The Certainty (Book Four in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

Bad News and Ever Worse News

I put on my jacket and pulled out my phone. I checked the time and it was about lunch time. I headed out and to the dinning hall. My appetite wasn’t what it used to be. I opened the door and walked in. Sophie was sitting alone at our table and I couldn’t help but smile. It was rare that I could catch my best friend alone.

I slid into the seat next to her and put my head down.

“That bad huh?” she asked, highlighting something in her textbook.

“They asked about Aidan.”

I turned my head to look at her. Her eyes stayed on the book.

“You knew that was a possibility.”

“They asked about the depression.”

Her eyes flicked over to me then, highlighter still in her hand.

“What exactly did they ask?”

“They wanted to know why I was in therapy.”

She put the highlighter down. “Gee, I’m sorry.”

“I’m starting to think this whole thing is stupid.”

“What does Michael say?”

“He said they were going to tear apart all my decisions whether I like it or not. By the way he was talking they’re all going to do it.”

“Oh wow, I’m sorry.”

I sat up. “I guess it’s my fault. I got involved with the school playboy, what else was I to expect?”

“Gee…” Sophie sighed. “You and I both know it was more than that.”

I looked at her. “Not you too.”

She eyed me closely. “I’m not his biggest fan. But we were all friends for years before you started dating. He couldn’t have faked it for that long.”

“Apparently he did. You didn’t see the look on his face when he said those things to me. It was the same face he used to dismiss the legions of girls on this campus.”

“I’m not going to argue with you. Mark told me he sent you a birthday gift. What was it?”

“Nothing of importance.”

She sighed. I knew what she was getting at. If Aidan didn’t care, he wouldn’t have sent anything for my birthday. But he did. I figured if I remained indifferent about the whole thing then maybe, just maybe, the whole situation would disappear.

“He didn’t care, Soph. I know that may be hard for you and Mark to believe but he didn’t, not about me.”

“I’ve talked to him, you know.” I gave her that look. “Don’t. He’s my friend too.”

“He’s not my friend. At this point he’s a distant memory.”

“He asks about you, every week.”

I banged my head on the table. “I’m sure he does.”

“Gee…”

I looked at her. “He’s in New York, Sophie. He’ll forget about all of us by graduation. Everyone will be scattered to the winds and then he’ll forget. If he hasn’t already.”

“Do you really think that? He called and sent you a text everyday since you got back here.”

“He stopped,” I commented. “Last week.”

“That’s because you didn’t answer the phone.”

“I figure if I don’t answer he’ll get the message. I’m not interested in his olive branch of friendship. I don’t want anything, anything to do with him, Sophie. I mean it.”