Chapter 37: Twin Swear

Aaron's point of view:

I sit on my bed, facing my open balcony doors, the cold night air filtering into my room. The doors probably shouldn't be open at three in the morning, but I can't force myself to get up and close them.

Cassie is still in the hospital. I would've stayed there until she got released, but her parents—along with my parents—kicked me out, saying that I needed to sleep.

The thing is, I can't sleep if I know she's miles away from me.

Before, when I couldn't sleep, she was always right next door, and I could climb on to her balcony and go into her bedroom with only minor difficulty. I could see her laying there, sometimes asleep and sometimes not—I usually stayed with her if she was awake—and, if she was asleep, the sight of her would provide me with a comfort deep in my chest, one deep enough that I could go back to my room and be dead asleep in minutes.

Very Edward Cullen of me, I know, but I can't help it; Cassie makes me feel good inside, something I've never felt with anyone else, and I would do anything to expierence that feeling everyday for the rest of my life.

I feel my shoulders deflate and the ache in my chest grow a little bigger as I remember where she is.

And then anger rises in my chest when I remember who put her there.

My phone had died while I was driving to the hospital, so I had called my parents and told them about Kyle and what he did to her when Cassie was asleep, and they called her parents, who went down there to press charges.

Even though he's eighteen, I'm not sure if he's going to get any jail time or not. But her parents are pushing for a restraining order, so we'll see where that goes.

Sighing, I stand up from my bed and take my shirt off, pausing in the process of taking my pants off when Autumn bursts into my room.

"Jesus Christ, Autumn, what the fuck?"

"If I told you one of your friends asked me out, what would you do?" she asks me, her voice panicked.

What the fuck?

"What are you talking about?"

There is no way in hell I am letting her date one of my friends; my friends—like I told Cassie that day we got detention—are complete dicks in every way.

She swallows and pushes past me to sit on my bed, bringing her knees up to her chest and rocking slightly. "I like one of your friends, and I need you to swear to me you won't kill him." She looks up at me when I don't give a response—because I'm not fucking agreeing to that—and narrows her eyes. "Twin swear," she says, holding one of her pinkie fingers out, and I roll my eyes.

"I'm not swearing shit. Which one of those fuckers asked you?"

She continues staring at me, her pinkie finger still out, and I move forward with a huff, wrapping my pinkie around hers. "Twin swear. Now which one was it?"

"Adrian." I want to be upset—honestly, I do—but I can't. Adrian slept around—me and Cole did, too, along with some other people we hang out with from time to time—but he stopped at the beginning of the year, claiming he wanted a lasting relationship. He never pursued one with anyone at school, and, while I was a little suspicious at first, I eventually forgot about it. But I do know he was serious about it, and I know that he's less likely to hurt Autumn than Cole is. "We had known each other when you guys became friends, obviously, but while I was in rehab he sent me a text meant for you, and we just started talking. And then I came back and we started hanging out in person, and he just sent me a text saying he likes me and he wants to take me on a date."

I eye her. "Do you like him?"

Her face turns red and she gives me a short nod. "Yeah."

I shrug. "Well then, I wouldn't do anything," I say, answering the question she asked when she came in here. "Unless he hurts you. If he hurts you I'll castrate him and then feed him his dick. And you can tell him that. Matter of fact, I'll tell him."

I pull out my phone, ready to text Adrian, but I see a bunch of texts on my lock screen, most of which are from the male in question.

Adrian: bro

Adrian: I'm so sorry man

Adrian: i prob should've asked first but I just like her so much man

Adrian: and she's her own woman anyways so whatever you said prob wouldn't have mattered

Adrian: please don't kill me

I roll my eyes, completely prepared to text him my threat when a text from Cole catches my eye.

Cole: yo what are you planning to do about Tiffany?

Cole: Ella keeps talking about how Cass is upset that ur still dating someone else and shit

Cole: u need to fix it so Cass can stop ranting about it to my girlfriend bc that's all Ella wants to talk about when we hang out

I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do about the whole Tiffany and me situation, but I focus on another part of Cole's text.

Me: girlfriend??

Me: congrats dude when did you ask her

Cole: that's not fucking important right now fix your fucking mess so I can get my warm cuddles and hugs and kisses again

I never knew Cole was such a clingy guy; I guess Grace brings out that side of him.

