Page 67
Aaron
The day has been a whirlwind of people texting me to find out what’s going on and me getting to proudly confirm that yes, Vex and I are indeed together.
Focusing on classes hasn’t been easy either, because I keep checking the comments under Vex’s post, and while some terrible people have voiced their thoughts, most of his fans are extremely supportive. Such is the internet, so I try to not get hung up on someone saying my hair sucks, or that we’ll both go to hell.
It’s impossible not to notice glances cast my way all day either, but the majority of the people I walk past on the campus, have enough manners to not bother me, a perfect stranger, about dating a male influencer. But knowing that they assess me as Vex's partner is weirdly exhilarating, even if stressful.
Or they still stare at me because of the sex tape, but I choose to believe that’s all in the past now.
Vex is waiting for me in front of the building after class, so I send him a heart emoji and pack up my stuff, eager to run straight into his arms, but as I turn, about to leave the row of benches, my way is blocked by Jessica, who stares at me with a frown.
“We’re friends. How could you not tell me?”
Yeah. ‘Friends’. I shrug with an apologetic smile. “He wasn’t out, so I couldn’t.”
She growls, shaking her blonde mane. “And you just let me get all hot for a guy you were seeing? That’s messed up.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t be getting hot for him in the first place when you have a boyfriend,” Declan says from the door, and when Jess shoots him a murderous glance, he raises his hands. “Just saying. You wouldn’t be happy if I kept talking about some girl from Insta.”
I don’t like Declan, but it’s a fair point.
“It’s different with guys.” She rolls her eyes, but I’m not really sure what she means, because if Vex was thirsting for some twink online, I’d be pissed off.
Declan shakes his head and looks at me. “Just don’t get too attached, Aaron. Guys like him get bored easily.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I scowl at him. The fuck? Since when does he know the first thing about Vex? Declan should watch it because he might soon be moving from the position of frenemy to nemesis.
To her credit, Jess rolls her eyes and glares at her partner. “Vex literally came out for Aaron. I can’t see you ever doing that for me.”
Declan blinks, a deer in the headlights. “Wh—there’s nothing to come out with!”
“Are you sure?” she asks, and as silence stretches between them, I itch to leave this toxicity behind.
“At least you’re not the one with a sex tape from a museum,” Declan growls, but then looks at me. “Sorry, Aaron, but it’s not a secret, is it?”
Jessica spreads her arms. “Exactly! You’d never break into a museum for me! It’s called being romantic, Declan. Live a little!”
“So… I gotta go,” I mutter and back off. Maybe this is the day they finally break up, because it’s been brewing for a while.
Once I’m out of the classroom, I jog to the main staircase, stopping by a display case with trophies won by the university sports teams over the years, since there’s a mirror in the back, and I want to check out my hair. I leave the building only once I’m certain every curl on my head looks perfectly tousled. Vex sits cross-legged on a concrete bench, face in his phone.
I decide to sneak up on him from behind and wrap my arms around his neck, exhilarated that I can do this now.
“Hey!” I say, so he doesn’t think I’m some crazy stalker who needs a punch in the face. “All okay online?”
He looks back, smiling as he leans in for a kiss. “So far so good. Sage’s devastated though. He thought we were so similar,” he says with a chuckle, squeezing my forearm.
I sit right next to him, peeking into his phone. “Oh no, his dreams, crushed. At least now you can funnel all the ladies his way.”
Vex’s arm settles on my shoulders, and he rubs me with his fingertips. Being so close in public still feels illicit after hiding for so long, but he isn’t backing out, embracing me for everyone to see. “There are some bad apples, but for the most part, people have no problems with it. There’s the odd person saying shame the ladies lost me,” Vex says, chuckling, “but way more people understand that it wasn’t like the average fan had any chance getting together with me in the first place, since, you know, I don’t know most of them anyway.”
“I saw a few creepers asking if we’re starting an Only Fans.” I roll my eyes, leaning my head against his shoulder.
“Not a chance. I’m not letting anyone see all of you,” he says with a grin before capturing my mouth. His fingers rub me under the chin, and I purr with pleasure as he continues, “Those long legs, and pretty cherries are mine only.”
His compliments make me feel like the sexiest man alive. “And how are you feeling about everything? Not too stressed, I hope?”
He relaxes, smiling at me as snow starts falling again. “I actually talked with some of the companies I have deals with. So far so good. And yeah... plenty of girls still want my thirst traps, and I actually got a flurry of new appointments since I posted our photo so actually—” He swallows. “Maybe I shouldn’t have bothered hiding who I am in the first place?”
