"How did he even end up here? How does he know which town you moved to or what school you're going to? There are hundreds of schools in this town, and he just happens to find the right one?"
Amelia leaned in, her eyes wide with disbelief. She had been relentless with her questions since I reluctantly mentioned Levi last week during our lunch at the diner. I usually kept my past private, but it slipped out between bites of my burger, and now it felt like I had opened Pandora's box.
"I know. It's bizarre," I replied, fiddling with my sandwich as I tried to shake off the unease.
"And you want to know what else is weird? Cayden sitting here at our lunch table instead of with the jocks," Amelia said, glancing sideways at him. He was perched casually at the end of our table, biting into an apple and grinning as if he didn't have a care in the world.
"It's sad how you're stereotyping me just because I'm a jock," Cayden shot back, smirking at Amelia.
She rolled her eyes. "You've been following Hailey for almost five hours now. What do you want from her?"
Cayden sighed, his playful demeanor shifting slightly. "Cut me some slack. I'm just here for Hailey. I saw how uncomfortable she was earlier when that jerk approached her. It looked like she wanted to burst into tears."
A tight knot formed in my stomach. I hadn't expected Cayden to defend me, especially not in front of Amelia. It felt strange having a football player sitting at my lunch table. I always imagined this kind of scenario in romantic comedies, but this was my reality, and I didn't know how to navigate it.
Everyone in the cafeteria seemed to have their eyes on us since we walked in, a whirlwind of whispers and speculation following us like a shadow. It was disconcerting. The spotlight felt suffocating, and I wished I could just disappear.
"Earth to Hailey! Do you want me to drive you to your destination?" Amelia teased, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Destination?" I echoed, slightly confused.
"Yeah, the 'land of thoughts.' You haven't touched your food since we brought up Levi. I'm starting to agree with Cayden," she said, emphasizing the last part.
I shifted in my seat, discomfort creeping in again. They were right; talking about Levi made me uneasy. I had spent so long trying to bury that part of my life. My past was a dark cloud hovering above me, and I didn't want anyone else to see it.
"I should get to class," Amelia said, standing up and gathering her things. "Classes won't start for another five minutes, but you know meâI hate being late. My mom's going to freak if I am."
"Okay, see you later," I said, forcing a smile.
"Good luck!" She winked and walked away, leaving me with Cayden.
I glanced at him, half-expecting him to make some ridiculous joke or comment, but he was focused on his apple, chewing thoughtfully.
"Where are you going?" he asked when I stood up to dispose of my trash.
"Class," I said, heading towards the bin. I turned to see him following me again. "And why are you following me?"
"I'm not following you. I just want to throw away my garbage and head to class early," he explained, feigning innocence.
I stepped aside to let him toss his apple core. "I know you love my company, but do you really expect me to believe you're following me?"
Cayden grinned, leaning casually against the bin. "Can't blame a guy for wanting to spend time with a pretty girl, right?"
I rolled my eyes, trying to suppress a smile. "Your ego is showing again."
At that moment, a guy approached us, and I felt my stomach twist. Cayden squinted, following my gaze as the guy stopped in front of us.
"Didn't know you were making friends with new students," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Cayden rolled his eyes again. "Don't you have better ways to waste your time?"
"Hey, I'm Tyler," he introduced himself, extending a hand to me. I glanced at his hand, then back at him, feeling a mix of annoyance and disbelief.
"Guess you're not a fan of shaking hands, huh?" he quipped when I didn't respond. "And you are?"
"She's not mute, but she's definitely not interested," Cayden jumped in, grinning.
Tyler laughed, glancing between us. "Anyway, how about we go out on a date sometime? Get to know each other a little better?"
I blinked at him, incredulous. "No, thanks. My time is too valuable to waste on guys who throw themselves at girls just because they think they're cute."
Cayden snorted with laughter, clearly entertained by my bluntness. "Better luck next time, bro," he said, clapping Tyler on the shoulder as I walked away.
I entered the Ancient History room, only to be met with a wave of curious stares. Great. Just what I needed. I spotted Cayden entering behind me, and my annoyance flared up again.
"Is there something wrong with your eyes? You seem to like rolling them," he said, sliding into the seat next to me.
"It's a talent," I shot back, trying to focus on my notes instead of the noise surrounding us.
But Cayden wasn't deterred. He leaned in closer, resting his elbows on the desk. "Why are you so focused on avoiding me?"
"Maybe because your presence attracts too much attention," I muttered, scanning my notes for anything useful.
Just then, a familiar voice interrupted our tense moment. "Hi, is this seat taken?" Levi stood next to me, looking infuriatingly casual.
"Yes, and this one will be too if you sit down," I replied, gathering my things.
He frowned slightly but seemed to regain his composure. "Whatever," he muttered, moving away as Cayden shot him a glare.
The teacher walked in moments later, and I took a deep breath, hoping the rest of the class would pass without incident.
"Good afternoon, I'm Emily. I'll be your substitute today since Mr. Marshall is unavailable," she said, distributing worksheets. "He left some work for you, so please start on it. I'll be back shortly."
As the class erupted into chatter, I struggled to concentrate. Cayden leaned closer, poking my shoulder. "Need help?" he asked innocently.
"What?" I snapped, turning to face him, annoyed.
"May I borrow a pen?" he asked with an exaggerated pout.
I glanced at the pen in his hand. "You have one. Why don't you use it?"
"It ran out of ink," he replied, tossing it aside as it hit a classmate on the back of the head.
I stifled a laugh as the class erupted in giggles. "No," I said firmly, returning to my worksheet.
He poked me again, this time a little harder. "What about now?"
I glared at him, frustration bubbling. "You just threw your pen away. You're just trying to mess with me."
Cayden's expression shifted to something more serious. "I wasn't trying to annoy you," he said softly.
The weight of his words made me rethink my response. Had I been too harsh? I shrugged it off, returning to my work.
He sighed, sitting back in his chair. I could see the shift in his mood. The playful banter had turned into something heavier, and I wasn't sure how to navigate it.
The noise in the classroom swelled, making it hard to focus. I caught Cayden glancing at me out of the corner of my eye. I stole a quick look at him, and he caught me. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned over.
"You know, I might just be stupid enough to fall for you," he whispered, grinning.
I felt my cheeks heat up, but I quickly shook my head. "Don't get cocky," I warned, trying to keep my tone light, but my heart raced at his words.
Cayden just chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. It was maddening how quickly he could shift the mood. Despite everything, there was something about him that drew me in, and I wasn't sure how to feel about it.
Class dragged on, filled with the noise of students and the occasional interruption from our substitute. But through it all, I couldn't shake the feeling that Cayden was a complication I didn't need, yet something about him felt oddly comforting.
Maybe I was just tired of the chaos Levi had brought into my life. Maybe it was nice to have someone else, someone who made me laugh despite everything. Or maybe I was just lost in the moment, uncertain of what would come next.
After class, as the bell rang and students flooded the hallways, I grabbed my things and headed toward the exit. Cayden fell into step beside me, the easy confidence radiating off him.
"Are you always this grumpy?" he teased, nudging my arm playfully.
"Only when I have to deal with obnoxious jocks," I shot back, but a smile tugged at my lips.
He feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart. "Obnoxious? Me?"
I laughed despite myself, and for a moment, I felt lighter. Maybe having Cayden around wouldn't be so bad after all.
***
hello. here's another update. I hope you guys enjoy reading today's updated chapter. don't forget to vote, comment and share this story with your friends.
as always, carry on and happy reading!
-The Author