My Childhood Bully is a Mafia Boss-Chapter 29

Ivy, back then...

The autumn leaves crunched under my sneakers as I made my way across the school courtyard, the crisp air nipping at my cheeks. I could feel Aidan’s presence before I saw him. But this time, it didn’t come with the usual knot of dread in my stomach.

"Hey, Ivy," he called out, a half-smile playing on his lips as he fell into step beside me. That smile was still a rare sight, but it had started to make guest appearances lately, and each time it did, it chipped away at the wall I’d built up around myself.

"Hi, Aidan," I replied, trying to sound casual even though my heart was doing that annoying fluttery thing it had no business doing. We walked in silence for a few moments, the fading sunlight casting long shadows on the ground.

"Did you finish the Chem homework?" I asked, needing to fill the quiet with something, anything.

"Most of it. The last problem was a killer, though," he admitted, and I found myself surprised by his candidness. Aidan Blackwood, Mr. Tough Guy, admitting something was hard? It was like spotting a unicorn in the wild.

I chuckled softly, and our eyes met briefly. His intense blue ones seemed less stormy these days, more like the calm after the rain.

"Your friend Lila gave me the third degree today," he said, changing the subject abruptly. "She seems to think I’m planning some elaborate prank on you."

"Really?" My voice went up an octave. Lila was fiercely protective of me. Always telling me to be careful around Aidan. "And what did you tell her?"

"Nothing much. Just that my pranking days are over, at least where you’re concerned." He shrugged, and there was a hint of sheepishness to his grin now.

"Good luck convincing her," I said, but I was smiling too. Lila had been mercilessly teasing me about Aidan’s sudden change of heart, unable to believe that the boy who once tormented me daily had turned over a new leaf.

"Guess I’ll just have to keep being...nice," Aidan said, drawing out the word like it was foreign to him. And maybe it was, but he was getting better at it every day.

"Being nice isn’t so bad, is it?" I teased, nudging him lightly with my elbow.

"Pfft," he scoffed, but I didn’t miss the smile on his face. "By the way. You got plans after school?"

A lump formed in my throat. This was new territory. Aidan asking to hang out? My mind raced with a million reasons why this could be a bad idea. He used to make my days miserable, and those memories were etched deep.

"Um, I usually head straight home," I stammered, trying not to show how much he unnerved me.

"Skip it for once. Stay." The corner of his mouth twitched upward, a half-smile that seemed more genuine than any expression I’d seen on him before.

"Stay and do what?" My own curiosity betrayed me, the words slipping out before I could weigh them.

"Does it matter?" His voice held an edge of challenge, and despite myself, I felt intrigued. He was being decent these days, but the idea of willingly spending time with him set my nerves on edge.

"Maybe I just want to talk, Ivy. You know, like...friends do?" The way he said ’friends’ sounded like he was testing it out, seeing how it fit in his mouth.

"Friends..." I echoed, tasting the word too. It didn’t sound so bad, not anymore, not when he wasn’t sneering it like a weapon. But old habits die hard, and I hesitated, torn between the safety of routine and the allure of this new, unpredictable Aidan.

"Come on, don’t bail on me now," he pressed, and there was a hint of something vulnerable in his plea.

"Okay," I found myself saying, surprising even myself. "Okay, let’s hang out."

"Great." That half-smile turned into a full one, lighting up his features in a way that transformed him.

After school, I met him at the parking lot, which was empty now.

"Let’s sneak back into school," he said, his voice low but excited.

I blinked at him, taken aback by the suggestion. "Are you serious? After hours?"

"Absolutely." He nodded towards the building, where shadows were already starting to creep along the walls. "It’ll be fun. We can go for a swim in the pool."

My heart leaped at the thought of breaking the rules so blatantly. "Aidan, we could get caught. Expelled, even."

"Relax, Ivy," he reassured me with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I’ve done this before. We just have to be careful, that’s all."

I hesitated, looking from his eager face to the darkening windows of the school. The thrill of adventure battled with the knot of anxiety in my stomach. What if someone saw us? What if we triggered some silent alarm?

Sensing my fear, Aidan stepped closer, his blue eyes earnest. "Trust me," he urged softly. "I won’t let anything happen to you."

There was something in the way he said it—a protective warmth that I hadn’t expected from him—that made me believe him. Maybe it was the gentle tone or perhaps the fact that Aidan Blackwood, who once would have relished seeing me squirm, was now offering safety.

"Okay," I finally agreed, surprising myself with the rush of adrenaline that followed my decision. "Let’s do it."

"Awesome." His smile was infectious, and despite everything, I found myself smiling back.

