Page 31 of Broken Ties (Rixon High 4)

I loved Aaron’s hugs. He always made me feel so safe and cherished. I didn’t tell him though because his ego was already big enough, but he really was the greatest.

Aaron the Greatest.I smothered a laugh. Maybe it did have a nice ring to it.

“Am I a bad person for being jealous?”

“Of Lily?” He frowned.

“No, of course not, it’s horrible for her. I mean, the way Mom is always there. Like the two of them have this special club that I’m not a part of.”

“They do not have a special club, Poppy.”

“Sometimes, it feels like they do. Like earlier, I tried to go and say hi and see if Lily was okay and Mom basically shooed me away.”

“I’m sure that’s not—”

“Aaron,” I sighed. “I really need you to be on my side right now.”

“I am. You know you’re my star, right? My Poppy Star.”

“Aaron.” Heat bloomed in my cheeks. “You can’t steal my mom’s nickname for Lily. It’s weird.”

“What, why not?”

“Because…”

“Okay, what about Poppykins then? Or Poppy Droppy?” I gawked at him with disbelief and he chuckled. “No?”

“I like Poppy Star,” I confessed.

I’d always wanted Mom to call me it, but it was her name for Lily. Lily Star. They even had a special song.

I didn’t have either.

“I like it too.” Aaron grinned again. “Poppy Star and Aaron the Greatest, friends forever.”

“Best friends forever,” I corrected.

He peeked over at me and my heart fluttered.

“Best friends.”

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