96

Arabella Rivera

He sighs eyes moving away from me. " I was a stupid kid back then. Am still now."

I wait for him to continue, not exactly knowing how to respond to that anyway.

" I was always a stupid kid, never listened to my parents. Always creating havoc. I guess deep down all I wanted was my dad's attention. He worked a nine to five job. Never got enough time for me or my mo- Charlotte." He let out a jagged breath.

I stay silent, not wanting to disturb him. He looked like he was deep in thought, staring at the sky as if it held all the answers. "I used to pick fights at school just so he'd look at me. I didn't care that he was scowling or that he was saying how disappointed he was in me for striking an innocent kid. I didn't care because for once he'd have his attention on me."

Haiden's jaw ticked. "Then I got obsessed with it. The need for his attention was like a drug and there was no rehab, no cure. I got so frustrated when he started to