Amelia's POV
The next morning, I woke up with the weight of yesterday still pressing on my mind. I tried to shake it off as I went about my morning routine. Packing my bag, I made sure to include my favorite stationery and the book I was currently reading. These small rituals always brought me a sense of comfort.
As I was finishing up, I heard an unusual amount of noise coming from downstairs. It sounded like more people than usual, and everyone seemed to be talking at once. Intrigued by the lively atmosphere, I hurried up, not wanting to miss out on whatever fun was happening.
I quickly got dressed, grabbed my bag, and headed downstairs. The noise grew louder with each step, a mix of laughter and cheerful voices. When I turned the corner into the dining room, I stopped in my tracks.
Sitting at the table, right next to my mother, was Aiden. He was smiling and chatting comfortably with my parents and my sister. They were all acting like it was the most normal thing in the world, like he belonged there. I felt like an outsider in my own home.
Aiden looked up and met my eyes. For a moment, there was a flicker of something in his expression, but it quickly vanished as he turned back to my mother. My family didn't even seem to notice my presence at first, too caught up in their conversation with Aiden.
"Good morning, Amelia," my mother finally greeted me with a warm smile. "Look who's here! Aiden came over for breakfast."
I forced a smile, my mind racing. "Good morning," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "I didn't expect to see you here, Aiden."
He gave me a charming smile. "I thought I'd surprise you. We could go to school together."
My heart sank. The tension and the bouquet incident were still fresh, and now he was here, acting like everything was perfectly fine. I couldn't understand how he had managed to ingratiate himself with my family so quickly.
"Amelia sweetheart you never told us about your close friend Aiden." I choked on my water, listening to my mother's words.
"Close friends?" I looked at Aiden, anger visible in my eyes. I hope this look in my eye scares him. But his immediate grin told me otherwise.
Now this manipulater is using such tricks.
I took a seat at the table, feeling like an outsider. My sister was chatting animatedly with Aiden about some movie they both liked, and my father was laughing at a joke Aiden had just told. It was as if they had all forgotten about the tension between us.
As I picked at my breakfast, I couldn't help but feel a mix of anger and helplessness. How had Aiden managed to worm his way into my family's good graces? And why did it feel like they were more of his family than mine?
I tried to join in the conversation, but my thoughts kept drifting back to yesterday. Aiden's confession, the bouquet, and now this-everything felt like it was spiraling out of control. And as much as I hated to admit it, Aiden's presence was starting to affect me in ways I hadn't expected.
I glanced at my sister, remembering how she had encouraged me to stand my ground with Aiden just a few days ago. And now, here they were, sitting together like old friends, chatting and laughing. He never talked to me like that. No, I wasn't jealous-I just hated having him around my family. But whatever.
As soon as breakfast finished, Aiden picked up his bag and said, "Let's go."
"Where?" I asked, already dreading his answer.
"To school, obviously. It's not like I'm going to take you to the moon," he replied with a smirk.
"I'm not going," I shot back immediately.
My mother looked at me with surprise. "Why not?"
I hesitated, realizing I hadn't told my family about the tension between us. Before I could come up with an excuse, Aiden smoothly interjected, "Well, Amelia and I had a bit of a misunderstanding recently, so I'm here to make things right."
My mother's face softened. "Oh, Aiden, you're so sweet." She turned to me and added, "Amelia, did you know he also brought a beautiful bouquet of flowers? I loved it. I've kept it in my room."
My stomach churned. The last thing I needed was my mother being charmed by Aiden's gestures. But there was no easy way out of this. I forced a smile and nodded, feeling trapped. How had everything spiraled so out of control? I could only hope the day ahead wouldn't bring more surprises.
Reluctantly, I grabbed my bag and followed Aiden out of the house. My mother gave us a cheerful wave as we left, clearly pleased with how things seemed to be going. If only she knew.
The walk to the driveway was tense. Aiden's black Bugatti gleamed in the morning light, an ostentatious display of wealth that always made me uncomfortable. He opened the passenger door for me, and I slid in without a word.
The car ride was silent, the engine's purr the only sound as we sped toward the university. Every minute felt like an hour, burdened with the weight of unspoken words and unresolved issues.
"You really didn't have to come," I said finally, breaking the silence.
"I wanted to," he replied, eyes fixed on the road. "And besides, I thought it would be nice for us to go together."
"Nice?" I scoffed. "You think this is nice?"
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Amelia, I'm trying here. Can't you see that?"
I turned to face him. "Trying? You think buying flowers and playing nice with my family makes up for everything?"
Aiden's jaw clenched. "I know it doesn't fix everything, but it's a start. I'm not giving up on us, Amelia."
"Us?" I laughed as if I heard a lame joke. "What 'us'? Whatever we had is gone, Aiden. You can't just force it back."
Before he could respond, we reached the university gates. The sight of students milling about, laughing and chatting, felt surreal. How could everyone else be so normal when my life was anything but?
We parked, and I got out of the car without waiting for him. As we entered the campus, I couldn't help but notice the curious glances from our classmates. News of the bouquet must have spread. I could feel the weight of their stares, the whispers behind cupped hands.
......................
I took my seat in the lecture hall, trying to ignore the buzzing around me. Aiden sat a few rows behind, his presence still unnerving. The teacher began the lesson, but my mind was elsewhere. How has my life turned into this?
As I tried to focus on the lecture, the classroom door creaked open. I turned to see a man walk in, struggling with another massive bouquet of white roses. My heart sank. For a moment, I thought there was a glitch in time and I had moved back to yesterday. But no, it wasn't possible. Here I was, another day, with the same overwhelming bouquet and the same stares from my classmates.
The man approached me, and I felt the weight of everyone's gaze. Whispers filled the room as he handed me the flowers. I could barely hold them, just like yesterday. My arms ached, and my face flushed with embarrassment.
Aiden's smirk was unmistakable. He leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying the spectacle. I glanced around, hoping for an escape, but there was none. The bouquet seemed even larger than before, its fresh roses mocking my predicament.
Rose nudged me from behind. "Again?" she whispered, her eyes wide with surprise. "And you left yesterday without elaborating what's going on."
"It's complicated, I will tell you guys once it reaches any conclusion." I muttered, trying to manage the bouquet. France, noticing my struggle, quickly stood up and helped me place it on the desk.
"Thanks," I said to him, grateful for his assistance.
I could hear more whispers from my classmates, some admiring, some clearly envious. I took the note from the bouquet and opened it, my hands trembling. The words were the same: "I won't stop until you love me back."
I crumpled the note in my hand, fighting back tears of frustration. This was too much. I glanced at Aiden again, his smirk still plastered on his face. How could he think this was the way to win me back?
Trying to focus on the lecture was impossible. My mind was racing, and my heart was pounding. I felt trapped, every move scrutinized by everyone around me. I wanted to disappear, to find a way out of this nightmare.
As the class went on, I resolved to confront Aiden again. This had to stop. His relentless pursuit was only making things worse. But for now, I had to endure the rest of the lecture, feeling the weight of the bouquet and the eyes of my classmates on me.
When the class finally ended, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. I had to find Aiden and put an end to this madness. This couldn't go on. I wouldn't let him control my life like this. I told myself suppressing an unfamiliar feeling in my heart.