(20) Did You Hear...?

Recap:

"Sweetheart, you tell me when and I'll pull this car over immediately and test every single one of those theories."

Brazenly, she looked right at him and said "when."

Raising his eyebrows, Theo pressed his foot on the break and pulled over, parking on the side of the road.

Sucking in a deep breath, Makennah clawed at the door and pushed herself away from him. "Okay I was kidding."

Again Theo laughed at her. "Relax, Kennah, we're here."

"Oh." Her grip on the door relaxed and she leaned back in her seat.

"Don't worry. We can pick this up later. Let's go."

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"No. I'm not getting out of this car. You told me I didn't have to." Stubbornly, she refused to move.

"Pleaseeeeeee, Kennah come on!" Theo turned the car off and instantly the warm heat drained from the Lexus.

"Nope." Not happening.

"Fine." Planning to investigate himself, Theo exited the vehicle and stood by the hood for several seconds, glancing around to ensure no one would see what he was about to do.

Once again, Cassandra's car was parked in the driveway. But the other car was missing.

Casually tucking his hands in his pockets, Theo crossed the street and hopped onto the curb. Makennah watched his long legs stride across the concrete and enter the grass of the coach's property. Inside, almost all of the lights were off. It almost looked like no one was home.

In the darkness, Makennah lost sight of Theo as he dipped into the shadows of the coach's property. She didn't spot him again until Theo was jaywalking the street back to his car.

She admired his long legs. His wide shoulders and muscular arms that were displayed by his tight grey long sleeve shirt. His jeans hung low on his hips, enough to show his boxers briefly as he shoved his fists in his pockets. Ducking his head, Theo hurried back to the vehicle and climbed inside.

"No one is home," he stated.

"Is her location still here?" She asked.

"Yep." Theo checked his phone again for good measure.

"Do you think she left her phone here on purpose?"

Theo shrugged. "It's possible. But where would they go?"

Makennah mulled it over in her head. "Romantic date?"

"Too late for that."

"Romantic getaway?" She suggested.

"Let's wait a little while and see if anything happens," Theo offered. He started the car and positioned the heat on a higher level. When the sun fully descended, the earth cooled off considerably.

Content with silence, Makennah sighed and snuggled into the dark leather seats. Closing her sweater around her torso, she bent one leg and tucked it under the other. The motion stirred her memory of their previous conversation and suddenly she wasn't so cold anymore.

"So why do you think I'm a player?" Theo asked, breaking the silence.

She sighed deep from within her belly. "You're flirty."

"Explain."

Recalling their first interaction ever, Makennah didn't feel that needed much explaining. "From the first day we met, you were flirty. Literally our first interaction ever."

"That's your only evidence?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

She shook her head. "No, you've kinda been like that ever since. You're single. You cause a lot of commotion among the females in school. You wink a lot."

"What else?" Theo inquired, keeping his eyes on the house, expecting something to happen. He leaned his head back and slouched down. Everything he did was so damn attractive.

"You make sexual innuendos."

Before she even finished her sentence, he interrupted her. "I only make those with you. Is that what a player would do?"

That sounded a little argumentative and Makennah just didn't have the energy for that right now. She wasn't going to sit there trapped in his car and rebut every statement he made. She believed what she believed for a reason. "How am I supposed to know that?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he said, "what else?"

Everything else Makennah couldn't say out loud. If would only affirm his cockiness and it would lead down a trail she couldn't go down with him. The fact of the matter was that Theo was drop dead gorgeous with a charming smile and an electrifying personality that drew people to him. He was magnetic and exciting. He offered adventure and something new.

Or maybe he just offered those things to Makennah.

"You could have any girl you wanted but instead you just flit around from girl to girl."

"And then I flirt with them all right?" He asked.

"Yeah but you don't tie yourself down," she said.

"Maybe I want to be single."

"That's what players say who can't get rid of all the side chicks for one female." She rolled her eyes. Been there and done that. She'd been the side. She'd been the main. She'd been the main with a side and didn't know it. She'd been the side and didn't know it. She'd done it all one way or another.

Theo dragged a hand down his face. "So you've thought about this quite a bit, huh?"

Only every day. "No, I summed you up the first time I met you."

He laughed. "Well you're wrong."

"There's no evidence of that."

