Chapter 6

Aria’s POV

What is he doing? Slack-jawed, I was frozen in place when suddenly Zach was ripped away from me.

“Guess what buddy, we’re in this class now!” Finn was standing with a shit-eating grin, Marcus with a scowl, as Zach stared at them in disdain.

Relief spread in my veins as my body relaxed. I can’t believe he was about to kiss me!

“Hey guys!” I gave them grateful smiles from saving me.

“Princess,” Finn practically purred as he licked his lips and looked me up and down.

“Finn, Marcus, why are you here?” Zach growled at them.

“Oh, you know I live for gym. I just had to switch my schedule over so I could take it again.” Marcus looked at me with a funny look on his face.

“And you? What’s your excuse?” Zach looked at Finn and asked.

“I wanted to spend more time with Aria of course.” Finn said with a cocky smirk.

“Whatever.” Zach grunted as he looked between the two of them.

“WOW. That’s interesting.” Elle said with a huge smile.

“How is this interesting? It’s a testosterone pissing contest.” I grumbled to myself. These idiots have got to be kidding me. Were they like this before I lost my memories? I wish I knew so I had something to compare this behavior to.

Elle grabbed me by the elbow and stealthily pulled me away from the trio of men, “girlie, you’ve got yourself a bonafide love quadrangle. Not going to lie, I’m a little jealous. A girl feels like chopped liver in comparison to you.”

Wendy chose that moment to sashay past us and right to the guys.

“Boys, so nice to see you three.” Wendy started to run her nails down Finn’s arm when he gripped her wrist and shoved her back.

“Don’t touch me.” He growled lowly at her.

“Hmph. You’re full of yourself anyway, right Zach, baby?” Wendy turned her sights on Zach causing him to sigh.

“Listen Wendy, I think you’re misinterpreting that there is something between us. The fact is, there isn’t an us and there won’t be. It’s best we nip this in the bud now.” Zach said slowly to her.

“But Zachy…,” Wendy stuck her lip out in an exaggerated pout that made her look like a fish. No offense to fish of course.

“No. I’ve let you say what you want recently but no business deal between our parents is worth you making Aria feel insecure that something is going on between us. I’m out. Find yourself another date for prom. It was a farce anyway.” Zach told her.

“Hmph!” Wendy huffed, turned on her heel and walked away.

“God, she’s annoying,” Marcus said with a grunt.

“Alright class, listen up!” Coach Bonet stomped into the gym and looked around the room before his eyes settled on me, “Montgomery, you’re excused from physical activity for the foreseeable future, sit on the bleachers.”

I could hear Wendy snickering with Tiffany while Elle groaned, “I’m so jealous.”

“Don’t worry Aria, I’ll be sure to give you a good show.” Finn snuck up behind me and whispered in my ear, tickling the small hairs on the back of my neck.

I turned with a gasp and looked into his intense green eyes and he winked, breaking the spell. “Finn, you’re too close,” I whispered shakily.

Marcus wrapped his forearm around Finn’s neck and pulled him away, “dude you’re too much.”

“Oh my hero,” I deadpanned.

“Students, line up for dodgeball, I’ll be picking the teams.” Coach Bonet called out while I slowly walked away and to the bleachers. How embarrassing.

Class passed by pretty quickly as my eyes continued trailing Zach, Finn and Marcus. At some point their shirts came off, I mean seriously coach say something to them, that wasn’t good for my health. My eyes greedily trailed down their chiseled bodies and I felt a spark of jealousy when I saw other girls ogling them. Why though, they aren’t mine?

But they could be, a voice whispered in my head. I shook away the thought as I went back down the bleachers and to the girl’s locker room to change. I had a feeling today was going to be a long day.

Whelp, I was right. Mysteriously, Finn, Marcus and Zach were in almost all my classes, hovering, scowling, and winking at me randomly. I doubt they were in this many classes of mine beforehand because they would whisper to the teachers before sitting down near me. At lunch I couldn’t escape from them because Zach was still showing me around and every time I looked Finn and Marcus were closely trailing behind. I still wanted to ask Finn what he meant this morning by me being theirs.

As soon as school let out, I practically ran out of the building until I realized I still needed to hitch a ride with Zach.

“There you are! Damn you’re fast for a little thing!” Zach ran after me and pulled me into his side, causing sparks to erupt between us. I shivered as he smiled down at me, “do you want to go get some ice cream?”

“Umm, I just want to go home, it’s been a long day.” I told him. I didn’t really want to return to that hellhole but I had nowhere else to go.

“Of course, you’re right, sorry Aria, I forgot about what you are going through, I’m truly sorry. I’ll take you home.” He relented, relieving some of my stress. I was ready to curl up in bed and take a nap. My head started to pound and I was feeling dizzy.

“Whoah! Are you okay?” Zach caught me as I started to fall in the parking lot. I pressed my palm into my forehead in pain as I leaned into his safe touch.

“Let’s get you home, or do you want to go back to the hospital?” He asked me.

“Just take me home, I’m going to take some medicine and rest.” I told him.

“Sure, babe, come on, let’s go.” Unexpectedly, he lifted me up bridal style and carried me to his car.

“What are you doing!? Put me down! This is so embarrassing Zach!” I whined loudly.

Instead of lowering me back down, he gracefully walked to the car and gently placed me inside. As soon as my butt hit the seat, I felt another sharp pain and I cried out as a vision occurred behind my eyelids.

I was running in a forest with a man.

“Daddy, daddy! You can’t catch me!” The little girl giggled as she ran, brown hair floating in the wind as she ran.

“Aria! Don’t run so fast! You’ll fall down!” The man chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her torso and pulled her up onto his shoulders.

Is that girl, me? Am I getting a memory? I tried to concentrate further on what was happening when my eyes blinked open and I was back in Zach’s car.

“Aria! Are you okay?” Zach was rubbing my arm gently while I came to.

“Yes, I think I had a memory of my father.” I told him.

“Aria, that’s impossible. Your father died before you were born, that’s what you always told me.”