Just…mine.” Cade growled. A long paused followed before Hunter spoke softly.
“You need to get your shit together, man, or this, whatever this is, won’t end well.” Hunter stalked around the side of the pillar without glancing my way and went inside the school. A few seconds later, Cade emerged lost in thought and didn’t even notice me as he followed Hunter. Brody and Bree spared me a glance before also going inside. Cassie stepped up beside me and looped her arm through mine.
“We need to work on your stealth skills.” Cassie said as she pulled me toward the door.
“What? What do you mean?” I asked innocently.
“Oh please. Let’s add acting to the list too.” She chuckled. I had to laugh with her, even with Hunter and Cade’s words echoing in my head. Since the game was up, I decided to ask Cassie about the conversation.
“Who were they talking about?” I had a pretty good idea, but I wanted confirmation.
She sighed. “You showing up this year has thrown everyone. It’s going to take some getting used to.”
“So they were talking about me.”
“Yes.”
“And Hunter’s worried that Cade wants to be with me more than he should?”
“Yes, but that’s not something Hunter can demand. Cade’s happiness comes first.”
“I don’t know what everyone is going on about.” I replied and Cassie gave me an “are you stupid” look. “Ok, I know we are attracted to each other but this isn’t some Romeo and Juliet story. Right?”
“God I hope not.” Cassie muttered.
“Right. So, if, and I mean a big if here, Cade and I do end up seeing each other, what is the worst that could happen?”
“How about we worry about that when the time comes, yeah?” Cassie said dismissively.
“But-“
“No. Right now, we have English. Let’s be teenagers while we can. Okay?”
“Fine.” I sighed.
The conversation was dropped and for the next few days, the memory was pushed to the side. I was still escorted between classes, sat with them at lunch and common study hall, and Cade drove me to and from school. He didn’t attempt to talk to me about last weekend or what he tried to say. Or anything about his encounter with Hunter, even though it was on my mind.
Friday found me and Bree in the library. Brody was waiting outside because and I quote, “there’s just too much knowledge in there for one man to take”. Bree and I shook our heads in amusement as we entered the library. We were looking for resources on the topic of earth ecosystems for one of our classes. Bree wandered off to the computer to see what she could find while I went over to the bookcases.
Just then I noticed Tyler trying to catch my eye from the other end of the bookshelf. He nodded his head in an invitation to talk. I smiled and walked down to meet him.
“Hey.” He said with a smile.
“Hi.” I replied, returning his smile.
“I wasn’t sure if you were going to get away.” He said as he looked beyond me to see if anyone else was around us.
“I’m free to go where I want.” I shrugged.
“Are you?” Tyler questioned quietly, I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to hear that so I didn’t acknowledge his question.
“Did you have something you wanted to talk about?” I asked, pulling his gaze back to me.
“Yeah, I wanted to see if you were interested or free for a bonfire this Saturday?”
“Yeah. I don’t have any plans.”
“Really? Cool.” He smiled.
“Could Bree and Cassie come too?”
“Uh sure.” I scowled at his hesitancy and he rushed to explain. “It’s not that I don’t like them or don’t want them to come. It’s just that usually wherever they are, Cade, Hunter, and Brody are too.”
“So you just have a problem with the boys?”
“Well, it’s easier when they aren’t around.” He hedged. I thought about it and couldn’t find fault with his reasoning.
“You need to get your shit together, man, or this, whatever this is, won’t end well.” Hunter stalked around the side of the pillar without glancing my way and went inside the school. A few seconds later, Cade emerged lost in thought and didn’t even notice me as he followed Hunter. Brody and Bree spared me a glance before also going inside. Cassie stepped up beside me and looped her arm through mine.
“We need to work on your stealth skills.” Cassie said as she pulled me toward the door.
“What? What do you mean?” I asked innocently.
“Oh please. Let’s add acting to the list too.” She chuckled. I had to laugh with her, even with Hunter and Cade’s words echoing in my head. Since the game was up, I decided to ask Cassie about the conversation.
“Who were they talking about?” I had a pretty good idea, but I wanted confirmation.
She sighed. “You showing up this year has thrown everyone. It’s going to take some getting used to.”
“So they were talking about me.”
“Yes.”
“And Hunter’s worried that Cade wants to be with me more than he should?”
“Yes, but that’s not something Hunter can demand. Cade’s happiness comes first.”
“I don’t know what everyone is going on about.” I replied and Cassie gave me an “are you stupid” look. “Ok, I know we are attracted to each other but this isn’t some Romeo and Juliet story. Right?”
“God I hope not.” Cassie muttered.
“Right. So, if, and I mean a big if here, Cade and I do end up seeing each other, what is the worst that could happen?”
“How about we worry about that when the time comes, yeah?” Cassie said dismissively.
“But-“
“No. Right now, we have English. Let’s be teenagers while we can. Okay?”
“Fine.” I sighed.
The conversation was dropped and for the next few days, the memory was pushed to the side. I was still escorted between classes, sat with them at lunch and common study hall, and Cade drove me to and from school. He didn’t attempt to talk to me about last weekend or what he tried to say. Or anything about his encounter with Hunter, even though it was on my mind.
Friday found me and Bree in the library. Brody was waiting outside because and I quote, “there’s just too much knowledge in there for one man to take”. Bree and I shook our heads in amusement as we entered the library. We were looking for resources on the topic of earth ecosystems for one of our classes. Bree wandered off to the computer to see what she could find while I went over to the bookcases.
Just then I noticed Tyler trying to catch my eye from the other end of the bookshelf. He nodded his head in an invitation to talk. I smiled and walked down to meet him.
“Hey.” He said with a smile.
“Hi.” I replied, returning his smile.
“I wasn’t sure if you were going to get away.” He said as he looked beyond me to see if anyone else was around us.
“I’m free to go where I want.” I shrugged.
“Are you?” Tyler questioned quietly, I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to hear that so I didn’t acknowledge his question.
“Did you have something you wanted to talk about?” I asked, pulling his gaze back to me.
“Yeah, I wanted to see if you were interested or free for a bonfire this Saturday?”
“Yeah. I don’t have any plans.”
“Really? Cool.” He smiled.
“Could Bree and Cassie come too?”
“Uh sure.” I scowled at his hesitancy and he rushed to explain. “It’s not that I don’t like them or don’t want them to come. It’s just that usually wherever they are, Cade, Hunter, and Brody are too.”
“So you just have a problem with the boys?”
“Well, it’s easier when they aren’t around.” He hedged. I thought about it and couldn’t find fault with his reasoning.
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