Page 131 of Saints & Sailors

With as small and as quiet as Meadow Grove was, I didn’t doubt this was the most exciting incident that had happened in a while for these people. It was just too bad it was at my expense.

“Thank God I’m expelled. I don’t have to face the aftermath.” I sank back into the cushion behind me and blew out a breath. “Thanks, though, for stopping by.”

Aidan took a sip of his smoothie and bobbed his head. “No problem. You’re not the only one having a hard time.”

Right, because he’d been dumped. It wasn’t as extreme as my arrest, but I could try to sympathize on his end.

I grabbed my smoothie and took another sip. It was awful. “How have things been for you?”

Aidan sat back and sighed. “It sucks. She’s my whole world and now…nothing.”

It wasn’t my place to point a finger or cast blame. I was sure everything was hard enough.

“Hopefully in time it’ll get easier,” I responded. With Kevin, it felt like I’d never get over the betrayal and loss. I carried the rejection with me for months and felt sick every day. Thinking about Dreux, I was glad it never worked out with Kevin. There was someone out there better for me. Who cared about me. Who fought for me. Who stayed for me. “I’ve been there, and at the time, it was the end of the world, but now that I’ve met Dreux, I wouldn’t go back for anything.”

Aidan stared my way, studying me and soaking in my words. It was still fresh for him, his breakup, so I was sure he didn’t exactly see anyone who could take Cameron’s place. Not after they had been childhood sweethearts.

“Maybe you’re right,” he agreed in the end. “Guess it’ll take time.” He lifted his smoothie and stared at the logo on the side. “To a better tomorrow?”

Aidan held his smoothie out and I grabbed mine and clinked it against his in a toast.

Considering in the morning I’d be having breakfast with René, I was definitely hoping for a better tomorrow.

I swallowed down more of the smoothie and set it aside, planning to put it in the freezer and save it for Dreux. He worked out and ate protein bars, he’d probably love the smoothie.

“I could use a better tomorrow,” I stated as I got back to Aidan. “For once in my life, things were…normal. I was finally sorting through things and building a routine. I was happy. And now I’m back to square one of fucking up and I didn’t even do it this time. It feels like the rug’s been pulled out from beneath me.”

“I know what you mean,” Aidan muttered.

I didn’t think our two situations compared. If René couldn’t find any proof that I was innocent, I’d be facing jail time.

“Do you?” I questioned.

Aidan leaned over and set his smoothie on the coffee table. He looked back to me, his blue eyes blank. “I had everything. The love of my life. A shot at my dream school. My parents’ praise. And then one moment it’s all gone.”

A pain pulsed in my temple and I thought I was getting a headache. Squeezing my eyes shut, I shook my head, willing it to go away.

“Your dream school?” I repeated. “You didn’t get in?”

A mean look captured Aidan’s face, darkening his features. “No, I didn’t. It’s one of those things Cameron would’ve cheered me up about. If I had her.”

“I…I’m sorry to hear that.” I pressed a hand to my temple as the pain increased. Something was wrong. It felt like I was hungover.

“No, you’re not. You got in her ear. You encouraged her to leave me. You fed her to my fucking brother,” Aidan practically spat out as he stood and hovered over me. “My shithead, going nowhere, worthless brother.”

“Aidan…” I struggled to get my thoughts in order. The pain in my temple felt like it was spreading to my frontal lobe.

“You ruined my life, Saylor. And it’s only fair I ruin yours,” Aidan uttered as his fists clenched at his sides.

Now I was seeing double. I closed my eyes again and tried to concentrate.

The smoothie. It had to have been the smoothie.

“What did…you…do, Aidan?” I slurred.

Aidan only stared at me, a smirk curling on his lips.

No.