Page 4 of Just a Footnote

Liam laughs again, angling his body towards Aiden. “What’s that mean?”

“It’s a saying,” Aiden explains. “You’ve never heard of it?”

“Obviously not since I’m asking you what it means.”

Aiden tears his gaze away from the stars and turns it back towards Liam. “It means that if wishes were real then everyone would have what they want. The world would be perfect.”

“You and Archer… so analytical.”

“Not all of us can be dreamers. The world needs realists.”

Liam hums softly, then leans back against the railing. Liam Walsh, his brother's best friend. Teammates on the hockey team, constantly in each other's pocket, but Aiden doesn’t reallyknowhim. He’s that kind of guy. Despite Liam being Archer’s best friend, Aiden still doesn’t really trust him. He doesn’t trust many people though. He might trust Archer but that trust was born of pain and suffering. He doesn’t know how to learn trust any other way.

“How’s that one class going? Archer said you were having a tough time.”

Aiden narrows his eyes. “You and Archer talk about me?”

“Uhm.” Liam tilts his head. “Archer is my best friend… of course we talk about you? You’re his twin?”

“What do you talk about when you talk about me?” Aiden asks because now he’s irritated, but also very curious. He wasn’t aware that Archer talked about him. Except maybe with Miles.

“Just stuff,” Liam says with a shrug. They stare at each other for a few quiet beats. “You want a ride back to campus? There’s a game tomorrow so I’m turning in early.”

Aiden responds with a sharp nod, because he doesn’t trust himself to speak. The party is still loud as they pass through, no sign of it dying down any time soon. He’s kind of pissed that Archer dragged him here only to ditch halfway through to disappear with Miles. How had Archer expected him to even make it back to their shared two bedroom dormitory considering neither of them have vehicles?

Once they hop inside Liam fiddles with the heat settings of his luxury SUV. Another thing Aiden doesn’t trust about Liam.Money. Aiden grew up without an ounce of it and Liam grew up with too much of it. Their school is one of the best college hockey teams in the entire nation. Hockey is all Liam knows, it’s in his blood, just like his money.

It’s dark on the drive back to campus. Quiet. Too quiet. Aiden doesn’t fill the noise between them though and he doesn’t sneak glances at Liam during the ride. He feels a little itchy in his skin. It happens sometimes, usually when he hasn’t gotten enough sleep or he hasn’t ran enough miles in a week.

“I told Archer I’d drive you home. So they could have some alone time.”

Aiden groans internally. “Thanks for playing babysitter.”

“It’s not babysitting. You know, we’re friends too,” Liam points out.

Aiden raises one eyebrow. “You think we’re friends?”

It’s quiet for a few moments. Liam stares at him in the dark of the car, some question on his face that Aiden isn’t quite sure how to answer. Maybe this entire time Liam has considered them friends and Aiden just dashed all his hopes. Who knows.

“Aren’t we?” Liam asks, ensuring Aiden’s place among the greatest prophets.

Aiden purses his lips. “Archer would hate that.”

“Nah,” Liam says with a laugh as they pull up to the dorm building. The large brick building is probably the first place that’s ever felt like home to Aiden. Yellow lights glow beside the trees, even as the parking lot is ensconced in dark.

Aiden goes to get out, but Liam’s hand on his forearm stops him. He glances down at the hand, then back up to Liam’s surprised gaze. The hand disappears just as Liam loudly clears his throat.

“Maybe we should hang out in the car for a little while longer.”

Aiden grimaces. “Are you waiting for an all clear text from Archer?”

Liam at least has the good grace to look sheepish. “Maybe.”

“I could’ve just put my earbuds in and my pillow over my face,” Aiden grumbles as he relaxes back into the seat. None ofthis is new. He knows how to deal with Archer and Miles by this point.

Liam flips through his phone for a moment before the dulcet tones of some sleepy indie band filters through the speakers. The song is kind of nice, even though Aiden prefers to listen to music that makes his skull ache if he listens to it too long.

“This song is nice.”

---