Always

eight

KYLER

I wasn't surprised when Aiden came banging on my door at the ass-crack of dawn the next morning. I forced a monotonous expression as Mom let him in, trying--and failing--to hide her annoyance. I could tell even he was holding back his laughter at that.

He reached my bedroom before I did, flopping down onto his stomach in the middle of my bed.

"You know, I always thought that what people said about forgetting their friends once they get in a relationship was plain bullshit but damn, you really proved them right." He mumbled into the pillow.

I rolled my eyes, grabbing a pillow from the floor and smacking him with it. "Shut up."

He leaned up on his elbows, raising his eyebrows at me. "So you're denying the fact that you ditched hanging out with Sam and me last night just to take your girl out."

I groaned, falling back onto my desk chair. "I didn't ditch you. I already told you I wasn't in the mood to drink." I paused, my gaze flickering to the window for just a millisecond. "And she's not my girl."

"Not yet." He pointed, laughing when I flipped him off.

"She's just a friend." My heart warmed at the thought. A friend. I liked that. Shifting in my seat so I was straddling my chair, I eyed him carefully. "How come you're not hungover. It's-" I looked at the clock, "-seven in the fucking morning."

"After you decided to ditch us," he shot me a look before stuffing his face in the pillow again, "Sam said she didn't want to get drunk without you. And I didn't want to get drunk alone."

I chuckled at that. Sam's all-or-none strategy usually got me into doing everything she wanted simply because I felt bad that they'd cancel if I wasn't there. But last night, I simply couldn't budge.

We fell into silence and I found my eyes drifting back to the window. The curtains were drawn. I didn't have it in me to draw them back this morning.

My hands itched to grab my phone and call her. I doubted she was asleep. She was probably finishing one of those novels she had grabbed yesterday or writing in that journal I had seen her carry around in school. She might even be finishing off some school work. A smile found its way to my face.

"Are you going to hang out with her again?" My gaze snapped back to Aiden. He was sitting up now, staring at the spot where I had just been staring. He didn't seem angry that I had ditched them last night, and I knew he wouldn't mind if I did it again.

"Yeah." I found myself answering, although I wasn't sure. I wanted to spend the day with her again. It was Saturday. She didn't have any classes but she might just have plans with someone else. And wouldn't it be too overwhelming for her if I dragged her to hang with me just a few hours after our previous hang out. "But I don't know."

"Stop overthinking it." He narrowed his eyes at me before letting out a sigh. "Don't start doubting yourself over a girl, Kyler. It's not worth it."

"I'm not-" I started but the knowing look he shot towards me made me clamp my lips shut.

"You want her to like you." It wasn't a question. "And she will. Don't push yourself so much."

I turned back to the window, my mind whirring and I realised that he was right.

I just wanted her to like me.

***

me: are you up?

luna: yes.

me: let's go somewhere.

The three dots appeared momentarily and I held my breath, waiting for her answer. It was just about one in the morning, clearly an odd time to be asking someone to go somewhere with you. I chewed on my bottom lip, hoping she wouldn't be creeped out.