Page 62 of Broken Ties (Rixon High 4)

Anger zipped up my spine, sweeping through me like a wildfire. Maybe it was a coincidence, maybe I was overthinking it. Because Aaron wouldn’t follow me here. He wouldn’t—

But a big explosion lit up the room and I saw his expression. I saw the flash of guilt in his eyes.

I ran out of there, crashing through the door and pressing myself against the nearest wall.

What the hell was going on?

I dug my cell phone out of my pocket and pulled up our chat history.

Me: What the hell are you doing here?

But the door flung open and Aaron stood there, his expression full of apology. “I can explain.”

“I’m going to ask you this once. Did you know I was going to be here with Eli?”

“Shit, Poppy, I…” He hesitated, cupping the back of his neck.

Aaron hesitated, and it told me everything and nothing.

“What are you doing, Aaron? You’re acting like… like you care.”

“Of course I fucking care. You’re my…” He rolled his lips together, trapping whatever he’d been about to say.

“Well?” I stared at him, frustration bleeding into my expression.

But he didn’t answer, and I was done.

I was so freaking done.

Storming down the hall, I burst into the women’s restroom. But he followed, pushing me into one of the stalls.

“Aaron,” I hissed. “You can’t be in here.”

“Just… just wait a second, okay.” He ran a hand down his face, sheer torment shining in his eyes. “I saw you, okay? I saw the two of you together, heading in here and I… I followed.”

“But why? I don’t understand. You told me to date Eli, you said—”

“I know what I said, I know.” He grimaced, his eyes darting away from me.

I didn’t like it when he wouldn’t look at me. It was too much distance, too much space between us.

When his gaze settled back on mine, and I saw the intensity in his eyes, it almost took my breath away. “Poppy, you’re my—”

This was it.

This was the moment I’d waited for my entire life.

The moment Aaron Bennet claimed me as his own.

I think I’d known it the second I’d spotted him, sitting there in the shadows.

“Shit,” he exhaled a long breath, reaching for the flyaway hairs framing my face. He pushed them behind my ear, his touch igniting me in a way Eli’s touch never would.

“You’re … one of my best friends, Poppy.”

His words landed like shrapnel, slicing into me.

“Best friend.” Bitter laughter got stuck in my throat as I stared at him with disbelief.

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