Chapter 80: Chapter 80

Aria’s Pov.

The bell rang for the end of Art class, and we had a free period.

I looked at Camille.

"Basketball court?" I said.

She looked at the window. "Court it is."

We stopped at the vending machine on the way to get some snacks,  Camille stood in front of it for thirty seconds making a decision.

"You always take this long," I said.

"This is an important choice."

"It's a drink."

"It's a drink I have to live with." She pressed a button. "Raspberry."

"Good choice," I said.

"I know." She handed me mine. "Come on."

The court was already alive.

Basketballs echoed off polished wood.

Shoes squeaked.

Coach whistles cut through conversations.

The cheerleaders counted in unison near the opposite end.

We found seats in the middle of the bleachers and sat.

Adrien was near the three-point line, listening to the coach, nodding.

"Okay," Camille said.

"What?"

"I'm about to say something and you can't hold it against me."

I looked at her. "What?"

She gestured toward the court. "That is objectively a very attractive man."

"That's my boyfriend."

"I know. I'm just…acknowledging it. Academically."

"Academically?" I laughed

"It's an observation. It doesn't mean anything."

I looked at Adrien going up for a shot.

"Yeah," I said. "He's very pretty."

"You are a lucky woman."

"I know."

She sipped her drink. I sipped mine after.

Then I heard a coming towards us, "Hi. Sorry… I  took forever."

Esme dropped onto the bench beside Camille, slightly out of breath, holding papers in hand.

"How was it?" Camille said.

"Madame Fontaine was amazing, she sorted it out for me." She spread the papers out. "Okay, what do we have together…"

They bent over the schedule. Camille pointed at things. Esme circled things, then she smiled in triumph when they found another shared class.

I watched the court.

Adrien took a break, then he  jogged to the bench, grabbed a water bottle and pressed a towel to his face.

I stood up.

"One second," I said to Camille.

Then I  went down the steps and crossed towards the bench.

He looked up when he heard me.

"Hey." He lowered the towel. "You're here."

"Camille and I have a free period." I reached up and brushed his hair back where it had fallen across his forehead. His hair was still damp from practice.  "How's your practice going?"

"Good." He caught my wrist before I could drop my hand and he held it for a second. "How are you?"

"Good," I said.

He looked at me the way he did sometimes, like he was reading something he wasn't quite sure of.

"You sure?" he said.

"I'm sure." I smiled at him. "Go. Your coach  is looking at you."

He glanced back. "I'll find you after,"

"I'll be here."

Then he  jogged back and I went back up the bleachers.

Esme smiled as i sat, "You two are painfully adorable."

"We're not having this conversation," Camille said.

"I'm just saying…"

"We're not."

"She literally just pushed his hair back…"

"Esme."

"Okay, okay." She held up both hands. Then, after a few seconds she continued "But also that cheerleader has been looking at him since before you went down there."

Camille slapped her hands on her face dramatically.

I ignored Camille and followed her gaze.

Elodie’s routine never faltered.

But every time the formation turned our way, her eyes found the spot where I'd been standing with Adrien.

"She's Adrien's ex," Camille said. "It's... complicated."

Esme didn't take her eyes off the court.

"She's staring at Aria like she'd happily set her on fire."

Camille sighed.

I watched Elodie run through her routine.

"I know,"

"Are you worried about it?"

"I'm not worried about Adrien."

"Not even a little?"

"Not even a little."

"Other people don't get to decide how trustworthy he is."

Esme looked at me.

"That's good," she said. "I just think you should watch your back. Confidence is great but it's not the same as paying attention."

I looked at her and she held my gaze for a second.

Then she looked back at the schedule papers.

Is that a genuine warning, I thought, or is that what you want me to think about?

Practice ended and the team came off.

Adrien found us in the bleachers. He dropped down a few rows below us and  looked up.

"Good session?" I asked.

"Really good actually." He glanced at Esme. "Hey. How is your first day going?"

"I’m surviving it," she said pleasantly. "Can I ask you something?"

Adrien brushed his hair from his face. "Sure."

"Your brother," she said. "Lucien. He's older, right? Does he still come to Paris?"

The bleachers went awkwardly quiet.

Adrien frowned.

"How do you know my brother's name?"

"You're the Montclairs." She said it casually. "Everyone knows about the Montclairs. I just wondered."

There was  pause.

Then Adrien laughed awkwardly. "Okay… Yeah. He's around sometimes."

"Which university does he go to?"

The pause that followed was an awkward second too long

Camille cleared her throat.

Then the bell rang.

Esme stood up immediately, like she'd been waiting for it. "I need to get to Madame Fontaine’s office. Aria, thank you for this morning." She picked up her bag. "Same time tomorrow?"

"Sure," I said.

She smiled and went down the bleacher steps.

"Super weird, right?" Adrien said quietly.

"Very weird,"

"The brother questions." He shook his head. "Just out of nowhere."

"Very out of nowhere," I said.

He looked at me for a second,

"Hey," he said. "I told you I'd make it up to you."

I tilted my head.

"How?"

"Bowling."

I blinked.

"Bowling?"

"You're making it sound offensive."

"No." I laughed. "I'm just surprised."

"Is that a yes?"

"Adrien..."

I smiled before I could stop myself.

"Absolutely yes."

His face lit up.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good." He grinned. "Because I'm going to destroy you."

"You're incredibly confident for someone  who got their ass beat the last time we played."

Before either of us could move...

"Adrien!"

The voice came from the court level, and we both looked down.

Elodie was coming toward us across the courtyard, her blazer perfectly neat, her pace unhurried, like she'd been waiting for exactly this moment.

"I almost forgot." She stopped in front of us, her eyes on Adrien. "The history assignment. We said we'd finish it today,I really need to submit it tomorrow and there are still a couple of things…"

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck.

"Elodie..."

"I know." She gave him an apologetic smile. "I hate asking. I really do."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"It has to be submitted first thing tomorrow morning."

"I know, I know." She held up one hand. "I'm sorry. It's the last time I ask, I promise. Just an hour."

He looked at me, then he sighed.

"An hour," he said. "I'm sorry…"

I  forced a smile.

"Go."

"We'll bowl another day."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Elodie turned to me like she'd only just noticed me standing there.

"Aria."

Her smile widened just enough.

"I hope you don't mind borrowing him for a little while."

The words sounded polite.

But somehow they didn't feel polite.

“I don’t.” I managed to say without sounding rude.

"Great." She turned back to Adrien. "Ready?"

Adrien gave me one last apologetic smile before following her down the steps.

Elodie didn't look back.

She didn't need to.

She already knew she'd won.

They walked off together and I sat there on the bleacher.

Camille sat very still beside me and neither of us said anything for a moment.

My drink had gone warm, I took another sip anyway.

Then I watched them disappear into the main building.

Well...

Fuck me.