Theo picked up his phone and waved it. "You could pick up my phone right now and go through all of my texts. You know what you'd find? A whole bunch of chicks hitting me up that I never respond to. What else...let's see. Nudes? Nope none of those. Probably will find some random ones from girls I never responded to. None that I ever asked for. Might even lhave a few texts from my ex that I ignored. Snapchat? My only streak is Matt and Nick. Instagram and Twitter DMs are full of opened messages I never responded to from random girls. Could have gotten a few numbers but I didn't. And if that's not enough, you can go ahead and ask my dear sweet mom, Jillian, and she can tell you about the last time I ever hung out with a girl alone." Poking his tongue in his cheek, Theo tapped his phone on his thigh and refused to look at her. "I'm not sure why I'm trying to prove myself to you," he whispered.

For the first time, Makennah wondered if maybe she had hurt his feelings by calling him a player. Tension tightened in the car between them. Awkwardly, Makennah bit her bottom lip because she didn't know what to say. She was unaccustomed to his anger of annoyance.

For some reason, she thought about apologizing. Mentally, she argued with herself not to. There was nothing wrong with collecting facts about Theo and making assumptions.

To protect herself.

"I thought you had to be a player because...." no, stop talking. "Because..." don't go there. "Because it doesn't take a genius to see that you're attractive enough to have all the girls chasing you - which you do - yet you flirt with them all but never settle down. Naturally, I and others would assume that you do it because you like to jump from girl to girl."

Theo, eyes still focused on the quiet house, dragged his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. After a brief moment where he held his breath, he let out a short laugh. "I thought you'd never say it."

Confused, she craned her head towards him. "What?"

"Thought you'd never admit you find me attractive." Turning to her, a full smile bloomed on his face. Any lingering hint of anger of hurt feelings disappeared.

Try as she might, Makennah couldn't stop the smile that found its way on to her lips. "I never said that."

Theo buckled his seat belt and shifted into drive. "Yeah you did. Not outright. But you did."

Sighing angrily in defeat, she said, "You're welcome."

"Ooo I bet that hurt your pride."

She reached out and smacked him on the arm. "Don't make me take it back."

His laughter morphed to seriousness when his phone rang. "It's Matt. I'll put him on speaker. Be quiet."

She nodded instead of saying another and Theo picked up the phone. "Hey, man. What's up?"

Matt dove straight to the point. "Be honest. Do you really think Cassandra is cheating on me?"

As he drove, Theo shared a look with Makennah. "To be honest. I didn't see anything. Only Makennah did. But I believe her. And it was all too suspicious the way she walked out of there after Makennah saw what she saw."

Matt sighed. He was silent for several moments. The quiet said everything that Matt didn't say - he was doubting his relationship. "I just don't know, dude. She's been acting normal. She's extra attentive if anything."

"Do you think she's overcompensating for cheating? If she is cheating."

"That thought occurred to me. But I'm second guessing everything she does. It's driving me crazy." Makennah didn't know Matt very well but she could hear the distress in his voice. Her heart went out to him. All too recently she had been in his shoes.

That fact alone solidified her desire to catch Cassandra. No one should have to torture themselves with anxiety wondering if their significant other is being unfaithful.

"Have you talked to her? Have you asked her about it?" Theo asked.

"I can't, man. I don't have any facts. It's just accusations. If she really is cheating she isn't just gonna come out and say it."

Theo must have known his way back to the Sinclair's because she recognized the highway he merged into that headed home. "Does she do anything shady? Did you have doubts before Makennah and I said anything?"

The anxiety she dismissed earlier crept back into her chest. Her lungs tightened with every breath. An invisible weight settled on her body. This was all too much for one night. Too many hard conversations, too many serious inquiries with Theo, too many admissions of her secrets, too much stress from Matt. Her empathetic heart felt overrun and achey.

"Maybe I'm overthinking it, but she hides her phone. She always turns it upside down. Sometimes I'll find her texting and she will quickly put her phone away. But when we're together hanging out just us, Cas gives me all her attention. She isn't shady then," Matt admitted.

"Do you have any idea who it could be if she is cheating?" Theo asked. When he turned the corned at a stop sign in her division, Theo flicked on his hazard lights and pulled over to the side of the road. "Hey, hold on a second."

"No problem," Matt said.

Theo pressed the mute button. "I'm gonna let you out here. I don't think Matt or anyone should see me drop you off."

She nodded. "You're right."

His eyes connected with hers and silently held her there. One hand on the door, she paused and gave him her full attention. He blinked and breathed evenly unlike her erratic heartbeat. When he spoke again, Theo's voice sounded like liquid silk, all comfort and coziness. His words slid over her like a warm blanket. "I'll watch from here do make sure you get inside okay."

She swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Okay, thank you."

"And I'll text you later," he assured her.

As soon as she got in the house, she received a text.

T- meant to tell you....class of '19 annual party tomorrow night. You're invited

T- 36782 Glenview Dr

M- your graduating class? Is it just for seniors?

