kylie beamed.

“Great, now let’s go get you something to eat, preferably some junk food in you,” Kylie said while pulling me up and practically dragging me out of our room.

“Can’t you go and buy them while I lay on my bed and contemplate my whole life?” I know was whining but I did not want to leave the room for the rest of the day, not even to go to the dining hall and joining Alex.