Aiden Harper

Sleepover

Aiden

After comforting Eden, I texted Diego to let him know I was having a sleepover with Eden, and he wasn't invited. Diego told me I sucked at cuddling. I told him to cuddle with his girlfriend and not forget the raincoat.

Since I didn't want Eden to leave, I gave her a pair of my sweats and a tee shirt to wear. She changed in the bathroom while I pulled food out to make. She returned dressed in my clothes and slid onto a stool at the counter. "Your clothes are a little big on me," she said.

"Yeah, but they look good on you." I worked on the food.

"I didn't know you knew how to cook."

"Uncle Ryden taught me since my parents can't cook unless you count frozen dinners. I prefer not to starve."

"How did you survive if your parents didn't know how to cook?"

I browned the hamburger before adding sauce to it. "They knew the basics of preparing a bottle. Since baby food comes in a jar, that was helpful. They can make sandwiches. But as for cooking, that's a no."

I added olive oil to the boiling water and stirred before adding the pasta. "We might as well get the elephant out of the room so we can enjoy our night."

"What elephant?" Eden played with her fingers.

I glanced at Eden. "Wayne."

"Oh." She made an o with her mouth. "Why do you want to hear about my ex?"

"So, I know what not to do." I smiled slightly.

"I met Wayne in high school when I was sixteen. We started just talking. Three months later, he asked me out."

"Did you introduce him to your family?"

"Yeah, but I spent more time at his house. I didn't want my family to taint what I had with Wayne and turn him against me. It worked until my parents demanded I appear at their dinner parties. Either I show up, or they cut off my financial aid for school. Mia never got the ultimatum." Eden's lips turned downward.

I started piecing together the turn of events with Mia from the information Eden provided. "Did you and your sister ever get along?"

"We did when we were little until I started school. Mia would tattle on me about everything. I didn't do anything wrong. She did. But she would blame me."

"And your parents believed her?"

"I was older. It was my job as the older sibling to help Mia. I was five. Mia would do things she wasn't supposed to, like touch a hot stove or play with sharp objects. I got blamed for that, too. She cut her hair and said I gave her a haircut."

"Damn, your sister was a bitch at three."

Eden nodded. "I tried to treat Mia well. But it was hard when I got punished, and she got rewarded. Eventually, my parents would spoil her while I got scraps. Whatever toy I got, I had to hand it over to Mia because she liked my toys better. Does that sound fair to you?"

I shook my head. "Your sister is a spoiled bitch."

"No shit."

I chuckled. "But you have something she doesn't."

"What's that?"

"Me." The corner of my mouth kicked up as Eden smiled. I drained the pasta and plated it before covering it with meat sauce. I placed two plates on the counter and sat beside Eden.

"I'm sorry," she said in between bites.

"About what?"

"Having doubts about you. It's not fair to you that I push my insecurities onto you."