7

Chapter Seven

Eiling

THE FIRST thing that happened the next morning was my eyes snapping open. Next was me rolling off the bed abruptly and falling to the floor with a nice huge thud. I groaned in pain, sitting up on the marble floor and rubbing my aching elbow. After a few seconds of hopeless massaging, I gave up with a huff and stood up.

I almost shrieked when I registered my surroundings, but a quick flashback of everything that had happened in the past twenty four hours was enough to put me out of my anxiety.

Okay, I thought, taking calming breaths. Everything's fine, no need to freak out.

Everything was fine, at the moment. There was a part of my subconscious that reminded me of my standing. Kayden's family could decide to throw me out anytime they wanted. My eyes scanned the room for anything I would find familiar, or in clearer terms, my backpack. I spotted it next to the dresser and quickly went to it, opening the zipper and drawing out a fresh set of clothes–a hopefully fresh set of clothes.

I wasn't properly packed for my stay but that was hardly my fault. This event kinda just popped into my life without warning. Aside my clothes, phone and homework, there was nothing in my backpack. No toothbrush or perfume or any of that stuff. A sigh left my lips, my hands, which held the brown tee, dropping to my sides. I prayed Kayden's former bathroom cabinet would contain mouthwash, and some soap.

• • •

It was a struggle to navigate through Kayden's house considering the size of it. For the first couple of minutes, it felt like I was just going round in circles. Eventually I stumbled into the kitchen.

Kayden and his mother were already there. Kayden was seated at the kitchen island, silently munching on a sandwich while his mother chattered on at the stove about something that I was clueless of. The door made a small noise as it shut behind me, causing both heads to snap in my direction.

"I'm sorry, I was searching for the front door," I blurted out, eyes darting from Kayden to his mother and back. Anna was the first to smile, the corners of her lips almost reaching her ears.

"Good morning dear," she chirped. Without giving me a chance to reply, she went on. "Why don't you have a seat? I'll prepare breakfast."

I walked further into the kitchen with alertness. "Breakfast?" It was nice and all that I was staying here for free but that was enough trouble. I wasn't going to sit down and let her prepared l breakfast for me.

"Of course," Anna nodded. "You have to eat something before Kayden drops you off."

I blinked once at her then looked at Kayden, who was now smiling at me. A small yet tight smile played on my lips before I turned to face his mother. "It's fine. I'm not hungry and I usually walk to school."

She gave me a bewildered look, but it left almost immediately I caught it. Her hands settled on the sides of her hip as she feigned a strict look. "Well, I'm certainly not going to let you head to school without breakfast. And I'm sure Kayden won't mind dropping you off."

"I don't," Kayden shrugged.

"But I–" the rest of my counter statement was shoved down my throat when anna held a hand up.

"No buts." Her brows drew together as she looked at me with concern. "Kayden told me that you don't have a place to stay at the moment. I can only imagine how you must be feeling right now but I can tell you that you're not alone. Now that you're here, you have us."

I looked to Kayden expecting to see him looking back at me. However, he wasn't. He had his head ducked as he took another bite out of his sandwich, a trail of red dusting the side of his neck. If I didn't know better, I would have thought he was blushing.

"So don't give any excuses," Anna's voice spit the air again. She went to work, preparing my breakfast. "Grab a seat."

I nodded and did as she told me to, settling down one seat away from Kayden's and propping my hands in my lap. The moments that followed were wrapped in silence, the shadow of a conversation being the small glances I stole at Kayden.

A plate came down on the island in front of me, bearing two freshly made medium sized sandwiches. Shortly after, anna spoke up.

"Coffee or orange juice?"

One look at her facial expression told me that she wasn't going to let me choose neither. So I replied:

"Coffee please."

She smiled back and went to prepare the coffee. My gaze went back to the plate before me, my mind contemplating whether to eat one sandwich and save the other for lunch. Why eat a plate of soggy fries when I could savor a healthy sandwich?

I put my hand out, ready to steal one of them from the plate, but just as I grabbed it, Kayden occupied the empty seat between us. I let the sandwich drop back onto the plate with a soft thud.

