Chapter 1

~JASMINE'S POV~

It was a usual Thursday sunny morning as I reluctantly left the comfort of my bed to take a shower. I throw on my usual crop top and shorts pairing the outfit with vans tying my burgundy hair into a messy bun leaving a few strands falling on the side to frame my round face. I grab my backpack running down into the kitchen where I find my dad preparing breakfast the smell of pancakes hitting me like a wave.

' Morning honey,' says Dad noticing my presence as he hands me a plate of freshly cooked pancakes drizzled in syrup just how I like them together with a glass of orange juice.

' Morning,' I chirp back at him immediately digging into my meal and sighing in contentment.

' Where is Jeremy?' I ask my dad hoping that my brother Jer would come down any moment.

' He got an early phone call from a coach asking him to go see him so he left quite early in the morning but he did mention to pass you his love for the day ahead,' says Dad as he leans against the counter watching me.

' Oh okay, then I better get going. I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Principle Bradd today morning,' I tell him once I am done with my breakfast as I grab my bag give him a peck on the cheek and leave.

The walk to school is quite exciting with my headphones plugged in as I listen to Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift humming to the tune drowning away the rest of the world. I finally arrive at school students buzzing everywhere as I push through the entrance door which leads into the student hallway.

I am barely paying attention so lost in the world of music when I suddenly bump into someone harshly losing my footing on the verge of falling when a strong pair of arms encircles my waist preventing my fall. A harsh gasp escapes my lips at the sudden save as my eyes quickly lock onto a pair of blue eyes which are ocean-strong, swimming with warm sun-lit currents.

I am left staring into them before it hits me that I will be late for class I quickly try to scramble away but he does not let me out of his strong grip.

' Next time you better watch where you are going,' he says in a gruff voice his eyes flashing in irritation.

' Get off me,' I growl shoving at his arms creating some decent amount of distance between us feeling slightly annoyed at his choice of words.

' Next time you better watch how you speak to a girl who doesn't need your assistance. I was doing pretty fine thank you very much and at no point did I ask you to save me so you could have as well gone ahead and minded your own business,' I tell him trying my best not to cause a scene but from the crowds slowly forming in the hallway I could tell I had failed.

' So next time you see a girl on the verge of falling you might as well save her and not be a prick about it dumbass,' I finish off throwing him a harsh glance and walking off to class leaving behind a stunned crowd.

I walk into class with a frown on my face clearly in a mood as I walk up to my usual seat. I barely have time to breathe before Trish the school's miss popular approaches me and I inwardly groan not in the mood to deal with her.

' Well if it isn't the girl who decided to open up her bitchy mouth and talk back to my boyfriend,' she says sassily her eyes narrowing at me.

' Um last time I checked the boy you so claim to be your boyfriend publicly humiliated you by denying such claims yet here you are still embarrassing yourself,' I tell her noticing the way her face flushes in anger before she rolls her eyes at me turning around to leave.

I high-five myself silently for sending her away as I notice Roly coming my way with a smile so wide it makes me wonder how her cheeks don't hurt. I raise my brow at her as she takes a seat next to me firing a series of questions in my direction like girl chill.

' Want to tell me what happened in the corridor? Why didn't you look for me after it happened? How did you even manage to get the courage to...' I do not let her finish before going ahead and cutting her short.

'Okay, Roly enough with the questions already. I have had a really bad morning having to deal with Aiden King and Trish.'

Before she gets a chance to respond Mrs Gladys our teacher of English steps into class with her usual warm smile. At least I am glad that the first lesson of the day would be interesting.

'Ring,' comes the sound of the school bell signalling the end of the first period. I pick up my books and quickly get out of class Roly at my side as we make our way to the cafeteria.

We sit at our usual spot my stomach growling in hunger. The thought of eating my chocolate and Oreo cake makes me happy inside. One thing about me is that I love food and whoever tries to come in between us is history it's just that simple. So I go ahead and tell Roly about the encounter I had earlier in the morning.

' So you're telling me that he ended up helping you on his own accord only for him to be a prick?'  Roly asks in a high-pitched voice earning us a few glares from people in the cafeteria but we couldn't care less.

' I know right like some boys can be annoying to the point I just want to poke their eyeballs using a for...,' I say not getting to finish my sentence Roly interruptine me.

' Ummm Jas,' she says her eyes widening at whoever is behind me and I can already tell who it is from his spice and the musky, masculine scent that is uniquely his.

' Hi Muffin did you miss me?' comes his deep husky voice sending shivers through me my body freezing in shock at his unusual presence at our table.

Suddenly his fingers come up to my jaw gently closing it as he says, 'We wouldn't want you to swallow a fly now would we.'

He quickly lets go of me leaving behind tingles from where he had just touched me my mind finally coming out of a trance as he sits next to me together with two guys who I assume to be his friends. His thigh brushes against mine when he sits sending electrical sparks running through me a feeling I had never felt before. Roly then begins to engage them in a conversation like it's the most normal thing to do. I notice the way she engages in a heated conversation with one of Aiden's blonde friends her cheeks occasionally flushing every time he throws a compliment at her.

' Cat got your tongue muffin?' Aiden asks me his blue eyes staring back at me in amusement.

' I have a name and it's not some kind of pastry,' I tell him not amused at his nickname.

'Does it irritate you?' he asks moving slightly closer to me and suddenly I begin to think that Aiden King has a problem of being too much into one's personal space.

'Of course, it does,' I scowl annoyed at his silly questions.

'Muffin it is then,' he says and I roll my eyes at him seeing that it is useless to argue with him. It just makes me wonder what exactly his motive with me is anyway.

