Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
And then he saw something.
He would have thought it was the cruelest form of hallucination until beside him, Helios asked, “Did you invite her?”
Kellion started. She really was here then? “Jack?”
Helios swore. “So you did invite her?”
He shook his head. “Hell no.” This time, he felt it, a strangling kind of pain that consisted of fear and desperation. He excused himself from the stage, even more determined to look for Aria.
But Jack was suddenly there, blocking his way. She looked prettier than he remembered, but thinner, too, making him frown. “Jack.”
She smiled up at him, and for a moment Kellion could only gaze at his childhood friend, stunned. Bikers all around them were staring at Jack in rapt attention. It was normal, for Jack had always been extraordinarily beautiful, the kind that turned heads wherever she went.
What wasn’t normal? The fact that there was nothing in his heart that leapt into life at the sight of her smile.
Nothing.
He felt nothing.
That smile used to pack the strongest punch, but now it was just a smile, from one friend to another.
Looking at her, he almost wanted to thank Jack. If she had been the tiniest bit unfaithful to Eugene, if she had allowed herself to take advantage of Kellion’s feelings for her, who knew if he would still be free to love Aria now?
Clearing his throat, he asked, “Are you okay now?”
She nodded. “I heard from...Helios that you’re about to be President, so here I am.”
His eyes narrowed. Helios? And yet Helios himself had been stunned to see her here.
“Why,” he asked slowly, “are you lying?”
She touched his arm. “Kellion...” Her eyes turned pleading. “Can we...can we start over again?”
He gently but firmly took her hand away. Once, he would have given everything for her to touch him first. But not anymore. It no longer felt right. “Why are you here, Jack?”
Jack looked at him for a long time before saying sadly, “I’m too late, aren’t I?”
He shook his head. “It’s not that. It’s...”
Aria.
Desperation burned inside him. Something was fucking wrong, and until he found her, Kellion knew everything would feel wrong. He gazed around him wildly. Aria. Where the hell was she?
When Jack reached for his arm again, he had to control himself with an effort since his first instinct was to shake her off. He felt her press something into his palm then, making him frown. “Jack—-”
Jack said softly, “She told me to give this to you. It was her...surprise.”
Kellion whitened.
He almost didn’t want to read it, but he forced himself to.
Be happy.
Ah, fuck, fuck, fuck.
“You met her, didn’t you?” he asked hoarsely.
Jack nodded slowly, saying shakily, “She loved you very much.”
FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.
Her words made him want to kill himself. Even Jack had known how much Aria had loved him with just one look and yet he had been with her for so long, and he had taken her feelings for granted until it was too late.
Aria, where the hell are you?
He rode his bike to the club, turning it upside down in his search for her, but she wasn’t there. She wasn’t in her dorm either, wasn’t with any of her friends.
Aria, come back.
Aria, I love you.
Aria, please, I just want to see you.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Dear Ashton,
I’m coming to see you. I’m sorry it took so long.
Love, Your Big Sis
ARIA
“I’M SORRY...IT TOOK so...long...kiddo.” Slowly, I lowered myself to the ground and sat in front of his tombstone. It was a really pretty one, something I spent a good amount of my earnings for. The marble was a nice dark shade of blue, and the words engraved on it were gold.
The cutest little brother in the world sleeps here.
I started to cry.
“I miss you...so much, Ash. So...so much.” I pulled my knees up, hugging them close. “I’m sorry,” I said shakily, “it took me...so long before...I could find the strength...to visit you.” I closed my eyes. “I have so many...stories to share with...you. So...many. But the most...important—-” My voice broke, and I had to take several deep gulps of breath before I could continue.
“I met a boy...and he was almost...as cute as you.” I laughed and cried harder at the silliness of it. “He taught me...to smile again. He taught me...to love. To be...strong.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “Because of...him...I’m able to...come...here.”
Just talking about Kellion hurt, and for a long time, I only stayed there, silent, alone in the moonlit darkness. I should have been scared, but I wasn’t. I felt like Ash was with me, and he was telling me I was the prettiest sister in the world, and never mind if Kellion Argyros didn’t love me.
Ah, God.
I started to cry again.
This was so yucky, me bursting into tears at the mere thought of his name, but even so, I couldn’t help it.
Innumerable minutes had passed when the hairs behind my neck started to stand, telling me that I was no longer alone.