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I was so lucky to have them back safely. Their wellbeing was something I had always taken for granted, but it was something I’d never do again. This pandemic had made me realize how quickly and easily the things you always depended on could change.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Aiden said.

“Yeah, I know, sorry,” I shook my head. “I just can’t believe they’re back. Is it weird that I miss them already?”

“Not weird,” Aiden replied. “It just means you love them.”

“Yeah, I do.” I blew out a breath and relaxed into the seat, replaying the reunion with my parents over and over in my mind. “It doesn’t feel real.”

“I know, it’s crazy,” Aiden agreed.

“Wait, did you know they were going to be there today?”

Aiden glanced at me from the road. “I swear I had no idea. Mom suggested we go get your textbooks, and I wondered why she was being so weird about it at the time. She must have been in on the surprise.”

“Crap, I didn’t get those textbooks.”

Aiden chuckled. “You can probably borrow some of mine.”

“Thanks.” Schoolwork was the last thing on my mind though. My thoughts were still completely focused on my family. “I can’t believe my parents kept this all a secret from me.”

“Well, it sounds like they didn’t want to disappoint you if it didn’t work out.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Aiden slowed the truck as we arrived back at his house. I felt strange as I hopped out and started toward the front door. The house looked just the same as when we had left it, but something seemed different as Aiden went to open the front door. This place had become my home over the last few weeks, but with my parents back, it felt like there was a ticking clock hanging over my head. This wouldn’t be my home for much longer. Before Aiden could push the door open, I reached out and touched his hand. He turned, and there was a questioning look in his eyes.

“Aiden, do you know what my parents coming home means?”

He shook his head.

I licked my suddenly dry lips and swallowed. “It means that in fourteen days they’ll be done with quarantine. And in fourteen days, I’ll be able to go home.”

“We won’t be in lockdown together anymore,” he replied.

“No. And we won’t be able to see each other.”

Aiden blew out a long breath, his blue-green eyes lifting to look into the distance. When he focused back on me, he reached out to grasp my hands in his. “Then we better make the most of the next fourteen days together.”

“And after that?”

“And after that, we’ll find a way to be together even though we’re apart. I’m not afraid of being separated from you.”

He made it sound so simple, and I hoped he was right. “So, you think we can make this work?”

“I can make anything work, as long as I’ve got you.”

23

Clary

“You know there’s a special place in hell for people like you,” I said, peering up at Aiden from the novel I was reading. It was his copy ofLord of the Flies,part of our required reading for English. Since school had started again, we actually needed to study. It had given my days a bit more purpose, but the teachers were piling assignments on us, and we were spending hours each day on schoolwork.

Aiden must have thought I was joking because he started to smirk. There was nothing funny about what he’d done though. “Can I ask why I deserve to go to hell today?”

I lifted the book to show him. “You highlighted whole passages in your book. Highlighted!Andyou wrote notes in the margins. Don’t even get me started on the dog-eared corners of the pages.” I shook my head at him. “It’s like you’ve never even heard of a bookmark.”

He actually had the nerve to laugh in response. “Why bother with a bookmark when you can just fold over the corner of the page?”