Deposing Nathan by Zack Smedley

Author:Zack Smedley [Smedley, Zack]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781624147357
Google: kblzDwAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1624147356
Goodreads: 41150338
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Published: 2019-05-06T23:00:00+00:00

41

You have to tell Aria.

I can’t.

Once you do, you’ll make things right.

I won’t.

You NEED to tell her.

I don’t.

For the next two weeks, I avoid Cam completely and Aria as much as possible. Cam has gotten the hint that our friendship isn’t going back to normal, yet every day in Biology he makes sure to wave hello and give me a polite smile. I know that all I’d have to do is ask to talk, and we could discuss everything. Try to turn it into words. I wonder if it would be like old times, like those deep conversations we used to have months ago. I don’t have the energy to find out.

One day, just after the final bell dismisses everyone, I’m on the way to my car when I hear Cam and Aria arguing in the parking lot.

I’m not normally nosy, but of course I listen in.

“… keep telling you,” Aria is saying to him. She sounds exhausted. They’re both shielded from view by Aria’s SUV.

“I’ve told you a hundred times, you’re such an angel for looking out for me. But I know what I’m doing,” Cam says, very measured.

“You have no idea what this is like on my end,” she says. “It’s like … Nate’s never been good with emotions. But he isn’t just being indifferent anymore. He’s being—”

“Aria, please.”

“—he’s being mean to you!”

“You make it sound like he stole my crayons.”

“Last week. Remember last week? You said you two were supposed to meet up by the picnic benches after school because it was one of your memory days.”

My heart sinks, because I know where this story is going.

“Except not only did he ditch you, but he ditched you to hang out with me,” she continues. “And he lied to you about it. That’s not cool.”

Cam sighs. “He chose to spend the day with his girlfriend. No big deal.”

“Yeah, no, that’s not cool,” she repeats.

“It was a mistake.”

“You just said it was his choice—not a mistake. Those are opposites.”

“Are you breathing okay?”

“You know, I’ve been better,” she huffs.

I peek and see Cam put his hands on her shoulders. “Hey. Try to rel—”

“Am I dating an asshole?”

“Try to relax.”

“The fact that you’re not answering the question is the least relaxing thing about this conversation.”

“I promise you’re not dating an asshole. He’s going through a lot with his aunt. Cut him slack.”

Which makes me feel so great, of course.

“You trust him?” Aria asks. She sounds like she’s trying to be gentle. Hearing her talk like this about me, of all people, feels like a knife right between the shoulder blades. I’ve been part of so many conversations where she’s complained about how mean some people are. Only this time, she’s not saying it to me, she’s saying it about me. To my best friend. And, I’ve entirely earned it.

“He’s not an asshole,” Cam insists. “And yeah, I trust him.”

Aria doesn’t respond.

“What is it?” he asks, poking her in the shoulder.

“It just …” She sighs. “It seems like you think that when he treats you like this, the trick is to … make yourself not mind.

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