Page 66 of Just a Footnote

Archer laughs, settling his arm back around Miles. “We both got stuck in the corners of the country so we ended up constantly flying. Not really fair.”

“Have to pick our next teams more carefully,” Liam replies.

He settles into the seat next to Aiden, knee pressing warmly into Aiden’s thigh in a form of mild torture. He pulls out his phone, sets the location to New York City, and scrolls through Tinder in the hopes that Liam will look at his phone. Maybe this will get Liam to just let him go, get over it.

“Seriously?” Liam asks just as Aiden had expected because he knows Liam to the very core.

“What?” Aiden asks, feigning innocence.

Liam narrows his eyes, huffing a breath. “You’re a real piece of work.”

“It takes one to know one.”

“We’ll be right back,” Liam tells Miles and Archer. A strong hand grips Aiden by the bicep and yanks him towards the windows away from prying ears. “What is wrong with you?”

Aiden blinks at him, yanking his arm away. “What’s wrong withyou?”

Liam pinches the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t get it. Sometimes you want me but then sometimes you don’t. I get fucking whiplash. Make up your mind.”

Aiden snorts. “That’s rich coming from you.”

“What does thatevenmean?” Liam angrily demands.

“Nothing.” Aiden looks anywhere but at Liam.

“Nothing,” Liam repeats slowly.

“Yeah,” Aiden says, glancing away at Liam and out at a plane taking off. “Go get yourself another girlfriend, Liam. Someonesoft and sweet that’ll be everything you… everything you need. Right? Right.”

“I needyou,” Liam declares, voice small and sad. Aiden turns his gaze back to Liam because now he does feel bad. He wants to push Liam away to protect him. He doesn’t want to hurt him. That’s never really been his goal.

“Wait,” Aiden says, reaching a handout to stop Liam from walking away. “Wait.”

Aiden takes a few deep breaths, air smelling stale and a little like popcorn from the stall across the way. The sound of people milling around them echoes in his ears. Someone laughs over at the small bistro in the corner. He grounds himself as much as he can to ward off an impending anxiety attack because they need to have this conversation. They need to do it.

“What do you want from me?” Aiden asks quietly.

“I don’t know,” Liam huffs, rocking back on his heels slightly and looking up at the ceiling. “I want it to be like it used to be every time we see each other. I miss talking to you. I miss youallthe time. You were one of my closest friends and you just disappeared when we graduated.”

“It’s hard to be your friend,” Aiden admits, meeting Liam’s gaze when he looks back down. “It’s all mixed up in my head.”

“And you think it’s not like that for me?”

Aiden swallows. “Okay so what do we do?”

“I don’t know,” Liam sighs, pursing his lips and swaying a little towards Aiden. “I will take whatever you’re willing to give me.”

Aiden lets out a loud sigh. Too many emotions are welling up inside him, threatening to swallow him whole. His hand is still resting on Liam’s biceps, his skin a warm balm against Aiden’s slowly chilling skin. He does miss Liam too. So much he aches with it. Maybe…there’s a middle ground here. Just for a little while longer. He can have Liam a little while longer. He stares up at Liam’s sad hunter green eyes. Some of his dark hair has fallen onto his forehead. Aiden uses his other hand to brush it back, startling a leery look out of Liam.

“Alright,” Aiden warily agrees. “I’ll text you.”

Liam lights up at the words.

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

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