Best Friends With Benefits

Chapter One

As I began to stir, I opened my eyes to find the sun blaring through my blinds. Yawning, I realised the banging noise that had awoken me. It took me a long second to realise there was someone at the front door. I jolted up and snapped my head towards the alarm clock, 8:20, I had to be at school in 10 minutes! I knew immediately that the knocking belonged to a certain, now annoyed best friend known as Aiden. I threw the covers off and ran downstairs, my parents and brothers were out as usual. My single mum worked until 10pm and often ended up staying at her friend Sylvia's house as it was closer to work and my brothers were seniors and in college so came home some weekends. I was '18 and a responsible adult' as my mum told me.

As I reached the door, I opened it and as I had suspected, Aiden was there. His perfectly messy brown hair just flopping over his aviator shades. He grinned, looking me up and down, admiring the large t-shirt I was wearing that used to be his, I stole it from him and he said he didn't want it back once I had sprayed it with my favourite perfume, he didn't fancy smelling like me.

"Well, you look ready to go" his sarcasm tickled me and I couldn't help but smirk.

Without saying another word, I turned on my heel and ran back upstairs allowing Aiden to let himself in. As usual, he followed me upstairs, knocking on my bedroom door, he entered and sat on my bed.

"What happened to your alarm this time then? Accidently fell out the window or a burglar in the night stole it?"

Me waking up late was a regular habit. 

"I just forgot to turn it on I guess, you can go, you'll miss first period" I smiled before entering the bathroom and closing the door behind me. Even though me and Aiden were best friends, I was not going to change clothes in front of him.

"Nah, I have chemistry, I know everything in it, there's nothing more for me to learn."

I didn't have to see him to know he was grinning. I came out the bathroom wearing blue ripped shorts and a black t-shirt tucked in. I hadn't really noticed when I opened the door, but Aiden was wearing his brown chinos, and green t-shirt that clearly showed off his chiselled abs and biceps. Even though he was my best friend I was not going to deny him sexy, but then I wasn't the only one, the whole school, meaning every girl in every year, drooled over him so he was used to it. He caught my stare and I looked away.

"Did you just check me out?" He flashed me a charming look.

"No, I was just thinking" I bent down as I put on my converse, being sure to cover my face so that he couldn't see me blushing.

"Thinking of how hot I look today?" He was laying down now, showing the edge of his six-pack.

"No, I was thinking you were getting a little fat" I love how we could casually flirt in a joking way and it wouldn't be embarrassing or meaningful. As I stood I caught him watching  my figure.

"Now who's doing the checking out?" I raised my eyebrows as his eyes caught mine.

"I was just thinking, your arse is getting larger by the day" As he chuckled, he picked up my unorganised school bag, threw in my sunglasses from the dresser, my purse, phone and a bag of strawberry dream sweets, he knew me so well. 

I groaned as we walked out the front door towards Aiden's black land rover, he opened the passenger door for me, he was such a gentleman.

"Are you ready me lady?" He said in a very plausible British accent. I smiled, got in and began on my hair, which I threw into a messy bun then pulled at strands.

The conversation was general on the journey to school, talking about the weekend which Aiden and I had spent shopping, which unlike most boys, he didn't mind. Aiden actually enjoyed choosing his clothes, he was very stylish and I had to give him credit for that along with his gorgeous figure and cleverness.

When we reached school, Aiden got out and made his way over to my door, I clicked the lock shut and he pulled on the handle.

"Peyton! Come on, we're already late, don't do this again! It's only Monday I thought we agreed you would get out of the car today!"

He laughed as I stuck my tongue out at him. But as before I tended to forget that Aiden always took the keys straight out of the ignition, so within seconds he pressed the unlock button and the door was open. The warm air swept over me and overtook the air-conditioned car. I was just about to get out when all of a sudden I was in the air. Effortlessly, Aiden picked me out of the car and threw me over his shoulder. I squealed, dropping my bag, he picked it up and closed the car door like it was a natural routine.

"Must I carry you to your first class Peyton? Why are you such a challenge to get to school?"

"How can anyone like going to prison!"

I punched his back but it was useless, I might as well be hitting a brick wall. I folded my arms over his back and relaxed. As we wandered through the empty corridors, I couldn't help but think what we must look like everyday to everyone. I mean we are always together, somehow touching one another and always smiling. All the girls would ask if I was his girlfriend, then once he told them what they wanted to hear, they would be all over him again. That was just what happened in one day. I couldn't help but wonder what our relationship would be like if we were dating. What could be different? Apart from the kissing and further contact we were pretty much as close as two people can get. I liked it.

I was soon snapped out of my daydream as I was placed onto the ground. I was outside my physics class. My frown immediately returned.

"Come on, give me a smile, you know how much you love Mrs. Jay" Aiden put his fingers on the edges of my lips and pulled my mouth into a smile. I laughed and so did he, revealing his perfect smile and that dimple on one cheek I loved so much. I barely noticed that our chests were centimetres apart until the classroom door behind me opened and Aiden stepped away, he gave me his classic 'hand-up' wave and then was gone. I turned to see who opened the door and it was Casey, high school, miss-popularity, cheer-leader girl. She stood for a moment glaring daggers into my eyes before giving me a fake smile.

"So, are you and Aiden together at last?" Her voice told me she knew the answer but was almost tormenting me.

"No, Aiden and I are best friends, we'd never date" I forced myself to say, clearly showing anger to make my point. I looked at the floor before pushing past her, bumping her shoulder, she huffed.

As I entered the class, as per usual when someone was late, all eyes turned and mouths began to whisper theories. I took my seat next to my friend Alex, who was smirking at me.

"What?" I asked, searching her face for answers.

"You and Aiden!" She whisper squealed.

"Yes, well done, that's our names" I said slowly and sarcastically.

"How was your weekend, any hooking-up?" She stared wide-eyed and hopeful. Great, another person on my back.

"No, why does everyone keep asking me that?" I sighed looking for a reply, I was about to ignore her when I caught the unmistakable flash of guilt cross Alex's face, she knew something I didn't.

"What now?" I tilted my head which was a clear signal that she needed to tell me.

"Max told me that Aiden got you a present at the weekend!" She bit her lip as if to hide her huge grin. I just looked at her confused.

"Urm, no?" I had no idea what she was talking about, Aiden hadn't got me a present, we only got presents for each other at Christmas and birthdays as usual best friends did, there would be no reason why he would get me one now. Anyway I was with him the whole time. Then I remembered, Aiden was spending so long in the video game store I told him I was going across the mall to the perfume shop, but I was only gone 20 minutes and when I rang him I met him outside the same store, assuming he'd been there the whole time.