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QUINTON
Aspen is back to avoiding me at all costs, and it’s really pissing me off. Part of me knows she is right. We are getting too close, treading into dangerous waters. In my head, it makes sense to stay away, but the rest of me craves her too much… craves the control she gives me.
Sitting down at my desk, I grab my laptop and flip it open. I’m just about to pull up the video feed from Aspen’s room when a Skype call pops up on the screen.
I click on the green answer button, and a second later, Scarlet’s smiling face fills the screen. “Hi!”
“Hey, everything all right?”
“Yes, why? Can’t I call you more than twice a week?”
“You can. I’m just surprised since we only talked yesterday.”
“Well, I miss you, and I’m bored, and also I’m excited to see you soon!” Scarlet beams, making me hate what I’m about to say.
“About that… I’m not sure if I’m coming.”
Her face falls. Her happy smile turns into a deep frown. “Why?” The sadness in her voice has my stomach in knots. This is exactly the reason I have been procrastinating about telling her.
“It’s just a lot of traveling—”
“Don’t lie to me,” she snaps in anger, reminding me that even though she looks sweet, she is still a Rossi. “At least tell me the truth.”
The truth…
“You can’t tell anyone,” I warn.
Scarlet rolls her eyes at me. “Duh.”
“Aspen is staying here, and I don’t think she is safe without me being here.”
“I knew it! You love her!”
“What? No, it’s not like that.” I shake my head. “I owe her. We owe her. I’m just repaying her,” I half-lie.
I don’t love her, but it is more than simply owing her. I already repaid her when I brought her back to Corium.
“Sure, let’s call it that.” Her lips curl back into a smile.
“You’re not mad?”
“I’m disappointed I won’t see you, but I’m not mad. Especially now that I know the reason. I already told you; I want you to be happy, and I think Aspen makes you happy.”
“Happy is a strong word. She calms down the storm.”
“Well, that’s enough for me. Wait! Don’t think that not coming will get you out of buying me something pretty for Christmas. I still want my present.”
Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes at her. “I’ll send you a present. Maybe even two as an apology for not coming home. Or three, if you break it to Mom—”
“Oh, no, no, no. You call her and tell her you’re skipping out on the holidays yourself.”
“Four presents?”
She shakes her head but purses her lips like she is thinking about it. “How big of a present are we talking about here?”
I smirk. “The biggest?”
“Five, and you’ve got a deal, but I can’t promise she is not going to call you after.”
