Rich Prick – Tijan Page 0,51
He would leave. I wasn’t being dramatic. I was being realistic.
I wasn’t the girl for a happily ever after. I never had been. I’d always known that.
Happily ever afters were for girls who were, I don’t know, loveable—liked by people. They weren’t freaks. They didn’t have damage. They didn’t go camping alone for days, weeks, and one time a full month by themselves. They thought that was crazy and ridiculous.
When I woke from the accident, I hadn’t just mourned Owen. I’d mourned the life I’d thought maybe I had a chance at having. He died, and I knew my shot at being normal went with him. People left me, so whatever. I needed to deal with it.
Right?
Right.
Still, I was fully aware that I shouldn’t have been scared to call my older brother.
“Just do it, Aspen,” I said out loud. I could do this.
My hand shook, but I couldn’t keep going this way.
I hit his number and waited, sitting with my knees pressed against my chest at my desk. It wasn’t the most comfortable, but it helped me feel safer. I felt like disappearing.
“Hey!”
Oh my God, he answered.
“Nate?” I coughed, my voice coming out shaky.
“Yeah. Aspen? What’s up?” I could hear voices on his end, and then he cursed. “You haven’t called me in forever. Wait, is everyone okay? I just saw Mom and Dad. Are they—”
“No!” My hands were clammy. I hadn’t thought about him jumping to that scenario. “They’re still in LA—for work, I think. Or maybe they were staying for a benefit.”
“Oh.” He sounded relieved, and the noises behind him disappeared. His voice came back clearer, louder. “So what’s up? It’s not every day my little sis gives me a call.”
He sounded cheerful, like he meant it.
I cried with relief. Why had I been nervous? Nate had never been unkind to me. Ever.
“I…” Still shaky.
I was such a freak.
I coughed again. “I was just calling to call. You know. Um…” I picked at the edge of my desk. “Mom said you were in LA?”
“Yeah. I’m here visiting some people.”
Cool, cool.
So cool.
Um. . . “So, uh, are you still in Boston?”
His tone shifted, growing softer for some reason. “Yeah. I’m still in Boston. I’m living with a friend who’s in law school. You remember Mason Kade?”
“He’s not the one in law school.”
“No, no. I’m living with his brother, Logan. We were all in a house with Mase and Sam, but that didn’t last long.”
“The NFL guy and the runner?”
He laughed. “Yeah. Sam’s the runner.”
Mom was right. He did sound happy.
“You’re at Fallen Crest Academy now?”
“Uh-huh, yeah.”
“How’s that going for you?”
“It’s okay. I mean, we’re basically done for the year. I’m done for the year.”
“Right.” He grew quiet. “Owen would’ve graduated this Sunday. Right? Your guys’ graduation is the same as Roussou’s, isn’t it?”
I frowned. “How did you know that?”
“Know what?”
“When Roussou was graduating?”
“Some good friends of mine, Channing’s little sister goes to Roussou. She’s graduating this year. Actually, I’m coming back to Fallen Crest not this weekend but the next one. Heather’s throwing a party for Bren—”
“Bren?!” I jerked upright.
“Bren Monroe. Do you ever hang out at Manny’s? Her brother’s girlfriend is the owner.”
Bren.
Cross’ girlfriend.
Blaise’s brother’s girlfriend.
Bren, who had come to my defense at the gas station, who I had helped hide at a party one time. She was connected connected to my brother.
Did she know?
“Aspen?” Nate asked, his voice faint and soft again. “You still there?”
“Yeah.” My voice was raspy, and I hated it.
Why was this bothering me?
“Does she know you?” I asked.
“Who?”
“Bren.”
There was a moment of silence on his end.
“Do you know Bren?” he asked.
“Does she know you, Nate?” I whispered. “Please, just answer that.”
If Bren knew my brother when I barely did? That thought ripped me apart.
“No, Aspen.” He sounded alarmed. “Do you know Bren?”
Silence.
“Aspen?”
“Not really.” I barely got that out, sinking down in my chair. Could I disappear? I wanted to disappear.
“Why are you being weird about this?”
“No reason,” I said quickly.
Please let this go.
“I’m not getting a good feeling here. Why is that? What’s going on? Are you okay?” he asked. “You never call me. Mom said you’re doing great, but…” He cursed. “Mom and Dad are in LA this weekend?”
He already knew that.
“Owen would’ve graduated this year.”
His voice grated against my ears. He wasn’t getting it, and then I started to get it… Had Mom never told him?
I was supposed to graduate this year too.
I had been bumped up a year because my birthday was in late May. I was never too far