Between Us (all of us #1)

T W E N T Y N I N E

T R E N T O N

I can't say I didn't know Aubree would be the one that'd drive a knife through my heart and twist it until it's drained dry. I knew that the moment I first looked at her.

I can't say I didn't know I'd fall for her as hard as I did, because I knew that the first time we kissed.

I can't say I didn't know I'd be okay with it all as long as she gave me a chance to really know her, even if it was short. What I didn't know was how low I'd feel when I heard her say she'd never choose me, even though I already knew that too. The pain is unbearable, and I finally get it.

I get why my parents acted like maniacs when they were going through their divorce, I get why Mom is always so miserable. She always loved Dad so much more and she was the one he never chose.

Diesel hasn't talked to me since we fought and it sucks, but I wouldn't have it any other way. He won't be my friend if I have her and I won't sneak around behind his back again just to have her back. I'd rather have nothing if I can't have both.

He glares at me every time we cross paths at work and I have to find time to hang out with Gio when he isn't with him, which leaves me alone most times. But I've fixed that by taking up more hours at work, even going as far as to work a few hours overtime just to keep busy. It tires me out so much that I knock out as soon as I get home, which is good because then I don't have much time to think.

Except for today, when my boss forced me to take a day off after I tried working three weeks straight before he caught me. He said he'd love to let me continue working, but doesn't want to get into any legal trouble because of it, so now I'm in my room with all the lights out, watching true crime stories on my phone.

"Trenton?" Mom's voice speaks closely to the door.

I pause the screen on the mugshot of a man who'd murdered his whole family for no apparent reason. "Yeah, Mom?"

She forcefully opens the door before flipping the light on, and then she stares at me pitifully in a way that makes me pull my blanket over my face.

She snatches it off of me as she sits down on my bed. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing. Just enjoying my day off."

She blinks at me like she knows more than she wants to let on. "I wasn't born yesterday. What's eating you?"

I sit up, swinging my feet off the bed and locking my phone before running my hands through my hair. "Nothing, Mom. I swear." I smile at her and it feels like my face is going to crack.

She exhales, crossing her arms over her chest. I know she doesn't want to let this go. I've been plainly moping around the house for about a month now. I'm here but not here. They only ever really see me in the dark because I leave early in the morning and come home late at night.

"You've lost weight, Trenton."

I look down at myself. My stomach's a little thinner, but I feel like my muscle tone is only more prominent from working so hard.

A sudden thought prompts me to stand up and go over to my backpack. I pull out a wad of cash and count out eight hundreds to hand to her.

"What's this?"

"Rent—I don't know, whatever you need it for."

"We already talked about this, son." She shakes her head. "You've helped me back on my feet and I thank you, but now it's time for you to start saving your money."

My hand recoils and I return the money to the stack of bills.

She stands up in front of me. "You work so hard and you've really proven yourself to be such a mature young man, Trenton. I'm so proud of you." Her hand drops on my forearm. "I think it's time you started looking for a place of your own. I've tried to keep you here too long and that was wrong of me. I've burdened you for the past five years over my finances and I don't want you to worry about me and your sister anymore, you clearly aren't happy here. If you need to go, then go."