I can’t claw his clothes off of him fast enough.

My life isn’t perfect, and at this rate it may never be. But this moment here, with Aiden, is perfection.

Waking up beside Aiden is just as good as I remember it being from the beach house. After collecting our clothes from the floor, we spend the day with Jason and Jackson, playing games, baking cookies, and reassuring them that they’re safe and that they’ll never be hurt. We don’t talk about Andrew and Harvey, and we especially don’t talk about Luke or Greg. I think we all just need a wind down to escape the chaotic mess of yesterday. We’re all relieved Andrew and Harvey are finally out of our lives. For the time being we don’t have to worry about Andrew or Harvey—at least, not until the court case brings it all back up again. For now, we have a sense of peace. In a way, I’m glad this all happened, because now it doesn’t feel like something huge is looming over our heads, waiting for just the right time to crush us. At least it’s one less thing to worry about. We don’t have to hold our breath, waiting for the shoe to drop, and if Aiden’s happy, I’m happy.

It’s around two in the afternoon when we’re making pasta for a late lunch that my phone vibrates, and I find a text from my mom. I was wondering when she would get around to checking in on me.

Just landed in Dubai, can’t call. Brian sent me the video & texted me what happened. Are u ok? Y didn’t u tell me?

I send her a quick reply.

U were in the air. We’re ok. Talk when u get back

I miss the days when I would run to my mom when I scraped my knee and she’d kiss it better. But things are different now. We’re different. And I’ve learned to not depend on anyone. I catch Aiden’s eye from where he’s stirring the sauce, and he winks at me, melting my heart.

Well, I guess there are some exceptions to that.

I’ll always have Aiden.

Our friends come over to see us after school, and we’re greeted with lots of hugs, and Jason and Jackson even get some presents.

After talking through what happened and reassuring them that we’re okay, they finally get their heads wrapped around the fact that Aiden’s dad tried to kill his own sons. As Charlotte said, he truly doesn’t have a heart.

Annalisa’s sitting near me on the couch as the guys crowd around the television playing Zombie Alien Vampires Part Fifteen and Three Quarters or whatever video game it is that the twins are obsessed with.

Annalisa nudges me and gestures at the twins. “I guess they sorted everything out after last night?”

It’s hard to remember that it was just yesterday that the twins were arguing over video games and came clean to us about what really happened with Greg. Now that it’s at the forefront of my mind, and I’m staring Annalisa in the face and thinking about how she wants nothing more than to prove Luke is innocent, the blood drains from my face.