Chapter 53 Aria
The universe always seems to wait for the exact moment you start feeling stable just so it can knock the balance out from under you. Today it started in the worst place imaginable: the girls’ bathroom. I just wanted to wash my hands but as soon as I pushed open the door, I heard voices echoing off the tiled walls.
Avery. It was unmistakable.
“…I’m telling you, she’s obsessed with Luca,” Avery was saying, her voice pitched in that perfect fake-sweet whine.
Her friend Harper hummed. “You mean Aria? She’s so weird. I don’t get the whole quiet girl aesthetic.”
Avery scoffed. “It’s not an aesthetic. It’s desperation. She acts like she’s not looking but you don’t catch someone staring that much if they aren’t plotting. She’s pathetic.”
I froze behind the door, fingers gripping the metal edge.
Harper gasped dramatically. “Do you think she actually thinks she has a chance with him?”
Avery laughed. “Oh, she definitely does. I heard from Ethan that he saw her waiting outside the gym the other day like some sad stray dog.”
My jaw clenched. That never happened but rumors didn’t need truth they just needed Avery.
Harper sounded delighted. “So are we doing this or not?”
“Obviously,” Avery said, like the sun rose because she said so. “Let’s see how long Little Miss Bookworm lasts once people think she’s stalking Luca. No guy wants a girl who can’t take a hint.”
My heartbeat thudded so loud I almost couldn’t hear anymore. They were planning to make my life hell. I backed away quietly and slipped out before they noticed me. My hands trembled the whole walk to the library. It was stupid out of everything happening in my life, this should have been the smallest issue but emotional pain hits harder when it comes from the people you’re forced to see every day.
By the time I reached the study room where Max and I were supposed to meet for our history project, my stomach was a knot. He noticed immediately.
“You look like someone just kicked your puppy,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “Tell me.”
I dropped my bag and sat across from him. The room was empty except for us. I exhaled shakily. “Avery’s starting rumors about me.”
Max blinked. “New ones or the usual ‘Aria breathes too quietly’ kind?”
I gave a small, humorless laugh. “New and worse.”
“What’d she say?”
I told him every word. Max listened without interrupting, his jaw tightening more with each line. When I finished, he let out a slow breath.
“She’s unbelievable,” he muttered. “I swear she treats high school like it’s a throne. And everyone else is just peasants.”
I rubbed my forehead. “Maybe I’m overreacting.”
“No,” Max said immediately. “You’re not. Rumors spread fast here. They stick and she knows exactly how to do it.”
I looked up at him, surprised by the fierce protectiveness in his voice.
He leaned forward, elbows on the table. “Aria, you didn’t do anything wrong. And you’re not pathetic. Avery’s projecting. Luca didn’t choose her. Trust me, she hates not being the center of his world.”
My cheeks warmed, not because of Luca’s name, but because Max understood the social chessboard better than anyone.
“I don’t want to make this a bigger deal,” I murmured. “I don’t want drama.”
Max snorted. “Drama already chose you. And you know what? I’m not letting her get away with it.”
I shook my head. “Max, no—”
But he was already standing, stretching that built frame like a soldier preparing for battle.
“Not fight her,” he clarified. “Just shut it down.”
“Max.”
He looked down at me. “Aria. I’m not doing it because you like Luca or because Luca is scary strong or whatever. I’m doing it because you’re my friend and Avery doesn’t get to stomp all over people like it’s her hobby.”
Something in my chest loosened, a tiny bit of the fear sliding aside.
“Just be careful,” I said.
He grinned. “Careful is my middle name.”
“It’s not.”
“It is now.”
We actually did work after that or tried to. I kept losing my train of thought and Max kept watching me like he was making sure I didn’t shatter. Halfway through the period, the door opened. Avery stepped in like she owned the room, her blonde waves styled like she’d woken up in a shampoo commercial. She stopped short when she saw me.
Max leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Avery.”
She smiled too brightly. “Max! Didn’t know you were stuck doing the pity-project with her.”
Her eyes flicked to me cold and gleeful. I opened my mouth to respond, but Max beat me to it.
“Avery, seriously?” he said, voice low and steady. “You really don’t get tired of tearing people down for sport?”
She blinked, thrown off for the first time in possibly her entire life. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” Max said, standing. He wasn’t towering or intimidating. He was calm which somehow made it worse. “You’re doing that rumor thing again. It’s pathetic.”
Avery’s eyes sharpened into daggers. “I don’t know what she told you, but—”
“She didn’t tell me anything,” Max interrupted. “I heard your voice in the hallway earlier and Harper’s. Maybe next time don’t plot your little villain moment in a room with terrible acoustics.”
Her cheeks flushed a shade darker but Max wasn’t done.
“You mess with Aria, you mess with me,” he said simply. “And trust me Avery, people aren’t as scared of you as you think.”
Avery’s eyes flicked between us. For once, she didn’t have a comeback. She turned on her heel and stormed out and the door clicked shut behind her.
I stared at Max. “You really didn’t have to—”
“Yes,” he said, sitting down again. “I did.”
I swallowed. “Thank you.”
“Anytime.” He nudged my notebook with his pencil. “Now let’s finish this project before I start bragging about myself.”
A small laugh escaped me. “Please don’t.”
“No promises.”
We walked out together after the bell. The hallway buzzed with typical school chaos.
Max nudged my shoulder lightly. “Hey. Don’t let Avery live in your head rent free.”
I smiled. “I’ll try.”
“You’ll do more than try,” he said. “You’ve survived way worse than her.”
He didn’t know how true that was. Before we split, he pointed at me like a warning. “And for the record, I’m not crushing on you. In case this gets weird.”
I burst out laughing. “Thank God. That would stress me out.”
He laughed too. “Yeah, no. You’re like cool little sister material.”
“Little?”
“I’m older.”
“By four months.”
“Still counts.”
I rolled my eyes but waved as he jogged off. And for the first time in hours, I felt like I could breathe. Even in a world filled with secrets and shadows and danger I couldn’t explain to anyone, today reminded me of something important: I wasn’t alone.
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
Avery finally got checked, Max proved he’s officially the best platonic friend ever, and Aria got a tiny slice of normal victory. Who’s ready to see Avery crumble when her plans backfire even harder? Let me know your favorite part! 💛