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de alcohol.” Calls from the principal came on an almost daily basis — Aidan was always getting into fights, which I could never understand, because he was a complete loner. He barely passed high school. I think they pushed him through just to be rid of him.
    â€œShe loved you, Aidan.”
    â€œI don’t know how many times she stopped Vince from beating the shit out of me. She ran good defence.”
    More seconds go by.
    â€œI’ve missed you, Lyss,” he says. “I think about you, worry about you, all the time.”
    I’m not sure I believe him. Everything he says is only making me more confused. “You’re the one who left, remember?”
    â€œI know. And I’m sorry.”
    I stare back at him. Does he really not get it? What his leaving did to me? “I’m sorry? That’s it?”
    â€œYou don’t want to get into this whole thing right now, do you?” he sighs.
    â€œI kind of do.”
    â€œI promise. When the time is right, I’ll explain it all,” he says.
    â€œWhen the time is right, you’ll explain it all?” I repeat. “What does that mean?”
    â€œTrust me about this.”
    â€œAidan. You have to give me something, anything .”
    Frustrated, he runs his hands through his hair. “Think about the day you’ve just had, Lyssa.” He checks his watch. “I can’t imagine how exhausted you must be. I don’t know how you’re still standing.”
    It’s like Aidan saying it out loud suddenly makes it true. I hit a wall. I feel a little off balance, my vision blurs. I reach for the arm of the sofa and ease myself down onto the seat.
    He starts to tug off my wet jacket. I let him. Then he unfolds a fleece blanket and drapes it over me. “Just lie down and shut your eyes.”
    I try to keep them open. Just before I fall asleep, I hear him whisper, “Everything’s going to be okay now.”

CHAPTER 5
    M y eyes are closed, but I can still tell it’s morning. I burrow down deeper into the sofa, pull the blankets around me tighter. I feel a puff of warmth on my face, smell a bad smell. Still half-asleep, I drag my eyes open. A mass of ginger fur is all I can see. My heart stops. Before I can think, I swat at it with my arm. I hear a highpitched meow, the sound of nails scraping along the floor.
    Aidan comes rushing in. “Beat it, Bingley!” He takes a menacing step toward the cat, stomping his foot loudly. “Sorry,” he says to me.
    The cat arches its back, hisses, and runs out of the room.
    â€œHate that damn thing,” Aidan mutters.
    I’m now fully awake and sitting up. I toss back the blankets and instantly feel cold. My clothes are still damp.
    â€œLast night, I left for two seconds to put your stuff in the spare room,” Aidan says. “When I got back, you were dead to the world. Instead of moving you, I just piled on the blankets and hoped for the best. Were you warm enough?”
    I nod.
    The cat reappears, stretches lazily, and weaves itself, nose held high, in and around Aidan’s feet like he owns the place and everything in it.
    Aidan curls his lip and pushes it away with his foot.
    â€œI never thought of you as a cat person,” I say.
    â€œI’m not. It’s Marla’s. She can’t have pets in her apartment.”
    â€œMarla?”
    â€œMy girlfriend.”
    â€œYour girlfriend?”
    He smiles. “You seem surprised.”
    â€œI, uh, am.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œIn all the time I’ve known you, you never once had a girlfriend, never really showed any interest in … any girl.” I get up, attempt to fold one of the blankets. “After a while … I just …”
    â€œWhat?” he demands. “Thought I was gay ?”
    I pause. “It crossed my mind.”
    â€œWhat about Tammy Johnson? I really liked her, wanted to ask her out. You told me to stay away, told me that