Page 106 of Never Have I Ever
“Don’t worry, I’m not like your junkie mom.” I bite my lip. What the fuck is wrong with me?
He squints his eyes, shaking his head. “I know you’re hurting right now with whatever is going on that you won’t tell me. But let me remind you that my fists still fucking work, whether you’re crying or not.”
“I’m not crying.”
“You will when I kick your ass,” he threatens.
I laugh. “Go ahead. At least then you’ll leave me alone.”
“I told you I’m not leaving. You’re my best friend, even if you’re acting like an asshole.”
I groan. “Fuck. I just want to be alone. Why won’t you get that?” I want him to leave, to let me rot away in peace without hounding me for questions I don’t want to answer. “Why are you still here?”
“Because I love you, man.”
“Jesus Christ.” I laugh. What the hell is wrong with everyone?
“Tell me what’s going on and how I can help you,” he says.
“You can’t. No one can help me.” I feel like I have a massive hole in my chest, and nothing can fill it. This bottle stinging my throat doesn't fill it, despite every sip that I take.
“I can try.”
I snap my eyes to his. “Can you bring my uncle back to life?”
He frowns. “He died?”
I swallow. “When I was thirteen.”
“Is it his birthday or something?”
“Nope. Just celebrating the fact that I’m alone,” I say, holding out the bottle and bringing it to my lips once again.
Aiden sighs. “Ok, you have to start talking because I have no idea what’s going on.”
“He was a drug addict.” I hear him hold his breath, and I can’t help but laugh. Yeah, he didn’t see that coming. “And he overdosed when I was thirteen.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. It gets better,” I say, swallowing another sip. “I visited my parents this weekend. Turns out he was my dad.”
He’s quiet for a while and then clears his throat. “So, you’re drinking because?” he asks.
I glared at him. “Isn’t that reason enough?” He said he’d leave, and yet he’s still here. I just want him to go.
“Yeah, but you hated your dad, right? Didn’t seem like you’d care that he wasn’t your real dad. So why are you bummed out?”
I sigh, closing my eyes and tipping my head back on the couch. I’m not going to spill my fucking guts to him. I just needed a drink, no real reason to it.
“Nice tattoo,” he says, gesturing to my arm.
I look down, staring at the plastic wrap around my arm, and swallow hard.
“Angel wings, huh?”
I close my eyes, cursing under my breath. It was a dumb move, but I couldn’t get her out of my mind. She’s already deep in my body, might as well have her on it. I don’t reply. Instead, I take another drink from the bottle.
“Fine. You don’t want to talk about it? I’ll leave.”
