Stuck with You - Alexandra Moody Page 0,43

part, it felt like I was playing with frozen thumbs. They were slow, and my movements were sluggish. I was useless, and my character kept getting overwhelmed by the attacking zombies. Nine-year-old Clary would have been so disappointed in me. It was fun playing a new version of a game I used to love so much though.

After a couple of hours, I placed my controller down, in desperate need of a break. “I think I’m going to call it for the day.”

Elliot’s shoulders slouched in disappointment. He looked like he was only just getting started. Meanwhile, my eyes felt like they were fuzzing over and my hand was cramping up from playing. I didn’t have Elliot’s gaming stamina.

“Thanks for inviting me to play with you. It was just the distraction I needed.”

Elliot’s expression warmed as he smiled at me. “You can play with me any time.”

“Thanks.” I returned his smile.

As I left his room, easing the door shut behind me, a cough sounded in the hallway. I spun around to find Aiden standing there. His expression was gentle as he looked at me, and I had a bad feeling he was going to bring up my parents.

The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk though. “Please tell me you’re not sneaking out from my brother’s room,” he said.

“I’m not sneaking…”

“But you don’t deny you were in there?”

“Well, of course not.” Irritation flared through me. I had no idea why he was grilling me with questions. But at least I could be grateful he wasn’t asking how I felt about my parents’ situation.

“You haven’t finally agreed to become his lockdown girlfriend, have you?”

“What?” I practically choked on the word.

Aiden’s smirk broadened. “His lockdown girlfriend,” he repeated. “You know, a romantic female companion to help him get through these terrible days.”

“I know what a girlfriend is.”

“Well, that’s a relief. I’m just surprised you’d go for someone so much younger than you…”

I shook my head, trying to dislodge this insane conversation from my brain. “I’m not dating your twelve-year-old brother.”

“You can tell me. I mean, it’s odd, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I’m not dating your brother!”

My fingers itched to slap the annoying smile from his face. I wasn’t normally a violent person—unless it involved killing zombies in video games, but Aiden certainly knew how to bring out that side of me.

Aiden shrugged, but his smile was devious. “Okay, if you insist.”

He turned to walk away from me, leaving me in a state of total frustration. He stopped when he reached the bottom of the staircase and glanced back at me though. His expression had completely changed, and a flicker of sorrow had entered his eyes. “And Clary? I’m sorry your parents can’t get home. If you ever need to talk, I’m here.”

I slowly nodded, and he shared a genuine smile with me before disappearing up the stairs without another word. I stood there staring after him in shock. The whole interaction had been completely confusing. But the most bizarre part was the way I felt as I watched him go. I didn’t know whether I wanted to hit Aiden or hug him.

12

Aiden

It was nearly midday, and Clary still hadn’t emerged from her room. She’d been in there since she’d finished playing video games with Elliot yesterday afternoon, and I was growing worried. It was times like these I wished my mom were around more often. I felt like she’d know what to do to cheer Clary up.

Unfortunately, Mom was pulling another extended stint at the hospital today, and asking Elliot to play video games with Clary again was also off the cards. He’d been happy enough to spend time with her yesterday, but now he insisted it was eating into his “precious” gaming time. I considered trying to convince him, but since he’d already spent a whole afternoon with Clary, I felt bad pushing him. The smile on Clary’s face when she’d left Elliot’s room yesterday had me tempted though.

When we were kids, she loved playing video games. She used to wear T-shirts with funny gaming slogans or pictures of her favorite characters on the front to school. She was so different from the other girls in our class. It was part of the reason I’d started crushing on her in the first place. Clary wasn’t like everyone else. She never had been.

Since Mom and Elliot weren’t an option today, it was up to me to keep Clary company. I was the last person she’d want to spend time with,