Chapter Sixteen #2
“I told you it would happen. Women have a knack for this.” Kayla flips her long ginger hair over her shoulder. She really is quite beautiful—all pale skin and bright green eyes.
“You got lucky. If you really loved me, you’d have cried with me at the end instead of saying ‘I told you so’ like you’re my mom.” Kayla rolls her eyes at her dramatic boyfriend and throws an arm around his waist.
“Oh, Fe. You know I show you how much I love you in other, more entertaining ways.” Felix flushes bright red, but before he can respond a voice calls out.
“Kay, my ears are bleeding, girl.” I turn around and see Aaron and Amber approaching from the visitor parking lot, Greg and Tina right behind them.
“AARON!” Felix’s screech is so loud that everyone around us covers their ears, and he runs to koala-jump onto his much taller, buffer big brother. Did he get bigger?
College has been kind to Aaron. His body has toned even further, and he seems to carry himself taller.
His hair is a bit longer now, but it looks intentional—curls neat and loose on top of his head and around the very tops of his ears, all the way to the nape of his neck.
It’s like a cute little baby mullet. Very cute.
He’s in dress pants with a button-up tucked into them.
Both black, of course. Amber is as stunning as always in a sleek, knee-length black dress that hugs her thighs, her brown hair in a tight bun on top of her head.
Aaron’s eyes—that intoxicating green—find mine. With the all-black outfit and the new hair I didn’t notice growing out, his eyes are so much brighter than they normally are. He looks away.
“My turn, hoe!” Kayla yells, pulling Felix away to wrap her arms around Aaron’s shoulders.
He hugs her tightly. They got pretty close last summer, and only more so since then.
Kayla and Fe are greeting Amber and Felix’s parents when Aaron approaches me.
I have to tilt my head back a tad when he stands in front of me.
“Button.” He greets, a grin slowly taking over his full, pink lips.
“Aaron.” I say, returning his smile.
“You’re about to graduate.” I raise a brow.
“I know.” He laughs, hands clasped behind his back. He leans down just a tad, as if I can’t hear him from all the way up there.
“Did your dad come?” Shaking my head, he smiles. “And what will be your first act as a free man?”
“Hmm.” I pretend to think, looking around the courtyard to give myself a moment to breathe. My senses are being attacked by his scent. “Pancakes.” I decide. To this, he laughs very loudly—loudly enough, in fact, to conjure Drew.
He appears behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist. Aaron does not look away from me.
“Pancakes? Now that sounds incredible. I should have done that instead of a party.” Ouch. The memory stings. The mistake I made. Fucking Drew in his house, at his party, losing my virginity.
“Yeah,” I swallow, staring up at him. “Pancakes have very low risk, high reward.” Aaron grins wider, searching my eyes, still leaning into me.
“Benjamin.” Drew says, arm tightening; his voice sounds like a warning. My smile fades, and I watch Aaron tilt his head as he studies me, grin slowly fading away as well.
“Well, Button. Don’t trip on stage. I’d hate to have to take you to the emergency room on such a momentous day.” As I go to tell him to fuck off—or go trip himself—Drew speaks.
“You’re off the hook, man, no worries. I’ll be the one to take him.”
Right when I think Aaron might lean back up and start shit-talking Drew into the ground, he smiles at me sweetly—as if he’s telling me, I am so amused by your little boyfriend; I’ll come get you later. And then, without ever acknowledging Drew, he turns away and heads back to his family.
“Hey,” Drew says, and I spin to face him. “What was that?” I stare at him, unsure what he’s upset about.
“Uh, Aaron congratulated me on graduating, and I told him Fe and I are getting pancakes after.” He doesn’t seem very convinced that nothing else went down, but he nods, kisses my hand, and gives me a smile.
“Come on, let’s go sit.”
◆◆◆
Walking across the stage was actually kind of terrifying.
I shook hands with so many people I’ve never even seen before.
But now I’m not a high schooler anymore, so there’s that.
Greg and Tina were amazing, giving me flowers and making me feel like as much their son as Felix is.
Amber cried like a baby, and Aaron glanced between me and Felix like the two of us were the most precious things on the planet—like he had put us on that stage.
Full of pride and affection. So in turn, Felix also cried.
Greg and Tina left with Aaron and Amber about thirty minutes ago, leaving us to mingle with our classmates.
Now Felix, Drew, Kayla, and I are making our way to the student lot.
“Well, personally I am happy to never step on this ground again.” Kayla says, spinning in a big circle a bit ahead of the group.
“Cheering was fun, but everything else sucked.” Felix grabs her mid-twirl, making her scream and giggle.
