Loving You

XXVIII. Concerned

Sunday, May 1st, 2016

"Wow, Isla sounds kinda unhinged." Soren took a sip of his coffee and glanced out into the backyard where Bexley and Duke were playing. 

"No... I think she's just been famous for too long. She just doesn't really realize what being normal is like anymore. But she's also super lonely. I honestly don't think she's ever had any real friends." I took a sip of my tea, glancing out the sliding glass doors every few seconds, watching Bexley play. 

"That's sad. She seemed like a relatively relaxed and nice person for the few seconds that I chatted with her at the release party." 

I'd just finished telling him every sordid detail of our trip to New York City. It had been a little over a week since we'd been home, but we only just had the chance to sit down together and talk about it all. I'd really, really missed him. I hadn't realized how much I'd relied on him for social interaction until he wasn't there anymore. 

"She's texted me almost everyday this week about lots of different things. I think I'm actually friends with Isla Moon." Just saying it out loud, it sounded like a lie. 

Soren laughed. "Of course you are. Aspen. Pretty soon a lot of people are gonna want to be friends with you. I bet your social media notifications are going crazy." 

I frowned for a second before I dropped my head softly onto the table. "I forgot to turn them back on. I hate getting prompted to stare at my phone all the time. Kelsey's going to kill me." I got up to take our mugs to the sink, while Soren laughed at me. 

"You're so bad at social media, it's actually hilarious. This is what our generation is known for." 

I rolled my eyes, setting the cups in the empty sink. "I'm too busy for that garbage." 

Soren was in the middle of trying to change the subject when the doorbell rang unexpectedly. I had no idea who it could've been. Casper had flown back to Arkhan City for a week, to help his parents with a few things, and Knox and Mia were in Quebec checking out a team that wanted to recruit Knox. 

"Is Michael supposed to be coming by today?" I caught sight of Soren shaking his head right before I turned into the hallway that led to the front door. 

"I'm gonna go play with Bex and Duke!" he called from behind me. I heard the sliding glass door open and close before I could even respond. 

When I checked to see who'd rung the doorbell, I was shocked to find Kelsey, Ari, and Benny standing on my front porch. Benny looked bad, like he'd been on a week-long bender, while Ari looked almost the exact opposite. It was like there was a glow of happiness emanating from his being. Kelsey just seemed irritated. 

"Hey, guys. Come on in." I shut the door behind us and led them into the living room, where they all dropped the bags they were holding. 

"I'm assuming you haven't talked to Casper yet." She said it so matter-of-fact. No hi, or hello, or even a hey. No greeting at all. I brushed it off, though, because whatever brought the three of them all the way to my house must've been serious. 

"No. I don't even know where my phone is. Bexley was playing with it somewhere." All of a sudden, I heard it ring from the kitchen, and I felt my whole face heat up with embarrassment. 

"Fucking fabulous," Kelsey snapped. "Well, if you checked social media even once today you would've seen this idiot plastered all over every platform. He was publicly caught helping a woman cheat on her husband. His stupid face is everywhere. He needs a place to lay low for a while."