Chapter Title: (30) Armour-02

"Gabby?" Marley echoed, in which her best friend avoided her gaze entirely, sucking her lower lip between her teeth. Marley felt an odd twist in her stomach, "Gabby. What...what happened? Why are you here?" she demanded. Gabby sighed, resting her chin on the palm of her hand and her bent elbow on her de-his desk with a soft expression. Her blonde tresses fell over her cheeks, "He um...he texted me. This morning. He wanted to give you space." "Ah," Marley felt genuine pain stab through her heart as she spun back around with stinging eyes. But that proved to be a very stupid mistake. Aiden had entered the room just as she turned around, but she couldn't see his face. He was wearing a black sweater, the hood pulled over half his head to conceal his face, the rest exposing mussed, dark brown hair. His powerful frame was slumped as he walked across the room, his head down. Marley's eyes flickered to the seat across from Ethan - Gabby's seat - watching him drop into the chair ti