Minute by Minute

Chapter 6

"Be careful, answer your phone, listen to your brother, don't let Oscar drink and drive, and make sure to have fun."

"I will," I say as I pull out of my mother's embrace. "But are you sure you're gonna be ok here by yourself for the next three months?" I hate the idea of leaving her alone.

"Isla, I'm gonna be fine. Your dad will be checking up one me and keeping you updated and so will Emma's parents. Just enjoy yourself. And as much as you're doing it for Cassie, remember to do it for you." I sometimes wonder how she knows what to say and do to motivate me. I guess that's what mothers do.

I hear a car pull into our driveway and honk the horn. I grab my luggage, say bye to my mom, and head outside. I see Josh in the driver's seat and his bags in the passenger's seat which means I'm gonna have to sit in the backseat, with Aidan. I make my way over to the car and knock on the passenger window to get Josh's attention away from his phone. The sound makes him jump in his seat causing me to laugh. I point to trunk and he immediately unlocks it so that I could put my bags in. When I get in the car, Aidan looks to me and smiles.

"Hi," he says, scooting over to make room for me. "You look nice."

"Hi. Uh, thank you," I say looking down at the royal blue two-piece dress Naomi picked out for me when we went shopping last week.

Josh starts pulls out of my driveway and we head to Oscar's house. The car ride is silent, consisting mostly of Aidan and looking out the windows of the car and sharing occasional glances and smiles toward each other. Josh is the one to break the silence.

"So," he begins. "The two of you have known each other since you were kids. Isla, how come you never mentioned him before?"

"Well,..." I never mentioned him because I didn't think I would ever see him again and I didn't think mentioning the first boy I ever liked was a good conversation topic with my new step-brother. "By the time you and I met, Aidan had already been gone for a while and it never really came up in conversation."

Josh nods his head understandingly before speaking again. "Alright. Aidan, how about you man? Did you ever mention my sister when we first met and I just didn't know you were talking about her?" I turn to face Aidan and find him already facing me. His light brown don't leave my grey ones as he answers Josh.

"Uh, do you remember when I mentioned that girl I had feelings for before I left and that I came back for her?" Josh looks back at us from his rearview mirror as we reach our first stop sign. His eyebrows go up, telling Aidan to continue. "Well, that girl is your sister."

In that moment, I break our eye contact and turn toward the window to keep him from seeing the blush creeping onto my cheeks. He's really not making it easy to figure out what I feel for him. Right now I just want to grab him and kiss him, and I don't give a shit who sees it.

"Holy shit," says Josh, probably processing the fact that Aidan pretty much just told him he likes me. Wow. Aidan said he has feelings for me. "Isla," he begins, taking my attention away from the window to himself. "If you ever want to get with my homeboy, you've got my approval."

I hear a laugh escape Aidan's lips and I fight so hard to keep the same from happening to me but I can't help it. This is just too ridiculous. My laughter is for the most part died down when I say, "Your homeboy, huh? Sorry Josh but I think Aidan just lost points for that one," with a bit of sarcasm in my voice.

"Thanks Josh. You just ruined all my chances," Aidan says causing all three of us to burst into fits of laughter once again. This is gonna be a very long night.

..

Oscar's party started barely an hour ago and it's already wild. Beer pong in the backyard next to the pool, people eating pizza in the hot tub, sweaty bodies grinding against each other to the music in the living room, my friends playing pool in the game room while others play darts or foosball. Josh and Aidan join them at the pool table while I make my way to the kitchen to get a drink. Emma is sitting on the counter with a rum and coke in one hand and her phone in the other. She looks up and sees me walking towards the fridge to grab a beer.