The Waters - A Beta Squad Story (bxb)

27. You're No Good For Me

Aj woke up the following Tuesday to the sound of his alarm. He couldn't open his eyes fully, but he knew he had set the alarm for seven in the morning. A dreaded reminder of his first session of therapy.

He let it ring, stopping momentarily before blaring again. He let this happen for a while before he heard Niko yell in frustration through the wall. He couldn't help but smile—a small bit of normalcy in this absurd situation. Finally, he forced himself to get out of bed and stop the alarm on his phone, silencing the house. He sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor, his mind already elsewhere.

He heard footsteps out in the hall, heading down the stairs. Aj sighed, knowing he had awoken the beast. He dragged himself out of bed and made his way to the bathroom, taking a quick shower. The hot water felt good against his skin, washing away the feelings of dread that had been building up inside him. As he stood under the stream, he couldn't help but think about what this session might do to him today.

After drying off, he got dressed in a pair of black shorts and a large hoodie. He styled his curls and brushed his teeth, then went downstairs to find Niko already at the table, eating breakfast. The sight of food made his stomach churn, but he forced himself to make something.

"Thanks for waking me up at seven in the morning when I have nothing going on." His smile and voice, dripping with sarcasm, didn't go unnoticed by Aj. The older boy merely shrugged.

Aj grabbed a bowl of cereal, choosing to sit opposite Niko instead of next to him. He had poured a small amount into the bowl, trying not to eat too much. He didn't want to throw up before his therapy session.

"Why are you even up at this time anyway?" Niko took a bite of his cereal before speaking again.

Aj shrugged, his shoulders tensing under his hoodie. He didn't want to get into it with Niko—not now, not before his therapy session. He took a small bite of his cereal, chewing slowly. "I have an appointment."

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, both avoiding eye contact. Aj could feel the tension building up in the room, like a pressure cooker about to explode. He wished he could just tell Niko how he was feeling and how lost and confused he was, but he knew it wouldn't make things any better. It would only give Niko more ammunition to tease him with.

"Appointment? For what? Why so ominous?" Niko smirked, taking another bite of his cereal. He leaned forward, elbows on the table, looking at Aj expectantly. Aj knew what Niko was doing. He was trying to get a rise out of him, trying to make him angry or upset. But Aj refused to play along. He kept his expression neutral and focused on eating his cereal.

Finally, Niko seemed to get bored with the game. He shrugged and went back to eating his cereal, still watching Aj out of the corner of his eye. Aj knew he should just go, but he couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had been building up inside him since he woke up. He forced himself to finish his cereal but found himself staying seated, staring at the empty bowl.

He still had half an hour before he was supposed to leave. His nerves were building. Aj started mindlessly scratching at his hands and arms. He knew he should probably just go to his room or find something to do, but he couldn't help but feel like he was in a cage, waiting for the door to open. He glanced up at the clock, willing the hands to move faster.

"You know, if you keep doing that, you're gonna show up to this appointment looking like a mental asylum escapee." Niko's voice cut through his thoughts. Aj looked over at him, startled and shocked that Niko would say something like that. "I mean, you do know that, right?" Niko asked nonchalantly, taking another bite of his cereal.

Aj didn't respond. He didn't know what to say. He felt raw and exposed, like Niko could see right through him. He didn't want to show how he was being affected. But Niko was right; his skin was crawling, and his heart was racing. He felt like he was going to vomit.