Aaron wandered down the school hallways lost in his earlier musings, he had no worries about being scolded by teachers for loitering and he was in no rush because he was never told off for being late, one of the perks of being the schools best athlete was virtual untouchability. He rarely exploited this privilege but today was different, his eye caught on Josh getting things out of his locker, anger and suspicion welled up inside of him and he marched over.
Josh blinked for a moment or two as everything around him went into shadow, he looked up to see Aaron looming over him, he had rarely looked so tall to Josh even though he was over six foot tall. A little fear hitched itself in Josh's throat, something was up with Aaron, he had never seen him look so intimidating towards him before.
"Are you okay?" Josh asked carefully.
"Not really, Alex is in hospital so I'm not in the best of moods." Aaron stated flatly, Josh's eyes widened.
"Hospital! How? What happened? Is she okay?" Josh asked desperately.
"She'll be fine, a few scrapes, bruises and a dislocated shoulder. She'll live. I'm actually more concerned about something that she told me." Aaron said brushing off his questions and fixing him with a stare, Josh started to become uncomfortable, he didn't like that look.
"Oh?" He asked after a moment.
"Max had given her a birthday present yesterday." Aaron said watching Josh's face carefully for any trace of guilt or deceit.
"No!" Josh gasped forcing an expression of horror onto his face.
"Yes, I'm just curious as to how he knew." He continued, "who would tell him that it was Alex's birthday and not tell him to avoid mentioning it to her?"
"I- I have no idea." Josh stammered. Aaron growled, that was all he needed. Suddenly Josh found himself suspended several feet above the floor and pressed hard against the lockers by his throat, Aaron seemed to be a different person altogether now with a look of intense anger and hatred on his face. This behaviour was so out of character for Aaron that a crowd had gathered to watch in silence.
"You told him. Just to get back at Max, you told him it was her birthday and didn't tell him not to do anything. You risked wounding Alex on her most vulnerable day just over some petty grudge!" Aaron shouted angrily, the crowd looked sickened at this fact, Alex's birthday had always been a no-go zone for everyone.
"I didn't!" Josh squeaked flailing his legs in terror.
"LIAR!" Aaron roared at him.
"Stop!" A voice called from behind them both. The crowd parted to reveal Max, the crowd had gotten bigger, they all knew that this was going to be good.
"What?" Aaron asked surprised.
"Don't hurt him, please." Max sighed.
"He would have happily seen you crash and burn over Alex and have hurt her too just to get one up on you and you want me to let him go?" Aaron snapped.
"Yes, his plan failed anyway. Alex liked her gift in the end, and I think she actually enjoyed herself on that day for the first time in what she said was a long while." Max explained gently, Josh's eyes widened, his plan had gone wrong?
"What? You're lying! No way Alex would have-ack!" Josh began before croaking and spluttering as he was silenced by Aaron's grip on his throat tightening.
"Plus, if she is in hospital, don't you think that Alex has been through enough without knowing that one of the people that she considers a friend betrayed her?" Max added, Aaron sighed and dropped Josh suddenly to the ground. Josh rubbed his sore throat before a boot landed on his back.
"You're getting of this time, but if you so much set a toe out of line again, you'll be in a WORLD of pain." Aaron growled before stalking off. The crowd dispersed and Max helped Josh to his feet.
"Why?" Josh questioned rubbing his neck.
"Because I'm a better person than you are, and I'd never sink to your level of allowing others to get hurt because of my own personal biases. What you did was cruel and sick and I'd hate to be anywhere near your level, and I'm sure Aaron would hate it too if he was thinking straight. If anyone's going to put you in your place then it's going to be Alex, and if you keep this up she'll figure this out and Aaron and I will be the least of your worries." Max said coldly before walking off.
Josh stood in the empty corridor and slid down the lockers to the floor.
"We have a problem." He spoke to the empty hallway.
