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  My dress is a little girlier than I like it, but I’m not going to complain out loud. My mom pins my hair up in a side bun, leaving a few pieces loose. She claps when we finish getting ready and claims that I should always wear makeup and dress like this.

  I think otherwise.

  As I’m in my room, my phone starts buzzing on my dresser. I glance down at the screen and see that Aiden is calling me.

  Frowning, I answer, “Yes?”

  “Hello to you too, Summers.” Aiden’s voice rings through my ears. “It’s always a pleasure hearing you sound so cheery.”

  I roll my eyes. “Oh yes, I’m feeling very cheery right now.”

  “I’m going to ask you something, and you have to give me a good answer,” he tells me.

  “Okay,” I say slowly. “What’s your question?”

  I hear him take a deep breath. “Black or red?”

  “Are you serious right now?” I demand. “Why are you asking that?”

  “Dead serious. Just choose now because I’m kind of in a hurry,” he says.

  I sigh in frustration. “Black.”

  “I’m glad you said that,” he says then hangs up. Aiden is so weird. And that's not okay for me to say since I’m kind of weird myself.

  My mom calls my name from downstairs, and I glance at the clock. It’s about ten ’til six. I hurry out of my room and go downstairs. I’m glad I convinced my mom to let me wear flats instead of heels. I probably would have broken my ankle running down the stairs.

  ***

  I stand next to Kelly while she talks to one of her friends. They’re talking about another girl from their school. This is really boring, but I have no one else to talk to. It’s about five after six, and Ryan has yet to show his face, so I can’t speak to him.

  My mom and some other ladies are surrounding Anna and talking away about the wedding. Or they can be gossiping. Or both.

  I thought Anna’s house is huge, but her backyard seems bigger and nicely landscaped. There’s a good-sized patio right when you walk outside.

  The patio door opens, and Ryan steps out. He’s dressed in a button-up shirt and black pants. Then after him, Robert steps outside. What surprises me is the one standing behind Robert.

  It’s Aiden.

  He’s dressed in a white button-up shirt that’s untucked. A tie hangs loosely around his neck, and he has on black pants. In one hand is his black leather jacket.

  Strangely, I find myself not wanting to look away from him. My stomach does this weird thing, and I feel like I’m going to pass out. He’s facing Robert who’s saying a few words to him. Aiden nods then turns around and starts walking away. I quickly turn away and act like I wasn’t just staring at him.

  Someone taps my shoulder, and I slowly turn. Aiden smirks at me. “Hello, Ms. Summers.”

  “Mr. Callaway,” I say, feeling like I’m in Pride & Prejudice. “What are you doing here?” I ask curiously.

  He shrugs. “Nothing better to do on a Friday night. Not one party is being thrown.” He shakes his head disapprovingly.

  I chuckle. “What a shame.”

  He gives me a once-over then looks back at my face. “You look…different.”

  “I know,” I say, frowning at the dress. “You look different also. Why did you ask me black or red?”

  “The tie color,” he says, grabbing his tie. “I had a red one and a black one, but I wasn’t sure which one I should pick.”

  “So you called me,” I say slowly.

  He nods. “Very few people’s opinion matter to me.” He winks.

  “Aiden, what are you doing here?” Kelly asks next to me.

  “I had nothing better to do,” he tells her.

  Kelly smirks. “Mmhmm. Sure…” She waves to us before leaving.

  I look back at Aiden. “So it’s been a while,” I tell him.

  “Since what?” He frowns.

  “Since we last talked.”

  He smirks. “You missed me, didn’t you?”

  “I did not.” I cross my arms. “I’m just saying we haven’t talked in two days.”

  “You missed me.” He nods. “It’s okay, though, because I missed you too.” He nudges my arm.

  Before I can even react to his comment, Anna grabs everyone’s attention. “The food is ready everyone! Form a line right here and come grab a plate!”

  My stomach growls. I didn’t snack on anything when I got home from school, and I’m really regretting that decision. I make my way to where the line is forming and stand.

  Once I get my plate of food, I sit at one of the empty tables and quickly start eating. I’m starving.

