The Best Years: Year One, Part Two

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Elizabeth and Aspen? Seriously?

My face was twisted, tortured, and confused. I could feel my eyebrows furrowed and mouth in state of shock.

Aspen was quiet, timid almost, and stuck in a permanent state of guilt - least it always looked like that when I would catch him alone starring into nothing. I always felt my heart sink with empathy for him. But now this? This was a completely different person's actions. Same as the day we were in his room. He had this fleeting moments of bravery I couldn't understand.

Caden was starring at me as I connected all the dots, "Do you have something to say Layla?"

I licked my lips and shook my head but he answered anyways like he was reading my mind, "Aspen is Jekyll and Hyde. With alcohol he's himself without any he's still post car wreck."

I asked a dumb question, "Why doesn't he stay sober than like Oliver?"

Caden scuffed like it was the worst suggestion he ever heard, "Because why would you wanna be anyone else but yourself? We take care of him. Last night was an over sight."

Oliver seemed zoned out in a battle of conflict when Caden slapped his arm, "You gotta let it go man. It's Aspen. You know how it is."

I felt on the outside of their conversation. Oliver was tense and trying to not let it build up to be something worse. And Caden was making it seem like a child's mistake. A cookie before dinner when Elizabeth was far more than a cookie.

Caden change the topic but I still saw his eyes analyze Oliver's demeanor, "Layla, you going back to Florida for the holidays?"

I shook my head yes not wanting to explain the contrast between my life here and back home. I was really just B's travel companion. I had no reason to go back home and my mom would most likely be working anyways.

I hadn't given it much thought, the holiday break. The people I've met here were distracting to say the least. I would be home almost three weeks. It's odd to start somewhere new and suddenly get time off. I felt like I hadn't deserved it yet.

Oliver walked away going up stairs without a word. Caden waited long enough to know he wasn't coming back down before he went back to his video games jumping over the couch and landing hard on his ass. I stood in the kitchen trying to push the worry out of my head as I ate my bagel breaking off pieces to dip in the cream cheese cup.

I hung out with Caden but I didn't get any information I didn't have before. I really just sat on the opposite end of the couch watching him use his whole body shooting zombies. If I kept observing I would eventually figure out what we meant by implying he wasn't innocent either.

Elizabeth cheated on her SATs.

Aspen drove drunk and got into a car accident.

Oliver went to rehab.

Where did that leave Caden and Hayley? Friends by proxy? Did the sins feed off each other, bringing them together? Did they find their counterparts with similarities and friendship grew from there?

It made me quickly think of meeting B at daycare when we were really too young to remember the details. We really didn't choose each other but life kept us together all these years later.

Hours later I went upstairs quietly trying to look around every corner in advance. I didn't wanna disturb him but I needed my jeans, my dorm key card was in there and I wasn't about to text Elizabeth to let me in. I pushed the door open slightly seeing him at the desk with papers in front of him. I snagged my clothes off the floor where I left them hoping he'd ignore me and I could make a smooth getaway.