CHAPTER 48: CHAPTER 48: ASHTON MEETING WITH RAINBOW

Aiden glanced down at the hammer he was clutching, as if just remembering he still had it in his hand. "Oh, this?" he said casually. "It’s nothing serious. I just need it to fix a crooked nail on my shoe rack in my room."

Ashton nodded, satisfied with the answer, then suddenly grabbed Aiden’s arm with excitement. "Come on! Let’s get to your dorm apartment quickly. You’re going to love this gossip I have for you."

Before Aiden could respond, Ashton was already locking their arms together and pulling him toward the entrance of the dorm building. Aiden allowed himself to be dragged along, though he could not help but shake his head slightly at Ashton’s uncontainable energy.

They were just a few steps away from the entrance when a blur of rainbow colors shot through the air and landed neatly on Aiden’s shoulder. Ashton instinctively tensed, his first thought being to yank Aiden out of harm’s way, but whatever it was had already perched on Aiden’s shoulder before he could react.

When Ashton finally got a clear look at the creature, his eyes widened in surprise. It was a small, brilliantly colored bird — its feathers glimmered with every shade of the rainbow, as though sunlight itself had been trapped inside them.

"Oh my goodness..." Ashton said breathlessly, staring at the bird with wide, shining eyes. "This bird is gorgeous. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my life."

Aiden’s lips twitched at Ashton’s dramatic tone. "Its name is Rainbow," he said simply, as if that explained everything.

Ashton’s head whipped toward him. "Wait, you mean this is your bird?" His expression was a mixture of delight and mock offense. "You’ve been hiding this from me all this time? You’re a terrible friend, Aiden. How could you not tell me you had such a gorgeous bird?"

They resumed walking, entering the dorm building while continuing their conversation. When they got inside the elevator, Aiden pressed the button for his floor before finally replying. "I didn’t bring Rainbow to school. I actually met him today during our wolf training session at the wolf building."

Ashton looked at him, clearly jealous. "Seriously? You just stumbled across a bird like this? You’re ridiculously lucky. I didn’t even know creatures like this existed in Skyline Academy."

Aiden barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. If only Ashton knew this bird’s true personality, he would not be calling it cute. Rainbow was anything but cute — arrogant, bossy, and far too proud for its own good.

As if on cue, Rainbow’s voice rang in Aiden’s mind. "Has your friend never seen anyone as gorgeous as me before? Why is he staring at me like that? He’s really embarrassing himself." The bird gave a dramatic mental sigh before continuing. "Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised. Someone who is friends with you is bound to be just as idiotic as you are."

Aiden’s mouth twitched in irritation. This bird never knew when to shut up. It was even insulting Ashton, who was literally admiring it.

"I swear," Aiden muttered aloud, glaring at the bird on his shoulder. "I’m seriously thinking about having roasted chicken for dinner. And since you look like one, I wouldn’t mind starting with you."

Rainbow squawked indignantly, but it wasn’t the threat that upset it — it was the comparison. Its voice echoed in Aiden’s mind, sharp and offended. "Who are you calling a chicken? That inferior species? All your family must be chickens, Aiden. In fact, all your ancestors are probably chickens too!"

Ashton gasped in shock, clearly misunderstanding the situation. "Aiden! How could you say that? You can’t threaten to roast Rainbow like a chicken! That’s cruel. And don’t you know you shouldn’t threaten people... or birds?"

Aiden just rolled his eyes as the elevator dinged, signaling their arrival. He stepped out without arguing further.

They reached the door of Aiden and Julian’s shared dorm apartment, and Aiden quickly keyed in the passcode. The door unlocked with a soft beep, and they stepped inside.

Ashton, still enamored with the bird, crouched slightly so he was face to face with Rainbow. "Rainbow, why don’t you leave Aiden and come to me instead? I promise I’d take good care of you."

Rainbow turned its head to stare at Ashton, its expression nothing short of disdainful. Its voice, dripping with scorn, rang in Aiden’s head again. "Your friend is truly delusional. Does he think he can afford someone like me? I am a rare and magnificent creature. He should be honored I even allow him to look at me."

Aiden resisted the urge to groan. Rainbow’s pride was unbearable sometimes.

Meanwhile, Ashton straightened up and looked at Aiden hesitantly. "Did... did your bird just look at me like it was judging me?"

Aiden’s expression was all innocence. "How is that even possible? It’s just a bird, Ashton. I think you’re imagining things."

Ashton frowned, then muttered under his breath, "Maybe I am imagining it."

Before Aiden could respond, Julian’s door opened. A moment later, Julian stepped into the sitting area, smiling. "I thought I heard voices, so I came out to check. Oh, hey Ashton. What’s up?"

Ashton grinned back. "Hey, Julian!"

While the two greeted each other, Aiden took the chance to whisper to Rainbow under his breath. "If you don’t want people finding out you’re not a normal bird, maybe tone it down a bit. Stop looking at people like they’re beneath you."

Rainbow’s response was instant. "I didn’t mean to look at him that way. It’s just my natural reaction. Like a reflex. When someone says something stupid, my first instinct is to look at them with disdain. But fine, I’ll try to control it."

Aiden rolled his eyes again, wondering how someone’s.... or a bird "natural reflex" could be looking at others with disdain.

Julian, who had been watching him, tilted his head. "Why are you rolling your eyes for no reason?"

Aiden quickly forced a smile. "Oh, it’s nothing. I just thought of something in my head that was so cringy I couldn’t help it."

Julian gave him a strange look but let it go.

Rainbow, however, would not stay quiet. "I bet he thinks you’re crazy right now," it said smugly in Aiden’s mind.

Aiden nearly snapped back out loud, but he stopped himself just in time. If he responded, Julian and Ashton would definitely think he had lost it.

Julian’s attention shifted to Rainbow. "So, what’s with the bird?" he asked.

"I found it today," Aiden replied simply.

Julian nodded, accepting the answer easily.

Ashton, on the other hand, gaped at him. "That’s it? Just ’you found it today’ and julian don’t you think rainbow is too beautiful? Shouldn’t you be freaking out that this kind of bird even exists here? Why are you both so calm about this?"

Julian only shrugged. "It’s just a bird."

Ashton looked genuinely offended by Julian’s lack of reaction. Rainbow, too, was clearly displeased. Its voice rang in Aiden’s mind again, sounding haughty. "Just a bird? Who does this human think he is? I am magnificent! Tell him I am magnificent!"

Before Ashton could launch into a lecture about how special Rainbow was, Aiden quickly cut him off. "Didn’t you say you had something to tell me?"

Ashton’s attention immediately shifted back to the reason he had dragged Aiden here in the first place. "Oh, right! I can’t believe I almost forgot." His face lit up with excitement again. "Actually, this is perfect. Now that Julian is here too, I can tell both of you together."