Chapter 7

The first thing Jade did the next morning was search for Panera and call Aiden to meet her there. Panera had always been her refuge—where conversations flowed easily amid the smell of freshly cooked food. She loved the atmosphere: the quiet hum of people typing away on laptops, the murmur of soft conversations, the sense of being surrounded yet alone.
The drive over was somber. She replayed the conversation in her head, trying to figure out how to start, but nothing felt right. When she finally arrived and settled into a plush leather chair with her tea, the warmth of the cup in her hands brought a small measure of comfort.
Aiden arrived a few minutes later, scanning the room until he spotted her. He flashed a quick smile and made his way over, dropping into the chair across from her with a casual, “Hey.”
“Hey,” she replied, feeling the tension in her chest ease at the sight of him. Aiden had that effect on her—he could always make things feel less heavy. But today, even he couldn’t completely lighten the load she carried.
“How’s my favorite troublemaker?” he teased, leaning back with a playful grin.
Jade smiled weakly. “Still in one piece, thanks. And, despite what everyone says, I’m trying surfing again.”
“Of course you are.” He chuckled. “You’ve never been one to back down from a challenge.”
Her smile faded as she realized it was time to steer the conversation toward what she needed to talk about. She took a deep breath. “Aiden, I asked you here because… we need to talk. About something important.”
His expression sobered instantly, and he leaned forward, sensing the shift. “What is it?”
Jade stared into her teacup, trying to gather her thoughts. There was no easy way to say this, so she just said it. “I know about Willow.”
Aiden’s face went blank for a moment, then he let out a short laugh. “Jade, it’s not that big of a deal. Seriously.”
“Aiden, it is a big deal.” Her voice was quiet but firm. “Lacey told me everything. I know that’s why you hate Benjamin.”
His jaw tightened, and he looked away, clearly uncomfortable. “There’s more to it than that. A lot more.”
“Then tell me”, She urged. “I’m tired of being left in the dark. I don’t understand what’s going on, and I feel I’m missing half the story.”
Aiden sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s not that simple, Jade. I wish I could explain everything, but I can’t. Not yet.”
“Why not?” Her frustration bubbled to the surface. “What are you so afraid of?”
“It’s not about being afraid. It’s just… complicated.” He met her gaze, his eyes pleading with her to understand. “Trust me, if I could tell you, I would. But some things aren’t mine to share.”
Jade stared at him, searching for answers in his face, but he had already shut down, closing off whatever part of him she had been trying to reach. She felt a pang of hurt—Aiden had always been the one person she could count on, to be honest with her, and now, even he was keeping secrets.
The silence between them grew heavy, the lightness from earlier completely gone. Finally, Aiden broke the tension with a forced smile. “So…?”
“Oh, don’t change the topic,” Jade snapped, cutting him off mid-sentence. Her tone was sharper than she intended, but she didn’t care. “There’s something else we need to talk about since we’re clearly at a dead end with the other conversation.”
Aiden leaned back in his chair and nodded, his expression guarded. “Yeah, we are.”
“Fine.” Jade picked up her mug, swirling the remnants of her tea as she debated her next words. On the drive over, she wondered if bringing this up might bruise his ego. But now, with frustration burning in her chest from all the secrets and half-truths, she found she didn’t care as much. “Aiden, do you… like me?”
Aiden blinked, clearly caught off guard. “What? Yeah, of course. What’s not to like?”
Jade sighed, leveling a pointed look at him. It was just like him to miss the point entirely.
“Oh.” His expression shifted, realization dawning. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I mean, you’re great, Jade. But I always thought we were… friends, you know?”
She let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. Relief washed over her, and she couldn’t help but smile. “Thank God. Same here.”
A brief silence settled between them before Jade leaned forward, her tone serious. “So, if it’s not jealousy, why did you punch Benjamin yesterday?”
Aiden gave her a sheepish grin, clearly trying to dodge the question. “Can I plead the fifth?”
