All Chapters of Aria: Scales of Love: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Jude POVThe fluorescent lights of the mall seemed to buzz louder than usual, a headache in the making. I just needed this damn charger, then I was out of here. Homework was already piling up, as we’ve been practicing so much for the championship game, my last game here as a senior at Oceanview, I hardly had time to get any homework done, and I'd promised my mom I'd help with dinner.Then I saw her.Aria?What the hell?I hadn't really seen her since that night. Since that night I haven’t been able to sleep right. It all played out in my head in slow motion at night. I never wanted to see anything like that, ever again.She still hasn't spoken a whole lot to me since. She's always avoidant to me.I’d tried texting, sure. Leaving her the hell alone for a while felt like the best thing to do but, something in me said I had to check in on her. I just felt I had to have her back to make up for how I have treated her. I wanted to protect her. I wanted to stop being an ass to her. To show h

The arcade lights swam in my vision as I practically fled from Jude, the scent of stale popcorn and cheap thrills doing little to soothe the turmoil churning inside me. His words, a tangled mess of anger and… was that actually jealousy? were a relentless echo in my mind. It felt suffocating.My phone buzzed as I got to my street. I already knew who it was. Sure enough, a text from Tim: "Hey, just wanted to make sure you got home okay. Had a great time tonight. :)" A wave of warmth washed over me. Simple, straightforward, nice.Almost simultaneously, another notification popped up. Jude. "Aria, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come off so strong. I just… I care. Please, just talk to me."My fingers hovered over the screen, a war raging inside me. Part of me, a tiny, foolish part, wanted to believe him, to hear him out. But the larger, more rational part screamed at me to run, to protect myself from the inevitable heartbreak that came with letting Jude too close.Tim's text glowed above J

Jude POVBut, It was like she was a ghost. I'd see Aria in the hallway, a flash of dark hair and a fleeting glimpse of her eyes, and then she'd be gone, swallowed by the crowd. Each time, my heart would leap, only to plummet moments later as she purposefully looked away, her expression blank, unreadable.After the mall, I'd tried calling, texting, anything to reach her. But the calls wouldn't go through, the texts wouldn't send. "Message failed to deliver." I reread them over and over. What did I do. Did she really hate me?That's when I realized I noticed that I couldn't message her anymore. Blocked. The realization stung, a sharp, unexpected blow.I tried to corner her the next day at lunch, at least try to get a few words in. I could have said things differently. I can't let all this be for nothing."Aria, we need to talk," I blurted out, my voice louder than intended, drawing a few stares.She didn't even break stride. "I have nothing to say to you, Jude." Her voice was cold, devo

Aria POVTim had texted me that morning, an invitation to meet him at the mall the day before the big game. A pre-championship date. It was sweet, a distraction from the butterflies that had taken up permanent residence in my stomach. I decided to go a little early, needing to kill some time before our rendezvous.As I approached the entrance to the mall, I spotted Tim already inside, near the fountain. But he wasn't alone. He was talking to someone, someone with long, blonde hair and a familiar, sickeningly perfect figure. As I got closer, the realization hit me like a punch to the gut: it was Lola.What the hell was Lola doing talking to Tim? They went to completely different schools, lived in different worlds. What could they possibly have to say to each other?I hesitated, unsure of what to do. I wanted to disappear, to melt into the crowd and pretend I hadn’t seen anything. But curiosity, and a growing sense of unease, kept me rooted to the spot.Lola turned her head, a malicious

Aria POVThe encounter with Jude left me fuming. How dare he interfere in my life, in my relationship with Tim? He had no right to judge, no right to tell me who I could and couldn't trust. Especially after everything he did. The nerve of him!I spotted Roxy, Lily, Sam, and Marco at our usual table and plopped down, my face still flushed with anger.Roxy raised an eyebrow, concern etched on her face. "What was that all about? Jude yelling across the cafeteria like that? What's his problem?"Lily and Sam nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that was weird," Lily said. "And totally out of character for Jude."Marco, ever the comedian, chimed in, "Maybe he finally realized he's in love with you, Aria! You know, that whole 'if I can't have her, no one can' thing?" He struck a dramatic pose, making us all laugh despite the tension.I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "He just... he thinks Tim is using me or something. He told me I shouldn't trust him.""What? That's ridiculous!" Sam exclaimed