The Bully And His Quiet One

Chapter 28

Aiden's POV

I've decided that I want to officially meet Clarissa, I just need time. I went to my mom house mid February to tell her I just needed to take things in and gave her my number. She seemed pretty happy when I told her. It's now the beginning of April, the start of Spring Break. Besides the last  week things have been pretty normal since Christmas. Ryan and I have gotten really close as friends, as well as Alex and I. This past week or so has been a little off though. Ryan and Max have been fighting and Blake has been stuck in the middle of a lot of it. Blake has also been a little on edge and distant lately. He seems to be quiet. I texted him the other day asking if he wanted to go to dinner, and I got a "can't" back with no explanation like he normally will give. He's also been out late often with no word from him, when he usually tells me if he won't be home when I'm off work. I texted him at my break to let him know that I was planning to go to a BBQ at my moms house in a couple of days since he told me that he would go with if I ever go over there. I still haven't heard back from him.

Julie offered to pick me up today but I decided to walk home to clear my head. So I was getting home a little after seven instead of the 6:20 ish I'm normally home. I walked inside and Julie was sitting in the living room. "Hey. There's leftovers in the fridge."

"Thanks. I had a sandwich at the diner though. Is Blake home?"

"Yeah. He got back not too long ago." I nodded my head and went to walk upstairs. "Aiden." I turned to look back at Julie. "I see it too. Whatever is going on with him, I hope he snaps out of it soon as well. Just hang in there." I smiled at her and finished walking to the bedroom.

It looked like Blake was looking for something. Half the room was torn apart. "Hey." I called out and got no reply. "I texted you."

"Phone's dead."

"What are you looking for?" I asked as I stepped further into the room.

"Something."

"Blake, what's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Blake."

"For fuck's sake Aiden. I said nothing." The tone in his voice made me flinch.

"Please just talk to me."

"Fuck Aiden." He raised his voice, throwing the notebook he had picked up at the wall. The action sent my mind back into my dads house, the throwing of beer bottles that would fly just past my head. "NOTHING! I said nothing is going on! Now would you just get the FUCK OUT OF MY FACE!" My instincts told me to run, so that's what I did. I bolted down the stairs and out the front door. I could only hear the sound of my feet hitting the ground and my raised heartbeat pulsing in my ears. I didn't stop until I realized that I ran to the park, my safe haven for when I was living with my dad.

I slowed my feet and continued to walk around. Luckily I still had on the backpack that I take to work with a change of clothes, my charger, and earbuds. I plugged into some music and kept walking. About half an hour later I noticed that I wandered onto Ryan's street. I found his house and walked to the front door and knocked.

"Hey Aiden," Ryan answered.

"Hey. Is it okay if I crash here for a night or two?"

"Sure. My dad's on a work trip so it's just my mom and I around. Did something happen?"

"I guess you could say that." We walked up to his room as I explained everything that happened from the week.

"Yeah, I thought he was acting strange. But look, if Max and I were able to work through everything that just happened, then you and Blake can get through it. You two were meant to be with each other."