Page 9 of Eight Weeks
And besides, Sofia doesn’t know I am paying for all the drinks tonight. For hers especially since she’s not twenty-one yet. Without me, she wouldn’t even get a single drink here, apart from non-alcoholic ones.
“Seriously? Aaron, that’s like a hundred dollars.”
I shrug. “For someone that can’t afford—”
Her hand collides with my arm as she slaps me. “Remind me of itagainand I will do worse to you than just slap you.”
Smirking, I ask, “For instance?”
“I’ll inject e-liquid into your bloodstream, and you best hope you’ll make it out alive.”
“I have to say, Icicle, if that’s your way of trying to flirt with me, it’s not going to work. Threatening to poison me, that’s not really a great move. What happened to asking for a kiss first?”
I lay my hand on her thigh, feeling her tense at my touch. Her breath comes out a little more ragged, uncontrolled.
So I do have some kind of effect on her after all.
“Let me put arsenic trioxide on my lips first, maybe then you’ll get one.”That sounds like a challenge to me.
“Is that the sugar look-alike?” She nods. “Too obvious, Icicle. Try something without color. And perhaps anything that wouldn’t kill you in the process. Unless of course you plan on dying with me, in that case you’re good to use arsenic trioxide.”
Sofia swats my hand away from her thigh, grabs the shot glass and downs the contents in the blink of an eyes. Her face doesn’t eventwitchat the explosion that must be happening inside of her.
6
Sofia
“met a lot of people but nobody feels like you”—It’s You by Ali Gatie
“Tell me one more thing about him!”Miles begs as his friend Kya pulls up in front of my aunt’s house.
I shrug. “Wouldn’t know what to tell you.”
I never thought that on my first day back in New City, I would walk right into my childhood crush, then find out he’s somewhat popular and far more good-looking than I had remembered. I also didn’t think I would end up in a bar that night or get a ride home from a friend of said childhood crush’s friend.
“Tell me embarrassing stories about Aaron. Ihaveto have something against him.”
I truly wish I could tell Miles more, but I don’t know that much about Aaron. He’s all grown up now. He’s still into hockey, that much I figured. But aside from that… nothing. I doubt he still plays withHot Wheelsor his sister’sBarbie’s because he’s being forced to occupy her. I don’t think Aaron still goes out every Monday to pick a flower off the ground and give it to his mother. I also don’t think he still sings along to“Too Little, Too Late”byJoJowhile brushing his teeth.
There is nothing I can tell Miles. And the little things I know from when we were younger, I will gatekeep them forever.
“I haven’t spoken to him in thirteen years. Even if I wanted to tell you more, there is nothing to say.” Except for the fact that we both have one half to a necklace. But he isn’t wearing it anymore.
It doesn’t surprise me. He’s probably had ten girlfriends by now. Plus, a promise made at the age of eight cannot last. Especially not when you’re worlds apart from the other.
“You done? I promised Eira I would be there at six. We still got an hour and a half to drive, Miles,” Kya says. Kya seems to be all okay. I haven’t been talking to her, but she was kind enough to give me a ride home, even though Wesley Hills is in the other direction from New York City.
“Who’s Eira?” I ask, my mouth being faster than my brain. I shouldn’t ask because this is none of my business.
“Colin Carter’s sister. I tutor her because she can’t attend school anymore. Not a clue why it has to be at six in the morning on a Sunday, but I suppose it’s better than never seeing her again.” Giving me a quick smile, she turns to look at Miles again. I get the feeling she’s kind, but not to everyone. Like, for some unknown reasons she just hates me even though she doesn’t know me at all. “What are you doing in New York this early anyway?”
I hop out of the car before I could hear his answer. I’m not here to make friends. It’s only eight more months until graduation. I am here to study, get my degree and be done with school shit for the rest of my life. Plus, I swore to stay away from the hockey crowd shortly after I left for Germany oh so many years ago.
I’ve gotten my heart broken by one hockey player, and I wasn’t going to risk that happening ever again. Not by friends of said heartbreaker anyway.
You guys were eight. Just get over it already.
I unlock the front door of my aunt’s house. She said I could keep the spare key as long as I’m staying here, so at least I don’t have to ring the doorbell all the time.
