Page 91 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

He shrugged. “Humor me.”

“It was nice.”

“Nice? That’s all you’re going to give me?”

“What do you want to know? That we made out under the stars? Gazed into each other’s eyes with the wind in our hair?”

“Asshole,” he scoffed.

“I know you don’t want to hear it, but I really like her, Aaron.”

“Yeah, I feared you might say that. But she is related to me so I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised you’ve fallen hard.” He smirked and I chuckled.

It felt good to be talking to him like this. Even if it was a little weird.

“Can I ask you something?” he said.

“Sure.” I took a pull on my beer.

“Is she okay? Like really?”

“What?” The word stuck in my throat.

“I mean, I know she’s okay. And thank fuck she is because I could not handle it if she was… well, you know.” He gave a little shrug, running a hand down his face. “But she seems off. I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s like there’s this invisible wall between us.”

Fuck.

I didn’t want to lie to him. Aaron was my best friend. My ride or die. But Sofia was… well, she was my girl now.

“It’s been a stressful few weeks. She’ll come around.”

There. That was reassuringly vague.

“So she hasn’t said anything?”

“I—”

“Hello, boyfriend.” Poppy’s immaculate timing saved me from barefaced lying to my best friend.

Sofia noticed my strained expression and mouthed, ‘Everything okay?’

“Yeah.” I held out my arm and she came willingly, nestling against my side as the party went on around us.

“This is nice,” she whispered. “Normal even.”

“It is. What if we turn it into your first bucket list item?”

“How so?”

“Well, you could go skinny dipping in the pool.”

“Too cold.” Sofia balked.

“No skinny dipping, okay, what about body shots off some poor unsuspecting football player?”

“You seriously want me to do shots off one of your teammate’s naked body?”

“Aaron might not like it if you do them off me.” I winked.

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