“Good. I’m going to college next year, at the same university, and I want us to remain friends. I’ve seen siblings torn apart because of them being ‘too cool’ or some shit.”
“Uh, stop watching shitty movies. We aren’t going to turn on each other,” I scoffed at her. “Where is this coming from?”
“I loved you before, Aaron—before the diagnosis—but the guy you werebefore, well, I’m afraid you’ll go back to that.”
I missed the ball. It hit my face but I didn’t care. I sat up, staring at my younger sister. She avoided my gaze and the meaning and fear behind her words upset me. “Kenzie.”
I waited until she made eye contact. “This entire experience changed me. We all grow up at different times. You had to earlier than I did.”
“Is Greta real?”
“What? Of course.” I shook her off, the question almost making me laugh.
“No. You two.” Kenzie bit on a hangnail so forcefully it made my fingers hurt. “The relationship began right after those pictures came out. What sane girl would willingly date a guy withthatreputation? Greta isn’t crazy.”
“Ah, well. She is, but in other ways.”
“Um, ew. Gross.”
“No! I didn’t mean… Ah shit.” I covered my face. “No!”
“I’m just messing with you.” She laughed, but her face turned serious again. “But, please be honest with me.”
I sighed, figuring this was the best time to tell someone. “Yeah. It was staged.”
“At first, right? It’s real now, though.”
“Wait—why do you ask that?”
“Because, Aaron, I’ve seen you two together. And I know you. It’s okay, you know. To actually develop feelings for someone else.” She crossed her eyes at me with a small smile. “You can trust me, ass face.”
“I trust you. I do.” I cracked my neck, the conversation my friends had recently had with me coming back to me. “I haven’t seen her in almost three days. It sucks. I miss her. It’s weird for me.”
“Are you sleeping together?”
“Kenzie! Jesus.” I choked and wanted to be anywhere but the room we were in. She held up her hands, surrendering.
“What? I’m not a kid. I’m going to take that as a yes. Okay, new route. If she were to sleep with someone else, what would you do?”
“Kill them.”
“It’s settled. You’re in a real relationship.” She patted my knee. “Congrats.”
She left me there, where I waiting for the feelings of panic and anxiety to hit me.Real relationship? Please. Can it be true, though?
Yeah. Greta’s mine.
“Shit.” I ran my hands through my hair. We only had a couple more weeks left of the ruse. I did my damnedest to make it clear it was fake every chance I had. But the charity event was coming up. Everything built up to the event. Black tie. Dinner. Dancing. Falling into bed together.
I would show her it was real.
* * * *
Saying goodbye to my parents wasn’t as daunting as it had been before. The progress had changedeverything. I didn’t feel that leaving made me the devil, like choosing to go back to school meant I chose school over my dad. That would never happen. As they waved at me, while Kenzie flipped me off with a huge smile behind them, my chest expanded. I would be back for Christmas break in a couple of weeks, and there wasn’t a countdown of time left with my dad.
I knew his chances were still slim, but the timeline was put on hold and it made a world of difference. The energy I had burning up inside me consumed me. I needed to find Greta and do whatever the hell she felt liked doing. I just wanted to be with her. She balanced out the bad with all her good.
I shot her a text, letting her know I was on my way to the bar. Her final show for the weekend wouldn’t be busy with most kids gone for break. She never responded, but she never did on stage. Fuck her rule about a booty call. My game had changed and she needed to adapt to the play.
