Heartbreak High

TWO | AIDEN

Will I go to hell for what I've done to get her here? I hope not.

I hope that falling in love and using a pretense bullshit issue to win someone over is not reason enough to be sent down below, and if it is... f**k it! I'll go down with a smile on my damn face IF Chloe is in my arms.

Chloe Elle Tanner has been on my mind and in my dreams for a very long time, but if I were to approach her with less than a valid reason, she'd give me the finger and walk away without a second glance.

She's ruthless and that's why I'm so attracted to her and now her bad fortune is my gain and I'll use it to get closer to her.

It’s the perfect excuse to spend time with her.

I'll do anything I need to kiss those plump and pink lips and touch that waist.

I'd let her call me names, laugh in my face, and even slap me once in a while if that meant she'd eventually smile.

She has a million-watt smile, but she doesn't know it yet.

Chloe believes that I need her help to apply to Stanford, but she doesn't need to know that I'm absolutely capable of doing it myself. At least, not until she's so in love with me that she won't hate me forever.

“O’Connor, take your head out of your ass and add it to the game, would you?” Coach yells from the sidelines for me to pay attention and I give him a thumbs up.

We have a big game next Saturday and we really need the win, because Spring Valley Bulls are the best in the state, and we need to prove it with each game. I need to prove how good I am and what kind of Captain I am because there could be a scout in the crowd any game now.

I truly do want to go to Stanford, but if I get scouted, I wouldn’t think twice before saying yes. I can study and become a lawyer even when I’m thirty, but I can’t play football forever.

“I saw you talking to that chick today, Tanner?” Noah joins my lap to question me about Chloe.

“Yeah, she’s helping me with something. You’ll see her around a lot until Prom,” I reply with a shrug and a labored breath and continue to run while the coach throws daggers at me. “What the f**k is his problem today.”

“What do you think? He saw you with her and now you’re distracted. You can’t get distracted on the last few months, bro,” he scolds me and although I know he has my best interests at heart, sometimes he just gets on my nerves.

None of them understand or care to even comprehend the fact that football is not my future and I’m not looking to become famous or any s**t like that.

“Noah, I don’t care if I get drafted. I’ve got a Stanford scholarship.”

“Well, he doesn’t care about that. His reputation is on the line and if his quarterback and captain doesn’t get drafted, then his reputation goes to shit.”

“Whatever,” I brush him off and as soon as the coach blows his whistle, we head for the lockers to shower and get changed.

When I make my way into the lockers, my phone rings, and I immediately recognize the number I see on the screen, but I’m forced to ignore it because the coach pulls me aside for a chat.

“O’Conner, what’s going on with you lately?”

“Nothing coach. Just some trouble at home,” I lie and look him dead in the eyes to sell my lie. He has to believe me because I don’t know how benching me will affect my spot at Stanford.

And f**k me if I want to find out.

Just three more months.

I have to go through this hell of a life for three more months and if Chloe is right next to me for the better part, then I might survive it.

“You’d let me know if you needed anything, right?”

You can’t give me what I need, coach.

“I’m good, coach. Thank you.”

“Okay. Focus. I need your head in the game, Aiden.”

My phone rings again and with a last pat on the back, Coach Anderson leaves the lockers. The other boys have already hit the showers, so I answer the call.

“Aiden?” she whispers from the end of the line, and I close my eyes briefly.

“Of course, Mom. I’m your only contact. What did you do now?” I sigh and brush a hand over my face.

Why do I have to be the adult, for f**k’s sake? What did I do to deserve this?

Who did I piss off in a previous life?

“I… I don’t know.”

She never does.

“I’m sure you don’t, Mom.”

“They won’t let me go unless someone comes to sign for me,”

“Of course, they won’t, Mom. We’ve been through this a hundred times. I’ll be there soon,” I say and hang up.

Before I jump in the shower for a quick clean, I lean on the locker and hang my head between my arms. I need to take a deep breath before I punch something and make it worse.

“Fuuuck!” I shout and clench my fist hard above my head.

“Bro, you alright?” Noah asks when he enters the lockers, concern filling his brown eyes.

“It’s my mom again,” I reply with a heavy sigh and a clenched jaw.

Isaac is the only one who knows about my parents, and more important, the junkie my mom is, so it’s easy to be truthful with him. I can actually say that he’s my best friend, not only my teammate.

“s**t. I’m sorry man. Need anything?”

“A break.” I joke.

“Soon brother. Hang in there. We’re almost out of here.”

“I gotta go get her. See you later at Devon’s?”

“You know it!” he says with a wink and take off toward the showers.

I take one of the quickest showers known to man, put my clothes on, and head toward my car. I shouldn’t hurry and let her pay the price for her choices, but she spent so many nights in jail that it doesn’t bother her anymore, so I hurry because I am supposed to meet Chloe in 30 minutes and I’m most definitely going to be late.

Today is one of the days when I thank God for our small town because that means I should be able to get her and drop her home, then make it back to the café in less than an hour.

***

I make it to the station in record time and my friend greets me with a sad nod. “You were fast.”

“I have somewhere to be, what did she do this time?”

“The usual, nothing too bad. Aiden, can I say something without you getting all Hulk on me?” Randall asks me and invites me to take a sit.

I look at him for a long second, then at the chair, and then back at him. “Spit it out, Randall.”

“We think it’s time you put her in a rehab center. You’re 18 so nothing would happen to you for the remaining months and who knows, she might even benefit from it,” he explains with a sad demeanor, and although I know he wants to help… I can’t listen anymore.

He’s not the only person to suggest this. Damn, even Dad tried to take her to rehab and pay for it, but she just got out each time, because they can’t keep her locked up.

“You think I haven’t thought about that? I’m going to college soon and I need every penny I can get. I can’t afford her f*****g rehab, and Dad took her twice, Randall. Twice, and she got out each time. She doesn’t want to get better, so until I leave for college, she’s my responsibility.”

Randall sighs and nods in defeat before bringing the forms out for me to sign.

I sign them, thank Randall, and go to pick her up from the back. I’m so used to this place that I can navigate it better than my own home.

“See you, Randall.”

“Take care, kid.”