(unedited)
Say what you can't say,
Say it's the end,
Say anything.
There's something to find,
In all the places that you fear.
"Happy the Hard Way" âEvery Avenue
When I passed Mr. Sullivan's room Wednesday after school, he was packing up his desk. I stood there for a moment, trying to decide if I wanted to go in and ask what he was doing. I wasn't close to Cameron Sullivan by anyone's terms, but what if it was important?
I decided to ask, since I was who I was, and of course, I was curious. As usual.
"Mr. Sullivan?" I asked, stepping into the classroom. He and Skylar has broken up, so I wasn't really sure what to call him.
He looked up. "Ms. Evans. Did you need something?"
"I was just wondering what was going on," I replied, gesturing to the half filled boxes.
"I quit," he said, moving the contents from one of his desk drawers into the box at his feet.
"You quit?" I repeated. Like his job as a teacher at the school? Why? Because of Skylar and the break up?
He nodded.
"Why?" I asked. "Is it because of Skylar?"
He stiffened. "Because of my brother. And because your boss being your ex-girlfriend's father isn't the best situation to be in."
"Why because of Daniel?" He had been arrested, but what did that have to do with Cameron and his job.
His eyes flickered to the open door. "Shut the door," he instructed. I did as he said, then looked at him expectantly. "He was arrested, and almost charged with murder, Elena."
"But he's out now," I pointed out.
He didn't look surprised by me knowing, though I didn't know whether it was because he knew I was friends with the Elite or because he knew I was Kaden's adopted daughter.
"He needs a break. We both do," Cameron said.
It took me a moment to understand what he meant. "You're leaving town?"
He nodded.
"With Daniel?"
Another nod.
What about Daniel's involvement with Kaden's case? Had he agreed to this? Did Kaden know? Did Cameron know Daniel was more involved with Olivia than he thought?
"He agreed?" I asked.
"He took a year off from university and he needs to start his second year soon," Cameron replied. I noticed he hadn't actually said that Daniel wanted it too.
"That's not an answer," I said.
Cameron sighed and leaned against his desk. "He's reluctant. But he'll come."
"What about Skylar?" I was guessing she didn't know since they had broken up this weekend. If she did, then it was probably from her father. Skylar had decided to skip school this week, 'take a personal week off' as she claimed.
"We're not together anymore," he answered, turning back to moving things from his desk.
"But don't you still care about her?" I asked. It was nosy, I know, but how could he just leave? They had seemed pretty close in the few moments I had spent seeing them together. And if he was running... No, Cameron and Daniel couldn't really be involved with Olivia and the Elite's game, they had no reason to be. Daniel was only in it because of Kaden and Skylar had said Cameron didn't know about any of it.
"Skylar and her friends are involved in some dangerous things, Elena," Cameron replied with a sigh. "I would suggest you don't get involved too."
I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" I asked, even though I knew what he meant. But I had thought Cameron was clueless.
"Look at what happened to Skylar," he said. "And she's one of their own."
â¡ the trouble with love â¡
I went to talk to Kaden after school. I still had to ask him about the week at the Elite's cottage, and Daniel. After dumping my bag in my room, I went back downstairs to Kaden's office.
... And walked in to find him and Raine making out.
I hovered awkwardly, unsure of whether I should interrupt, or come back later. Raine made the decision for me, though, having apparently heard me come in. She pulled away from Kaden, stepping back a little as she smoothed out her hair.
We all exchanged awkward glances for a moment.
It wasn't the first time I had walked in on them kissing, I had done it more times than I'd like to admit, but it was still awkward every time.
"What's up, Lena?" Kaden asked after clearing his throat.
"I wanted to ask you about something with Daniel," I replied. "But I can come back later..."
Raine shook her head. "I should start on dinner, anyway. You guys talk." She gave Kaden a quick, mild kiss, and me a light hug before walking out of the room.
Raine rarely involved herself in Kaden's cases. She knew about them, I think, and there had been occasions where she had offered her help, but she claimed it wasn't really her area or expertise, so she stayed out of it.
I turned to Kaden. "Did you know Daniel's free?"
He nodded.
"Him and his brother are leaving town," I told him.
Another nod. "I know. He stopped by earlier today to tell me," Kaden replied. "But I don't think that's what you really want to talk about."
I sighed. "Keira confessed to killing Olivia."
"I know," he said.
I stared at him. Kaden always ended up knowing something way before or at the same time I found out. I mean, I knew he had a lot of connections and stuff but it was like he was all-knowing.
Okay, maybe not all-knowing, since the Elite case would be done by now if he was.
But was this an adult thing or a Kaden thing? Because it really wasn't fair.
"I also heard that a certain someone skipped school Monday," Kaden added.
I gaped at him. "Shawn said he wouldn't tell!" The traitor.