I smile at them, admiring their gross affection.
I wonder why Drew and I aren’t like that… Did we used to be?
“Hey,” Drew says, bumping my shoulder.
“Hm?” I look at him as we walk, giving him a content smile and trying not to let him in on the question my eyes are holding. Do you even like me anymore? I want to ask, but I can’t. I won’t.
“I’m sorry I can’t stay with you tonight. My mom wants to take me out, and we’ll probably be leaving for UA soon, so…” Nodding, I grab his bicep.
“It’s okay. Kayla is going to a cheer thing, so Felix and I are doing an indoor, post-pancake boys’ night.” He smiles, giving me a chuckle.
“Weirdos.”
“Aaron!” My head snaps forward to where our cars are now in view—but now Aaron’s truck is among them, both him and Amber sitting on the hood like parking-lot royalty.
“Hey there.” He grins. I can feel my heart rate quickening; I’m trying to hide the smile attempting to break free.
“The party has arrived, bitches.” Amber greets, shaking her tits at us and successfully making everyone—outside of Drew—laugh.
“Party?” Felix gasps. “No way! You’re going to stay with us?!” He’s jumping up and down like a child, looking at me like we just won the lottery. He has really missed his brother.
“Well, someone has to buy the booze.” Amber waves her fake ID.
“Plus, I was promised low risk, high reward.” He grins at me and my face flushes, so I look away. That dick—he’s doing it on purpose just to piss Drew off.
“Well, now I feel like I’m missing out on something amazing.” Kayla pouts, shaking Felix back and forth like it’s his fault.
“Benjamin, can I talk to you for a moment?” Drew whispers in my ear. When I nod, he pulls me a couple cars away—still in view of the group but out of earshot. He stares down at me, face irritated and expectant. After an uncomfortable moment, I say,
“What?” He gives me a huffed laugh.
“What? That’s what you’re asking?” I look around to make sure no one is nearby, hoping to God the group isn’t looking over here.
“Uh, yes? I’m not sure—”
“You’re going to go home and get fucked up with Aaron and spend the night with him?” He asks, crossing his arms. I feel a stab in my chest.
“No, I’m going home with my best friend, and Aaron—his brother—is going to be in his home as well.
Then we’re going to all hang out and drink to celebrate the day.
I’m not sure what you’re implying, Drew, but I thought we moved past this when we decided you weren’t going to try and control when I’m around him.
” He shakes his head, running a hand through his hair.
After a moment, he takes a deep breath and invades my space. Drew cups my jaw, staring me in the eyes so deeply that I think he might be looking for something.
“I’m sorry if I seem crazy. I just get worried; I feel like after everything it’s not that weird for me to freak out a little bit.” Slowly, I nod. “Just… please don’t be alone with him tonight. Only because you’re drinking, and I don’t trust him.”
“Aaron would never force himself on me.” I counter defensively, watching his eyes narrow.
“I don’t believe that.” Shoving his hand off my face, I move to walk past him and back to our friends.
He grabs my arm. “Benjamin, wait. I’m sorry.
I know you grew up with him and have some twisted affection for him, but I’m allowed to have my own opinion of him.
And that’s what it is.” We stare at each other—Drew holding my arm, me looking over my shoulder back at him. I think I might be glaring.
“Why is your opinion valid but mine is twisted?” He sighs.
“Think of what he’s done.” I tug my arm, but he’s got a good grip on it, and it was mostly just a show of defiance anyway.
“You don’t know anything about him.”
“Button.” My gaze snaps forward, meeting Aaron’s. He’s a few feet away, hands clenched at his sides, eyes drilling straight into Drew. He doesn’t necessarily look angry—no, he looks feral.
“Aaron—”
“I think you should let him go, Drew.” He says, voice more of a command than a recommendation. Drew’s shaking slightly, but he holds his ground.
“Last time I checked, this was my boyfriend.” He snaps.
“What a bummer.” Aaron responds, and Drew starts to pull me back against himself. Aaron is on his way over—quick and lethal.
“Wait!” I snap, and everyone stops. “Jesus. Drew, we can talk about it later. Now is not the time. Aaron, let’s go. Stop being nosy.” I look back at Drew. “I’ll call you, okay? Have a good night.” I pull my arm free and walk past Aaron, feeling him trail behind me after a moment.
“Benjamin,” Drew calls. I pause. “I love you.”
There are moments—moments you don’t know are so pivotal, so vital to the outcome of your life—and they’re always so small, so random. I think this is one of them. I think this might set me on a different path, one way or another.