“Just—” he stops for a moment “—just get over here as soon as you can. I need to talk to you about something.”
I locate my Converse in my room as soon as I enter. “Will do.”
***
“So what exactly was the emergency?” I ask Ryan as I sit down on the familiar couch in his house. I’m really curious about this “emergency.”
Ryan is wearing a dark blue t-shirt and some jeans. It doesn’t look like he’s going to do anything exciting today. “I know who spray painted the wall with the whole Aiden + Riley thing,” he tells me.
I raise my eyebrows. I too have been wondering who did that. “How did you know it was there in the first place?” I ask, thinking about it.
“I, uh, heard my mom and Robert talking about it after they picked up Aiden at the police station,” he quickly says.
“So, who did it?” I ask him.
“I need you to tell me something before I tell you,” he says. “Is that fine?”
I’m sure where he’s going with this. “Yeah…” I say.
“I need to know how you feel about Aiden.”
Puzzled.
That’s the word that describes how I’m feeling right now.
But then I feel the anxiety kick in. I can’t tell Ryan that I have a slight crush on Aiden. He might run off and tell Aiden, then my friendship with Aiden can become nonexistent. “He’s a good friend,” I say.
Ryan rolls his eyes. “Obviously, otherwise you wouldn’t hang out with him.”
He has a point.
“Do you like him more than a friend?” he questions.
My hands start to get sweaty and I feel a slight blush creep onto my cheeks. “No.” My voice is almost inaudible.
Ryan cracks a smile. “Yes, you do.”
“Why are you even asking this?” I probe.
“Because,” he says, “I want you to know that I’m the one who spray painted the wall.”
I stare at him for a moment as I process what he just told me, then I say, “But why?”
Ryan continues to smile. “So Aiden would realize that he likes you more than a friend also.”
“What are you cupid or something?” I ask without thinking. “Aiden doesn’t like me like that and I don’t either.” The last part is a lie, of course.
“Please, Riley.” He scoffs. “You are such a liar.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Why do you want me and Aiden to admit to liking each other anyway?”
Ryan sighs. “Riley, I don’t know what your first impression of me was, but I want you to know that I’m not just some conceited popular guy, okay?” he asks. “I do care about certain things. The reason I’m doing this is because Aiden needs to realize that he can’t act like a delinquent forever. He needs to grow up at some point and I think you’re just the thing to make him realize that.”
Basically, Ryan is convinced that I can change Aiden for the better
“I’ve talked to Robert,” Ryan says, interrupting my thoughts. “He thinks that if Aiden doesn’t change a few things about how he lives, then he’ll end up losing him more than he already has.”
“Are you always the good guy?” I ask Ryan.
“Most of the time.” He shrugs. “I have to tell you something though.”
“Okay…”
“I told Lucas to hang out with you and send you flowers so Aiden would get jealous.”
Seriously? “So Lucas doesn’t really like me then?” I ask, feeling hurt and slightly relieved at the same time. I mean, I never liked Lucas like that anyway, but it still hurt that he only hung out with me because Ryan told him too.
Ryan shrugs. “I don’t know honestly. But that doesn’t matter. What is important is you and Aiden.”
I’m about to protest, but he stops me. “Don’t deny it, Riley. I already know.” He grins.
I sigh. “Fine. I might like him a little bit.”
“There’s one more thing I need to tell you…”
What more can there possibly be?
“I may have told Aiden that I like you more than a friend also. But I need you to remember that I don’t really see you that way. I mean, being your friend is good enough for me,” he tells me.
“Okay, good. I don’t like you like that either,” I say to him.
He laughs. “Thanks. Now, there are some things I want to go over with you.”
“And those things are?” I ask hesitantly. This is already a lot to take in.
“First thing—” he smiles “—keep Aiden out of trouble as much as possible. Don’t tell him you like him or anything, just keep being yourself.”
That shouldn’t be too hard.
