~~~~~~~~~Noah's POV~~~~~~~~~

School started once again, and unfortunately, we had to attend as usual.

Unlike most days though, I was kind of looking forward to going, although I didn't really understand why. I felt like I was expected something, excited to see something.

It's weird, I even confuse myself sometimes.

Going to my locker, I got the books I needed, and the feeling never went away. In fact, it only got stronger when my eyes landed on a certain someone.

Not too far from me, I saw Aiden walking away from me, assuming he had a class in that direction. I still had a few minutes beforehand though, so I decided to go over.

"Hey, Aiden."

He jumped a little, and I noticed his shoulders were tense. Soon enough, he turned around. "Oh, hey..!"

Right away, I noticed something was different about him..

There was now an old cut on his lip, and his bangs had been moved to cover his right eye completely, a hairstyle I had never seen him use before.

And knowing how he lived at his home, I was instantly worried..

I think he noticed my change in expression, because he then quickly gave a 'Don't worry' type smile. "Sorry for seeming a bit tense, I was worried I'd be late for class."

But... no...

Something was definitely off..

I reached to his face, and as I touched his cheek, he flinched away, cheeks a bit pink. "W-what are you doing?"

"Just wanna see something." I mentioned before moving his bangs out of the way, and my eyes widened at a sight.

He had a black eye, the skin around swollen, squinting a bit at a reaction.

"... what happened..?"

Aiden quickly pulled my arm away, covering his eye with his bangs once more. "N-nothing, it's nothing!"

"It looks like someone punched you, this isn't nothing!"

"Please, not so loud..!!" He whispered, eyes begging for me to stay quiet about the situation.

Still, I already had an idea of what happened..

"... did he do this to you..?"

At my question, he tensed up even more, and when I didn't get a reply, it was his way of confirming it. However, I couldn't force him to talk if he didn't want to, so instead, I gently grabbed his wrist and began to drag him away. "C'mon, we should get you to the nurse's office.."

"But I really am fine..!"

"We won't know until we check.."

He didn't argue back after that, staying quiet the whole way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had been waiting for about ten minutes outside the nurse's office after leaving Aiden inside. The nurse told me to head to class, but I wasn't gonna be able to pay attention with all this in my mind. It's not like I paid attention on normal circumstances anyway.

Eventually though, the nurse walked back out and let me know I could go in, so I did, with a nagging feeling of anxiety hitting my chest..

Aiden sat on one of the beds in the back, pressing a towel against his eye as he stared at the floor, deep in thought. His eyebrows were bent in concern, shoulders still tense.

He.. really worried me..

"... hey, how are you feeling..?"

Jumping a little at the sound of my voice, he looked up at me, and put a smile on his face soon enough. "Oh, hey.. I'm doing okay.."

That smile...

That fake smile, the one he put on whenever something serious happened to him...

I hated that smile, so much..

With a heavy sigh, I sat beside him. "Aiden, you have to stop doing this.."

"Doing what..?"

"This..! Pretending that you're okay, That nothing bothers you when you're clearly suffering..!!"

His smile soon faded away into something more believable, biting his lip as he gripped his jacket sleeves. "... I don't want others to worry for me, not when I know they can't help.."

"They can help..! We can help..!"

"How?! Even if we leave, one way or another, he'll find us again, he always does!! You think we haven't tried leaving before?!"

I froze a little when I noticed the tears that had started streaming down his cheeks. He froze too at the realization, gaze shifting back to the ground as he sniffled. "S-sorry.. I didn't mean to snap at you.."

... this feeling...

Why did it hurt so much to see him like this...?

I want to help him, even if he won't let me...

I just...

...

Gently cupping his cheek, I wiped a few of his tears away, noticing his face grow a little pink. "Aiden, please.. I want to help you, I want you to be okay, I.. ... I want you to be happy..."

"... h-happy...?"

"Yes, but I can't help you if you don't let me.."

He stared at me for a while, tears building up in his glassy eyes as his lip quivered a little.

What I didn't expect was for him to snuggle against my hand, making my cheeks heat up a little.

But.. it was nice..

And yet, my heart ached even more when he spoke again..

"I... I-I want help, I w-want to have a b-better life, but... I'm afraid..." He sobs, more tears running down his face as he gripped my hands. "I'm afraid that th-those who will try to help me will be hurt, that.. that you'll g-get hurt..!"

"I'll be okay as long as you are.."

After a while, he took a deep breath, eyes meeting mine. It was the first time I got a good look at them, his two wide, bright, crystal blue eyes, and his skin color only made them stand out even more.

They were.. beautiful..

He was..

I was...

As my thumb gently caresses his lower lip, I noticed he was much more calmer than before, his shoulders weren't nearly as tense, and his tears had stopped forming.

But his eyes never looked away from me..

So.. I leaned closer..

And so did he...

A-and we... we were about to...

...

"Aiden!!" We both pulled away as Sage's voice was heard after she burst into the room, both out faces red.

She ran over to him, wrapping him in a hug. "Noah texted me earlier, are you okay?! What happened?!"

"I'll uh.." I stood up, not bothering to look over. "I'll let you two talk.."

"W-wait, Noah..!"

"It's fine, A, we'll talk later.." With that, I left the room, a sharp pain in my chest.

I almost.. kissed him.. and he never pulled away..

Is... I-is this what I've been feeling this whole time...?

Thanks for reading!!! 'Till next time!!!

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