Something Gained (USC Series Book #1)

chapter twenty

SOMETHING GAINED
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AIDAN

Fuck...

That kiss...

That kiss was something else...

I've kissed many people during my life. That's what being the number one playboy at your school does to you, but no, no other kiss compares to that one.

It's been three days since Halloween and I still can't stop thinking about it. And every time I think about it, poof, I look down and have a hard-on. So pretty much, the past three days I've had a constant hard-on. Go me.

Another thing. We haven't spoken since Halloween either.

I walk into my house, shaking off any leftover dirt from my shoes. From the foyer, I can hear voices coming from the kitchen. As far as I know, Holden and Kai are out at classes.

"Tyson?" I call out while I remove my shoes.

"In the kitchen," he calls back.

My sock-clad feet pad across the wooden floors and when I enter the kitchen, I'm a little shocked. "Lilly? What are you doing here?"

She laughs lightly. "Do I need a reason to see my favourite brother?''

I shake my head. "No, I just- I wasn't expecting you to come over. Don't you have school?"

"It's four o'clock. School's finished for the day," she informs me.

I walk up to her and give her a brief hug before walking over to the fridge and grabbing a water bottle. My eyes flick to Tyson where he is leaning against the counter, propping himself up by his arms, shirtless and in grey sweatpants.

"How's school, Lilly?" I ask.

"Eh." She shrugs. "Could be better. I applied to some colleges though."

"That's great! Which ones?" I ask, chugging down a sip of water.

"UCLA, NYU and USC."

I give her a proud smile. "Well... I hope you get into USC, 'cause I don't know what kind of trouble you are going to be getting into."

That earns me a dramatic eye roll. "I'm so bored. Wanna go somewhere?"

"Where do you want to go, Lilly?" Tyson speaks for the first time during this conversation. He raises an eyebrow at her.

"The carnival. There's this one downtown for Halloween and tonight is the last time to visit it. I heard some girls at school talking about it," she suggests.

I turn towards Tyson. He is staring right at Lilly with a bright smile. "Sure," he agrees. "We'd have to wait until Holden and Malachi get home though because they probably want to go."

Both Lilly and I nod.

"Oh, Aidan. You should invite Brooklynn. She—"

I interrupt Lilly, hurriedly. "Or how about we just watch a movie at home instead?"

Way to be inconspicuous, Aidan.

Lilly's eyes widen. "Um, why?"

I shake my head. "No reason."

"Okay," Lilly says warily, narrowing her eyes at me. "We'll just watch a movie then."

I already know that when Brooklynn and I see each other, it will be awkward. I all but ruined our friendship the second I asked if she wanted me to kiss her. Not that I regret it. I had been wanting to kiss her since Malibu.