chapter 1
As I stood at the kitchen sink, scrubbing away at the dishes, my gaze drifted out the window. That's when I saw him – Aaron, my brother's best friend and our next-door neighbor. He was fixing his bike, his tank top clinging to his sweat-dampened skin.
My heart skipped a beat as I felt a familiar flutter in my chest. I'd had a crush on Aaron for as long as I could remember. But it was a secret I kept hidden, even from my brother Drey. Aaron had a girlfriend, and I knew I didn't stand a chance.
My mom's voice cut through my reverie. "Kacey, Kacey! You're going to be late for school, young lady! Drey and Aaron will have to take you."
I sighed, feeling a mix of relief and disappointment. I finished washing the dishes and headed to Drey's room to see if he was ready.
"Drey, are you almost ready?" I called out, knocking on his door.
"Five more minutes, Kacey!" he yelled back.
I rolled my eyes and trudged back downstairs. The doorbell rang, and my heart skipped another beat. That must be Aaron.
I took a deep breath and made my way to the door. When I opened it, Aaron flashed me his famous smile. "Good morning, chucklehead!" he said, chuckling.
I forced a scowl, trying to play it cool. "Ugh, morning."
We piled into the car, and the ride to school was quiet. As we pulled into the parking lot, Drey reminded me, "Meet us back here at 2, Kacey. Don't be late."
I nodded, grabbing my backpack and waving goodbye as I headed into school. As I walked down the hallway, I spotted my best friend Sarah.
"Hey, girl!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around me.
We chatted about our weekends, and before I knew it, the bell rang, signaling the start of our first class.
Throughout the day, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Aaron was on my mind. I found myself wondering what he was doing, who he was with, and what he was thinking.
As the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, I made my way to the parking lot. Drey and Aaron were already there, leaning against the car.
"Hey, Kacey!" Drey called out. "Ready to go?"
I nodded, feeling a flutter in my chest as Aaron smiled at me.
As we drove home, the conversation was light and easy. But I couldn't help but feel like there was something beneath the surface, something that Aaron wasn't saying.
When we pulled into our driveway, Aaron turned to me and said, "Hey, Kacey? Can I talk to you for a minute?"
My heart skipped a beat as I wondered what he wanted to talk about.
"Sure," I said, trying to sound casual.
Drey got out of the car, leaving us alone. Aaron turned to me, his eyes serious.
"Kacey, can I ask you something?" he said, his voice low.
I nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation.
"What's going on?" I asked, trying to sound calm.
Aaron hesitated, looking unsure of himself.
"I don't know, Kacey," he said finally. "I just feel like there's something...different about you lately."
My heart skipped a beat as I wondered what he meant.
"Different?" I repeated, trying to sound nonchalant.
Aaron nodded. "Yeah. You seem...distracted. Or something."
I shrugged, trying to play it cool.
"I'm just stressed out, I guess," I said.
Aaron looked at me skeptically.
"Kacey, I've known you for a long time," he said. "I can tell when something's bothering you."
I felt a flutter in my chest as he looked at me, his eyes searching.
"What's going on, Kacey?" he asked again.
I took a deep breath, wondering how much to reveal.
"Nothing, Aaron," I said finally. "Just school stuff."
Aaron looked at me for a long moment, then nodded.
"Okay, Kacey," he said. "If you're sure everything's okay..."
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief.
"Yeah, I'm sure," I said.
Aaron smiled and got out of the car.
"I'll see you later, Kacey," he said.
I nodded, watching as he walked away.
As I got out of the car, I couldn't help but feel like Aaron had seen right through me.
Had he?
And what did it mean if he had?
