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Aiden sighs, apparently already knowing what Noah’s talking about. “I told you, I don’t want a birthday party.”
“You’re turning eighteen in two days! You’re getting a birthday party! My. House. This. Friday. Be. There,” Noah says.
“Noah, the last time you threw a party, you ended up in the hospital,” I point out, and I know none of us wants a repeat of that. Especially right now.
“You can’t just stop trying to live because something bad happened,” Noah says thoughtfully. “We’re just gonna pull up our big-boy and -girl pants and throw the best damn party that Aiden deserves. And no one is going to talk me out of it.”
It’s Aiden’s party, so really, he gets the final say. He mumbles something that sounds like “Fine, whatever,” under his breath, making Noah cheer triumphantly.
Bad things happen in life—especially mine lately—and we can’t let that stop us from living. I am going to get through senior year and have a normal life if it kills me, which it honestly just might. With my new resolution coursing through my veins, I feel more determined than ever to not let the bad things bring me down; to make the most of my time here in King City with my friends.
“What classes do you have after lunch, again? History, spare, then math with me?” Aiden asks me as we walk up the stairs.
“English, spare, then math. Why?”
“We have a sub for math.” His eyes light up mischievously. “What do you say we get out of here after English and go do something?”
“Like what?” I ask. Alone time with Aiden? Don’t have to ask me twice! We haven’t had any real alone time since before the accident.
“Your choice.”
“So if I wanted to get pancakes . . . ?”
“Then you’re getting pancakes,” he replies, making my heart squeeze.
“Then how can I say no?” I’d never say no. Who knows how much time I have left with him?
“Good. I’ll meet you at your locker after fourth period.” He kisses my forehead quickly, an act that for some reason feels so much more intimate and sweet than a kiss on the lips, and leaves in the opposite direction with Julian.
Noah and I have the same subject, and we’ll drop Annalisa off along the way, continuing along to room 341, the class that started all of this, these friendships that mean so much to me.
“Well, damn. I’ve never felt more like a fifth wheel in my life,” Noah grumbles. “Anna and Julian were on one side of me making out, and Amelia and Aiden were on the other side of me making out. But no one’s over here making out with me before first period.”
“We were not making out.” Annalisa and I defend ourselves at the same time.
“Yeah, yeah.” He dismisses us. “Maybe it’s time I find a nice girl and settle down. Any suggestions?”
“Kaitlyn,” Annalisa says flatly.
We both swing our heads over to look at her.
“That’s not even funny,” I deadpan.
“No, I’m not talking about Noah,” she explains, tilting her head in the direction she was looking. “I meant Kaitlyn is coming.”
Sure enough, the she-devil herself is marching right in our direction.
I can practically feel the excitement coursing through Kaitlyn’s veins at getting to pick a fight with me. She must have gone stir crazy over the break without having me to annoy the shit out of. She and Makayla stop in front of me and cross their arms over their chests in what seems like practiced synchronicity, barely even noticing Annalisa and Noah at my side.
Kaitlyn has the same icy, blue eyes and permanent scowl etched on her face as always, but she looks different somehow.
“I’m glad you tried to fix your face over the break, it needed a lot of work done.” Kaitlyn sneers at me. “But I thought people get plastic surgery to make themselves look better, not worse. You should consider suing your doctor.”
Back at it again. Is it bad that I’m almost excited to trade insults with her? This feels somewhat normal, innocent even—at least in comparison to what we’ve just been through. “You must’ve sued the shit out of your doctor, then, Kaitlyn. I mean, I’d be pissed if my face came out like that.”
“Kaitlyn’s face came out great!” Makayla jumps to her defense, earning her a glare from her friend and an amused eyebrow raise from Annalisa, Noah, and me.
“I didn’t get plastic surgery, dumbass,” Kaitlyn hisses at her second-in-command before turning back to me. “Either way, that monstrosity you call a face is distracting everyone here. I could get you a paper bag to wear if you’d like?”
I narrow my eyes at her. “My face was good enough to steal your man.”
Ohhhh shit.
Boom.
Mic drop.
I didn’t actually steal Aiden from her, he’s made that abundantly clear. But damn, that felt good. I swear her eye twitches and a vein in her forehead pops, but she does a good job trying to remain calm and unfazed. Wow, maybe her New Year’s resolution is to try not reacting explosively. Annalisa’s laughing beside me, and Noah is practically glowing with pride.
“Ryan is twice the man Aiden is.”
Doubt it.“Not that I don’t thoroughly enjoy our time together, Kaitlyn, but is there a reason I’m spending my morning talking to you?”
Her blue eyes laser focus on me. “I hate you. I more than hate you, I despise you. You’ve had a good first semester, running around thinking you’re the queen of the school. But that ends now. This is my school. I’m running the show.”
She takes a step closer to me, and I force myself to square my shoulders and stay where I am, to not back down. The shadows under her eyes that she’s concealed with makeup are more prominent this close, and she seems different. Older, maybe. But still the same, entitled attitude.
“Ryan thinks there’s something off about you, more than in the sense of you being a stupid little bitch, and I agree. Andrew Kessler is going to ruin Aiden’s life, and we’re going to ruin yours.” She gets even closer to me, if possible, and this time I do step back. “Secrets don’t stay secrets forever. Stay out of my way.”
I open my mouth to lob back one of my patented snarky comebacks, but my mind draws a blank. Honestly, I’m a bit rattled. All the time she’s spent hanging out with Ryan has clearly changed her. She seems more focused and calculating, less likely to explode. She’s always been kind of scary, but now she seems more threatening, if possible.
Something on my face must give away how much her words affect me, because Noah steps in and gently pushes her away from me. “Lay off, Kaitlyn.”