The back door opened with a gentle push.

"Mr. Allen, the janitor always forgets to close this door," Aidan said with a smirk.

I followed Aidan into dark corridors, my heart thrumming wildly against my ribs.

"Almost there," Aidan said.

"Right behind you," I replied, my voice steadier than I felt.

We reached the end of a corridor, and the unmistakable scent of chlorine hit me. Aidan pushed open the door to the swimming pool, and a vast, hollow sound engulfed us as we stepped inside. The water’s gentle lapping bounced off the high ceilings, giving life to the otherwise still night.

"Wow," I breathed out, taking in the sight of the shimmering pool under moonlight filtering through the skylights.

Aidan grinned, that rare smile that made my heart do strange flips. "Told you it’d be worth it."

I hugged my arms around myself, feeling the chill of the cavernous space mingle with my mounting apprehension. "Aidan, are we sure about this? What if we get caught?"

"Relax, Ivy," he said, stepping closer. His blue eyes sparkled with mischief and something else—was it excitement? "When have you ever done anything like this?"

"Never," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "That’s the point."

"Exactly." He took another step toward me, his presence commanding yet oddly comforting. "It’s time to change that. You’re always so worried about following the rules and doing the right thing... Don’t you ever just want to let go?"

His words stirred something rebellious inside me, a desire to break free from the neatly drawn lines of my life. And it was dangerously appealing.

"But the consequences could be—"

"Could be what? Thrilling? Exhilarating?" Aidan cut me off, his hand finding mine again, sending warmth spiraling up my arm. "You deserve some fun, Ivy. Besides, I’m here with you."

I looked into his intense gaze. Maybe being here with him worried me the most.

"Okay," I said, surprising myself with the steadiness of my voice. "Let’s do this."

"Trust me," Aidan whispered, squeezing my hand before releasing it to lead the way to the edge of the pool.

I followed, my heart racing in my chest, not entirely certain whether it was fear or excitement propelling me forward.

"Wait...I don’t have a swimsuit," I reminded him.

"Neither do I," he grinned.

I gasped when the sudden realization hit me. "You are not suggesting that we jump in...um...naked!?"

"No, pervert. Keep your underwear on." Aidan chuckled.

But still...being in front of Aidan in my underwear was just...

"I won’t look. Here, I am turning around," Aidan said as if sensing my worry. He turned his back on me.

I peeled off my sweater, the cool air raising goosebumps on my skin. I slowly emerged into the water, shivering as the water was cold.

I watched as Aidan did the same. His t-shirt hit the tile with a soft thud, and I couldn’t help but notice the way the moonlight played across his shoulders, casting shadows over the contours of his muscles. For a moment, I forgot to breathe.

"Hey, not fair. How come you get to ogle at my body?" he asked, his voice echoing slightly in the cavernous space.

"I am not ogling!" I echoed back, my voice a nervous flutter. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Aidan laughed and jumped in.

"See? Not so bad." Aidan grinned at me, droplets of water clinging to his lashes, making his blue eyes sparkle mischievously.

"Shh! You’ll get us caught," I giggled, splashing water towards him in a playful retaliation.

"Let them try to catch us," he said boldly, splashing back with twice the force, his smile wide and infectious.

Water flew between us, laughter bouncing off the tiled walls, mixing with the sound of our impromptu water fight. It felt like all the rules and fears evaporated with each drop that hit the water’s surface, leaving nothing but the thrill of rebellion behind.

"Take that!" I shouted, catching him off guard with a particularly well-aimed splash to the face.

"You little rebel," Aidan chuckled, wiping his face with his hand.

"Race you to the other end!" he challenged, suddenly kicking off from the wall with powerful strokes.

"Hey! No fair!" I called out, but it was too late; he was already halfway across the pool. With determination fueling my limbs, I pushed forward, trying to close the distance between us. But when I reached the other side, he was there waiting, a victorious smirk on his face.

"Looks like I win," he said, his breath coming out in short puffs that matched mine.

"Only because you cheated," I retorted, but the grin on my face betrayed any feigned annoyance.

Aidan’s expression softened then, and he turned to float on his back, staring up at the ceiling. I copied him. We were silent for a while, just two figures adrift in the expansive pool, the night pressing in around us.

It was then that Aidan spoke, his voice low and carrying a weight that seemed too heavy for the playful setting.

"You know, this is... nice. Being here with you, away from everything. At home, it’s like I’m constantly drowning."

I glanced over, watching as the shadows played across his features. There was a vulnerability there I hadn’t seen before.

Was he finally going to open up to me?