Page 101 of Broken Ties (Rixon High 4)

“Time…”

“Yeah, well it’s been almost a week and he’s still the first person I think of when I wake up and the last person I think of when I fall asleep. Even if I do hate him at this precise moment in time.”

“Oh, Pops, come here.” Sofia pulled me into her arms. “You’ll figure it out. Maybe once things have settled down, you can talk it out and find your way back.”

“I wish it was that easy. But too much has happened.”

I’d laid myself bare and Aaron had rejected me. Worse than that, he’d kissed me, given me hope, and then rejected me. And now he was going to Homecoming with Zara freaking Willis of all people.

There was no coming back from that.

Which meant I wasn’t only mourning the loss of my dream of us being together, I was grieving for our friendship.

“You know what we need?” she said, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Girls’ night.”

“Girls’ night,” I deadpanned, remember how our last girls’ night had ended.

What a disaster that had been.

“That sounds kind of dangerous.”

“We could go to Bell’s and get someone to sneak some drinks.”

“Too risky.”

“Hang on. I have an idea.” She whipped out her cell phone and started texting someone.

“What are you up to?”

“We could go to Halston.”

“Halston?” I balked.

“Yes, it’s perfect. We can visit Peyton and I bet she can take us to a bar.”

“You do know she’s only eighteen still, right?”

“Yeah, but it’s Peyton. She’ll be up for it.”

“And what about Xander? He’s not going to like it.”

“Well it just so happens Dad, your dad, Cameron, and Xander have poker night on bye week. And tonight it’s the Chases turn to host which means—”

“Peyton is home alone.”

“Bingo.”

“Should we invite Ashleigh?” I asked, a kick of excitement skittering through me. I hadn’t seen Peyton in forever since she couldn’t make Ashleigh’s birthday. Sofia was right, this was the perfect solution.

“No, she’ll tell Ezra and he’ll tell Aaron and then it’ll be a big thing.”

“You’re right. Although she hasn’t even said yes yet.”

Sofia’s cell pinged and she shrieked with excitement. “She’s in. Girls’ night is a go.”

“I still can’t believe you’re living here, with Xander, no less,” Sofia said, fingering the clothes hanging in Peyton’s closet.

“Welcome to my world. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows to get to this point, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. And just for the record, he’s going to kill me when he finds out I’m corrupting the two of you, so please be on your best behavior.”

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