Single But Engaged ✔️

22: I think I checked her out a little

“…and that’s why I decided not to join the team.” 

By the time he’d wrapped up his explanation, I was on the verge of regretting ever asking him about it. Let’s just say when I first asked about why he didn’t join the team, I’d expected to get a sentence-long response, or two tops. But instead, we’d been subjected to his minutes long animated musing about his super busy schedule and all the other more important things that occupied his time. 

However, no sooner was he done, than Gale was voicing: “Aria, don’t listen to him. The only reason he didn’t join the team back then, was because he couldn’t handle a ball even to save his life.”

Gale’s chirpy remark was met with a string of chortles from the rest of us – well, most of us.

“That is so not true,” Craig huffed. “Coach was disappointed when I couldn’t join, but he understood that I had a lot going on. How can you guys not remember this?”

“Baby, of course I remember,” Nikki piped up between running her fingers through his hair. She turned to shoot the boy opposite them a mock glare, saying, “Gale, stop teasing him already. We all know how good Craig is at football.”

That had the effect she must have hoped it would, as Craig was beaming now, leaning in to place a feathery kiss on her lips. “Thanks, babe.”

In return, she shot him a small smile. However, the moment he turned away, she was softly shaking her head at me, mouthing: “he isn’t.”

And I was left to bite back a chuckle at that. 

Remember Anika and her ‘gang’ from Aiden’s grandma’s party? You know, with their unending need to delve into every detail of my ‘relationship.’ Well, to be honest, I’d been more than a little worried that I would face a repeat of that situation today – albeit with Aiden’s friends this time. 

Hence, imagine my surprise when I was faced with the complete opposite of what I’d imagined. 

True to what Aiden said, his friends seemed truly delighted about meeting me. And yes, there were no intrusive relationship questions – thankfully. 

Although, much like Anika and her gang, they did confess to being in awe of how I’d managed to ‘achieve the impossible.’ And by that, I mean getting Aiden to settle into a relationship. 

But seeing as it did result in Aiden quipping that it was because I was special, I couldn’t say I was complaining. I know he didn’t mean any of that by the way, but hey, some lies are meant to be enjoyed.

So, yeah, everyone has been really welcoming and sweet. Well, almost everyone. As if on cue, I caught the stare of the ash blonde-haired girl nestled between Gale and Farida – Jenna.

Apparently, she and Aiden had a thing about three years ago and he never called her back. Now, she seemed to have made it her life mission to give me the stink eye whenever our eyes met. And I had made it my mission to awkwardly look down at my hands whenever that happened. 

Of course, that’s not forgetting the most important mission of all – kill Aiden later for putting me in this awkward situation in the first place. I mean, how hard was it to just call the girl three years ago?

But then again, three years was a pretty long time, so why wasn’t she moving on from the incident already? And wait, why was I the only one getting the stink eye?

Anyway, aside Jenna and her glaring vendetta, everyone else was pretty fun to be around. 

Talking about being around, there were some who seemed unable to keep apart from each other. I wasn’t referring to a specific set of people, and it’s not like I even cared or anything. I’m just saying, why the hell were Aiden and Olivia constantly glued together? I mean, I get it they’re friends, but friends do not need to constantly be around each other for fuck sake!