Ryan is still smiling. “I really do think you’ll help Aiden in the long run, Riley. You’re the perfect thing he needs in his life.”
It’s weird hearing that from Ryan. I’ve never been someone who another person needs in their life. Heck, I’ve never even had a boyfriend before. This is definitely going to be an adventure for me.
Aiden
I tap my fingers on the counter impatiently. Riley had texted me over an hour and a half ago that she would be at Ryan’s for a little bit. But it’s been more than a little bit and I’m started to get pissed off.
Is she blowing me off for Ryan?
I shake my head.
C’mon, Aiden, this is Riley we’re talking about. I bet she can’t hurt a fly.
Instead of talking to myself in my head, I decide to take a trip to the store. We need some more groceries in the house anyway, so might as well use this time to do that.
“Alex, I’m going to the store!” I call out as I grab the keys. I feel on edge, so I’m taking sharp turns around the house and end up hitting my leg on the corner of the small table near the couch.
“God dammit.” I bend down and rub my leg.
Stupid table. Stupid corner. Stupid me for hitting the damn thing.
I yank open the door and turn to shut it. As soon as I turn around, I collide with something else and lose my footing. I end up falling and taking down whatever I hit.
Whatever it is lands on me and I hear a small squeal.
“Riley?” I ask when I see her lying on me.
Her cheeks tint pink as her eyes meet mine. “Sorry!” she exclaims. “Y-you came out kind of in a r-rush, and I guess I was standing in the way.”
I chuckle when I hear her stumble over her words. “It’s fine,” I say when I notice that she’s lying on me. “I don’t mind.”
She buries her face in her hands which lay on my chest. Amused at her reaction, I just stare at her. I’m kind of hoping that she won’t notice my heart beating at an unhealthy rate.
“I’m going to get up now,” she mumbles. Before she can sit up, I wrap an arm around her and pull her close.
“Why don’t we just stay like this for a minute?” I ask her.
She gives me a small smile. “Because there’re ants like two inches away from us and I don’t want to get covered in them.”
Shit. “Good point.” I nod. We both stand up and dust ourselves off. “I have to admit, Summers, I was starting to think that you were blowing me off for Dixon.”
“I wouldn’t blow you off.” She waves her hand. “But where are you going—and in a rush too? It seems like you’re the one thinking of blowing me off.” She crosses her arms.
Now that we’re standing, I have to look down slightly at her since I’m taller. I end up laughing. “You look like a small child.”
“Don’t change the subject,” she says to me. “You were just leaving.”
I sigh. “Well, thinking that you weren’t going to show up, I decided that I was going to head to the store to get some groceries,” I explain.
“Oh.” Her arms drop to her sides. “I’ll go then. I don’t want to be a bother—”
I cover her mouth with my hand and push her towards the car. “Just get in the car, Riley. You’re coming with me.”
Riley
“So what do you need to buy
?” I ask Aiden curiously as we enter the supermarket. I glance around at the familiar store then look at Aiden.
“First things first, we need milk. We can’t have cereal without milk,” he says as he grabs a basket and starts walking with it.
I walk alongside him as we make our way to the dairy section. “We, as in you and Alex?” I question.
He grins. “We as in me, Alex, and you. You’re staying over at my place tonight.”
I feel butterflies in my stomach as soon as those words leave his mouth. Stay over at his house? I’ve never actually spent the night at a non-family members’ house before. “Um, when was this decided?” I ask hesitantly.
We approach the milk gallons and Aiden grabs one from one of the shelves. “Just now. We’re close friends, right? And close friends stay at each other’s houses”—he steps in front of me—“right?”
I gulp as his gaze meets mine. “I don’t know how my mom would feel about—”
“You’re eighteen, aren’t you?” he asks as we start down another aisle. “C’mon, Riley. You gotta live a little.”
I guess he has a point. I am eighteen and I already had this talk with Kelly. “Yeah, but I mean, it’s your house,” I mutter.
