Aiden
The Emden Series
H.L. Swan
Copyright © 2020 H.L. Swan
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or used in a fictious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
Cover Design by Jessica Scott
ISBN-13: 978-1-65-334547-2
Thank you for believing in me, Shura.
To my Wattpad readers; always slow dance while they scream.
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the author
“They had no past. They had no future. They just were.”
- Paullina Simons, The Bronze Horseman
One
Apiercing ring blares through the speakers, jolting me from my daydream.
“Students! You’ve survived your first year of college. Congratulations and stay out of trou–” The professor’s voice is drowned out by the loud cheers and rushed sounds of my fellow classmates hastily exiting the building as the last bell of the year chimes, signifying that it’s the start of summer break.
I can’t believe my first year in college has rolled by so quickly. I narrow my eyes as I scan the mass of moving bodies in the hallway, smiling when I spot a bobbing blonde bouncing my way.
Ashley nudges my arm. “Did you pass?”
“Finals? Thankfully, yes. I’ve done nothing but study. You?”
Rolling her eyes, she flips her hair over a slender shoulder. “Don’t wanna talk about it.”
I laugh. I already know her grades are nothing but stellar.
Shoulder to shoulder, we make our way towards our freedom. The unusually warm Oregon air sweeps my chestnut hair across my face as we step through the propped open metal doors. The excitement is still palatable as we walk out of building C.
We’re free! Well, for the summer anyways.
“I can’t believe we are finished with our freshman year!” Ashley squeals, throwing her head back dramatically.
“I can’t wait for tonight!” I exclaim happily.
I haven’t seen Ian in a week, and I miss him so much. He’s been so busy between Lacrosse and finals he just hasn’t had the time. But tonight, I’m surprising him.
As though reading my thoughts, Ashley nudges my arm. “We know you’re more excited to see Ian than anything.” She fans herself.
I blush. It’s true. My excitement isn’t about the freedom I’ll have for three months. Well, it is, but only because I get to spend all my time with Ian. We have been together for about two months now. It hasn’t been very long, but he is so sweet to me, and handsome.
“Anyways,” Ashley’s lips curve into a half smile, redirecting me from my longing thoughts. “You know my brother is on his way here...right?”
“Yeah! I’m excited to meet more of your family. Your mom is the best!”
Ashley waves her hand in the air. “Just don’t get too excited. He’s not the nicest person to be around.”
“I can handle a mean brother. We’re practically sisters. He has to be nice to me.”
Her eyes widen slightly, “I’m his sister and he’s not even nice to me. Well, he’s okay, I guess.” She fixes her previous statement.
“It’ll be fun,” I say absentmindedly, my thoughts on what to wear later.
There’s a party at the frat house for the beginning of summer and I want to look my best, especially since I know how much Ian hates surprises, so I need to make up for it by looking cute. He thinks I’m going to my mom’s for the weekend, but I wanted to make tonight special.
We hop into my Altima and roll the windows down, enjoying the breeze that overtakes the car as we drive away from the prison we pay to go to.
Freshmen usually live in the dorms, but when I met Ash on my first day, we became instant best friends. After months of sharing bathrooms with our classmates and having awful roommates, we decided to rent a house off campus.
Luckily, between the money I had saved from working at my mom’s florist shop through high school and Ash’s current job at the nicest restaurant in Corvallis, we were set to rent our cute two-bedroom home right down the street from fraternity row.
That was where I met Ian.
I’ve only dated one person prior to him. But Ian is different; preppy and all about sports, he has a kindness towards me that drew me in. Plus, the fact that he hasn’t complained too much about us not having sex yet is nice. I’m eighteen and I know it’s a normal thing to do but I wanted to wait until I found the right guy. I think tonight is the night though. I mean, why wait any longer?
Ashley’s voice brings me back to reality as she rambles on about a new guy she met the other night. But what about her current quest, Brian? I’ve never met the guy, but I thought things were going okay.
I nod, trying to listen as we pull into the driveway. I take a double take at the glossy black car parked next to mine on the left side of our narrow driveway; it must be a classic.
“Guess he got here early.” Ashley shrugs, a small smile taking over her face.
“Are you two close? Why is he coming here?” I ask curiously.
“Aiden is his own thing. We’re as close as he will let me be. You’ll see what I’m talking about. He’s coming here because he doesn’t want to go home during his move.”
His move?
“Why? I love your mom! She was so funny that time she came to visit and brought us both fuzzy pajamas and made us have a full-on girl’s night, like a middle school throwback. Braided hair and all!” I laugh at the memory.
Ashley looks at me uneasily. “Look, don’t say anything because it’s a sore subject, but that’s not his mom. He lives with our
