Chapter 14
He practically shoved me into the hotel’s private lounge, the door slamming behind us with a final–sounding click.
Blocking the exit with his six–foot frame, Aiden towered over me, his perfectly tailored suit doing nothing to hide the tension in his shoulders. His voice shook with a mixture of anger and disbelief.
“Real mature, Brooklyn! Throwing away everything we planned just to spite me? Running off to Stanford? We had our whole future mapped out!”
I lifted my chin, finally finding the courage I’d spent all summer building. My voice came out steadier
than I felt.
“I’m allowed to have my own dreams. Why does my entire life have to revolve around your plans? God,
Aiden, do you even hear yourself?”
I took a deep breath and delivered the blow I’d been holding back: “And be honest – are you really angry
about broken promises, or because you’re losing your convenient backup girl?”
The color drained from his face. His perfect prep school composure cracked. “What’s that supposed to
mean? Jesus, Brooklyn… Don’t make it sound so… cheap. We’re adults. That night… that night was
mutual. Don’t tell me you’re still hung up on it?”
Humiliation burned in my chest, but I forced myself to meet his gaze. After all these years, I owed myself
that much.
“If you like Madison, just say it. I’m not pathetic enough to chase someone who doesn’t want me. But you knew exactly how I felt about you, and you watched me throw myself at you like some lovesick fool. Did you enjoy the ego boost? Having your childhood friend so desperately in love with you while you chased the popular girl?”
–
He still didn’t get it. That’s the thing about people like Aiden – they never understand that people don’t walk away until hope is completely dead.
Hit with the unvarnished truth, Aiden’s face flushed red. He stumbled back like I’d physically struck him, his back hitting the expensive wallpaper. “How can you… what are you even… you…” For once in his life,
the golden boy was speechless.
Finally, he straightened his tie – a nervous habit I’d watched him develop since his first Model UN conference. “We’ve known each other since third grade. We’re seniors now. Since you’ve chosen to throw away a decade of friendship, let’s not pretend anymore. Have fun in California.”
With that, he fled the hotel, leaving ten years of memories hanging in the air between us. The same way
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Seven Years of Love, Seven Minutes et Truth
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Chapter 14
he used to flee when we were kids and I beat him at Mario Kart – always running when things didn’t go
his way.
