His sister looks so much like… Lily. LikemyLily. Just older and far less smiley.
She’s no longermyLily. Lily and I haven’t been in touch for thirteen years. I doubt you can call that a best friend anymore.
“She’s my best friend’s girlfriend, apparently. Though he did ask me to put that picture away before they get here. As it seems, he doesn’t want her to know how crazy he is about her.”
My eyes follow him over to the other side of the bed, as he snatches the picture and shoves it inside of yet another drawer.
As he turns around, my eyes involuntarily zoom in on his muscles as his shirt rides up when he stretches. Muscles I’d love to lick.
Woah. Hold on there.
I shake my head, needing to get rid of this intrusive thought. I don’t even know where it came from, but I sure as hell do not want it.
You swore off guys after Leon, remember? And he has a girlfriend.
Or does he?
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
Aaron comes walking out of his best friend’s room, closing the door behind him. “Nah. The things in my shower are from my ex, Winter.” Aaron gestures for me to walk downstairs, which I do gladly. Me being at a stranger’s house is bad enough. No need for me to keep on finding things out I shouldn’twantto find out.
“Are you hungry?” Aaron suddenly asks, just as we both reach the last step. I shake my head at him. I’m starving, but he’s been far too hospitable already. I mean, he let a goddamnstrangeruse his shower. Who does that? “Are you sure? I could swear I heard your stomach yell at me while you were in the shower.”
I turn around to face him, cheeks burning up so quickly, even if I tried to stop the pink color from spreading on them, I wouldn’t stand a chance. “You did?”
Aaron starts to laugh, holding a hand to his stomach as he does. “No, Sofia. I didn’t hear it. But I assumed you’d be hungry after God knows how long you’ve been on the road.”
“I can eat at my aunt’s house. It’s not a big deal.” And it isn’t. I bet she’s got edible food at home. Everyone does, right? Perhaps not the best bread in the world, but I won’t get to eat that until I’m back in Germany anyway.
“Good, because I can’t cook to save my life. But I would have called my best friend over to do so,” he says, offering me nothing but a quick shrug. “You good to go then?”
I nod, though I do wonder why he wants to get rid of me so quickly. I suppose it makes sense, given how we’ve met and all, so I shouldn’t get offended for it.
Like he could read my mind, Aaron says, “It’s my birthday. I still need to figure things out for tonight. You should come. My sister and I are celebrating atBrites. It’s a sports bar just down the road. Have to warn you though, the team is a bit crazy.”
“The team?”
“I play hockey for St. Trewery University.Thatteam. They’re loud and all, but we’re like one big family.” Hockey? Seriously? This city is just throwing hints at me now, isn’t it?
I mean, c’mon. How obvious can it possibly get? Aaron. He’s a hockey player, too. This city just wants me to find them, doesn’t it?
4
Aaron
“it was only perfect in the past / ‘cause a first love never lasts”—First Love Never Lasts Up by Kira Kosarin
“Just stop right there,”Sofia says, pointing toward a red painted house.
“You know, it doesn’t make a difference if I stop in front of your aunt’s house, or her neighbor’s.”
Sofia glares at me like I just said her dog died. She unbuckles her seatbelt and gets out of the car the second the car stands still. “I have to get the keys from Mrs. Reyes’s house. My aunt and her are great friends and she’s got a spare one.”
Mrs. Reyes?
As Sofia starts to walk around the car to get to the trunk, I jump out as well, feeling as though I need to give her at least one helping hand. I mean, this woman has three suitcases with her. Surely, she could use some help.
“So, doyouknow Mrs. Reyes?” I ask carefully. Sofia nods instantly, then shakes her head a second later. “Which one is it, Sofia? Yes or no?”