“Aiden, this is ridiculous,” Jade shot back, her patience wearing thin. “He saved my life. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve died. And your response was to punch him in the face? You need to get over whatever it is between you two because I’m not going to stand by and let you hit him the next time, he does something good for me.”
She stopped, realizing she might have gotten ahead of herself. Maybe Benjamin’s actions had been a one-time thing—a moment of convenience because he happened to be there. But deep down, she hoped that wasn’t the case.
Aiden’s smile faded, replaced by something more somber. “Jade, I know you don’t understand, but someday you will. And when that day comes, I hope I’m there to help you through it.”
Without another word, Aiden stood up abruptly, pushing his chair back with a scrape. He turned and walked out, letting the door swing shut behind him with a loud thud.
Jade remained seated, sipping her tea slowly, trying to make sense of everything. Aiden’s refusal to talk left her feeling more confused than ever. Who was keeping him silent? Or was that just an excuse to avoid the truth? She had always believed that Aiden would be the best friend she could count on, but how could she trust someone who wouldn’t even explain himself? He was still hurting over Willow but wouldn’t open up about it. He hated Benjamin for something that happened a year ago, and apparently for more reasons he wouldn’t discuss. Maybe it was time for her to go straight to the source of all this tension.
But what did she know about Benjamin? Aside from the fact that he had been a jerk to her initially, there was also the undeniable fact that he had saved her life. Was that enough to redeem him, although everyone around her disliked him? She couldn’t help but wonder who the real Benjamin was, beneath all the animosity and mystery.
And then there was the issue of her feelings. Jade let out a quiet sigh of relief that Aiden didn’t have romantic feelings for her—one less complication to worry about. But what about Benjamin? She needed to figure out what she wanted, but it was hard to think clearly when just the sight of him made her heart race. Yes, he was undeniably gorgeous, but she barely knew him. So why did she catch her breath every time he appeared? Why did her skin tingle at the thought of him?
As if on cue, her gaze drifted to the window of the Panera, and her breath hitched when she saw Benjamin stepping out of a car with Shaun, Owen, and Skye. Her pulse quickened, her thoughts jumbling together as she watched him from across the street.
To her surprise, Benjamin didn’t seem to have a scratch on his face from yesterday. His skin was smooth and flawless—no purple bruises, no sign of the punch Aiden had thrown on the beach. Jade had been sure that Aiden hit him hard enough to leave a mark, but Benjamin looked completely unscathed. He was laughing at something Shaun said, his smile lighting up his face as a dimple appeared on his cheek. His hair fell carelessly over his eyes, and for a moment, he looked carefree.
But just as quickly as the smile appeared, it vanished. A shadow crossed his face, and Jade watched as his expression darkened. Whatever joy he had seemed to disappear, replaced by the same troubled look she had seen so often. She could read his emotions as easily as she could with anyone else—anger, pain, confusion—but she couldn’t read how he felt about her. That remained a mystery.
The group walked toward the sporting goods store, and Jade’s curiosity flared. She drank the rest of her coffee and waited until they had gone inside before making her move. Quietly, she slipped out of the Panera and crept toward the shop, careful not to draw any attention to herself. This was her chance to finally get some real answers, to see Benjamin in an unguarded moment, and maybe, just maybe, figure out the truth behind everything that had been troubling her.
She eased the door open as silently as possible, slipping inside without making a sound. She stayed near the entrance, hidden among the racks of clothing, her heart pounding in her chest as she prepared to eavesdrop on whatever conversation might unfold.
Jade slowly walked down the aisles, carefully checking each one with a quick peek before stepping forward. She eventually spotted them in the surfing goods section at the back of the store. Instead of approaching directly, she slipped down the parallel aisle, trying to overhear their conversation. Through a small hole in the shelf, she could just barely make out their figures, but it was enough for her to catch snippets of what they were saying.
They were talking about surfing wax—Owen needed some for his board. Jade sighed quietly, so much for getting any useful information out of this covert mission. She glanced at the rows of wax, which looked like ordinary bars of soap to her. How thrilling.
