A Season of Firsts

Chapter 2 - Hooked

Before December 31st

AIDEN

My mom always says that I'm too curious. I think she means to say it's a flaw of mine, but in my own opinion, it can be beneficial. Knowledge is power, isn't it? And if I'm going to get Emma interested, I should at least know something about her past so that I can use it. Girls like boys to be resourceful, and sensitive to the things they deal with and have dealt with in their life. All of this makes sense to me as I mull it over in my mind and watch the clock on the wall of the classroom. School is almost over for the day, so my investigation will have to wait till tomorrow, since I'll need Garth's help.

Unless...

I haven't had Garth over to my house yet, but today is as good a day as any. I don't know of anyone else who can help me out and answer the few questions I have anyway.

When I get home, mom is cooking and dad is still at work. My mom is a writer, and she works from home. My dad is a paediatrician and more than once I've had the suspicion that he loves his job more than anything, even us. He's not bad, and I can say with a clear conscience that I love him, which is actually more than a lot of kids can say in the world today. I do love him. I just don't understand him.

"Hi, mom. Is it okay if a friend comes over for dinner?"

She raises an eyebrow. "Is it a girl?"

"Mom."

She smiles slyly. "Sure. As long as no homework is left undone."

I grab an apple and head upstairs. Inside my room, I chuck my backpack in a corner and sit down at my desk. I turn on my laptop and as soon as it's done starting up, I search Emma's full name on Facebook. Her profile picture is a full body shot of her and another girl with dark hair who is much shorter at a pool party. I study her appearance. I had already forgotten how stunning she was. I send her a friend request, take a bite of my apple and take my phone out of my pocket to text Garth.

He texts back that he'll be over in fifteen minutes.

I continue to scroll through her pictures. There's one where she's standing in front of a birthday cake, a smile on her face. I notice that somehow the smile doesn't reach her eyes, and that the same dark haired girl is next to her. In another picture, she's a-frame hugging a tall blond boy. I feel a small wave of jealousy pass over me right on cue. Or, at least, I think it's jealousy, even though I hardly know this girl.

There's a loud knock at my door that makes me jump. I close the tab on the computer and before I'm able to say 'Come in', my little sister bursts into the room.

I sigh at the sight of her, long red ringlets framing a face as mischievous as an imp.
Stevie. She's nearly thirteen, full of nonsense, stubbornness, and occasionally, sweetness. Right now, I'm not feeling the sweetness vibe.

"What. Have I said. About bursting in." I growl.

She smiles a smile stickier than honey and prances over to me. "What are you doing?"

Her hand moves to the mouse to click on recently closed tabs, and I grab it. Did I mention she's also kind of nosy? "I think it's time for you to get out, freckles," I say, using the nickname I know she hates, as I snatch her other hand and pin both of her arms behind her back.

"Okay, okay!" she squeals and twists in my grip. "I just wanted to tell you that your weird friend is here."

I let go of her. "Couldn't you have told me that sooner?" She giggles and pirouettes out of the door.

I sigh and start downstairs to find Garth. He's waiting in the living room looking slightly awkward, while my mom hovers over him, spewing polite comments and questions in the voice she uses for new friends of mine.

"Mom..." I try to rescue Garth with a hidden hint in the tone of my voice.

"Oh Aiden, there you are, darling. I have some freshly baked cookies for you two. You are growing boys, after all." she smiles brightly, handing out a plate of heaped choc chip cookies to me, and I cringe a little.

"Thanks, mom." I take them from her and send an apologetic glance Garth's way. "We've got some...uh...homework to do, so we'll go now."

"Okay. Dinner is at seven, boys."

We get ourselves upstairs in a reasonably fast amount of time. Mom's enthusiasm is just her trying to be a good mom, but sometimes annoying.

Once inside my room again, I watch Garth take it in. It's pretty simple, honestly. A single bed in the corner, the walls painted dark grey, my hockey gear leaning against my desk and photo of my family on the desk next to my laptop are probably the most interesting features. It's usually kind of neat, since I can't take clutter. Unlike Stevie, whose pink room always ends up looking like a pink tornado again not long after she attempts to tidy it.

"Nice place," he says.

"Thanks." I stand back a little uncomfortably. I haven't brought anyone around since we moved, and I realize now that I was nervous about doing that.

"Your mom seems..." Garth begins, and I shoot him down with a look. I can't take it when people take jabs at my family, only I can do that. "Cool. She seems cool." he finishes safely.

I shrug. "Yeah, she is."

He glances at me in a funny way. "That's really all I was going to say. I mean it."

I relax a little. Huh, I think, this guy is more insightful than I thought. Which makes me glad that I have him a friend, and takes off a weight from my chest that I didn't know I was carrying. I guess I reckoned that the move would change a lot more things than it had, and knowing that it seemed I was going to be fine, that I was going to make friends and fit in, was a relief.

We munch cookies and chat about random, stupid things. I take my guitar out from under my bed and Garth reveals to me that he can play as well, and not half bad. After having a faux band rehearsal that ends in laughter because neither of us can sing, I bring up what's on my mind.

"So," I begin. "I have a plan."

"A plan?" Garth speaks through a mouthful of cookie.

"Yep. You remember we were talking about Emma Rayburn earlier?"

His expression turns cynical. Still chewing, he says, "Don't tell me you're thinking-"

"I am."