Complicated

chapter ten

It was Thursday, and today had to qualify as the worst day of my life.

      I was meant to meet up with Ruby for her Christmas party, but the roads outside were so icy that Mum said it was too dangerous and refused to take me. I was going to walk at one point, but it was too far. Then something terrible happened.

      I was texting Ruby to tell her I couldn’t go to the party when my phone vibrated in my hand. I sent the text to Ruby and closed it so I could receive the other text.

      It was from Aaron.

      I let my heart accelerate dangerously. My mind went wild with ideas; maybe he was texting to ask me out or wish me happy Christmas or apologise for being so cruel and not answering properly the other day?

      I held my breath and paused for a second longer before opening the text.

Maybe.

What a painful word.

Later that day, I watched a movie with Mum and Connor. We ate ice cream and cried into each other’s shoulders.

      Mum was crying because she was nearly fired at work that day.

      I was crying because of Aaron.

      Connor was crying because the movie was a depressing romance story – which was so typically like Connor.

      When the movie finished and the ice cream pots were empty, we curled up together on the sofa. Mum sat at one end and I sat at the other. Connor sat in the middle with one arm over Mum’s shoulder and one arm over mine. I stared up into his understanding blue eyes.

      Maybe I should have been asking out Connor instead.

      Maybe.