New Years Day

Chapter Twelve: In which his eyes are therefore FIXED (Aiden's pov)

When Aru and Kara came in his apartment, the first thing Aiden noticed was how self conscious she was around Kara. She seemed so uncomfortable, despite it being her planning her 21st birthday, which was only in ten days.  

As they talked, he noticed Aru occasionally glancing at him and his phone, which was being blown up with more and more texts from his dad by day. When his father had started with them, Aiden made the mistake to plead and respond.

Now he realized if he doesn't respond, his father can't say anything.

So there he was, sitting and leaving Dhruv Acharya on read.

Evil, but Dhruv was eviller. (is that a word?)

Proving his point, his eyes caught on a message.

You're barely even a son to me right now.

Aiden stood up, sighing. "Guys, I need a breather. Imma get some snacks in the kitchen."

Kara jumped up. "I'll come and help you." His gaze flitted to Aru, hoping she'd come too but she was really preoccupied with the floor.

They went outside and Kara looked through his pantry. She took out a bag of chips and avocados.

"Chips and guac?" She asked him. He nodded. "Sure."

They started making the guac when Kara striked up a conversation.

"Did you know the word guacamole and avocado both originate from the Nahuatl, a language spoken by the Nahua people?"

He smiled at her. "That's cool." He started dicing the onions and tomatoes.

"What do you think of Aru?" She asked, mashing up the avocado in a separate bowl.

He stopped. She's kind, and pretty, and funny, and makes me feel all warm, and she makes me smile.

"Why?"

"Just asking."

"Well, she's really sweet. And chaotic. It concerns me."

Kara laughed. Aru would've either taken it as a compliment or chased him around with a spoon covered in cayenne pepper (for the guac) and tried to stick it in his eyeballs. Ah. The fun.

He finished cutting up the vegetables and came back inside his room with Kara, where Aru was sitting on his bed, but his phone was a little out of place.

"We made guac and chips!" Kara said happily. Aiden couldn't really pay attention to Kara in that moment because Aru's face and eyes were red, and looked like they had been swiped at quickly. It was covered up well, but he knew that face. It was the one he'd give his mother when he'd spend his nights silently crying while his mother was stressed about the divorce case and his father would be on the phone, screaming at her over a call. He looked at her, confused.

What had happened to her? Was she okay?

Later that day, a call from his mother came in. 

"Ace-Cakes! How's college going so far? Your last ever semester of school!"

Aiden grinned at her. "It's going well." He looked at his mother, worry hinted on his expression. Her dark eyebags were highlighted, and she looked tired. Sad.

"I need to talk to you about something beta."

What was happening?

She sighed. "Your father's filing for mediation. He wants a lot of money from me." She looked at him, seeming afraid for what he might respond with.