A Summer's Secret

☼Chapter 15

15. 

                           Emerald's house stood right across Aiden's house. That would raise the question as to why my best friend hates Aiden Walker so bad. If the answer had something to do with me and the accident, then that would be partially incorrect as their dispute, or in this case Emerald's long time displeasure with Aiden, started a long time ago.

Emerald used to have a complete family. She used to have a mother who shared the same vibrant curls and headstrong personality. They used to be happy, or so that' s what she said. I remembered this story when she shared it a few years ago, when Aiden used to be just a face in a crowd of schoolmates. I swear I didn't speak to him back then since we didn't share the same classes, as far as I could recall.

So the story goes like this. When the Delaneys moved to Aiden's block, they were warmly welcomed by the Walkers. Their families became best friends soon after. Aiden's mom would bring pumpkin pie on thanksgiving and for Hannukah,Emerald's mom would share their Latkes, even though the Walkers aren't Jewish. 

Turns out, not only did friendship grow among the two families, Romance started to blossom as well. One night, Emerald heard her parents fighting. They never fought like that before, so she felt scared as any other eight year old would feel a that time. She heard the door slam and so she rushed downstairs, unable to bear it anymore.

What she saw was heartbreaking, her father crying on his knees and her mother no where to be seen. She went out of the house just in time to see her mother dragging a suitcase and about to get in a car. She called for her, tears streaming down her face, but her mother just turned around and mouthed, 'I love you,' before finally getting in and driving away with another man.

Emerald looked up to see Aiden Walker's face looking out from his own window. Her mother drove off with Mr. Walker, Aiden's dad. 

She didn't mean to hate him, but everytime she sees him she remembers the night she lost her mother.

"I missed hanging out here," I finally said as I settled for the purple bean bag lying around on the floor. Emerald's place was like a second home to me but I know I can't stay here. I don't want to add to their burden. 

"I missed having you here," Emerald replied, "who would've thought that Walker would be the one to wake me up."

I smiled,"he's not so bad," I muttered, "I mean, he risked being killed just so he could convince you to talk to me."

Emerald laughed,"I slapped him by the way so don't assume he didn't get away with nothing," she said as she sat on her bed making it bounce as her weight made contact with it, "but he was right, I was being immature and childish."

"What matters is that we're okay now," I said and gave her a smile. I seriously missed talking to her. 

"Right." Emerald craned her neck to look out of her window, "you know he really looks lonely."

"Who looks lonely?" I replied as I stood up and looked out the window as well. What I saw was Aiden Walker sitting on the curb, staring at something distant. He really looked beautiful in his natural state, just calm and surreal. 

"Don't just stand there," Emerald said from behind me, "I know you want to talk to him."

"No, I don't. I'm just looking." I turned around to see Emerald raising her brow at me.

~

I didn't know what got to me, I went out of Emerald's house, approached him and just burst it out right then and there.

"Hi, wanna go on a walk?"

Aiden looked stumped, he clearly didn't expect that, well he wasn't the only one.