Hard

50 Auden

I sleep through the whole night which surprises me because so far this week I haven't slept at all. When I wake, I move off the bed slowly to not wake the sleeping Linc on top of me and turn on his computer to work on some of my assignments. This whole mess with Liam being here means I haven't gotten a thing done and finals are in two weeks. With finals being close my mom and Vincent keep calling to talk to me, most likely about Christmas vacation, but I don't feel like talking to either.

I begin to type all the things running through my mind that I can remember about Howard's class. I haven't really been going but Jace has and sent me everything that I have been needing. There is still a huge part of me that cannot believe that over the course of one semester, I made a new best friend, got a boyfriend when I swore I would never have one again, and despise Gabe. All of that life-altering chaos happened in just short of four months and I can't believe it.

When my phone goes off on the nightstand, I don't go to pick it up. Howard was calling me all night last night and now all through the morning! Honestly, this whole I really want to be a dad thing is getting on my nerves! Why does he want a relationship so badly? We have never been close so we aren't really hurting each other by not being involved. He just got married so he will probably be having more kids soon with that odd Josephine woman.

I wonder if my mom knows who Howard married... They were best friends at some point in time and it must sting a little that Josephine married Howard...

"Aud?" Linc whispers from the bed.

I jog over to him and grasp his face, "I'm right here."

"That's nice, but answer your phone before I throw that thing!"

I punch him in his side and he rolls off the bed screaming ow! An asshole can get himself up for all I care! I grab my phone Linley flashes over the screen, oh geez, why is she calling me? She never calls only texts... "Bonjour Momma."

"What the hell? Auden Linley Tate, how dare you not tell me anything that has been happening! You have a boyfriend, Liam is in town, Gabe isn't your friend, and you are currently holding a B in Howard's class? A is all it should say when the professor is literally your father!"

I roll my eyes and Linc gets up from the floor, asking me silently who is yelling at me, "Mother I have been busy and how the hell do you know all of that?"

"Josephine called me. She said she worried about you."

"Why is she worried about me? I barely know the woman and she is acting like I mean everything to her!"

Mother sighs and then tells Vincent to give her a moment, "Did you talk to her about anything when you saw her?"

"Not really, she said some vague stuff and then I helped her in her wedding dress."

"Good, oh, and another thing, why did your boyfriend hit Howard?"

"I was unconscious at the time so I couldn't do it..." this is only partly true.

"Auden you really should talk to Howard, he wants to discuss things with you..."

"I can tell, what about?"

"You'll need to talk to him sweetheart and what day should we get you for vacation?"

Ah-ha! I knew this was about her precious book tour during Christmas break! "Gotta go! There's a tunnel!"

Linc crosses his arms at me and shakes his head with judgment, "A tunnel huh?"

"Yes, Lincoln a tunnel."

"Why are you upset?"

"Why do you think I am upset?"

"You called me Lincoln, you do that when you are upset. And what's with the bonjour?"

I get up off of the bed and pull out some jeans and a long-sleeved shirt for the day, "Lincoln is your name and the bonjour is because we are french."

"What? You're French?" His voice gets higher and I can tell by his pupils that he is happy with the news for some reason.

"Yes, why does that excite you?"

"French girls are super hot!"

"Now you can't meet my mother!"

"Babe!"

I ignore him and jump in the shower, by myself, thinking about why Howard wants to talk to me so badly...

I step out of the shower and see Linc's notes that he is downstairs with Jace and Sutten.

When I see her I throw myself on her and scream! Having Caroline here was just awful and seeing Sutten is like the first day of spring-refreshing. She throws her arms over me and ignores Jace when he tells us to be careful because of the baby. I use to really be in awe of her and the way she carries herself, but if I can get Liam put away for good, then perhaps I can be like her too. 

We all take our seats at the dining table and I can tell that everyone is trying their hardest to keep my mind off of the fact that the captain arrested Gabe last night, but I think that I am actually okay with it. Gabe was that final piece of the old Auden and now that I am truly done with him, I can really move on just like Linc said. 

Indulging in pizza and laughter, for a moment, I feel like there is nothing wrong. Liam is not still out there plotting to hurt me for rejecting him, Gabe didn't betray me, and Linc and I can move forward without any drama, but alas, I am cursed with bad luck. 

There is a loud knock at the door and Linc runs off to get it when he answers, Josephine and my mother enter. I don't know why they are here but surely they are not here to give me a car or a puppy...

"Auden, let's go, we need to speak to you..." my mother's shaky voice makes them being here even more concerning. 

"Um, okay." 

I sincerely hope that this isn't as bad as I am assuming it is.