~14~

My mom had been calling me while she was in Forks. She would always ask how school was and how I was doing. I didn't tell her much, only what she needed to know. I did however tell her that I was beginning to lean on Aiden. She seemed a little hesitant at first and concerned over whether that was a good idea or not, but I assured her it's what both of us needed.

I asked her about Jacob every time she called. I needed to know how he was doing, even if he wouldn't talk to me on the phone, but it was always just the same answer:

"He's good hunny, you don't need to worry about him. He can take care of himself," and then onto the next topic of conversation.

I missed everyone so much, but my mom promised she would be home in a week or two with Grandpa Charlie on her heels. In the meantime, I had Aiden to keep me company.

"Dammit!" he shouted as the library lady turned to yell at us to be quiet for the fifth time that afternoon. "Sorry," he mouthed.

I laughed, "You're gonna get us kicked out of here you know." We had been spending a lot of time at the library in town studying and getting our homework done. Aiden was tired of always being at his house, and as he couldn't come to mine, we decided the library was well suited.

"I just don't understand this geometry!" he whined.

I laughed at him again, "Here let me help you again."

"Thanks," he said. "You know I should probably be paying you. You're like my own personal tutor now."

I pretended to consider the idea, "Hmm, that would be nice." We both laughed and I continued to show him how to solve the problem.

"How are you so good at this stuff?" he whined again when I showed him easily how to solve the problem.

"It runs in the family," I chuckled back.

"Well we all can't be so lucky!" he said, his tone rising enough to get the library lady to turn around once more and warn us for last time, leaving us both cracking up and pretty close to being kicked out of the library.

Aiden and I only got closer as the days went on. I always looked forward to seeing him in school, and when he was absent one day for coming down with the cold, I immediately called Alice to beg her to let me come home too, but she didn't relent.

One day, the day we were going to present our science project, Aiden didn't show up to French class, the first period we had together. He had promised me he would be there, but he was nowhere in sight. I searched for him throughout the whole day until lunch, when I finally gave up that he wasn't coming.

I was sitting all alone at our table , staring down at my yogurt, when I heard the chair next to me be pulled back.

"Aiden, you're here!" I shouted in joy.

He sat down, throwing his bag on the table. He didn't appear to be in a good mood.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah I'm here," he said.

"What's a matter? Did you have to go to the dentist?" I teased. Aiden hated the dentist, with a passion. It was something that I frequently mocked him about.

He looked down, his face bitter, "No, I had a run in with my dad."

I was confused for a moment, "Your dad? But I thought you haven't talked to him since—"

"Yeah, he called last night at 9:00. Apparently, he's back in the area and wanted to meet with me, so I met him at the park this morning."

I didn't know how to react. Was Aiden upset or happy about this? "Um, how did it go, I guess?"

He scoffed, "As I expected it too. He said he was sorry for not contacting me or calling me, but he wants to make it up to me now. I just screamed at him and ran and left him at the park. I called my mother to come pick me up and she drove me to school."

"Oh, so it went badly?"

"Of course it did, but what did he expect after cheating on my mother for three years and not even giving a damn about us enough to stick around or even call to see how we were managing?!" His voice was rising now, and I could see people in the café start to turn around and stare at us. Aiden's father was a touchy subject for him, but who could blame him? Who would ever forgive their father for something so horrible? "Anyway, I have to meet him again, this afternoon. My mom's making me. She said even though she no longer can have a relationship with him, she doesn't want to jeopardize our relationship, but what does either one of us care?"

"I'm sure your mom just wants to fix things, even though it seems like she can't," was all I said back.

"Yeah, well, whatever. Nothing will change what he did." And with that, Aiden took out his lunch and began to eat it.

I studied him while he ate, seeing the hardness in his face. Soon, it began to crack a smile and my Aiden was back. I looked at his eyes, seeing the deep blue in them dance in the light. I had really never noticed before, but Aiden was attractive. He wasn't the amazingly handsome type, but he was attractive in his young, gangly self ways. Just by the way his chestnut hair flowed, the way his eyes sparkled, and the movement of his pallid skin over his muscles and bones showed that in a few years, maybe when he gained a little more muscle tone and height, he would be like a modern day Prince Charming, a handsome prince in his own way, ready to ride off into the sunset with one special girl. I felt a pang of jealousy and envy for that one girl, but tried not to let it get to me.

I watched as his face made a cocky smile, and he said, "What are you staring at? Do I have something on my shirt or something?" I laughed and he laughed with me, as he brought out the sun on my dark, cloudy winter day. Slowly, but surely, I was swimming in deeper into Aiden's life.