In the shadows, under the bleachers

Chapter 25

Turns out his aunt Lucy and I could meet sooner rather than later. Will his aunt Lucy and I decided to meet up at a small cafe, and Mark invited himself along.

"Did you have to tag along?" Will asked stopping at a red light before turning to him.

Mark just shrugged, "What? I wanted to see her again is there something wrong with that?" Will didn't say anything and just turned back to the road as the light turned green, "Uh-huh that's what I thought."

"Don't be an asshole Mark." I suddenly said.

He glanced to the back seat, "I'm not being an asshole Aiden," He slightly nudged Will who rolled his eyes but nodded, "This is just our dynamic," He gestured between them, "Isn't that right Will?"

"Yeah, it is." Will replied pulling into a parking spot.

"See what I mean Aiden? It's just our dynamic."

The three of us go out and Mark practically glued himself to Will. Mark started nudging him, pulling his head down, and overall just fucking with him.

"You're pissing me off," Will warned.

Mark faked a gasp, "Me? How I'm a literal angel." I saw him clutch a hand over his chest.

"Angel of what? Being a nuisance?"

"Wow what a low blow, I thought you loved me." He sighed dramatically.

"I do," Will said flatly, "But right now you're acting like an annoying younger sibling who's a pain in my ass so cut it out."

Mark wrapped an arm around Will's neck and pulled it down, "Want to say that again?" Mark let Will lift his head.

It was Will's turn to fake a gasp "I thought you were an angel baby." Will smirked.

Mark's face went a light shade of pink looking momentarily dazed, "Oh, you little shit." The two of them continued going back and forth until we made it to the front door. I cut past them holding onto the door handle.

"Will you two cut it out?" I whispered under my breath before opening the door making sure to hold it open.

All of a sudden the two snapped out of it and quietly walked inside.

__

"There you are Will." A woman, who I assumed was his aunt Lucy stood up and embraced him in a hug. She looked almost identical to him. She had her hair in a tight bun and was wearing a simple white dress.

"Hey aunt Lucy, how are you? Will asked after the two of them stopped hugging.

She smiled. Even there smiles looked identical, scarily so, "I'm okay Will." He smiled and all of a sudden her gaze shifted from Will to me and she grinned like a maniac. She pushed Will out of her way and used both of her hands to lift my face.

"Hey." Will said but she ignored him and focused solely on me as she continued feeling my face. So this family is very touchy-feely, got it.

"So you're Aiden." She murmured in awe. I just stood there awkwardly.

"That's me." I said, all of a suddenly she stopped feeling my face and backed away.

"I am so sorry, I didn't even ask you if you're okay with it." She gave herself a face palm, "Oh I'm sorry."

I smiled, "It's alright, I don't mind." I waved it off which seemed calmed her down.

"So have you ordered anything yet?" Will asked, she turned to him and nodded. She then turned back to me but noticed Mark instead.

"Mark," She beamed, "How are you?"

"I'm okay."

"That's nice," She looked around the cafe, "We should probably find a booth." Once the four of us found a booth that was in the back corner. Will and I sat next to each other and Mark and his aunt Lucy sat across from us.

"So Aiden," His aunt Lucy started, taking a sip of her coffee, she was grinning like maniac, "How did you two meet?"

"Mark actually introduced the two us."

She nodded, "And what was your first impression of him?" She drummed her fingers against her mug.

"I thought that he was nice and I liked him."

"And was he nice to you?" She wondered, Will glanced in her direction. She noticed but shrugged, unbothered by it. So being unbothered is just normal in this family.

"He was more than just nice." I smiled suddenly remembering our first meeting. Such a happy memory for me.

"Good, he would've been in trouble if he wasn't nice to such a sweet boy." I felt my face heat up.

"What do you mean I would've been in trouble?" Will asked.

She turned to him, "Well since he's such a nice boy," She motioned to me, "I would've gotten you in trouble especially knowing that he's your best friend's little brother." Will mouth fell open before he huffed and crossed his arms. Mark and I looked at each other and we burst out laughing.

"Now we know that Aunt Lucy will always keep you in check," Mark said and I slapped a hand over my mouth.

"Stop laughing you two, it's not funny," Will groaned, we were still laughing. "See what you did Aunt Lucy?"

"Well, in there defense," She motioned to us, "It is sort of funny Will."

His mouth fell open, "I can't believe this." He exclaimed.

"Anyway," Aunt Lucy started turning back to me, "Is there anything else I should know about you?"

"Well what do you know about me?"

"I know that you're Mark's younger brother, that you're seventeen, you're an artist and that your specialty is drawing people, you enjoy a good book. You have several music playlists that you listen to in order to block out the rest of the world." She briefly paused to take a sip of her coffee, "You like drinking lemonade because coffee is to bitter for you, you enjoy partying, and that you can get a little careless after drinking a bit to much, yet you have a high alcohol tolerance." Mark looked at me and I knew that I was in trouble, "Let's see, I also know that you like this popular burger spot." My eyes went wide. She knows all that? How much does Will tell her?

"Is that all?"

"I believe so."

"So basically everything about me?"

"It seems so."

I turned to Will, "Wow I didn't know that."

"Look, okay I might've told her a few things about you."

"And in the process you magically told her everything about him?" Mark asked.

For the rest of the night the four of us kept talking and aunt Lucy might've told Mark and I some embarrassing moments of Will's life which got him all embarrassed. Mark kept teasing him about it even as we made it back home. Everything was great, Mark and Will are back to being friends. Mark got himself a girlfriend. My parents are who knows where but I could care less. I have all the family I need right here with me. And to add the cherry on top Will and I are together.

"Reckless artist." Will whispered getting in the bed next to me.

"What is it sunshine?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." I smiled. Everything in my life was perfect.