The Golden Party | Aidan Gallagher

04. golden boy

– golden boy with a heart of rust –

Our pace quickens with each contact one of us shares with someone else from our group. Most of the time it's a simple glance. Even they show how badly the dislike is feasting on all of us. A bond isn't written for us in the stars. We are from different schools, after all. We're not the same...

       Then, which was bound to happen, the guy with brown soft curls speaks up. "I hear y'all are going for gold." He didn't chose an easy beginning.

      Aidan shrugs his shoulders, doesn't even turn his head. "We didn't say anything."

      "Exactly."

      No one replies. Our feet keep on dragging us forward, toward what we hope is the right way. My skin is begging me to put more layers on, but unfortunately, I have nothing to add to my outfit. The morning breeze greets us. It isn't of any help. I go through my hair. Instantly, my fingers find one of too many knots. It's the messiest hair I've ever left my room with. I can only hope this isn't going to take much longer.

      "Jeez!" The guy begins once again. I watch him turn around. His arms fly in the air, gesturing to us lot. "Crack a smile, tell a joke. It's not that hard – in fact, you'll rather like not constantly fussing on and on about winning."

      I blink at him, frozen in my steps.

      "Let's get to know each other." Another one of his ideas.

      Now, there's no more movement. All of our heads are turned to him alone. Still, no one speaks up and joins him in his eutopia.

      Does he really think there's a chance that we'd get to know each other's names?

      The same thought flashes through Aidan's head, I think, because his nose scrunches up out of pure disgust.

      A second passes. Another soon after. Birds' songs fill our ears, but they don't even make a slight difference. No one takes a step deeper into the forest. No one even flinches when the boy now becomes even angrier than before, since he got no reply at all.

      "Ah." He clicks his tongue as he watches us. "Loyal to your beloved schools, aren't ya?" He's the first one to move again. He tilts his head slightly, his eyes darting from one to another. "Boring people."

      Aidan's nostrils flare, though he does not speak. I don't have the guts to turn to the feisty girl in our presence.

      "I'm Mary," the somewhat shorter and way sweeter girl blurts out. The boy's eyes widen out of surprise, and immediately, a soft but small smile brightens up his darkened mood. "Mary Swan," she then adds in nothing but a whisper.

      The boy, in fact, is everything but quiet. He claps his hands together, already celebrating his victory. "Finally!" he says. "Now, now. Mary, it's very nice to meet you. My name's Will."

      She slowly nods.

      "It would be a lot nicer if the others would give us the pleasure of introducing themselves, too."

      This phrase, apparently, is the last bit of this Will's madness Aidan Gallagher can handle today. "Nice?" he repeats in a snarl. "This is a competition."

      The soft smile that was there just a moment ago disappears on Will's lips. Instead, one of the most cocky smirks I've ever seen flashes Aidan's way. "You're flattering me, really. A competition for my heart?"

      "He's right, you know." The blond girl. "We're competing. We can't just stop concentrating and arrive at the grounds, take the last spot. The humiliation..."