We’re passing the cereal section when Aiden stops and grabs a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. “What, are you afraid you might not be able to control yourself around me?” he asks, sounding amused.
I hit his arm. “You are so full of yourself.” I shake my head. “It’s unhealthy.”
He chuckles. “I’ve just learned to love myself.” He smiles. “And you should do the same.”
I think about it. I guess I’m happy with myself. I can be a little more confident, but I won’t say I’m really insecure or anything. “Anyways, what else do you need?” I change the subject.
“All the unhealthy junk food,” he says seriously.
“Ah, of course.” I nod.
“Alex can’t live without those Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies,” he explains. “He goes mad when we run out.”
I laugh at that. I admit those brownies are amazing. But I can live without them if I have to. “What about you? Is there something sweet you can’t live without?” I ask as I glance at all the small cakes and cupcakes around us.
“Do you count as something sweet I can’t live without?”
I whirl around and face him. But he’s too busy grabbing a box of Hostess cupcakes to notice me looking at him. “What?” I stupidly ask.
He grins. “Never mind.”
Aiden gets a few more things and tosses them into the basket. We get in line at one of the registers and Aiden pays.
As soon as the bags are put in the car, we both get in and drive back to the house.
“So, do you want me to drop you off at home to get a change of clothes?” Aiden asks as he drives.
“For what?” I ask.
“You’re staying over, remember?” He raises his eyebrow.
Once again, the butterflies fill my stomach. “Um…”
He covers my mouth with his hand and smirks. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
Chapter 31
I return home after the interesting shopping trip with Aiden. Deciding that I want to have a fun night, I end up lying to my mom and tell her I will be with Kelly. To be safe, I inform Ryan about the little white lie and he assures me he will back me up if anything happens. To say I’m nervous for tonight is an understatement. I’m completely and utterly terrified. It feels as if I have pterodactyls in my stomach instead of butterflies.
I arrive at Aiden’s house once again. As I approach the door, Aiden swings it open before I can even reach out to knock.
“Are we excited for tonight?” Aiden asks as I enter the house.
I laugh. “It seems you are. How did you know I was at the door?”
“We have cameras everywhere. There’s no hiding anything around here.” He smirks. “I might have peeked out the window at the right time.”
“Sure.” I nod. My overnight bag is instantly taken from me by Aiden and is put on the couch. Without saying a word, Aiden makes a beeline for the kitchen. I follow, wondering if he’s joining Alex.
Walking into the kitchen, Alex’s grin is the first thing I see. “Riley!” he exclaims. His arms open wide for a hug. Once I’m close enough, he engulfs me in his embrace. “How are you today?” he asks.
I notice the comparison between Alex and a typical mom. “I’m fine,” I say, pulling away from him while feeling a bit awkward.
Alex continues to smile as he glances at Aiden. They stay silent for a moment as if they’re having a silent conversation. Aiden tears his gaze away first and walks towards the fridge.
“When Aiden told me you were going to stay with us, I decided to make dinner.” Alex beams.
“I didn’t know you cook.” The words spill from my mouth before I can stop them.
Alex smirks. “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, Riley. And yes, I can cook.”
“Alex can’t cook for shit,” Aiden adds in his opinion. He closes the fridge and hands me a water bottle. “He lives in a fantasy world where he thinks he can be the perfect housewife.”
I chuckle while Alex looks appalled. “I can cook!” Alex then looks at me. “Don’t listen to him. I can make a mean macaroni and cheese.”
Aiden and I laugh at Alex. I’m laughing next to him. I’m not much of a cook myself. Though my mom has shown me a few tricks in the kitchen, I don’t think I could make a full-blown dinner.
“Which is exactly what I’m going to make. You don’t mind macaroni, do you?” Alex asks.
I shake my head. “I don’t mind at all.”
