Believe it or not | Aaron Hotchner

four

July 16th, 1987

                                chapter 4

It's the summer between sophomore and junior year, Aaron and Haley have been dating for a few months now, they've both been distancing themselves from me a little bit, am I seriously about to lose both my closest friends to each other?

Looks like I'm about to find out, I just got my license, but Aaron's had his for a while, our families take vacation together every year, usually we do Aaron and I drive with our moms, and Sean and Jack drive with our dads, it's about a 6 hour car ride but we make it fun.

This year we changed it up though, Aaron was driving, I was riding shotgun, and Sean and Jack were in the back, our parents took their own car.

"So, where are we stopping this year?" Aaron asked. Every year since we leave so early, we stop every year for lunch, which always happens to be about half way through the trip.

"I say cookout" Sean said

"You say cookout every year" Aaron said

"Yeah because cookouts fucking amazing" Sean said

"I have no issue with cookout" I said

"Now you'll agree cause Emily-Anne did" Sean said

"I never said no to cookout" Aaron said.

"So cookout?" Jack said.

"Yeah" Aaron said

chapter 4
We had already stopped for lunch at cookout, like every other year I'll add. Plus the fact that it was great to see Emily-Anne again. I haven't seen her much, she got busy with sports, and I backed away a little bit because Haley was getting jealous, and nervous that I was gonna leave her, even though she understands Emily-Anne and I'd friendship.

I'll admit it Ive gotten the feeling that Emily-Anne's been avoiding me, so luckily our brothers who are like dogs who eat and then sleep for 8 hours straight, it gives me the perfect opportunity to finally talk to her. The good thing is Emily-Anne cant hide anything from me, she's never been able too, even if she can I always manage to get it out of her after a little bit, she's never been good at hiding things from me, I guess I should be grateful for that though.

"So...how's it going with Haley?" She asked after she checked that Jack and Sean were asleep.

"Pretty good actually" I said. So that's what it is, Haley, should've seen that one coming I did kinda leave her high and dry.

"Okay, out with it, what's been bugging you the past couple weeks" I said, I obviously know that it's something to do with Haley, just, which part is the current question.

"What?" She said with a laugh.

"Come on Emmy, I can tell when somethings up, just because I haven't been around as much doesn't mean I still can't read you as good as I could months ago" I said, immediately realizing how much of an ass Ive been lately. She never would let a boyfriend come between us, I mean shit she would end it with a guy if he didn't understand our relationship.

"Aar, I promise there's nothing up, everything's just been uneventful, I go to practice, sometimes a game, I get home, do the AP summer assignment and crash, nothings up" She said. She knows she's gonna have to try harder then that to convince me she's okay right?

"Aar you're not good at hiding when your gears are turning" She said, thats the downfall to this girl, as good as I know her, she knows me just as well.