  Aiden pulls a chair next to me and sits down. “I hope you’re not mad at me anymore for ignoring you for two days,” he says.

  “I guess I’m not mad.” I shrug as I continue to eat.

  “Oh and guess what?” he asks me. I look at him. “I had to take three showers in a row just to get that fucking blue paint out of my hair.”

  “I only had to take two showers.” That paint was hard to get off. I won’t be using that brand of paint anymore. Once it’s on, it never comes off.

  “Can I get everyone’s attention please?” Anna’s voice rings out. “Thank you! Okay, so there are a few people who want to make a speech. So whoever wants to go first can go ahead!” Anna smiles as she sits back down next to Robert.

  One of Anna’s sisters stands up and makes a speech about Robert and Anna. Aiden becomes a bit edgy next to me. I know he doesn’t like what she’s saying about fate bringing them together.

  I don’t know what possessed me to do it, but I grab Aiden’s left hand. He looks at me incredulously, obviously shocked that I’m now holding his hand. I squeeze it to let him know that it’s okay. He turns back to Anna’s sister and continues to hold my hand.

  The next person to talk is Jenna, along with Kelly. Their speech is short but beautiful. It doesn’t drag on.

  After Jenna and Kelly’s speech, Ryan stands up and clears his throat. He starts off by congratulating Anna and Robert. Then he moves on to something that no one else mentioned. “Personally, I wasn’t sure about you guys getting married. But then I actually got to know Robert, who is kind of cool.” He smiles. “I also got to know Aiden, Robert’s son.”

  Aiden leans forward in his chair and focuses on Ryan.

  “In a way, I admire Aiden,” Ryan says to everyone. “He’s been through a lot, and he’s managed to stay strong. He may look like your everyday troublesome kid, but he’s not. Once you get to know him, he can be a real chill guy. And I’m glad that after tomorrow, I can call him my stepbrother.”

  I look at Anna and Robert to see their reactions. Anna looks shocked but somewhat proud. Robert’s expression is hard to read. He looks like he’s about to cry, but he stays calm.

  “I’ve got a great family, and I know it’ll be even greater having Robert and Aiden around.” Everyone claps as Ryan sits down.

  I glance at Aiden who has his jaw clenched. “Are you…okay?” I ask hesitantly.

  He exhales. “I don’t know if I should be happy, or fucking pissed right now.”

  “Why?” I ask him.

  “Well, I know he lied when he said he admired me,” Aiden says. “But I shouldn’t be so mad because he basically just praised me in front of everybody.”

  I look at Ryan who’s smiling at me. I smile back at him then look at Aiden. “You shouldn’t dislike Ryan so much. I bet he has somewhat the same feelings as you do.”

  “How?” he asks me.

  “Their dad chose to leave them Aiden,” I tell him, remembering Kelly’s words when I asked her about her dad. “Your mom didn’t decide to leave you, but their dad did. He left them to have another life with another woman. I bet Ryan’s hurting too.”

  Aiden sighs. “How did you become the person who understands everything in my life?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know. Why? Do you want me not to understand?” I ask him, feeling a little bit hurt.

  He
smirks and squeezes my hand. “I do want you to understand because no one else will,” he tells me.

  At that moment, I realize why my stomach felt weird when I saw Aiden walk earlier. I know why I always let my guard down around him. I know why I missed him over these two days that I didn’t see him.

  I have a crush on Aiden Callaway.

  Chapter 18

  Today is the day.

  Today is the day of the wedding, and I’m freaking out. I keep worrying about my dress being ruined, my hair looking like crap, and my makeup being done by a clown. I’ve never acted like this before, and it scares me.

  I’m turning into a girl.

  I’m totally kidding. I’m already a girl. But I am freaking out a bit.

  I am sitting in a chair at a local hair salon, and I keep cringing every time the lady working on my hair gets close to my ear with the curling iron. Holly sits in the chair next to mine, and she wears a huge grin on her face. She’s ready for today. I’m not.

  Anna chats with Jenna on the other side of the salon. Jenna is probably trying to calm her mom down. Anna’s acting like a crazy person this morning. I think everyone just wants to get this wedding over with.

