Finding You (You Series, Book 4)

Aiden - One

1 – Aiden

4 Years Ago (18)

September

Sitting on the couch being able to FaceTime with my brother from my apartment. Fucking awesome. Waiting on my girlfriend to come home? Not as fucking awesome. I unfortunately knew exactly where she was thanks to a picture my buddy, that lives in the dorms, sent me. Now, I didn't go to college, I wasn't taking a gap year or anything like that either.

I got lucky as hell and landed a damn good job with a construction company, with well basically my second Dad. It was his company and he told me the day I turned 18 I had a job waiting. Fuck if I wasn't going to take it, and I'm fucking good at working with my hands, and love it.

I moved out of my parents' house a few weeks after I got the job. My girlfriend of the last two years moved in with me before she started college, instead of having to pay to live on campus. It's good, we were solid...were solid, until I got the picture message from my buddy Ethan.

"Don't let her fucking walk all over you Aid." Jordan said from the screen in my hand.

"I'm not asshole. I didn't ask for therapy."

"Therapy?" Jordan laughed. "Fuck that, I'm just trying to be there for your ass from fucking halfway around the world."

"I know."

"Ansley doing alright? I know she's overloaded with school bullshit."

"Yea, she's good. She was here for dinner tonight. Left like twenty minutes before your call." I turned on my PlayStation to start shooting shit, hopefully that'll help with the anger I'm feeling.

"Tell her I said hey. I won't have time to call anyone else tonight. I've got duty and shit here in a few minutes." I stood up and pulled a chair in front of the TV. Jordan laughed. "Playing Call of Duty?"

"Fuck yea. I should have joined with you."

"No."

"Why?"

"We've talked about this Aiden. It's different for me."

"It isn't different for us. If we lose you, we lose a brother, Mom and Dad lose a kid. The Weaver's lose a damn kid."

"I'm not going to die."

"Says you. Fuck if any of us know what'll happen."

"Damnit fucker. I've got to go, and didn't want to have to end the call on this bullshit. I'm coming home. I'll always come home to y'all. Then we're going out for a fucking drink."

"Holding you to it."

"Love you Aid."

"Love you Jord." He shook his head and the screen went blank.

I must have been playing for at least forty-five minutes before I heard the apartment door click unlocked.

"Where you been?" I didn't take my eyes off the screen.

"Just class." She walked over and kissed my cheek, hugging around my shoulders.

"Your class ended over three hours ago." That's when I got a whiff of some cologne I didn't recognize as any of mine. As if I already didn't have picture proof she was cheating.

"Who in the world is this inquisitive and jealous sounding boyfriend?" She laughed keeping her arms around my shoulders as I played the game.

"You didn't answer my question though."

"Aiden, you're acting super weird. You hungry?" She walked toward the kitchen.

"I'm fine. You want to answer me yet?"