"Hey E." I faced him, the sudden locking of our gazes causing me to inhale sharply.

"Hey," I forced out. Anna dropped a mug of coffee next to my plate and I thanked her briefly before she went back to the sink.

"How'd you sleep?" he inquired with a warm smile that lit up his eyes.

"I slept well," I answered. "Infact, I slept so well that I threw myself off the bed this morning because I wasn't used to such good sleep." Once those words had fallen out of my mouth, I realized how dumb I'd made myself sound. I went red in the face.

Kayden laughed, a small subtle laugh that felt like he was trying to hold it in so I would feel less embarrassed.

"Are you okay?" he asked through waves of soft laughter.

I couldn't help the smile that cracked up on my lips. "I'm fine. Thanks again, by the way." I chewed on my lower lip, feeling a blush creep up my neck. "For helping me."

He grinned in reply. "Like I said before, it wasn't a problem. I'm glad you're comfortable."

I wasn't comfortable here, not yet. But I had a feeling I was going to be. If... they didn't throw me out before the end of the day.

"That's okay, Kayden. Let the girl have her breakfast!" Anna complained from the stove.

Kayden gave me his finest boyish smile before going back to his seat, taking his warmth with him. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face when I turned back to my food.

• • •

The drive to school was not awkward. Kayden didn't allow it; he didn't let a minute go by without engaging me in some conversation. It felt like he was trying too hard to make me feel comfortable with him but at the same time, I found it adorable. And I swear, it had nothing to do with the fact that his hand was centimeters from mine all through the ride. Kayden bore a warmth, a welcoming warmth.

A warmth that got replaced with tension the second we passed the front gates of Stanley Georgeson High.

Almost all the students outside, both popular and otherwise, had their eyes on Kayden's incoming car. I felt myself shrink and my lungs constrict. It was a good thing the windows were tinted. Heaven knows what my life would have become if they saw me with Kayden Facro.

"Everything okay E?" he asked, voiceaced with concern.

I swallowed and nodded. "I'm fine." I was not fine. "Could we, go in through the back?"

Kayden's eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I answered in a haste. "I just…my first class is at the other end of school and I have to get there early."

A couple of cheerleaders waved at an oblivious Kayden as his car passed by them. My nerves were biting at me, reminding me of all the bad ways this could go.

"Erm… Okay then. The back of school it is." He bought the lie! It wasn't really a lie, my first class was at the other end of school, but it was AP History. The teacher was always late to class and didn't give a flying kidney if anyone payed attention or not. But Kayden didn't have to know that.

He brought the car to a halt at the back of the school, twisting the key in the ignition so the engine's purrs died down. As I pulled the too of my hoodie over my head, Kayden turned to me.

"What's with you and the hoodie?"

I stared down at my hoodie and frowned when I spotted a white stain on it. "I like it," I replied, picking at the stain then giving up when it refused to come off. "A lot."

"I figured." My eyes caught his. "You wear it a lot." And then after a brief pause, he smiled. "It looks pretty on you."

My heart stuttered, I scolded it. "Yeah, um... Thanks."

I spotted a group of people aproaching the car through the window behind him. Not just any group of people, his friends. The Prime Empire. I began to panic, fumbling with the lock of his car.

"Are you okay, E? You seem out of it."

I studied him, how was I supposed to tell him that we couldn't be seen together? Why didn't he care? Why wasn't he freaking out like I was?

"I'm okay," I lied smoothly. "Could you unlock the car?" Pause. "Please?"

Kayden stared at me in slight disbelief before going to do as I told him to, pushing a button to unlock the car. I muttered a thank you, pulling the top of my hoodie further down to cover my eyes, and opened the door. Just as I put a foot out of the car, Kayden's voice stopped me.

"I'll see you around?" Was it a request, a suggestion or a question? Or was it all three of them? I didn't know. But turning back to look into his familiar hazel orbs, I knew he was going to see me around. I dreaded it.

However scared I was, it didn't stop the–twitchy–smile from crawling into my lips. I didn't give him a reply as I stepped out, ducked my head and hurried into school without looking back.

• • •