because that’s exactly how I see Shelton. “No.”
“Truth.” He glances over at me with eyebrows raised.
“Okay, maybe.” I’ll give him that much, but no more. He doesn’t need to know how it rips me up to see them together in the hallway. If he weren’t with someone else, it would suck, but be livable. But he is with someone else, and it makes it so much worse.
Though, sharing a car with Aidan is definitely taking away some of the sting.
“Your sister sounds pretty miserable. Mom threw up a lot with the twins. It was my junior year of high school. Before her and Stan got married even. In my life before this one.”
His face immediately freezes.
His life before this one —my guess is that he didn’t mean to say that out loud. I had a life before diabetes too. One where I didn’t have to give myself shots and count carbs in each and every single thing I eat.
Our night should be interesting.
“I guess I’m impatient with her because she’s such a drama queen.”
Aidan’s mouth opens, and then closes, leaving a small dimple on his cheek, telling me that he really wants to say something.
“Just say it.” I’m almost laughing because as awkward as our awkward moments are, the rest of being around Aidan is pretty cool. “Are you going to mention my ridiculous dress and Shelton? Or how weird the stuff that comes out of my mouth is, or…”
“Just that teenage girls, in general, are the biggest owners of drama there is.” He lowers his face so he can look up at me with his teasing expression, but now all I see is lashes. For a blondie, he has really nice lashes.
“Well, I didn’t used to be.” Until stupid Shelton, and his perfectly pressed clothes, and perfectly laid-out future. And his stupid way of breaking up with me that didn’t include him telling me that he liked someone else.
“Kate!” A woman’s arms crush me. “It’s so nice to see you again.”
“Uh…you too.” I stand back. Right. We’ve met at Jen’s a few times. And wow Aidan’s mom looks exactly like Jen’s mom. I remember this now that I’m standing in front of her. I thought they were twins when I first met her. The reality of him being my best friend’s cousin hits me again. This whole situation of Aidan and me hanging out could seriously backfire.
“You’re so grown-up and stunning!”
Stunning. That’s a word I never thought would be associated with me. “Uh…Thank you?”
“It’s almost bedtime, so the night should be pretty simple. You have no idea how grateful I am to you two.” Her eyes moisten up, and I want to elbow Aidan. I’m not the only person whose life is filled with drama.
She rattles off some instructions and I’m mostly looking between Aidan and his mom. It’s easy to see they’re tight. They stand close, talk easily with each other. And then it’s over, and I have no idea what was just discussed.
His step-dad and mom walk out, and Aidan already has the baby in his arm. “Mom said Trey needs to be rocked to sleep, which I can do, but I might need help getting him in his bed as softly as he’ll need to be laid down.”
I step into the small, unfamiliar house. “Okay.” I never know what to do with kids—especially little ones.
Two three-year-olds immediately accost my legs. I don’t babysit. Ever. Kids are messy and smelly, and their little pudgy hands are always sticky.
“Come watch Dora!” The boy pulls on my hand. As Aidan disappears into the baby’s room, I wish I’d paid better attention to the instructions we were given.
I sit on the couch, and immediately have a small child on each side of me. I’m going to be crushed, suffocated between two three-year-old squishy rolls of children with sticky hands.
“D-D-D-D-D-Dora!” They both sing with the show.
Okay, Kate. Breathe. They’re just kids. They can’t be that sticky and dirty. This is totally not a big deal. Aidan seemed perfectly fine holding that tiny, squirmy baby with only one arm. Crazy.
How
“Truth.” He glances over at me with eyebrows raised.
“Okay, maybe.” I’ll give him that much, but no more. He doesn’t need to know how it rips me up to see them together in the hallway. If he weren’t with someone else, it would suck, but be livable. But he is with someone else, and it makes it so much worse.
Though, sharing a car with Aidan is definitely taking away some of the sting.
“Your sister sounds pretty miserable. Mom threw up a lot with the twins. It was my junior year of high school. Before her and Stan got married even. In my life before this one.”
His face immediately freezes.
His life before this one —my guess is that he didn’t mean to say that out loud. I had a life before diabetes too. One where I didn’t have to give myself shots and count carbs in each and every single thing I eat.
Our night should be interesting.
“I guess I’m impatient with her because she’s such a drama queen.”
Aidan’s mouth opens, and then closes, leaving a small dimple on his cheek, telling me that he really wants to say something.
“Just say it.” I’m almost laughing because as awkward as our awkward moments are, the rest of being around Aidan is pretty cool. “Are you going to mention my ridiculous dress and Shelton? Or how weird the stuff that comes out of my mouth is, or…”
“Just that teenage girls, in general, are the biggest owners of drama there is.” He lowers his face so he can look up at me with his teasing expression, but now all I see is lashes. For a blondie, he has really nice lashes.
“Well, I didn’t used to be.” Until stupid Shelton, and his perfectly pressed clothes, and perfectly laid-out future. And his stupid way of breaking up with me that didn’t include him telling me that he liked someone else.
“Kate!” A woman’s arms crush me. “It’s so nice to see you again.”
“Uh…you too.” I stand back. Right. We’ve met at Jen’s a few times. And wow Aidan’s mom looks exactly like Jen’s mom. I remember this now that I’m standing in front of her. I thought they were twins when I first met her. The reality of him being my best friend’s cousin hits me again. This whole situation of Aidan and me hanging out could seriously backfire.
“You’re so grown-up and stunning!”
Stunning. That’s a word I never thought would be associated with me. “Uh…Thank you?”
“It’s almost bedtime, so the night should be pretty simple. You have no idea how grateful I am to you two.” Her eyes moisten up, and I want to elbow Aidan. I’m not the only person whose life is filled with drama.
She rattles off some instructions and I’m mostly looking between Aidan and his mom. It’s easy to see they’re tight. They stand close, talk easily with each other. And then it’s over, and I have no idea what was just discussed.
His step-dad and mom walk out, and Aidan already has the baby in his arm. “Mom said Trey needs to be rocked to sleep, which I can do, but I might need help getting him in his bed as softly as he’ll need to be laid down.”
I step into the small, unfamiliar house. “Okay.” I never know what to do with kids—especially little ones.
Two three-year-olds immediately accost my legs. I don’t babysit. Ever. Kids are messy and smelly, and their little pudgy hands are always sticky.
“Come watch Dora!” The boy pulls on my hand. As Aidan disappears into the baby’s room, I wish I’d paid better attention to the instructions we were given.
I sit on the couch, and immediately have a small child on each side of me. I’m going to be crushed, suffocated between two three-year-old squishy rolls of children with sticky hands.
“D-D-D-D-D-Dora!” They both sing with the show.
Okay, Kate. Breathe. They’re just kids. They can’t be that sticky and dirty. This is totally not a big deal. Aidan seemed perfectly fine holding that tiny, squirmy baby with only one arm. Crazy.
How
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