Before I know it we all break out into conversation Aiden's thigh now brushed up against mine and I honestly do not know how to feel about it anymore. Break officially ends our cue to leave for class and I do not fail to notice the way people glance our way clearly perturbed to see the popular boy of the school hanging out with a nerd like me but again I couldn't care less.

The next class is calculus and I find myself sitting in the middle row as usual. Aiden sits next to me and I can't help but groan at how long this lesson is going to be now that the devil himself has decided the best place to sit is next to me.

' Good to see you again muffin,' says Aiden smirking in my direction.

' I wish I could say the same,' I mutter rolling my eyes at him.

' Come on you secretly enjoy it,' he says and I go ahead to ignore him.

' You do know you can't just decide to ignore me,' he says as I busy myself with doodling on my notebook not responding to him.

' Muffin,' he says then goes ahead to poke my side with his pencil making me squirm.

'Muffin' poke ' Muffin' poke 'Muffin' poke he goes on and on until I finally lose my cool grabbing his pencil and slamming it on the desk.

'Finally, she reacts,' says Aiden humoured my reaction as I roll my eyes at him.

' Jasmine and Aiden would you like to share with the class what you two are busy doing? ' comes Mr Matthew's voice all attention now drawn to us.

' No thanks,' says Aiden noticing my discomfort at all the eyes staring in our direction my cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

' It will not happen again,' I tell Mr Matthew narrowing my eyes at Aiden and his choice of words the funny part being he does not look the least bothered by it.

Mrs Huggens continues with the lesson everyone's attention going back to the board and finally, it feels like I can sort of breathe again. For the rest of the lesson, I spend doodling in my notebook while Aiden surprisingly keeps busy on his phone.

The day goes on smoothly and I do not get to see Aiden for the rest of the day which is quite a relief because the boy can be infuriating to a point. It is finally late in the evening almost dark as Roly and I walk towards the parking lot where she has parked her car.

' So what are your plans today?' I ask her once we reach the car.

' Well I have tuition in the next one hour and then I guess I will watch a series or something,' she says opening the car's back door and throwing her bag in.

' Then I guess I will see you tomorrow. Drive safe,' I tell her hugging her and she hugs me back much tighter before we pull apart and I turn around to leave.

I notice the way the clouds have turned a very deep shade of grey a sign that it is about to rain. It seems luck isn't on my side as I feel the slight droplets of rain on my skin as the sky breaks out into a slight drizzle slowly progressing.

I let out a string of curses quickly making my way to the school entrance noticing the way the school is almost as empty as many people have already gone home. I hear thunder before a flash of lightning strikes across the sky causing me to jump in fright.

My breaths begin to come out in slow harsh pants and before I know it I am full-blown hyperventilating. I can feel my throat and mouth getting dry when I hear a voice yelling out in the distance and I make it out to be Aiden's.

' Muffin,' he yells his footsteps drawing closer as he quickly pulls my quivering body into his chest gripping my chin to look at him in the eyes saying,' Breathe, I need you to breathe.'

I try to do as he says still struggling to catch my breath tears now streaming down my rosy cheeks.

'I can...ca...cacaca.... can't,' I force out gripping his leather jacket my fingers digging into the fabric.

' You can,' he says using his fingers to run them through my hair soothing my nerves.

I feel my breathing slowly coming back to normal my eyes now red, swollen and puffy my hair a tangled dump mess.

' I am sorry, ' I whisper out embarrassed that he caught me in such a state.

Aiden does not say anything shrugging off his jacket and draping it over my shoulders to give me some kind of warmth.

' I am taking you home,' he says leaving no room for arguments walking me up to his black Lamborghini and opening the door for me to get in.

He gets in after me the engine roaring to life the rain still quite evident as we sit in total silence as he drives me home in between asking me for directions. No words are exchanged as I close my eyes resting my head on the window knowing that Aiden probably has a million questions running through his head right now.

We finally arrive at the house the rain having died down as Aiden kills the engine turning to face me and for the first time, I cower under his intense gaze.

' What the fuck happened?' he asks leaving no room for beating around the bush.

' I have ombrophobia which is technically an extreme fear of the rain. I tend to get panic attacks,' I whisper out playing with my fingers in my lap.

' Look at me,' he says in a deep velvety voice forcing my gaze to meet his.

' If you ever feel like a storm is coming and you are on the verge of a panic attack call me immediately and I will come,' he says leaving no room for arguments.

I nod my head in agreement puzzled at his statement only for him to say,' Words use your words Muffin.'

' I will,' I tell him clearing my throat as I go ahead to give him back his jacket but he is quick to stop me saying, 'Keep it.'

I leave the jacket on and step out of the car sparing him one last glance as I make my way into the house hearing him drive off.

'I am so sorry I did not pick you up today coach extended practice,' says Jer immediately I shut the door as he walks up to me to hug me.

'It's okay Jer it isn't your fault,' I chuckle weakly. He and Dad have always been supportive of my fear and the panic attacks that come with it.

' Did Roly drop you?' he asks.

' No Aiden did, ' I say earning a confused stare from him.

'He is some boy from school,' I tell him rolling my eyes.

' Well that was nice of him,' says Jer and I snort in response.

' You could say that,' I tell him making my way to my room to shower and clean up. I shower get comfortable in my home clothes and head back down to spend quality time with my brother only to find Dad back from work.

We make dinner and go ahead to watch a movie laughing and bonding like we usually do my mind constantly replaying today's events and how Aiden King is full of surprises.