Chapter 5: Tragic Reality Part: 2

Aiden

Only sixty seconds to go…

Fifty-nine

Fifty-eight

At the moment, I am in history class, and the boredom is killing me!

I am so bored that I am counting down the seconds until the class is over.

Leaning back in my chair, I spun my pen in my hands while staring intently at the clock.

Three…

Two…

One…

The deafening ring of the school bell ended this miserable class.

Thank Goddess!

Finally!

After quickly dumping all the contents on the desk in my backpack, I hurriedly exited the classroom.

I heard Ms White call out my name just before I walked out of the door.

I held back a groan.

What now?!

“Yes ma’am?” I asked.

“A word, Mr King,” Ms White said.

Standing in front of her desk, I watched Ms White sit behind it.

“Please have a seat, Aiden” She motioned to the chair in front of her.

“I wanted to discuss your progress in my class, and I am afraid I am not satisfied with it,” Ms White informed.

“Aiden, if you want to graduate this year, you should start paying attention to my class. If I don't see progress in the next few months, I may have to arrange for you to be tutored by a student, or worse, I may have to hold you back for another year." Ms White warned.

Crap.

“I see what you mean, Ms White. Can I leave now?” I asked.

With a nod, she gestured in the direction of the classroom door.

Getting out of the class I head to the cafeteria.

I am not to blame for her boring class!

Nevertheless, I have to graduate this year, otherwise, my father will have my head.

Sigh.

I am immediately greeted by loud chatter in the cafeteria as I walk past the cafeteria's giant doors.

Students took their lunch from a massive buffet table on the other side of the cafeteria.

The main course today was tuna sandwiches, along with a few side dishes and brownies for dessert.

Instead of a tuna sandwich, I chose some fries and headed to my table.

Seeing Liam already sitting there, looking at his phone, while stuffing brownies in his mouth, I walked over to him.

“Hey” I greeted him.

“Hey dude, these brownies are awesome! You have to try them,” Liam exclaimed.

“Sure,” I replied.

We talked a bit more until I heard Lyla.

“Hey, babe!” She called out.

I cringed.

Then, she sat next to me and clung tightly to my side.

Liam grimaced at her.

Lyla had never been one of his favourites and he made no effort to conceal his dislike for her.

“My baby, I missed you terribly!” she exclaimed.

“Lyla, we saw each other today morning,” I told her.

“I know! But I still miss you so much!' She hugged me tighter, squeezing the life out of me.

My patience with her is wearing thin.

“I will go get my lunch. I’ll be back in a minute!” She said and kissed me on the cheek before leaving.

The minute she left, Liam questioned. “Dude, how do you put up with her?”

“I have no idea,” I shrugged.

“I thought you broke up with her,” Liam said.

I am trying! But It feels-” I stutter not finding the right words.

“Impossible?” Liam completed the sentence for me.

“Yes! It always seems as though something comes up every time I try to break up with her! Every chance I have goes away just like that!“ I grit my teeth.

“You just need to say ‘I don't want to be with you,’ that’s all there is to it,” Liam explains, rolling his eyes.

“Easy for you to say! You never had a girlfriend!” I exclaimed.

“And I am so grateful for that!” Liam muttered.

In truth, I'm waiting for my true mate. I accepted Lyla's proposal of becoming my girlfriend six months ago because I was so tired of her following me everywhere I went.

It started pretty well. She was like the perfect girlfriend, but slowly she began becoming clingy and overbearing asking where I was or what I was doing or why I didn't invite her.

That was too much for me. I value my privacy, so I did not like her invading it.

I will be turning eighteen in a few months. As soon as I find my mate, I will be free from Lyla once and for all.

I know she is using me for my title for her benefit and I also hate the way she bullies everyone.

I hope whoever my mate is, wherever she is, she is nothing like Lyla.

Lyla is the last person I want to be paired up with as my mate.

Hearing the shattering of the plate that brought the entire cafeteria's attention, the shattering pulled me out of my thoughts.

I turned around and saw Jo and Lyla, as well as a shattered plate on the ground.

My mind quickly connected the dots.

“Oh this is going to be good” Liam says while watching the two girls with great interest.

Everyone knew that Lyla and Jo didn't get along. Thus, everyone was interested to find out who would win the argument.

There is no doubt in my mind who will win.

In the end, Lyla stomped out of the cafeteria, clearly embarrassed, and Jo went to her table.

And I was right.

I looked at her from across the cafeteria.

*****

Josette has been a friend of mine since I was a child because her father is my father's best friend.

I had a huge crush on her when we were kids.

Perhaps I still do.

Keyword: "Perhaps"

But she is dating Brett, and I am dating Lyla.

Other than Ann, Jo was the only girl at school who was not enamoured with me. In most cases, girls would kill for a chance to talk to me.

The problem with Jo was that she always defied me, while everyone respected me as a royal, she didn’t.

She always talked about respect being earned or something.

Despite her obnoxious manner, Jo is beautiful, and every guy knows it.

Jo piqued my interest.

*****

Jo’s table was near an old arched gothic window.

Sunshine shone through the window, making Jo's brown hair sparkle, enhancing her already gorgeous appearance.

As she took a bite of the crimson apple she was holding, she began to explore the cafeteria and soon her pretty brown eyes found mine.

A while later, she checked me out and then went into deep thought.

The way she looks when she is thinking is adorable.

I watched her close her eyes and take a deep breath as if clearing her mind.

I wonder what she is thinking about.

Probably me.

I smirked at my thoughts.

I averted my eyes from Jo after hearing the loud ringing of the school bell.

“Earth to Aiden” I hear Liam calling me.

“ Yeah” I reply

"I have been calling you for the past two minutes. What were you looking at?” Liam inquired.

“-Uh, nothing. Why were you calling me?” I asked.

“What class do you have next?” Liam questioned.

"Chemistry, I think," I replied.

"Nice! I have chemistry next too. Let’s go together,” he suggested.

“Sure,” I responded.

I glanced one last time at Jo before heading out with Liam.