“Patience.” She tried to smile and slid the cellphone in her pants pocket.
Aaron looked around the room and pointed to the computer. “You had time to get online.”
Busted. “Had to check a few things. See if I had any messages.”
“Did you?”
“Didn’t see any,” Sloan lied. She absolutely hated lying, but it was for his own good. Even if something happened to her, at least her mother and Aaron would be okay.
Aaron’s forehead creased, and he walked closer to her. “You sure you’re okay? You’re exceptionally bubbly today.”
Lie and lie fast. “I slept good last night. First time in a long time and I didn’t wake up groggy. That’s a plus.”
“So you’re saying I did you good.” He smirked.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” She hugged him first, settling next to his chest. God, please let me be doing the right thing. Don’t let anything bad happen to him. I couldn’t stand it.
“Speaking of waking up not groggy, did you take any of your headache medicine yesterday?”
She eased up. “You’re bringing that up again? Thought I talked you out of me being a druggie.”
“You did,” he said innocently. “I just wanted to know if you took any headache medicine from the same bottle you have been taking them from.”
That made no sense. “Yeah. I took two before I got in the shower yesterday.”
Ugh, the shower was not a good memory. She fought to not freak out over it. It wouldn’t do any good. She had to stay calm today or Aaron would ask questions. She couldn’t have that because then he’d find out about the text and the fake rose. As much as she wanted to tell him, she couldn’t. She loved him too much.
A broad smile crossed his face. “And you didn’t feel bad or anything afterward? No side effects?”
“Well, I felt like some crazy person came into my bathroom and left a threatening note.”
“Not that, Loopy. Did you feel like you normally do when you take them? Sleepy? Dizzy? Out of it?”
Come to think of it… “No. I didn’t. Hmm… Reckon’ why?”
Aaron’s smile got bigger, if that was even possible. “I had Ray switch the bottles.”
“You did what?”
“Yesterday. He said he asked for a pencil or something from your bag. He switched the bottles.”
That’s why she’d heard the rattling. “Why?”
“Because I had a theory. I think the pills you’ve been taking were planted. I think they were very strong pain pills someone put in your over-the-counter bottle to make you think they were innocent aspirin. The fact that you didn’t have any side effects proves it.”
Pretty sneaky. “But who could do that? My bag is always with me.”
Aaron cocked his head. “This guy can get into your locked car, your locker, your own bathroom, and you wonder how he could get into your backpack?”
“Okay, yeah. That makes sense.” It did freak her out, though, that all this time she’d been going to school and driving while taking pills that she had no idea what they were. “I felt like I did when I took the two pain pills from Darcy,” she said, putting the pieces together.
“The ones I caught you with at my house?”
“Yeah. She offered to give me two, and I took them. Not at the same time, of course. I knew they were strong, but I didn’t think they were that strong.”
Aaron bit his lip. “So we know how you got the pills and why you were acting so weird. That’s good. I feel better.”
Yay, she was glad he did. She didn’t. Someone had been in her house, in her bathroom, and now in her body, putting who knows what in her bloodstream. It made her sick. “I’m glad I’m not going to school today. I couldn’t take seeing Darcy.”
“I’ll text Ray and have him do some stealthy questioning. He’s good at that.” Aaron pulled his cell from his pocket.
“Really? Ray’s stealthy?”
“No.” Aaron smiled. “But he’s all we have right now.”
While Aaron texted Ray, she texted Mackenzie to tell her not to worry, that she didn’t feel well, and she’d see her tomorrow at prom. It was a bittersweet text because she knew something horrible would probably happen to her at prom. But, whoever it was could break into her house, so she was just as safe in a room full of people as she was locked in her house.
“Breakfast?” she asked him when she got finished texting Mackenzie.
“Starving.” He took her hand and led her downstairs.
To her surprise, her mom sat at the kitchen island. “You don’t think I’d leave you to deal with this alone, did you?”
“No.” Sloan forced a smile. But she sort of wished she had. She wouldn’t have to lie if these people would just leave her alone. “Didn’t expect you to stay home, though. Two days in a row.”
“I called in. Took vacation for the rest of the week. Tomorrow’s prom and I don’t want to miss a minute of getting you ready. And pictures. Lots of pictures.”
“You hear that.” Aaron grinned and put his arm around Sloan’s shoulders. “Lots of pictures.”