For Crying Out Loud by J. Preston

29J To The Double N

When life gives you lemons, ask life if you can trade them for grapes; because wine is better than lemonade.

- Jason

Aiden

As we settle into the drawing room for dessert, my phone vibrates with another text message. I sigh with frustration. This has to stop. I’ve been getting these texts since we left for London, and, as much as I’m trying to ignore them, it’s hard.

I look over at Jenny; the dogs are lying at her feet. I don’t blame them for that instant love. If I were a dog, I’d be gazing lovingly at her too. My chest squeezes at that thought, and I start thinking about Jake. Poor bastard is probably getting smothered at Casa del Uncle Carter. I didn’t come up with that creepy name, Kennedy did. I decide to check in on the beast and text Carter to see how the two of them are doing. Jake had his cast taken off last week, so I’m worried. A reply comes back almost instantly.

CARTER: DUDE!!!!!! HOW DARE YOU! It’s sooo early and your loud text is making my morning headache even worse!! STOP this torture RIGHT NOW!

I stifle a laugh. Morning headache, right… ‘Morning headache’ are just pretty words for a hangover in his ever-so-confusing language.

My phone buzzes with incoming texts, so I glance down at what Carter could possibly come up with this time. Instead, I see an onslaught of new messages.

Sighing, I leave the phone face down on my lap and move to hold Jenny’s hand, gently squeezing it just as another text vibrates. Jason snatches the phone off my lap and, without changing his expression, scrolls through it. Without meeting my eye, he puts the phone in his pocket.

* * *

When we get back to the hotel, Jason pulls me to the side. “What the fuck?”

“What?” I meet his gaze.

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me about all these texts from Chloe? There’s like a hundred of them.”

“What’s there to tell?” I mutter.

“How long has she been texting you?”

I hesitate. “Ever since that night… The one I got sloshed,” I clarify.

Jason snickers. “Still can’t believe that our Golden Boy got shitfaced.”

I shake my head. “I should be worried, shouldn’t I?”

“Yes. Chloe can be…a bit obsessive. Last year, she stalked me for over eight months after I broke things off with her. I’m telling you, never bring chicks to your place. Oh wait, you live with your chick…psych!” He grins.

“You know it’s your sister you’re talking about, right?” I shake my head. Jason’s mischievous expression falls while he thinks through his previous statement. “I admit the whole Chloe thing is getting out of hand. I’m seriously starting to think she might have lied about what exactly happened. Apparently, it wouldn’t be the first time either…”

“Nope, she’s done it before. Trust me. Have you talked to J to the double N about what happened that night?”

“I tried, but we never actually discussed it. She said she wanted to wipe the slate clean.”

“Well, in this case, I think you should. And soon. Shit like that is bound to come back to haunt you.” He’s right. Probably for the first time in his life. “Look, I’ll take care of her. I’ll text her or something, try getting her off your back.”

“You’d do that?” I whip my head up to look at my best friend.

“I guess I just want my sister to be happy, and you seem to make her happy, so…I’ll take one for the team.” He exhales. I’m almost ready to jump on him and hug the living shit out of him in gratitude. Almost. But Jenny comes over and slips her hand into mine.

“All good?” she asks as Jason busies himself by tapping away on his phone. His tongue is sticking out in concentration.

I nod.

“I’m going up to my room. This lobby is so cold that one more minute out here and my nuts are going to freeze. And since I want to have children one day… You get my drift.” Jason walks into the open lift, then stops in his tracks with his hand on the button. He slowly turns around and looks at Jenny and I. “I’m going to get sloshed and see if my father would like to partake in the sloshing.” He grins like an idiot just as the door closes on him.

Jenny asks. “What was that about?”

“Jason being Jason.”

“Are you up for a walk? I want to show you something.” She nods. I wrap her scarf tighter and pull her hat on, then take her hand and lead her out of the hotel. We walk a couple of streets before she speaks. “I saw Chloe texted you.”

My heart speeds up. “You did?”

“Yeah.” She nods, her voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t look. I just saw her name pop up on your screen.”

“Jenny, about that night—” I start as we turn a corner.

“I’m not sure I want to know,” she interrupts me. “I think it’s better if I don’t, you know?” She sniffles. “It hurts even thinking about it.”

I don’t want her to hurt. I want to protect her, tell her that everything will be okay and that…I love her. “Kitten—”

“Meow,” she replies, making light of the conversation.

“Oh, wow,” she gasps as we reach our destination. “It looks so much smaller now. It used to feel so big, didn’t it?” She takes a step forward to the playground in front of our old school.

I guide her to the two swings I used to despise after that day. They look unassuming now. Jenny sits on one of the swings as I sit on the other.

“You know,” Jenny whispers conspiratorially, “I carved my name on the bottom of the one you’re sitting on.”

I gasp in mock horror. “Vandal!”

“Not such a goody two shoes now, am I?”

“Never thought you were.” I smile. “Wanna check if it’s still there?”

“Yes!” she exclaims, excited.

My heart hammering in my chest, I grab the wooden seat and slowly turn it as Jenny claps her hands. Her eyes search the wood for less than a second before she sees the carving. She frowns.

“Aiden, I don’t understand,” she says, looking from the carving to me, then back to the carving. I look down. Her name is still visible. She did a good job carving it.

JENNY C., it says.

Right underneath her name there’s a small ‘+’ sign, and under it a neatly carved AIDEN V.

Both names wrapped in a wonky heart.

“What can I say? I wasn’t a very good artist.” I smile.

“When did you—”

“The same day you carved your name. I saw you, got intrigued, and when you left, came to examine.”

“But that was halfway through the school year…months before you even talked to me.” I can see the confusion on her face, and I take a step towards her.

“I carved my name next to yours in hopes that you’d look at your handiwork again, see it, and realise that I was in love with you and…I don’t know, throw me a bone? Talk to me?” I smile.

“You what?” she chokes out.

“Silly, silly, kitten.” I put my hand on her cheek to draw her in closer to me. “I said, I was in love with you. But that’s not right, is it? I’ve never stopped being in love with you. From the first day I saw you, I was smitten, and it only grew. Even when you broke my heart, I still loved you. I hated you, but I loved you.”

“Aiden… I— I—”

“I love you, Jennifer Elisabeth Cowley. I have never loved anyone else.” I capture her lips in mine, and she folds into me, responsive and warm and so damn inviting. It starts to drizzle, but she doesn’t seem to notice. I want to stay like this forever, but I’m worried she’ll catch a cold, so I pull away. She smiles at me dizzily, and I brush my thumb against her swollen lips.

“Let’s go back.” I take her hand and turn back towards the street.

“Wait.” Her voice is hoarse and her cheeks are flushed.

“You want to—”

“I love you too.” She pulls my face back to hers, kissing me so hard I’m pretty sure there’s steam rising from both of our bodies.