Since 2004

two

            As Aiden and Mr. Browning converse for a moment, I find myself unable to remove my eyes from Aiden until I've taken it all in.

Aiden didn't used to be ugly, he just wasn't what anyone would call especially attractive. He was sort of stick-like and had a God awful haircut which I think just made me hate him more because it was so terrible to look at. That was two months ago, though. If going on one of those retreats for two months makes you this...oh shit, I'm going to say it...hot, then maybe I need to go after all.

He's grown three inches, at least. His previous stick-like body is now completely muscled out. He's wearing a T-shirt with tight sleeves that does a fabulous job of showing that off. Every time he moves, a muscle tenses or ripples and I am completely aware of it. His left arm is facing me and I see a couple tattoos. How the hell did he get those? There's a thin silver chain around his neck. His previously boyish face has hardened up, a razor sharp jawline becoming prominent. But the best thing of all is the hair.

He has a fucking buzz cut. And my God does he pull it off.

My head is swimming with a million different thoughts. I look away and back to Mr. Browning. He has opened his seating chart at his desk.

"Aiden, I'm going to have you and Ms. Santiago here sit together in the back. That will work out great."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Aiden's eyes flit over to me. It's clear he didn't quite realize who I was either. Mr. Browning points to our new table and I head over first. I don't miss the whispers as I walk past. The whispers about Aiden. They've all realized who he is now, too. Mikayla Mitchell thinks he's smoking hot. Rachel Carr tells her friend in a hushed voice that she wants to smash him. Right to the point there, honey!

I plop down on my chair, throwing my backpack on the ground beside me. Aiden does the same and I become discreetly aware of his presence. In the shock of the last few minutes, I forgot that I actually can't stand this kid.

Mr. Browning is now getting up in front of the class to speak. I turn my attention to him.

"Okay! Welcome to class, guys. AP Calculus BC is not a class to take lightly! This is the highest level math class this school district offers and it's not easy. The tests aren't easy, the classwork isn't easy, and if you aren't staying caught up, that AP test at the end of the year is going to send you spiraling," Mr. Browning says. "For this class, you're going to need a notebook, a binder, page dividers..."

His voice slowly fades out as he ambles on. It's okay, I'll find the class list online tonight and text it to my mom.

By the time class is over, the only thing we've done is listen to Mr. Browning talk. I hop up quickly when the bell rings.

"Sophia!"

It's Aiden. Even his voice sounds different. I turn to look at him.

"What?"

"Your mom texted me during class to tell me that you left your phone at home. So if you need to get to her you'll need to use my phone."

I curse under my breath. "Fine, whatever," I snap. In my rush this morning, I know I left my phone right on top of my vanity because I was watching Outer Banks and skipping to the parts with Rafe Cameron.

"You're welcome for letting you know."

"I think I would have figured it out," I reply.

"Y'know what? Mrs. Carrera in the office has a phone. Go use that piece of shit," he snaps. He pushes right past me without a word.

"Suck my--" I don't finish my sentence. Aiden is long gone down the hallway. Mrs. Carrera is the office secretary. She's at least eighty years old and it seems to be that her life goal is to make every person she speaks to hate her. She's really good at it. No way in hell am I using her phone. I can wait until the end of the day.

I shouldn't even be mad at Aiden for wanting to let me know about my phone situation. He was just being helpful. But it's just my nature to be mad at him. I can't not be mad at him.

I push my way through the hallway and run smack into my best friend Allie. Allie and I have known each other since sixth grade.

"Sophia! Hi!" she says.

"Hey! How are you? Sorry, I was totally going to text you this morning but then I was running late and I left my phone at home."

"No, you're totally fine. I'm good! Do you want to hear something crazy?" she asks me as we start to walk.

I nod eagerly.

"Aiden's like, hot now! I heard it from people in my first period! Apparently Rachel Carr told them."

I want to hit my head against a wall. Is Aiden the only thing anyone is going to be able to talk about?

"Yeah, I saw," I grumble. "Suddenly every girl wants him and that's all he's going to be able to talk about. He's going to be more insufferable then before. If that's possible."

"Really, you think so? He kind of seems like the type of person to be oblivious to all that stuff."

"Yeah, back when he was ugly! No one paid attention to him anyway!"

Allie laughs. "Maybe you can tolerate him now because he's hot..."

"Hell no."

I'm forced to branch off from Allie here to head into my second period Lit class. I know I'm going to love this class. AP Language last year was my favorite class and so I have high hopes for this one too.

My hopes and dreams are crushed when I walk into the room and see the man of the hour sitting down.

Fuck. God, why is he everywhere?

I make a point to sit in the seat the farthest away from him, on the other side of the room. To my delight, Rachel Carr from my math class comes and sits down next to him. I fight back the urge to laugh because of Aiden's surprised expression when he sees her sitting down.

My amusement is quickly wiped away when Sam Mills takes a seat right next to me. Sam and I have had a situationship off and on before. This summer especially. I spent the majority of the first week of June with him, then he went on vacation and I didn't hear anything from him for a month and a half. Then, the last week of summer he called me and we may or may not have hooked up in his car in some abandoned parking lot. I did not expect him to just sit down with me though.

"Hey, Sophia, what's up?" he asks. "Cool if I sit with you?"

"Well, you're already here," I reply. I instantly feel bad. There's no reason I should be an asshole to Sam. He's a perfectly nice person besides having a tendency to randomly ghost me. The whole Aiden thing has put me in a horrible mood if I'm going to be honest.

Mainly it's because he's undeniably attractive now and if he was anyone else I probably would be moving on him already. Why do the shittiest people have to be the hottest?