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15
WILL
Ipulled my bike up to Layla and Lyndi’s house, killed the engine, and barely had enough time to take off my helmet before Aria was coming out the front door. She bounded down the steps, out of breath by the time she reached me.
She wore high-waisted black jeans with a maroon crop top, her blonde hair tied up in a ponytail that swayed behind her as she rushed down the driveway to the curb. Even with all of the sadness weighing down on me, seeing her made the pressure lift enough to take my first real breath since my confession to Paul.
I wasn’t sure what I expected her to do when she reached me, but when she threw herself against me and wrapped her arms around my middle, I stumbled back in surprise. It was the hug I didn’t know I needed. Or maybe I did know. Maybe that was why I’d rushed over as soon as I’d made it back to Bluffton.
As nightmarish as it sounded, I’d been willing to ride home with Paul after work, as usual. I expected it would be deadly silent and miserable, but how else would I get home? Since I had the bike now and we still lived together, I’d hopped in with him this morning. But then I’d gotten a text notification after lunch that he’d sent fifty bucks to my Venmo account and asked me to take an Uber. He’d apologized and said he needed some time. I guessed I shouldn’t have been surprised, but it still stung.
“I’m so sorry, Will,” she said against my chest.
I rubbed her back. “Why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Neither did you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” I said darkly. “I lied to him. I broke his trust.”
Aria pulled back, resting her chin on my chest as she looked up at me. “He might be mad now, but he’ll come around. You’ll see.”
“I don’t know. You should have heard the way he was talking to me. Actually, scratch that, I’m really glad you didn’t hear it. But I don’t think he’ll be coming around anytime soon.”
Her nostrils flared and steam practically poured out of her ears. If I wasn’t so depressed, I’d swear it was the cutest thing I’d ever seen in my life. I tried to hug her closer, but she stepped back and held up a finger. “That isnotokay.”
“I might have reacted the same way if I were him.”
“I don’t believe that for a second. Paul’s acting like a baby. He should be happy for us like my friends are, not mad at you.”
I glanced at the house. “They’re happy for us?”
“Yes, Will. They’re happy for us. Because it has nothing to do with them. What happens between us is betweenus, right?”
My shoulders sagged forward. “Yeah, it is. But lying to Paul is between me and Paul, notus. So, it is his business if you look at it like that.”
She studied me for a long moment, then shook her head. “Nope. I’m not cool with this. I’m going over there to give him a piece of my mind.”
When she started to turn for her car, I shot out a hand and wrapped it around her tiny arm. “Aria, wait.”
“No. I’m sick of waiting. Will, I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for the chance to be with you, and I’m not going to let my brother and his hurt feelings ruin it.”
I tugged her back into the circle of my arms and kissed her forehead. “He’s not going to ruin it. I’m in this, okay? I’m in it for real. The only thing that might be ruined is my friendship with him. And since I’m not going to lose you, that’s something I’m going to have to live with. Actions have consequences.”
“I can’t handle knowing you had to choose between us.”
My responding chuckle was low as I took her head in my hand and tucked it against my chest. “Funny thing is, I never had a choice.”
She let me hold her for a minute, then pushed off me again. “Paul has a choice.”
“He does.”
“The three of us used to be a trio. Maybe we need to talk this out together.”
I cringed. “I’m pretty sure I’m the last person in the world he wants to talk to right now. And I highly doubt he wants to see us together and be double-teamed.”
“I don’t care what he wants. He needs to get a grip and talk it out with us. This is important. You can’t lose your only family, Will. I won’t allow it.”
“I’m not losing my family. I have you, right? And your parents… I’m pretty sure they’ll be cool with us. At least, I think so. I was so focused on Paul I didn’t even stop to think about them.”
