Chapter 17

Chapter 17

After six months apart, we’d both changed. Aiden looked different thinner, with sun–lightened hair, but still unfairly handsome in that effortless way that had made half our high school swoon.

I might have been naive about people, but I always had good taste. It’s probably why I’d spent years following him around like a lovesick puppy, convincing myself that the boy next door was my destiny. Looking at him now, I could still see why but the view was different when you weren’t looking through rose–colored glasses anymore.

After a moment’s pause, I walked over with an easy smile, the kind you give distant acquaintances. “Hey,

Aiden! Didn’t expect to see you here.”

speaking in tongues. The casual tone seemed to throw him more than anything else – no trace of our history, no hint of the

minute to recover, hands slightly shaking as he grabbed my luggage. The confident golden boy

He insisted on coming to

smiled, letting her know it

of midnight pizza runs and failed attempts at doing laundry. While we all carefully ignored Aiden’s presence, I caught him fighting back smiles in the rearview mirror, like he couldn’t help himself.

angling for an invitation inside, but we all politely deflected with that practiced suburban courtesy that says

friends. I heard through the grapevine that he tried to catch me several times, but I was always conveniently out. Mom mentioned he’d

even try – what could we possibly have left to say to each other? Some stories are better left

had flown in from Chicago, bringing their usual mix of love and drama. After our traditional family dinner (complete with my dad’s infamous attempts at grilling in winter), the older

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