The Waters - A Beta Squad Story (bxb)

16. A Night You Don't Want To Remember

Aj was startled awake around 20 minutes later. Too tired to even open his eyes, he lay motionless, pretending to still be asleep.

There was a knock at the door again, which was the initial reason for Aj's interruption of sleep. He felt Sharky stand up from the side of him and heard him walk over to the door and unlock it.

Aj's heart dropped as he heard the voice of a man he didn't want to hear. Concern was evident in his tone. Aj stayed, especially still, to not give away his lie.

"What's going on? I've been tryna find you guys for the past hour."

Chunkz stood up, leaning Aj against the wall, sensing Aj wasn't fully asleep. He stepped in front of Sharky, blocking Niko's view of Aj. "Hey man, we're just helping Aj out here. He's not feeling well, you know? We found him in the bathroom and figured he'd be more comfortable in here."

Niko looked around, clearly still worried, but trusted his friends enough to let it go for now. "Alright. Is he...okay? Do you need me to go get anything?"

Chunkz turned back to Aj, who gave him a small head shake. "He's okay, man. Just give us some space for now. We'll let you know if we need anything."

Niko hesitated for a moment, clearly still worried about Aj, but reluctantly agreed. "Alright, just call me if you need anything." He closed the door softly, leaving the three of them alone again.

Aj took a shaky breath, his heart still racing. He wanted to go back to sleep and pretend that none of this was happening. But he knew he couldn't. He forced himself to sit up, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"Aj, how you feeling? Are you wanting to leave, brother? cause I can take you back to the house now." Chunkz offered.

Realistically, Aj wanted nothing more than to go home, curl up in his bed, and hide away from the world.

But that would be selfish of him, pulling Chunkz away from the party and all his friends just because Aj had a little meltdown in the bathroom.

"No, I'm okay. I'm just tired, that's all." He forced a weak smile, trying to appear more composed than he felt. "I'll be okay. Let's go back to the others." A part of him also didn't want everyone to question why he left after running away from the group.

Chunkz studied his friend's face for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, if you say so. But if you need to leave at any time, just let me know; I'm more than happy to go." He placed a reassuring hand on Aj's shoulder before gently clasping his hands and pulling him into a standing position.

Sharky followed suit, offering his arm to Aj for support as they made their way back out to the main party. The music was still blaring and the lights were still flashing, but Aj felt like he was moving through water. The world around him seemed distant and unreal, and the only thing that kept him going was the weight of his friends' hands on his shoulders. He wanted to put the headphones back on and sit in a bubbled sound, but he didn't want to seem rude.

They found their way back to the table. Niko was now sitting with the rest of the group; the girl was nowhere to be seen. Aj sat down, his back to the sofa, feeling the exhaustion creep back into his bones. Chunkz and Sharky sat on either side of him, casting worried glances in his direction. The rest of the group had thankfully shifted their focus back to their own conversations, giving them a semblance of privacy.

"You sure you're okay, man?" Chunkz asked again, his voice barely above a whisper. "Because if you want to go, we can just..."

Aj forced a small smile, feeling a tear threaten to escape his eye. "No, I'm fine. Really. I just... like I said, I'm tired. I can handle it." He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart. "I just need some time, you know?"

Chunkz and Sharky shared eye contact. They knew their friend better than anyone, and they could see the pain and fear in his eyes. But they also knew how stubborn he could be and how he hated asking for help when he needed it most. So they nodded, squeezing his shoulders in understanding.

Across the table, Niko was watching over Aj with deep concern. He had seen his friend like this before, when the weight of the world had become too much for him to bear. He knew that this party, with its bright lights and loud music, was the last place Aj should be right now. He wanted to take him home, wrap him up in a blanket, and protect him from the world.

He suddenly felt guilty for trying to force him to the party with angry words and a raised voice instead of soft encouragement, something he would have taken more easily.

But he knew Aj, and he knew that Aj would never want to let anyone down, least of all him. So instead, he decided to give him some space, to let him breathe, and to deal with whatever it was that was weighing on his shoulders. He hoped that the time they had together here would be enough for him to feel better, even if it wasn't the perfect solution. Then later tonight they could catch up, and Aj would speak to him.

Aj felt a warmth spread through his chest as he looked at his friend across the table. He wanted nothing more than to be alone with Niko right now, to talk about everything that had been bothering him, and to find some sort of solace in his understanding eyes. But he knew that wasn't possible, not right now. Also, part of him didn't want to after all that had happened.

He took a deep breath, trying to focus on the conversation around him. Chunkz and Sharky were still watching him closely, but they seemed to understand that he needed some space right now. They didn't say anything else; they just let him be.

"Niko, are you gonna tell us who you were lipsing in the corner then?" Harry shoved his shoulders lightly.

Niko's eyes widened; he hadn't realised he was being watched, especially when he was kissing the girl he met tonight. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Ah, that. Well, she's just someone I met earlier." He tried to play it cool, but the blush creeping up his neck betrayed him. "We got talking, and, you know..."

Harry grinned, clearly enjoying the discomfort this was causing Niko. "And you were just... making out in the corner like a pair of teenagers." Laughter circled the table, and Harry nudged Niko with his elbow. "Come on, man. Did you get the number then?"

Niko laughed nervously, glancing over at Aj. He wanted to change the subject, but it was difficult when everyone was so focused on him. "Uh, yeah. I mean, I guess." He gestured vaguely in the direction of where his phone was, trying to draw attention away from himself. "We'll see what happens, I guess."

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I'm thinking of making a chapter or two focused on one persons point of view.
Whose solo storyline would you like to see?

Also give me some names for the girl aha.

-B🎧