Dad."
He held it out, placing the frame carefully in my hands. His Mothers short brown hair and tiny frame reminded me of a pixie. I gazed down at Caleb's Dad and my mouth loosened, jaw going lax.
This is what Caleb would look like years from now. They were the mirror image of one another.
"She's beautiful and he's...you,” I stammered lamely.
"I know."
I returned the picture to him and watched as he put it back. There was no tension, no worry. I was witnessing Caleb for the first time—his family bringing out the vulnerable side he kept so fastidiously hidden. I liked him like this, no false pretenses, no fear of what other part lurked underneath the surface. No concerns about anything.
Just the two of us, being ourselves.
"I don't know what music you like but I have a decent selection."
He walked over to the stereo, pulling out a CD case and unzipping it. He put it on top of the black comforter as he sat down. He smiled, patting the space beside him.
"Only if you promise to be a gentleman.” I waited, standing still for added effect.
He placed his hand over his heart, masking a grin. “You have my word."
I smiled and climbed up, sinking into the feather comforter.
"What music do you like?” he asked as he flipped through the pages, his fingers tracing the outline of random CD's.
"Almost everything,” I answered, adding quickly, “Except country."
Caleb lifted his brow humorously. “Just don't tell Billy that. You might break his heart."
"What about you? What do you like?” I leaned toward the folder, looking inside the neatly stacked sleeves. The CD's were placed just above the covers.
"Here.” He passed it over, our hands brushing as he waited for me to get a grip.
A gentle rapping sounded on the wall and I looked up as Derek walked in. His eyes flickered back and forth between us.
"Sam's on the phone."
"I'll be back.” Caleb rose from the bed, striding out the door and down the stairs. I heard his feet as he shuffled around the corner.
Derek walked to the bed, glancing down at my hands. “Coldplay?” he laughed and winked at me. “He must keep that kind of garbage around to impress you ladies."
"And just how many ladies has he had up here?” I asked half jokingly.
"None.” Derek stared at me, ensuring I couldn't mistake his seriousness.
The confession made me both elated and uncomfortable at the same time. I pretended to look at the CD's, flipping the pages nervously, fingers quivering. I could feel him staring and it was hard not to shift under the scrutiny.
"What you're experiencing is totally normal,” Derek said quickly, glancing toward the door, “The rush and intensity, all of it."
"How did you know that?” I didn't attempt to mask my shock, allowing the folder to drop limply into my lap.
"Ask Caleb, he's off the phone.” Derek lowered his head and walked out of the room, swerving to avoid Caleb as he topped the stairs, whistling as he went.
"I thought you might be hungry.” Caleb tossed a bag of beef jerky on the bed and handed me a can of Pepsi.
"I'm a Coke girl.” I crinkled my nose distastefully, accepting the can. I hated Pepsi. It left a strange after taste in my mouth that I couldn't stand.
"Have you ever heard the expression about beggars and choosers?” he teased, arching an eyebrow.
"You know, I think I have heard that somewhere,” I laughed.
He walked to the closet, opening the door and stepping inside. I heard rustling that continued for a few seconds before he appeared again, closing the door behind him with a bundle of clean clothing folded under his arm.
"I need a shower.” He motioned in the direction of the bathroom. “I won't be long."
"Wait, what did Sam say?” I hoped he was on his way. I had so many questions to ask. There was so much I still didn't understand.
Caleb turned, hesitating as he answered, “They ransacked the hideout, destroying everything inside.” He was holding back, not telling me everything.
"But there's something
He held it out, placing the frame carefully in my hands. His Mothers short brown hair and tiny frame reminded me of a pixie. I gazed down at Caleb's Dad and my mouth loosened, jaw going lax.
This is what Caleb would look like years from now. They were the mirror image of one another.
"She's beautiful and he's...you,” I stammered lamely.
"I know."
I returned the picture to him and watched as he put it back. There was no tension, no worry. I was witnessing Caleb for the first time—his family bringing out the vulnerable side he kept so fastidiously hidden. I liked him like this, no false pretenses, no fear of what other part lurked underneath the surface. No concerns about anything.
Just the two of us, being ourselves.
"I don't know what music you like but I have a decent selection."
He walked over to the stereo, pulling out a CD case and unzipping it. He put it on top of the black comforter as he sat down. He smiled, patting the space beside him.
"Only if you promise to be a gentleman.” I waited, standing still for added effect.
He placed his hand over his heart, masking a grin. “You have my word."
I smiled and climbed up, sinking into the feather comforter.
"What music do you like?” he asked as he flipped through the pages, his fingers tracing the outline of random CD's.
"Almost everything,” I answered, adding quickly, “Except country."
Caleb lifted his brow humorously. “Just don't tell Billy that. You might break his heart."
"What about you? What do you like?” I leaned toward the folder, looking inside the neatly stacked sleeves. The CD's were placed just above the covers.
"Here.” He passed it over, our hands brushing as he waited for me to get a grip.
A gentle rapping sounded on the wall and I looked up as Derek walked in. His eyes flickered back and forth between us.
"Sam's on the phone."
"I'll be back.” Caleb rose from the bed, striding out the door and down the stairs. I heard his feet as he shuffled around the corner.
Derek walked to the bed, glancing down at my hands. “Coldplay?” he laughed and winked at me. “He must keep that kind of garbage around to impress you ladies."
"And just how many ladies has he had up here?” I asked half jokingly.
"None.” Derek stared at me, ensuring I couldn't mistake his seriousness.
The confession made me both elated and uncomfortable at the same time. I pretended to look at the CD's, flipping the pages nervously, fingers quivering. I could feel him staring and it was hard not to shift under the scrutiny.
"What you're experiencing is totally normal,” Derek said quickly, glancing toward the door, “The rush and intensity, all of it."
"How did you know that?” I didn't attempt to mask my shock, allowing the folder to drop limply into my lap.
"Ask Caleb, he's off the phone.” Derek lowered his head and walked out of the room, swerving to avoid Caleb as he topped the stairs, whistling as he went.
"I thought you might be hungry.” Caleb tossed a bag of beef jerky on the bed and handed me a can of Pepsi.
"I'm a Coke girl.” I crinkled my nose distastefully, accepting the can. I hated Pepsi. It left a strange after taste in my mouth that I couldn't stand.
"Have you ever heard the expression about beggars and choosers?” he teased, arching an eyebrow.
"You know, I think I have heard that somewhere,” I laughed.
He walked to the closet, opening the door and stepping inside. I heard rustling that continued for a few seconds before he appeared again, closing the door behind him with a bundle of clean clothing folded under his arm.
"I need a shower.” He motioned in the direction of the bathroom. “I won't be long."
"Wait, what did Sam say?” I hoped he was on his way. I had so many questions to ask. There was so much I still didn't understand.
Caleb turned, hesitating as he answered, “They ransacked the hideout, destroying everything inside.” He was holding back, not telling me everything.
"But there's something
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