“Great.” He grins. “Why don’t you and Aiden go watch TV while I start it then?”
“You sound like a parent.” Aiden shakes his head like he can’t believe his ears.
Alex shoos us out of the kitchen and into the living room. A particular memory involving Aiden and me, plus the couch, makes me blush. Aiden ends up plopping himself on the couch and makes himself comfortable. I sit on the smaller couch and try doing the same thing.
Aiden has the remote in his hands, flipping through the channels when he glances at me. “Why are you all the way over there?”
“Is it illegal to sit here?”
Aiden smiles and sits up. He stands up from the couch and makes his way over to the other side of the smaller couch. His legs find themselves on mine as he lays back. I stare at him for a moment.
“Riley,” he says softly but never looking at me. “Are you checking me out?”
My cheeks warm and I look away. “No.”
He chuckles and finally settles on a channel. I hardly pay attention to the TV though. Aiden moves himself so he’s sitting directly next to me while he puts his arm around me. “I knew you couldn’t control yourself around me,” he whispers, his breath tickling my ear.
I inch away but hold my ground. “You obviously can’t control yourself around me. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have put your arm around me.”
His eyes widen and I notice his grin is a bit wider this time. “I like this side of you. It’s fun when you talk back.” There’s a ringing sound and Aiden reaches into his front pocket. With a quick glance at his screen, I see that Nicole is calling him. He stands up and sighs. “Let me take this real quick.” He walks into a hallway and I hear his muffled voice answer the phone.
Disappointment builds up inside me, and I sink back into the couch. Aiden knows I’m not on solid ground with Nicole and vice versa. Does he have real feelings for her if he’s willing to talk to her while I’m with him?
Of course, the voice in my head responded. How could I have convinced myself that he had the slightest bit of feelings for me?
I don’t want to wait for Aiden to come back. Instead, I find myself walking towards the kitchen to talk to Alex to take my mind off it. When Alex comes into view, he’s standing over the stove and turning one of the dials. “Hey.” He smiles. “Where’s Aiden?”<
br />
“On the phone.” I sit in one of the bar stools. I rest my chin on my left hand and glance out the kitchen window. The sun is setting, leaving a beautiful orange glow outside.
“Aiden told me you’ve been hanging around his step-bro recently,” Alex says suddenly.
My gaze is back on him, and I shrug. “We’ve gotten a bit close these past few weeks.”
“Do you like him?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.
Aiden graces us with his presence again. His eyes land on me then flicker to Alex. “What are we talking about in here?” he asks as he makes his way next to me. “Gossiping?” He smirks.
“About Ryan.” Alex pretends to gush while fanning himself. “His eyes! Oh, his eyes!” He bats his eyelashes.
Aiden scoffs and looks at me. “Why him?”
“Why not?” I challenge him.
“Don’t worry, Riley. We can finish our discussion later.” Alex winks at me.
***
“Aiden, think about your choices here.” Alex pleads. “You’ve known me longer. That counts for something right?”
I roll my eyes at Alex. The drama queen is totally playing the part. “Alex, stop being such a drama queen. Aiden obviously wants to watch what I want to watch.”
Aiden’s cheeks turn a light shade of pink, which raises a whole lot of questions in my mind. But we have something at stake here. I want to watch a scary movie while Alex wants to watch an action film.
We leave it up to Aiden to choose the movie. He glances between each movie which we hold in our hands. “I don’t know…why can’t we just pick a movie we all agree on?”
“It’s not that simple!” Alex exclaims. “Just pick one, Callaway!”
Aiden covers his eyes with one hand and with the other, he points to the movie in Alex’s hand.
“No!”
“Yes!”
My arms fold across my chest as I sit back on the smaller couch. Alex smirks as he puts the disk in the DVD player.
Aiden, once again, sits next to me. I inch away, but he only scoots closer. I soon run out of room on my side. “Do you mind?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
“Not really.” He shakes his head.
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