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“Hey, man. Got a minute?”
“Yeah. You back? I can come by the dorm.”
“No. Riley didn’t tell you?”
“I haven’t seen her today, but she met Blaire for lunch in the courtyard, so maybe Blaire knows.”
“I’m still in Athens. I’m gonna be here for a while. Maybe the rest of the summer.”
A door shut on the other end and then Lukas’s voice came through again. “Why?”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but some asshole has attached himself to Charlotte.”
“Attached himself? What does that even mean?”
“A stalker, man. She has a stalker.”
“The fuck?”
Aiden laughed and laid his head back, looking up at the darkening sky. “That’s what I think. It’s surreal. This guy has not only been following her around for months, but he’s sending her roses. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s broken into her home a few times.” He took a deep inhale, the smell of begonias in nearby flowerbeds drifting on the faint breeze. “I was there for the last one. Well, not there in the apartment at the same time, but we came back to the place wrecked. He’s escalating.”
“Any idea who it is?”
“None. But if we were placing bets, I’d be tempted to put some money on one of her classmates who’s taken an interest in her.”
“You think the guy is doing it because he’s into her?”
“No. I think he’s doing it because he’s like us.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Aiden sighed. “He’s a Vasirian.”
After a long pause, Lukas said, “Just because he’s a Vasirian doesn’t mean he’s a stalker. We’re not stalkers.” He added the last few words as if Aiden needed reminding.
“I know that. It’s just convenient timing. He’s hanging around her while she has a stalker. Going to a human college.” His hand tightened on the notebook he held. “I don’t trust him.”
“I hate to say it, but you might be overthinking this one. Some Vasirian do break away from the Blackthorn school system. Rare, but they do.”
Aiden hadn’t considered it. His family was all Blackthorn Academy alumni, and both he and Riley would follow in their footsteps.
“I wish she could join us at the academy. Wish the rules were different and she could know things since she’s already so involved in our lives. Then none of this would be an issue. Blaire would have her friend back, and…” He trailed off, not wanting to get too deep with his personal feelings, but Lukas didn’t seem to have such reservations.
“And you’d get to have her by your side?”
Aiden dragged his hand over his face. He should have never mentioned his budding feelings for the girl months ago.
“I liked you better when you were a grouchy brat,” he said, a lightness to his words.
In reality, he wouldn’t change the transformation Lukas had gone through for the world.
Gone was the perpetual grump hiding from the world and using indifference as a shield. Replaced by someone caring, easygoing, and proactive in his relationships.
Aiden always knew Lukas cared and had it in him to be there if someone needed it, but his own insecurities and broken heart about his family made him hold the world at arm’s length.
That was until Blaire came along and tore down his walls with a sledgehammer.
“Listen, I need to get off here. Charlotte’s probably home. I don’t want to leave her alone too long.”