"I didn't find out from Shawn," he replied, raising an eyebrow. "But it's nice to know he knew too."
Oops. I just threw Shawn under the bus then.
"What happened to 'it won't affect school', Lena?" Kaden asked.
"It hasn't!" I protested. "It was a big deal."
"You didn't need to involve yourself," he scolded.
"She confessed to murdering someone!" I said.
"False confession," Kaden corrected.
"How did you know?" I asked, even though it didn't take a genius to figure out that Keira's confession hadn't been real. Anyone with a decent IQ and the right information could probably draw that conclusion, much less Kaden who was one of the best lawyers in the country and had know-all superpowers. I asked mainly to try and get him off the topic of my skipping school.
"Shawn told me," he answered simply.
"Is he even allowed to do that?" I asked, now genuinely curious.
"Since it's not his case, and others, like you, knew about it, yes," Kaden said. "And I know what you're trying to do, Lena."
So not fair.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I tried anyway.
Kaden rolled his eyes. "I'll let it go, but I don't want it to become a regular thing."
"It won't, I promise!" I paused. "So what do you think?"
"About what?" he asked.
"Keira," I told him. "Do you think she did it?"
He sighed. "Ashton seems to think not."
"But...?" I trailed off, glancing at him. He had only said Ashton, so I knew he probably didn't feel the same.
"I'm keeping it as a possibility," he said.
Before I could ask anything else, Raine opened the door. "Dinner's ready," she told us. Huh, it had only been fifteen minutes since she had left so she must've done something simple or already had something prepared from the night before.
I still hadn't brought up the cottage thing, but dinner might be a good time to do it. It might be a good thing to have Raine there. Kaden wasn't strict by any terms, but Raine was still a little more easy-going than he was. It had been Kaden who had given me the whole birds-and-bees talk at thirteen since Raine had felt awkward about it.
"So..." I started slowly, twisting the spaghetti around my fork. "What are we doing for Christmas and New Years."
Kaden dropped his fork to press a hand to his forehead. "I was supposed to set up the Christmas tree this weekend."
Raine laughed. "Maybe you're getting old," she teased. Kaden simply rolled his eyes at her, but he was smiling a bit. No one cheered him up or made him relax more than Raine, I had noticed that in my years living with them.
Raine turned to me. "We're here for Christmas. Then we'll probably go up to LA to visit Annabelle and Clark, and Kallie and Brett will meet us there. No big trip this year."
Annabelle Williams was Raine's agent, and her husband, Clark was a close friend of Raine and Kaden's. I think they, along with Kallie and Brett had all been close, and apparently a little crazy as well, friends in high school. They were still close, so they usually got together for holidays, with Devon and Shawn occasionally joining.
Avril and Blake had been part of it too before the accident.
"Do you have plans?" Raine asked.
I bit my lip. "I got invited to someone's cottage for New Year's."
Kaden glanced at me. "This someone wouldn't happen to be part of the Elite, would they?"
"Well," I paused. Then nodded. "Their parents will be there!" I added quickly. I had been bracing myself for Kaden's answer, which I knew, would be a no. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to go, but curiosity was getting the best of me. I could learn a lot about the Elite if I stayed with them for a week, and I had never me their families before.
"That doesn't make it any better," Kaden said. "No."
Raine glanced up at the ceiling in exasperation. "Kade."
"What if she ends up dead?" he muttered under his breath, almost to himself.
"Kade," Raine repeated.
"Chopped into pieces and mailed back home bone by bone," he continued. I stared at him. I never knew Kaden had this sort of morbid imagination.
Raine sighed. "Kaden Christopher Fleming."
He looked at her. "She can't go."
"Think about it as her staying with a couple friends for a week," she said. "Not the Elite."
Kaden paused, then shook his head. "There'll be guys there."
If Raine and Kaden ever have a daughter I pity them already.
Raine rolled her eyes. "It's not like we haven't done worse."
I glanced back and forth between them. It was always interesting to watch Raine and Kaden argue, as sadistic as that might have sounded. Raine usually won, despite Kaden being the lawyer, since it was often about something Kaden wasn't being logical about due to the fact that he was a bit overprotective.
Kaden frowned. "She might end up in a body bag."
She gave him an exasperated look.
He sighed. "Fine, I'll think about it."
It was funny watching Kaden give into Raine since he rarely relented about anything.
After dinner, I helped Raine bring the plates in. "Thanks," I told her as I set them beside the sink.
"Kaden can be overprotective," she said with a slight shrug. She turned to me with a soft smile. "I'm glad your friends, Lena. Even if it's with the Elite."
"So you don't disapprove?" I asked hesitantly.
"No," she replied shaking her head. "I just hope you're not friends with the homicidal one."
Yeah, that might be a problem considering I don't know who it is...
-- â¡ --
Teaser: She shrugged. "I think he really likes you."
QotC: Favourite adult in the story?