As I followed Aiden out of the apartment, our silence felt thick and suffocating. With each step we took, the silence wrapped around us, amplifying the crunch of our footsteps on the gravel path. The only sounds were the soft shuffle of our shoes and the occasional rustle of leaves in the night breeze. The cool night air stung my skin, but I barely noticed it over the shame curling tight in my stomach. *How could I have been so careless?*
When we finally reached his car, Aiden unlocked it without a word. I slipped into the passenger seat, fumbling to find something to say, apologize, explain—*anything* to break the silence. But as I opened my mouth, Aiden leaned over, reaching for my seatbelt. I froze, my cheeks warming as he gently clicked it into place, his face so close I could feel his steady breath.
Once he was done, he settled back, his gaze finally meeting mine. "Raven, I know what you're about to say, and… don't worry."
I blinked, taken aback. "But… Aiden, the USB… I'm so sorry. I can't believe I—"
He cut me off with a small, reassuring smile. "The finished project was on the USB I handed you, yeah. But I still have the full project on my system, though it's only up to stage three. So…" he paused, giving me a meaningful look, "I'm going to need your help to finish it up again."
A rush of relief flooded through me, but I still felt the weight of my mistake pressing down. "I'll do whatever it takes to fix this mess, Aiden. I can't believe this happened… I'm so sorry." My voice wavered, the words spilling out faster than I could catch them.
He held up a hand, his tone gentle but firm. "Raven, listen to me. It was a simple mistake. Anyone else could have lost it just as easily. So stop beating yourself up, okay?"
I swallowed, his calm confidence easing some of the tension coiled in my chest. "Are you… are you sure?" I asked quietly.
He nodded. "Positive. No one's going to hear about this from me. I'm not going to make a big deal out of it or mention it to the group."
A spark of gratitude and relief warmed me, and I managed a small smile. "Thank you, Aiden. I… I don't know what I'd do without you."
He returned the smile, reaching over to give my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You'll be fine. We'll finish the project together, no worries. Now let's get you back to your dorm, yeah?"
I glanced at the clock on the dashboard, feeling a new wave of embarrassment wash over me. "It's past midnight… Are you sure you don't mind?"
"Not at all," he replied, turning the key and starting the car. "I'll pick you up this evening. We've got a meeting with the group, remember?"
I nodded, relaxing back into the seat as he pulled away from the apartment. The city lights blurred past us, and for the first time in hours, the knot of worry in my chest began to loosen.
Aiden pulls up in front of the dorm building, cutting the engine and looking over at me. I take a breath, trying to gather my thoughts after everything that happened tonight.
"I can walk the rest of the way myself," I say, forcing a small smile to reassure him.
He raises an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You sure? It's late, and you don't look too steady."
"Yeah, I'm sure," I reply, my voice firmer. "It's not far. I'll be fine."
He hesitates, then gives a slight nod. "Alright… but text me when you're inside, okay?"
"I will," I say, grateful for his understanding. I step out of the car, glancing back at him one last time. He gives me a quick, reassuring smile before driving off, the red tail lights fading into the night.
The campus is eerily quiet as I make my way toward the dorm entrance, and I find myself glancing over my shoulder more than once. With it being so late, I have to sneak in without alerting the dorm supervisor. I hold my breath as I slip past her office, grateful for the shadows that hide me.
Finally, I'm in my room, closing the door softly behind me. I lean against it, letting out a long breath, my mind racing with everything that's happened.
*How did it all go so wrong?* I replay the evening in my head—the drinks, the USB, Aiden's reassuring words. A wave of guilt washes over me. I can't believe I let something so important slip away like that.
*What if it's gone for good?* The thought twists in my stomach, and I feel a sting of tears in my eyes again. *No, Aiden said he still has most of the project saved. I'll just have to work twice as hard to make up for it.*
But even his reassurance can't completely ease the weight pressing on me. I keep hearing Jake's taunting voice, his words cutting deep. *Clumsy.* I wince. Maybe he's right.
Shaking my head, I push those thoughts aside. *Focus, Raven,* I tell myself. *Aiden is giving you a chance to fix this. That's what matters.*
I collapse onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. My phone buzzes with a message from Aiden.
> *"You inside?"*
I quickly type back, *"Yeah, made it in. Thanks for everything tonight."*
A few seconds later, his response comes in. *"Get some rest. We'll figure this out later today. And don't be too hard on yourself, okay?"*
I clutch the phone, his words calming me more than I'd like to admit. *Thank you, Aiden.*
I slowly drifted into a restless sleep, but it didn't last long. My phone buzzed, jolting me awake. Groaning, I reached for it, squinting at the screen to see Maya's name flashing. I picked up, still half-asleep.
"Maya?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.
"Hey, Raven! Did you sleep okay?" Her voice sounded almost too perky, considering the late-night drama we'd been through.
"Yeah, I guess…" I muttered, trying to sit up and shake off the grogginess.
"I just wanted to say sorry again about last night," she continued, her tone growing a bit more serious. "Tyler and I stayed up to look for the USB after you and Aiden left. I feel horrible that it got lost at the apartment. Honestly, I should never have invited you… if I hadn't, none of this would've happened."
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my tone light to reassure her. "Maya, don't stress over it. It's not your fault. Things happen, and I was the one who let it out of my sight."
There was a pause on her end, then she sighed. "Thanks, Raven… I just wish I could've done more."
"Really, it's fine," I said firmly. "I'll see you later, okay?"
After we ended the call, I felt a familiar weight settle on my chest. I shook it off, reminding myself that I needed to focus on the day ahead. I checked the time. If I didn't hurry, I'd be late to meet everyone.
I pulled on a pair of dark jeans, my favorite worn-in sneakers, and a soft, oversized sweater in a deep forest green. I took a moment to brush my hair and throw it into a messy bun before grabbing my bag and heading out.