Cole: she hasn't kissed me in the past two days and I'm dying man so you need to get your shit together

I want to tell him it's not that simple, but he doesn't know the real reason Tiffany and I are together; even though he's one of my best friends, I never told him—I'm not sure if it was because I didn't want him to know or if it was out of shame.

Me: I'm working on it

Cole: you better be

Cole: Adrian tell you about Autumn yet?

Me: yep

Cole: what did you say

Me: nothing

Me: I figured I'd let him suffer for a little longer

Cole: nice

Cole: sorry man I got to go Ella's here and we're going to watch a scary movie in my room, together on my bed, so she can jump into my chest when she's scared and we can fall asleep together so I can finally get some fucking affection again

Me: whipped

Cole: 🖕

Me: right back at ya dude

He doesn't respond, so I lock my phone and put it back in my pocket, walking closer to my bed and sitting down in front of Autumn, mirroring her position.

"I need your help."

---------

When I decided to tell Autumn about the whole situation concerning Tiffany, I was not expecting her to react this way.

"You fucking idiot," she says, punctuating each word with a slap to the back of my head. "Dumbass. You dumb fucking hoe." She glares at me as I rub my head—she hits hard, even when we were kids—and she speaks again. "I can't with you. Fucking dumbass."

I wince. "So, yeah, I don't know what to do. If I break up with her, she'll go to the press and they'll start digging, and Mom and Dad's company will be ruined, and your life will be ruined, too."

"You think I care about the ruination of my life?" she scoffs. "My life was ruined once before, and I bounced back, so I'm pretty sure I'll do the same thing if it happens again. As for the company, Mom and Dad are selling."

Not possible. Mom and Dad love their construction company; they started it by themselves and built it from the ground up. There's no way they would sell.

"They're what?"

"Yeah. They were talking about selling the company and taking an early retirement to travel together. They've been talking about it for weeks now."

Nobody tells me shit.

"Actually," Autumn continues. "I think they already sold."

My brain doesn't realize what that means, but when it does I leap off my bed and run downstairs, still shirtless.

My parents are still up and watching TV—which is weird because it's around one in the morning—and they turn their heads to face me from where they sit on the couch together as I rush down the stairs.

"What's the matter, son?" Dad asks me as I stand in front of the TV, blocking their view of the sitcom they're watching.

"Are you selling?"

My parents exchange a glance between themselves before Dad answers.

"Yes, we're selling the company. We told you this, Aaron, why are you asking again?"

I ignore them and jog back up the stairs, immediately spotting Autumn, who's still sitting on my bed.

I throw myself at her, scooping her up into a hug and squeezing, the elation in my chest begging to be released.

I want to scream and yell and shout because I'm so happy.

"Do you know what this means?" I ask her, the excitement clear in my voice.

"No..."

"It means I can break up with Tiffany."

And ask Cassie out on a proper date, I add in my head.

I've held out hope that this would happen, but I never actually expected it to happen.

And now that it's happening, I find myself harboring the sweetest feeling in my chest, one that makes me feel good inside.

Even though I only met Cassie close to six months ago, my feelings for her are stronger than anything I've ever felt before, something I wasn't expecting when I listened to her outbursts in class and laughed at her funny mannerisms throughout our years of high school.

I could've gotten any other girl I wanted, and I took advantage of that, but for some reason I never approached Cassie, even though I wanted to. I never expected her to actually take an interest in me, or for her to even talk to me, but it happened and here we are.

And I'm so fucking happy I finally got the balls to introduce myself to her.

---------

I know I said Wednesday, but I just couldn't wait; I'm so happy because it. Is. Happening.

I've planned out the rest of the story, and there's literally less than five chapters to go (don't quote me on that; it could end up being more). These characters are my babies, and it's kind of emotional to see them grow up and change. Aaaaaaand the tears are back, let me stop now.

Thank all of you so much for reading!

I'm still gonna update on Wednesday, don't worry, but I want to move things along.

--Rose

Before I go, let me tell you guys something. I suck at making friends. It's just so bad, like, I don't even know, I'm just bad at it. So imagine my surprise when a boy stops me in the parking lot of Walmart and asks for my Snapchat. Still convinced it was a joke or a dare or something, but, who knows, maybe this could be good.

On the plus side, it gave me an idea for a story.

On the not so plus side, I already have an idea for a story, which means I either can't use the new one or I'm going to be updating two stories. The second option sounds like a lot of work, but I'm honestly in love with both ideas, so I don't know what to do. What do you guys think I should do?