  After our hair gets done, we all go to the church where we will get our dresses then get our makeup done.

  I have to admit that I’m pretty nervous. What if I trip while walking down the aisle? I take a deep breath to calm myself down. I don’t do well in situations where I have to stand in front of everyone, even if I’m not speaking.

  The lady working on me finishes the last touches on my makeup. I sigh and get up from my chair to put my dress on. I open the bag that holds my dress and pulls it out. I step into a small room and slip it on.

  When I step back out of the room, Anna has on her dress already and is walking around talking to people. I smile when I see her. She looks beautiful.

  I sit down on one of the small couches nearby and slip on the treacherous heels we have to wear. Someone sits next to me, so I look over and find Anna sitting there.

  “Are you ready, Riley?” she asks me with a bright smile.

  I nod. “Sure.”

  “You’ll do great.” She puts her hand on my arm.

  Let’s hope she’s right.

  Aiden

  I pace in my room, rubbing my chin. Well, it isn’t exactly my room. I’m staying in one of the guest bedrooms in Alex’s house. And I keep thinking about this stupid wedding today.

  I’m still uninvited. But I don’t give a shit. I don’t want to go to that fucking wedding anyways. Nothing can make me go. Not Ryan, not Kelly, not my dad, and not even Riley.

  There’s a soft knock on the bedroom door. “Come in,” I say as I sit on my bed.

  Alex walks in and crosses his arms. “Why aren’t you ready?”

  “Ready for what?” I demand.

  “Ready for the wedding,” he says. I glare at him and he busts up laughing. “I’m just kidding, bro. I know you’re not going.”

  I shake my head. “You’re an ass, Alex.”

  “I know.” He smirks. “I thought you were thinking about going.”

  “I’m not fucking going, Alex. Nothing is going to get me over there.” I cross my arms.

  He leans against the doorframe. “Not even that girl you were talking about yesterday?”

  Of course, he will bring her into this. “Not even Riley can make me go,” I tell him.

  Alex grins. “C’mon, Aiden,” he says to me. “Just admit that you might actually like this girl. You’ve been hanging out with her and constantly talking to her. Not to mention that little hand holding thing you told me about.”

  I do not like Riley. Sure, she’s fun to hang out with, but…I don’t know. She will never go out with me anyways. Not that I have ever thought about going out with her.

  It’s just kinda nice talking to her about all this bad shit going on. She doesn’t judge me, and she doesn’t tell me that I’m a screw-up. And I forget everything that is going on when I’m with her. That’s part of why I keep asking her to hang out. Once I’m with her, I don’t think about anything else.

  “You’re whipped.” Alex shakes his head and chuckles. He walks out of my room and continues down the hall.

  “Shut the fuck up, Alex!” I yell after him.

  I lean back on my bed and sigh. I’m extremely bored right now, and I can’t even call Riley since she’s in the wedding.

  I bet she spent all day with the girls getting ready. I bet they covered her face in makeup, put a shitload of hairspray in her hair, and made her walk in dangerously high heels.

  I shudder at the fact that girls do all of this crap to look pretty.

  Looking at the clock, I notice that the wedding has started already. I frown and close my eyes. As soon as I do, an image of my mom enters my mind. She smiles at me. She looks healthy. She looks like she did before she was diagnosed with cancer.

  My eyes spring open before I can get emotional. I can’t believe my fucking dad is marrying another woman. If Dad really loves Mom, he won’t be marrying Anna right now.

  I rub my face and try to calm down. Will I ever speak to my dad after the wedding?

  I stand up from my bed and walk to my closet. I throw on the nearest pair of jeans and t-shirt I can find. I grab my leather jacket off my bed and walk out of the room. I find Alex in the kitchen eating cereal.

  “Going somewhere?” he asks with a mouth full of Frosted Flakes.

  I grab the keys off the counter. “Yup.” And with that, I walk out of the house.

  If Riley can’t be here to make me forget about everything, I’m sure Jack Daniels can be of assistance.

