Free Helios Awakened (The Helios Chronicles #1) by Tawa M. Witko

insignificant.
    “Yeah.”
    “That’s my cousin, Irene. Her mom called my mom,” she said with an eye roll and Madison understood immediately that her cousin had not wanted her to be here at all. That it was a pity invitation just as Brie’s invite to Madison had been.
    “I didn’t want to come since I can’t stand any of them but Jayden thought it would be fun, you know, just to piss them off,” she said with a laugh.
    Madison laughed as well. “Sounds like something I would do.”
    “Yeah, you should have seen their faces when we showed up. It was priceless!” Callie giggled again. “Of course it wasn’t as great as yours and Andrew’s entrance. I thought Brie was about to spit nails.” Callie chuckled as she lay down.
    “Screw her!” Madison said as she closed her eyes enjoying the summer sun. “I don't need her approval.” Madison smiled, knowing that was the truth.
    “Me neither!” Callie said with conviction.
    Callie already liked Madison and hoped they could become good friends. She thought about how wonderful it would be to have another person to talk to about things and wondered if maybe she could confide in her what had happened to her and Jayden. She sincerely hoped this would be the case. Besides, it was clear to Callie that Jayden was having a great time with Andrew so this could be good for both of them.
    The girls soaked up the summer sun for hours as the boys raced until their hunger forced them to come back to shore. As Andrew helped Jayden load the Jet Skis, he decided that he really liked him. This was the most fun he had ever had and he knew that he owed Jayden the truth. It was the least he could do.
    “I was high,” Andrew said softly.
    Jayden stopped what he was doing and glanced at him. “When it happened?”
    Andrew nodded. “I was wrong, I don’t deny that, but she said she was 18 and I was pretty messed up, too messed up to question it or see that she was clearly NOT 18.”
    Jayden frowned. “If she said she was 18 why were you convicted?”
    Andrew looked down. “I couldn’t remember for sure if she said it or not and she told her dad she didn’t remember much about the night because she was so drunk. I thought about it continuously while I was in prison and I am certain she said it but... I don’t know, maybe I just want to believe she did. Know what I mean?”
    Jayden nodded but was still frowning.
    “The judge gave me the maximum sentence because I was a lot older than her.” He again looked down, feeling remorse for what happened, “And then I got a few years for fighting her dad when he attacked me.”
    “You know, Andrew it really sounds like you had an incompetent attorney,” Jayden stated angrily. He was fully aware that a good attorney could have gotten him half the time or no time at all.
    Andrew shrugged. “I suppose so but in all honesty I didn’t give him much to work with. I was withdrawing and needed a fix bad by then and... I guess I sort of felt I deserved what ever happened. I know that probably sounds stupid.”
    Jayden looked at him and sighed. “It’s not stupid, Andrew.” He hesitated for a moment but decided this was an important question to ask. “Do you still get high?”
    Andrew shook his head. “No, but in the beginning of my incarceration I wanted it desperately, craved it all the time,” he said, instinctually wrapping his hand over his arm. “But I’ve been off it for a long time so I don’t really crave it anymore. Not that I want to test that theory,” he finished with a sigh.
    He wasn’t 100% sure what he would do if confronted with the opportunity to use again. He wanted to believe that he wouldn’t do it but who really knew what they would do in any given situation until they were in it.
    “Thank you for telling me, Andrew. I appreciate it.”
    “Thank you for everything. I have never really had anyone defend me. It felt... good.”
    “Well, you’re welcome, man,” Jayden said smacking his shoulder as they