Chapter 107

Chapter 107
Elly's POV

“Hey, has anyone seen Aidan today?” I asked a group of students clustered around Sebastian.

I'd been searching for him all morning since Jimmy and the boys met me with news of his disappearance. Ryan had gone to search for him in the gym and some other places he suspected Aidan might be.

The last time I saw him was yesterday before Principal Legrange invited him to her office but she'd long dismissed him, so she said.

“You mean the guy you said was hitting on but me ended up with you?” Oakley asked, turning to me. The rest said nothing.

I was taken aback by her attitude and frowned.
“Now's not the time, Oakley, it's serious.” I said, standing up to her and matching her energy.

“Well, I wouldn't tell you even if I knew where he was.” She answered, turning her back to me.

I staggered, then heaved a brief laugh. “Why not?”

“You know why.” She said, her eyes on the book before her.

Shocked, I scoffed and walked away to my seat, to Jimmy who was stifling a laugh.

“Why is she going monster on me? I didn't do anything to her.” I started, hurt, as I slumped on my seat.

“You think you didn't?” Jimmy quizzed, leaning across his desk. He seemed somewhat relaxed about Aidan missing.

Maybe it was just me and there really was no need to be bothered, but who wouldn't be, especially with the way Aidan had been the last few days.

“Did I?” I asked with a frown.

“Didn't you?” he asked back with an air of humour I found misplaced.

What is he talking about? I thought, looking him over like he'd gone insane. “What are you talking about?” I finally asked out loud.

“The deception, that must've stung.” Adrian chirped in, dropping a can of coca-cola on the table. “Take a sip.”

As if that was my fault. Why did she believe it without verification?

I sighed, cocked it open and gulped down a mouthful. It was chill and refreshing. I felt at ease briefly, then panic hit again.

I turned to Adrian. “Aren't you bothered?”

“Because I offered you a drink means I'm not bothered now, huh? Who are you to judge me?” He asked with a hint of humour in his voice but I think I'd missed that cue.

Jimmy burst out laughing, snorting sporadically. It would've cracked me up on a normal day, but it didn't.

“Boy, you're an instigator.” he said to Adrian.

Adrian burst laughing too, then sat on Aidan's table, his legs on Aidan's chair.

“Aidan will be fine, and everything will go back to normal.” He said more seriously after a while.

I knew he was speaking to calm me down, so I shut him a smile while nodding. I was grateful about how he was able to navigate his feelings for me when we returned from the past. Of all the four guys, I'd worried about him more.



Classes ended for the day, and still no sign of Aidan around. Days like this had me wishing for Professor Rockwell's presence. He would've known how to find Aidan. He always did. If he was hiding, Rockwell would know where to look in and if Aidan was angry, Rockwell would've known how to pacify him. He always did.

I'd grown tired of the search that evening and was returning to my room when I stumbled on him at the intersection by the garden.

The moment I laid my eyes on him, I knew I had every reason to panic.

“Aidan?” I called, halting in my tracks. He stopped too, but did not turn to look at me. “Aidan,” I repeated, running to him.

He was still in the green flannel shirt he wore on a black shirt and black cargo pants from the previous day. His hair was messy, and he did look sweaty.

“We've searched everywhere for you.” I said excitedly when I caught up with him. “I've been worried sick since morning.”

He didn't smile, didn't look happy to see me in the slightest. He just kept a neutral expression.
“And I'm supposed to believe that?” he asked with a cold voice.

“Is anything wrong, Aidan?” I asked, shifting closer and wanting to take his hand.

He shifted backwards, swaying my hand off him. He never did that, and there was more. When I looked in his eyes, it wasn't Aidan I was staring at. He was someone else. And when he looked at me, it felt like he didn't me, like he was seeing something else.

Seconds passed, then a smile settled on his face and he asked, “Does it look like anything’s wrong?”

There was something unsettling about the way he smiled at me that made my heart skip with fear.

“You didn't attend classes throughout the day,” I started, trying to read the impassive expression he shot at me. This was the second time I found it difficult to read Aidan. The other time was when we first met.

“Did something happen at Principal Legrange's office?” I asked slowly, knowing that whatever it was had to be a resultant effect of meeting up with the older woman.

“That's a good question.” he said, and I heaved a deep sigh, thinking we were finally heading somewhere until he spurted it out. “A lot happened in there, but let's begin with you ratting me out to Legrange, so much for claiming to be my girlfriend.”

I frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“It doesn't suit you, Elly, don't do it.” Aidan remarked very calmly, but that only heightened my confusion.

“Don't do what?” I asked, the corners of my lips twitching from fear.

“You think I do not know that you told the principal about me?”

Again, I was taken aback by the accusation. How did the principal learn about that? She didn't leave a camera in my room, did she? Again, even if it was true that she was in on the matter, she definitely didn't hear it from me.

“No, I didn't. Who told you that?” I asked, shaking my head.

“You're worse than I thought.” He scoffed and I felt the sting.

I pressed my lips together, wondering how I was going to explain to Aidan that I was innocent, and have him believe me.

“When did she tell you that?”

“After the ritual.”

“Ritual?” I asked, making a face.

Aidan went through a ritual? Was that why he'd been absent all day? What kind of ritual? I had a truck load of questions but couldn't dare ask. Now wasn't the time.

“I didn't say a word to the principal, why would I even? But I did speak to…..”

I paused, trembling a little.

No way! Ophelia! She wouldn't do that to me.

Aidan was watching my expression, and must've noticed when recognition hit. “You mentioned it, right? I never should've trusted you.”

I swallowed, my heart beating out of control. “No, Aidan, just listen to me please..”

“Why? So you'd betray me again?” He snapped, with a razor sharp tint. “It's never happening.”

“We can talk about this….”

“No, Elly. I don't even want to see you again.
Ever.” Aidan seethed between gritted teeth and a note of finality in his tone.

With that, he strode off without glancing back at me and I knew in my heart that he meant it.



I stormed into the room like a wounded lion, dumped my bag on my bed while breathing loud and heavily.

I'd slammed the door hard, so my roommates were alert and ran to me. My chest was rising and dropping like I'd run a marathon.

“Are you alright?” Maggie asked, tearing her eyes from the mirror on her table.

The new girl was staring up at me like I'd gone insane while Ophelia crept out of the bathroom in time.

She was my target, the bone of contention between me and Aidan.

“I heard the door slam shut violently, did anything happen?” She asked innocently and it got me really hot under the collar.

Why the heck was she pretending?

“You didn't speak to the Principal about Aidan, did you?” I asked accusingly so she wouldn't have the opportunity to lie or try to bail herself.

“What do you mean?” Ophelia asked, making a confused face and fighting back the urge to jump on her.

“I told you everything in confidence, Ophelia, how could you go behind my back?”

“What are you talking about here?” Maggie chirped in and I shut her up with a finger.

Up till now, Ophelia had looked confused, like she was an alien to the accusation.

“If it's that conversation, then believe me, I'm innocent.”

“Like I could ever believe you.” I said, pained.

I grabbed my bag, and without sparing a glance at Ophelia, I waltzed out, leaving the rest in a shade of confusion.

I was going to find Aidan before he did anything nasty to himself.