Page 158 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

“Yeah, Son?”

“She’s going to be okay, right?” His expression guttered. “She’ll get through this?”

Mr. Bennet regarded his son, reflecting back the same agony in Aaron’s eyes. “The doctors are going to do everything they can, Son. And your sister is made of strong stuff. She’s a Bennet, after all.” He tapped the doorjamb before taking off.

It felt like the air had all been sucked from the room.

“Fuck, I need a drink. Something strong.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” I asked.

“Nope. But doesn’t change the fact I’m going to grab a bottle of Dad’s finest and head out to the man cave. You can either come or not come…” Aaron let the words hang as he started rooting in the cabinets. When he found what he was looking for, he slipped out of the back door.

I found some snacks to soak up the liquor and took off after him. Aaron was already inside, drinking from the bottle.

“Aaron, man, come on—”

“She has leukemia, fucking cancer.”

“And drowning your sorrows in the bottom of a bottle isn’t going to change anything. Have a couple of drinks, take the edge off, and then get your head on straight.” I threw the bag of chips at him. “She needs you, Aaron. Your family needs you.”

“Sit.” He motioned to the couch.

“Aaron, come—”

“Sit. The. Fuck. Down. Kandon.” I did and he leaned over, thrusting the bottle at me. “Drink.”

“I’m not sure—”

“I know you love my sister, but right now, I really need you to be my best friend. And I need you to sit here and have a drink with me and pretend that you haven’t known the truth for weeks. Think you can do that for me?”

“Yeah.” I took the bottle, bringing it to my lips. “I can do that. But I’m cutting you off after a couple more drinks.”

“Fine. Now drink.”

I did. Wincing as the top-shelf whisky burned my throat all the way down.

“I want to know everything you know,” he said.

“Maybe you should ask your dad.”

“I’m asking you.”

His glare was biting but I heard the pain in his voice. Aaron wanted to hate me. He wanted to hate his parents and Sofia for not telling him the truth. But more than anything he hated himself for being on the outside. For blindly trusting their lies and not asking more questions. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, not really. He’d wanted to believe Sofia was okay; had managed to convince himself she was, and no one had corrected him.

He was right though; I was his best friend and if he needed to hate me in this moment—if he needed to paint me as the villain—I’d let him.

I’d do just about anything to try and erase the hurt all over his face.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

Sofia

A knockat the door cut through the haunting silence. Mom had gone downstairs to get coffee and call Dad, leaving me alone with my thoughts. And I had a ton of those. None of them particularly good company.

“Hello?” I called out when no one came inside.

The door finally opened, and Aaron appeared, bleary eyed and wearing a hoodie two sizes too big, as if he’d grabbed the first item of clothing he could find and pulled it on.

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