  Riley

  We all clap as Robert dips Anna and pecks her lips on the dance floor. Seeing them together is really heartwarming. You can tell that they really love each other.

  Here I am, sitting at a table watching more couples go out on the dance floor. Lucas comes up to me and asks me to dance, but I tell him my feet are hurting from the heels. So Kelly takes my place.

  My mind wanders as I glance around the room. I wonder what Aiden is doing right now. I have a bad feeling in my stomach that he isn’t doing so good right now. But the reception just started. I can’t leave yet.

  As evening turns to night, people are still on the dance floor, moving their bodies to the rhythm. Robert and Anna are sitting at a table by themselves, talking to one another. I’m fine sitting by myself, just watching everyone else have a good time like I always do.

  I hear some shuffling next to me, and I glance to the side. My eyes widen when I see Aiden sitting in a chair next to me. I’m about to smile at him until I see the bottle of liquor in his hands. His eyes are half-closed, and he leans against the table.

  “Riley.” He reaches out and pinches my cheek.

  I frown at him. “You’re drunk,” I say, looking away from him. How can I have ever developed feelings for someone like Aiden? Sure, he can be a little sweet at times, but he has no idea how to deal with things.

  He nods. “Fuck yeah, I am.” He slurs. He takes another drink from the bottle. “Where’s my dad?” he asks me.

  “He’s over there.” I nod in Robert and Anna’s direction. “Maybe you should go home before he sees you like this. It would be for the best Aiden.”

  Aiden scowls at me. “You mean before he sees that his own son is turning into a screw-up?” He slurs again. “I don’t give a fuck what he thinks anymore. I am never going to speak to him again after tonight anyways.” He stands up abruptly, knocking over his chair. He turns to start walking, but he trips on the chair and grabs onto the table.

  I quickly stand up and grab his arm. “Let’s take you home, Aiden,” I tell him softly.

  He pulls his arm away from me. “Not yet.” He continues to walk in the direction of Robert and Anna. I follow him to the table to make sure he doesn’t fall on his face.

  Robert glances at Aiden, and his eyes widen like mine had. “Aiden…”

  I stand by Aiden
awkwardly and hold onto his arm to prevent him from falling.

  “Don’t talk to me,” Aiden growls. “I don’t want to hear anything from you. I don’t want to hear about how perfect your life is now that you’re with her.” He points at Anna. “I don’t want to hear from you about how I’m fucking up my life.”

  Robert stands up and walks around the table. “Aiden, go back home, and we’ll discuss this later.”

  “I don’t want to fucking talk about this later!” Aiden yells in Robert’s face. As he raises his voice, a few people take notice of his presence and frown at the profanities he’s using. “I’m getting my stuff from the house, and I’m leaving,” Aiden says. His speech improves a little bit, making the slurring less noticeable.

  “No, you aren’t.” Robert shakes his head. “How are you going to take care of yourself, Aiden? Look at you. You can’t even stand on your own two feet without someone holding you up,” he says, gesturing to me.

  Don’t bring me into this, please.

  “I will be fine on my own.” Aiden snaps. “I’ve been on my own for a while now. Ever since you gave all of your fucking attention to their family.” He points at Anna again.

  At this point, I’m sure everyone in the room is watching the argument between Robert and Aiden. I see Ryan making his way over to us, and I mentally groan. Does Aiden really have to make a scene?

  Ryan walks up to Aiden and sighs. “C’mon, Aiden. I’ll take you home,” he speaks softly.

  Aiden shoves him away, making him lose his balance a bit. I hold onto his arm, holding him in place. “Get the fuck away from me, Ryan. I want nothing to do with you.”

  Okay. Maybe I should step in now. “Aiden”—I tugged on his arm—“I’ll take you home,” I say to him.

  Aiden glances at me then back at Robert. “I’m done talking to all of you.” He grits his teeth.

  I sneak towards my mom at another table. When I’m close enough, I speak to her, “I need the keys.”

  My mom frowns. “I don’t think you should—”

  “Give me the keys, Mom,” I say, losing my patience. “He needs to get home safely.”

  “Riley, just go sit back down. I’m sure someone—”