Page 159 of Firestorm
Aiden hadn’t texted me, though his detention had ended and I wasn’t there to meet him. That was the only thing keeping me from running and hiding in that garden I’d found in the woods. Or going home.
I breathed in heavily, leaning back against my door to steady myself. I staggered into the bathroom, rinsing out my mouth and quickly brushing my teeth before I made my way back into the main room, pulling my phone out of my pocket to call Aiden.
“Skye?”
I dropped my phone, nearly jumping a mile in the air with a gasp. My heart lurched and I squeezed my eyes shut, preparing myself for the inevitable lash-out from my affinity, but nothing happened.
I opened one eye, then jumped again as I realized it was only Aiden, adorably bundled up in a nest of blankets on my bed. If I wasn’t so freaked out, I would’ve laughed.
“Aiden?” I croaked.
“Did I scare you? I’m sorry.” Aiden whispered. “I didn’t know when you’d be back, I just…” He glanced down at the fuzzy green blanket he was wrapped in and furrowed his brow, then sniffled.
Was he…upset?
“Angel,” I whispered, crossing the small room to him. “Are you okay?”
He sniffled again, wiping a rogue tear and turning his face away from me so I wouldn’t see.
“Angel, what happened?” My voice shook. Did Aiden somehow witness that conversation with Landon? Had Landon spoken to him?
Aiden shook as if he were sobbing quietly, and I couldn’t hold back. I jumped onto the bed, settling next to him and pulling him to my chest. He snaked his arms around me, continuing to sniffle before a sob sounded. He buried his head further into my chest while he trembled.
“Skye,” his voice broke. “W-why? Why wouldn’t you t-tell me?”
I stilled.
“Tell you what?” I breathed.
“Ab-about W-Wyatt,” Aiden’s voice cracked. “Is he…is he your L-link?”
This was aboutWyatt? Thank God, and alsofuck me. I was not ready for another emotional conversation this evening.
But I replied without hesitation. “Yes. He…he sort of rejected me.”
“Why?” Aiden asked, gasping before sobbing again. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because…I’m embarrassed. And I love the way we are already, just you and me,” I said honestly. “I was trying to hide from my issues with Wyatt. I didn’t want to think about him, not when I’m with you.”
“But he’s…he’s yours. One ofus.” My heart clenched. Aiden sounded absolutely shattered. I’d never seen him like this.
Clearly he’d seen Wyatt earlier but…fuck, had Wyatt’s dumbass said something to Aiden? What the fuck was he playing at, trying to ruin my relationship?
“Every time I saw him, you never said anything. Why? Why let yourself be hurt that way?” Aiden pulled back just enough for me tosee his face. Tears clung to his eyelashes and his cheeks were slightly flushed.
“Because your counseling is more important than my feelings,” I whispered. I raised my hand and trailed my fingers through the messy waves of his hair, holding back a grin when static caused a few strands to rise. Aiden shivered. “I didn’t want you to have to change your routine because I can’t leave Wyatt alone.”
“Leave him alone? What do you mean?” Aiden’s red brows furrowed.
I sighed deeply, then told him the quick version of events that led me here to campus. How there was a storm, and mywater affinitymanifested, and how Wyatt was there. How he kissed the fuck out of me and then ran for his life. How I threw myself at him in his office and then ran formyfucking life after he did a complete one-eighty on me. Aiden only stared at me with wide eyes.
“Fuck, Skye.” Aiden groaned, burying his face in my chest. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea he was such a fucking…fucker.”
I shook with silent laughter, and Aiden let out a muffled chuckle.
“I’m sorry I never told you. I didn’t want him anywhere near us. You wanted to be with me, even when we were just Skye and Aiden, before we were Key and Link. Wyatt didn’t want that.”
“We’re still Skye and Aiden,” he said softly. “Even if we add more…it’s still just you and me, when it’s you and me.”
