The Fate Of Broken Hearts

Chapter 63

Emma's POV

The white envelope shivered in my hands. I hadn't been this nervous since I found out I was going to college, and even then, it was my mother's doing. She had waved the piece of paper in my face with a grin, yelling and jumping at the word 'accepted'. I wished she was there when I opened this envelope.

Knowing that these exams cost me twenty to forty percent of my final grade, I didn't want to look. Instead, I wanted to throw it away, maybe in a trash can and set it on fire.

"We can do it together," Aiden offered. He, too, had received his white envelope a few weeks after Christmas. Once the holidays were over, my every waking moment was alongside Aiden's. "You're brilliant, Emma. Whatever the results..." he trailed off.

I squirmed and shoved the envelope into his chest. "You do it."

A soft chuckle left him as he shook his head and accepted it. "Alright. Then you open mine." He pointed his envelope at me.

Hesitantly, I took it. "At the same time?"

"At the same time," he affirmed.

At the exact moment, I ripped his envelope open, his slim fingers hooked under the flap of mine. He slid out the paper inside and unfolded it; I did the same. His face was completely blank as he read the scripture inside. He looked at me, waiting.

I took a breath and began to read the paper with his name. It consisted of columns assigned to each class with a score underneath them. I skimmed over the initial numbers and went to the last row. I looked at him with a smile.

His brows raised. "Well...?"

"You passed!" I exclaimed. His twisted features untangled into a bright, dimpled smile.

"Really? I passed?" A large hand brushed back his wavy hair.

"Almost all your scores land above the eighty percent mark, Aiden. You passed." I mirrored his grin and wrapped my arms around his neck, accustomed to how natural it felt. However, it didn't last long when I realised he still had my scores. "How did I do?"

Aiden caged me into his embrace with a collision of warmth and kissed me. I yelped when he picked me up and levelled our faces. "All scores above ninety, sweetheart."

A cold gust of wind entered my mouth as it hung open. "Are you... Did I really...?"

"You did amazing." He kissed me again, his firm grin plastering against mine. "I am so proud of you."

Aiden placed me back on the concrete in front of the library and tucked a loose lock of hair behind my ear.

"We both did amazing," I corrected him.

"You need to go inside. You'll be late," Aiden said, gesturing at the large front doors with his head.

"I know." I frowned. "Do you need to be anywhere today?"

He cleared his throat, eyes flicking at the building behind me. "I have a few places to be."

I nodded and turned on my heel, then I quickly added, "I'm proud of you too, Aiden."

His smile wavered, and the light in his eyes dimmed, but he shook his head and waited for me to go inside before leaving. I thought it odd.

The rest of the day rolled by in a blur. I stocked new book arrivals into their allocated shelves and talked with Kate every chance I got. She had new highlights in her hair, hiding away the greying locks above her small ears.

"Could you do me a favour and give Arthur the list of pre-orders for me?" She asked, typing away at her computer.

"Sure. Where is he today?" I took the paper list on the counter.