“Didn’t mean to scare you,” Aiden says as I finish packing my books into my bag. “How did the call go?”

Weird is what I want to say, but instead I reply, “Okay, I guess. He wasn’t specific about when I’m leaving. I think two or three weeks.”

Aiden purses his lips thoughtfully. “I can work with that.”

I can’t. I need more time. I’ll always need more time, but it’ll have to do. I close my locker and fully face Aiden.

“Tomorrow’s Saturday,” he says as we walk through the hall. “Are you still okay with going to visit Luke and getting to the bottom of the file he had?”

I want to know why Luke had information about Tony in his house, but I also don’t want to know. I have suspicions, but I don’t want to be right. Or what if it’s actually worse than I originally thought.

“Yeah. Let’s not tell anyone what we’re doing, though.”

The warning bell rings, and we approach my homeroom class.

“Right,” he says. “We’ll talk later. Don’t stress out about it too much.”

He gives me a quick kiss on the lips and disappears down the hall to his own class. Try not to stress? I’ve been nothing but stress.

I make it to history before Charlotte, Mason, or Noah, so I sit in my normal spot, trying not to think about Luke, Tony, or Agent Dylan.

“Hey, k-bear,” Mason says, sliding into the seat beside mine.

My heart twinges at the nickname. “Hey.” We’re still in the don’t talk about the beach house phase of our relationship, and that’s fine with me.

“I feel like we haven’t seen much of each other this week,” he continues, and I can’t deny the truth behind his statement. After Aiden’s birthday party last Friday, then the visit to the jail on Saturday, and Luke’s apartment visit Sunday, I had to use the rest of the week to catch up on homework, so I haven’t had time to hang out with everyone after school. Aiden’s interview last night was the first time I went out after school, which sucks because I really should be making the most of my time here while I still can.

“I know, I’m sorry. Maybe we’ll do something this weekend,” I tell him, ignoring the way his brown eyes shine because it’s like a punch in the gut.

“Our parents are involved! It might be more than just an affair!” I want to shout, but instead I just bite my lip and nod at him as he continues talking.

“I’m helping my mom with some stuff tonight, but we should hang out tomorrow,” he says, “Let’s go play mini-golf. See if anyone else wants to come too.”

I’ve distanced myself from Mason ever since I found out about our parents because I can’t stand the pit that forms in my stomach when I see him, but then again, I also hate that we haven’t hung out that much and I’m going to leave soon. Who knows when I’m going to see him again? When I’ll be able to enjoy his stupid jokes and cocky grin and easygoing attitude.