After a few minutes of this dull exchange, the group moved toward the surfboards. Jade followed, careful to stay hidden. Benjamin was apparently in the market for a new board—he had lost his when he dove in to save her. As they discussed his rescue, her ears perked up. This was what she had been waiting for.
“Why’d you do it?” Owen asked, his tone casual but curious.
Jade held her breath, straining to hear Benjamin’s response. He ran his hand along the smooth curve of a surfboard, seemingly engrossed in the craftsmanship. “I knew it would annoy Aiden,” he said, his voice cool and detached. “Besides, we might be able to use her later. Letting her die would have been a waste.”
Jade’s heart skipped a beat, her blood running cold. She pressed closer to the shelf, needing to be sure she hadn’t misheard. Use her? Was that all she was to them—a tool, something to manipulate when it suited them? The thought made her stomach churn.
“Good thinking,” Shaun chimed in, sounding impressed.
Jade felt a surge of anger rising in her chest. She would never let herself be used by anyone, least of all by Benjamin and his group. The fact that they thought she could be manipulated so easily only confirmed how little they understood her. She clenched her fists, resisting the urge to storm out of her hiding place and confront them.
Then, Skye’s voice cut through the conversation, her tone sharp. “I don’t think it’s as simple as you make it sound, Benjamin.” She stepped closer to him, her hand resting on his arm until he looked up and met her gaze. “I see the way you’ve looked at her. The way you held her when she woke up.”
Jade’s breath caught in her throat. Skye’s words lingered in the air, heavy with implication.
“Don’t be absurd,” Benjamin muttered, his brow furrowing as he quickly looked away. But Jade noticed how he couldn’t hold Skye’s gaze for long. His discomfort was clear, and it unsettled her more than anything else he had said. Skye let go of his arm, shoving his hand off the board with a frustrated motion, forcing him to face her accusation.
“Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Skye,” Shaun remarked with a smirk, clearly enjoying the tension.
“We’ll see,” Skye replied coldly, her voice laced with an edge that sent a chill down Jade’s spine.
Jade didn’t want to believe what she had heard. Benjamin’s concern on the beach had seemed so real, so genuine. But maybe Skye was right—he had his reasons for helping her, reasons he didn’t want his friends to know. Maybe there was more to this than she could see.
Her mind whirled with possibilities—until her tippy-toe stance betrayed her. She lost her balance and knocked onto the shelf, sending a few soccer balls tumbling off and bouncing noisily down the aisle.
Crap, she thought, panicking as she heard their voices react to the noise. Without hesitation, she darted into another aisle, trying to make her escape before they spotted her. She heard someone suggest they split up to find the eavesdropper, and her heart raced. Desperately, she dove into the first hiding spot she could find—a tent that had been set up in the camping section. She zipped it halfway, trying to avoid drawing attention, and hid behind the part of the flap that remained closed.
Jade barely dared to breathe. She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears as she waited, terrified that any moment they would discover her. The minutes dragged on, each one feeling longer than the last until finally, she saw them walk past the tent. They were carrying a surfboard, heading toward the register. She didn’t move until they had disappeared, and even then, she waited a little longer just to be safe.
When she finally appeared from the tent, she forced herself to walk out of the store as calmly as possible, even though her nerves were still on edge. Just as she reached the door, an employee called out, “Miss! Miss!” Jade turned, dread pooling in her stomach as she saw him jogging toward her.
He handed her a small, folded piece of paper. “I’m supposed to give you this,” he said before turning back to the store.
Jade stared at the note in her hand, her mind racing. Part of her wanted to drop it, to let the wind carry it away and be done with it. But curiosity got the better of her. She unfolded the paper with trembling fingers.
“Hi, Jade nice hiding spot. —Benjamin.”
A shiver ran down her spine. Whether it was from fear or excitement, she couldn’t tell. But one thing was clear: Benjamin hadn’t told his friends about her. If he had, they would have confronted her by now. This meant he was keeping secrets—secrets from them, and secrets from her.
The real question was, how many secrets did Benjamin have? And who, exactly, was he hiding them from?