𝗜𝗧𝗖𝗛 ✔

𝟏𝟒. 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

By the next week, Aiden and Cara had slowly let Taelyn into their friend group. They had got to know her a little more in the two weeks since the first meeting. Cara appreciated her help. They wouldn't have had anything without Taelyn.

Unfortunately, the optimistic mood the three once had had faded away slowly. It was currently Friday, and Cara was sitting in the library, waiting for Aiden to come back from whatever he was doing.

Their meeting with Taelyn earlier had been unproductive, just as it had been in last week's. They just couldn't find anything that could exploit the skin into becoming dry and itchy. It just wasn't possible. They needed something more, something else other than the unhelpful Internet.

Aiden had told her to go ahead to the library while he and Taelyn discussed some important things.

Whatever that means.

Aiden had been distancing himself from Cara a lot in the past few days. They had stopped meeting in the morning at the courtyard, and when they passed each other at school, they would just nod and leave instead of talking.

It had slowly burned until they didn't even talk to each other anymore. Rarely, not if Taelyn wasn't there.

It's so frustrating, Cara thought as she kicked her boot into the coffee table. I just don't know what is going on. He hasn't talked to me about anything, yet he's acting so different.

Finally, Aiden appeared at her side, fifteen minutes later.

"What were you doing?" Cara asked first thing.

Cara tried not to sound angry, but just as when she tried to sound nonchalant, or casual, it didn't work.

"Discussing important things," Aiden replied, shrugging as he ran his fingers through his bangs.

"You're acting so different." Cara pressed, trying not to sound as frustrated with him as she felt.

"Does it really matter?"

"No. But I just wanted to know. As your best friend."

"I was talking to Lyn."

"I know that already."

"Cara, look. If you think that we -"

"Well, so what? You requested me to stay out of whatever was going on, and then you did whatever the hell you were doing, and then you're acting all different around me every day, and you still expect me to not think there's something going on....?!" Cara intook a breath, narrowing her eyes. Even she was surprised at how hot her voice sounded.

"Why do you care?" said Aiden, his normally calm voice raised slightly. "I mean, it's not like you - it's not like you-"

Cara frowned."So you think I don't care about what you do? You really think I don't care?" she huffed. "Well, news flash, Aiden! I do care! I have been caring for a very long time. Believe it or not, I care about you. You've only known her for-"

"Yeah, well, even if Taelyn and I were" - Cara's lip twitched - "It isn't really up to you to decide whether what's going on. I'm glad you care, I really am, Cara, but this isn't your business."

In a golden flash, he was gone.

The words hit her like a brick, even though Aiden hadn't even been yelling at her.

Cara sighed, eyes stinging as she massaged her temples. She felt as if someone had struck a bucket to her head and then ripped her soul out from in between her lungs.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry."