Isaaq's POV:
I hated mornings. Like, deeply. But waking up next to Hayden? That was different. That felt… special.
His arm was wrapped around me, snug and warm like a blanket I didn't ask for but never wanted to let go of. His face was peaceful, soft in a way I rarely got to see. He looked… young. Not that arrogant, smug look he usually had. Just calm. Almost too calm.
I brushed a few strands of hair off his face, not sure if I was trying to see him better or just giving myself an excuse to touch him. My lips hovered close to his cheek. I didn't even think twice before leaning down to kiss him.
Big mistake.
The second I got close, his arm moved — and suddenly I was the one being kissed.
"Holy shit," I gasped, practically flinching. "You jerk. You were pretending to be asleep?"
Hayden — or well, he — laughed. "Good morning, sleeping beauty. You looked too peaceful to wake up."
That voice. That smile. It wasn't Hayden. Not really.
I narrowed my eyes. "Aiden?"
He smiled again — softer this time, less teeth, more heart. "Oh, you noticed."
I blinked, taking a second longer than I should've to respond. "Good morning," I muttered.
Being around Aiden always felt weird. Not bad, just… off. Hayden was the storm. Aiden was the eye of it. Quiet, gentle, still… and still somehow dangerous.
And I'd gotten used to the storm. Now I had to re-learn how to breathe in the calm.
"You're gonna hit the showers, right?" he asked, stretching, still way too energetic for this ungodly hour.
"Eventually," I mumbled into the pillow.
"It's a school day. You'll be late."
"Killjoy," I groaned and buried my face deeper.
"You want me to get in with you?" he teased.
I froze, eyes snapping open. "Don't you dare."
He laughed — loud and unbothered. "Relax. I've already showered."
I dragged myself up like a zombie, grumbling as I shuffled to the bathroom. He was glowing. I was dying. That's how mornings worked for us, apparently.
The hot water helped — kind of. I stood there longer than I should've, letting the steam clear my head. Everything smelled like him now. His shampoo, his soap. His world was already bleeding into mine, and I didn't even try to stop it.
When I finally stepped out, towel clinging to my waist, I realized I had a problem.
"…Shit," I muttered. "I don't have anything to wear."
Of course, that's when Aiden walked in like he owned the place. His eyes scanned me once and he smirked.
"Damn, Almasi. You trying to seduce me?"
"Stop calling me that," I hissed, holding the towel tighter. "I'm not doing this on purpose. I have nothing to wear."
He laughed. Of course he did. "I'm fine with you staying like that."
"Pervert," I muttered. "You're just like Hayden."
"We're the same person," he said, still grinning. "Kind of."
He tossed me a fresh uniform and — bless him — even a pair of clean underwear.
"Brand new," he said. "Don't worry."
I mumbled a thanks, trying to act annoyed but… secretly wishing they weren't new. Maybe I was the pervert.
I got dressed in silence while watching Aiden throw on his clothes. He moved like someone who had all the time in the world. Effortless. The blazer made him look smaller somehow, but I knew what was under it. I'd seen those abs. Felt them, too.
"How the hell are we the same size?" I asked, buttoning up.
He shrugged. "They issued me a smaller size at first. I kept it. Figured it'd come in handy."
Right, that was pretty convincing. Having my exact size lying around. Totally normal.
I grabbed my phone. "I should probably text Julie. She goes nuclear if I disappear."
Aiden raised a brow.
"One time I didn't text her for like… a day. She filed a missing person report. Not even kidding."
He laughed so hard he clutched his stomach. "That's so cute."
"Yeah, she's a real peach," I muttered. "Come on, we've gotta get going—Greyman, right?"
He stepped closer, way too close. "I am… whatever you want me to be."
Then he kissed me. Slow. Gentle.
Not Hayden's kind of kiss — all heat and fire and teeth.
This was soft. Careful. Like he was letting me lead. So I did.
I grabbed his waist. Let my hands drift lower. Pulled him in until things started to blur a little — until Aiden pulled back, breathing heavy.
"Okay…" he muttered, flustered. "I think that's enough."
I smirked and kissed his cheek. "Okay."
We finally stepped outside, and reality hit me in the face.
"Shit," I muttered. "How are we getting to school?"
Aiden gave me a look. "You're not a big fan of the bus, huh?"
"Ugh. Another bus ride? Kill me now."
He laughed again — bright and unbothered. I hated how much I liked that sound.
And just like that, the day began. Too bright. Too real.
And way too full of feelings I wasn't ready to unpack.
Another unholy ride in that public garbage can. I'm honestly convinced the bus is just a moving box of suffering on wheels. But hey, we made it. We were alive. Barely.
At the school entrance, Aiden peeled off without warning. Something about a meeting or whatever. I didn't really catch the details. I was too busy being stunned by the fact that he'd pulled me in for a goodbye kiss — in public. Like, full-on "see you later, babe" energy before rushing off like it was nothing.
And I just stood there. Dumb. Static. Like someone had unplugged my brain.
Right. Aiden's my boyfriend now.
My boyfriend?! Holy hell!
I swear I was internally screaming for a full minute straight, but on the outside, I was doing my best to look calm and cool and not like my heart was flailing around in glitter. Good luck with that.
The rest of the morning? Total blur. I couldn't focus on anything. I was walking around campus like some dazed romcom protagonist who just found out the guy actually likes him back. My brain was a mess. My heart wouldn't shut up. I was distracted, lovesick, and mildly embarrassed about it.
I wanted to text him, of course. Duh. But I already knew that would go nowhere. Who even knows where Aiden's phone was this time — maybe still chilling in that dumb sack of cheap rice from the last time. Point is: texting was useless.
So when lunch came around, I figured... why not try the student council office? Seemed like the only place I had a shot of finding him. I wasn't expecting to make some grand entrance or anything. Just… see him. Maybe eat together. Maybe kiss again. Maybe not look like a total idiot in front of him.
I walked through the hallway rehearsing what I'd say. Something cool. Confident. Smooth.
Yeah, that didn't last.
Everything that came to mind sounded painfully cringe. Like, "Hey, hot stuff, miss me?" Ugh. Instant death by secondhand embarrassment. No wonder I was single for so long. My game? Nonexistent.
Anyway, I opened the student council room door and — boom — people. Three girls and a guy. Not Aiden.
I froze in place, feeling all awkward. "Uh… hey," I muttered.
And immediately, I heard whispers.
One of the girls — I think her name was Stephanie — lit up. "It's him! The guy I was telling you about."
Then a soft "Oh…" followed.
Great. Subtlety? Never heard of her.
Stephanie looked like she'd just been caught stealing candy from a church. I raised an eyebrow. "I remember you," I said. "So… is Aiden here?"
I ignored the fact that they were very obviously gossiping about me five seconds ago. I could've called them out, started drama, but honestly? I didn't have the energy. I just wanted to see my boyfriend. Was that too much to ask?
"Um… no," Stephanie said. "He hasn't shown up in school today."
What?
My brain glitched. "Wait, what?"
I mean… we literally arrived together. He kissed me. Said something about a meeting. And now… he's not even here?
"How would you know he didn't show up?" I asked, a little sharper now. "You got some kind of tracker on him or something?"
She rolled her eyes like I was the dramatic one. "We have a record. We clock in every day when we arrive. Aiden hasn't signed in. So…"
So. Yeah. So.
I swallowed hard. My stomach was twisting up. "Whatever," I muttered, already turning around. "I'm gonna go."
She probably tried to say something else behind me, but I wasn't listening. I didn't care. I was already out the door, heart hammering way too fast.
What if something happened?
God, could it have been Hayden ?
He had a knack for finding trouble. The kind that made normal people run the other way. But could I really blame him? Kid was raised like a weapon. Trained to be an assassin before he even hit puberty. A perfect storm of dangerous, reckless, and stupidly hot.
I pulled out my phone. Called once. No answer. No surprise.
Dropped a few texts anyway.
> You okay?
> Where are you?
> You said you had a meeting. Was it not at school?
> Call me. Please.
Lunch break was ticking down. Not that I cared. My brain was too busy imagining Aiden bleeding in some alleyway or breaking into a building or being chased by god-knows-who again. I hated how normal that was.
Still, I headed back toward class, my phone clutched in my hand like it could give me answers.
He better be okay.
He has to be okay.
Because I finally got him. And I'm not losing him now.