T- no but it's my invite only. The location is a secret

M- wouldn't Matt have told me if he wanted me there?

T- stop worrying about him. I already know all the Sinclair's will be there. You're a Sinclair. You're coming

M- I work tomorrow night

T- until 8. I already checked the schedule. Plenty of time to get sexy

M- 🙄🙄🙄

Makennah left it at that and tucked her phone away while she clipped Will's forty dollars to the fridge and left and note explaining it was his.

Before she got stuck in a small-talk conversation she didn't want to have with Will or Carolynn, Makennah rushed upstairs to her bedroom. She closed the door behind her and shed her clothes, hanging Theo's jersey over the back of a stylish chair in the corner by the dresser. As she powered on the TV, Makennah fished out a pair of pajamas from the middle drawer of her dresser and put them on while she brushed through her knotted hair.

With all of the lights off, Makennah climbed into bed and built a sustainable barrier around her of pillows.

As soon as she opened Netflix, there was a knock at her door.

"Come in." She refrained from groaning aloud.

Dressed in Batman pajamas, Jonah cracked open the door and peeked inside. "Hi."

"Hey, Buddy." She couldn't be mad if it was sweet little Jonah.

"Can we watch Shrek now?" Because he hadn't obtained further permission, Jonah hung back by the door.

His sleepy voice hinted that he might fall asleep as soon as she started the movie. Nevertheless, his innocent company sounded pretty good at the moment. No grown ups. No grown up conversations. No pressure or expectations. "Sure. Come on in." She patted the bed beside her in invitation.

With a big grin, Jonah ran into the room, snatched a blanket from the wicked basket at the foot of the bed and flounced on the bed beside her. She positioned some pillows behind him and started the movie.

The two were happily enjoying the movie in silence, sharing a few laughs here and there, when they were interrupted by another knock at the door.

"What's up?" It was Josh, seeking the source of fun and laughter.

"Watching Shrek," Jonah filled him in.

"Wanna join?" Makennah offered, sliding to the far side of the bed to make room for Jonah beside him.

"Heck yeah!" Josh bounded across the room and dived into the bed, dismantling their delicate balance of pillows. He bunched a pillow under his head, crossed his ankles and settled in to watch the movie.

The first time Makennah's phone went off, she ignored it. She wanted to enjoy these moments with her foster family, the best foster family she ever had.

The best plain old family she ever had.

But when it kept buzzing, Makennah picked it up to silence it so that it didn't disturb Jonah and Josh who were quoting all the lines with their favorite characters.

The texts were from Grace.

G- did you hear about the party?

G- I assume you did via Theo

G- are you going?

G- what am I even saying. Of course you are 😎

M- yes I received an invite but probably not going

G- great! I'll pick you up if you need a ride

M- you flat out ignore me sometimes

G- only when you're an idiot

M- I'll let you know

G- send me a pic of your outfit 🤩

Makennah rolled her eyes, silenced her phone, and focused on the movie.

Not a minute later, Matt welcomed himself into her room followed by Nick.

"Shrek? Sweet." Nick laid across the end of the bed and propped up his head on his hand. He stole some of Jonah's blanket and covered his feet.

"Good game," she quietly congratulated Matt and Nick on their victory.

"Thanks." Matt glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Digging out his phone, Matt tapped the screen while giving her the eye as if conveying a message.

All the boys laughed at a phone scene while Makennah withdrew her phone from under the covers.

M- you work tomorrow?

K- yeah, til 8

M- there's a party tomorrow that the seniors are throwing. Invite only

M- we're leaving at 11

K- you're driving?

M- yeah we'll spend the night somewhere there so we don't have to drive. Pack a bag

K- cool sounds good

K- will your parents let us go to a party?

M- as long as we are honest they tend to let us go. Just don't act like it's gonna be wild. And dress low key or wear a sweater to cover up

K- you sure?

M- I promise. You're going with me and Nick so it's gonna be fine

Matt and Makennah connected eyes again and nodded respectfully at one another. Makennah put out of her mind the conversation that she overheard between Theo and Matt. It wasn't really her business how Matt was feeling. She just needed to present the facts.

Matt lingered for a few more minutes then headed off to bed. Around 12:30 am, Jonah fell asleep and Nick carried him off to his room. Josh stayed with her until the movie ended. Yawning, Josh retreated to his room after folding the blankets nicely for her.

"Mack?"

Makennah lifted her head to see Josh standing at the door. "Yeah?"

"I'm glad you're here."

Any residual anger, bitterness, or anxiety sifted out of her pores while her heart filled with fondness.

"Me too," she whispered past the lump in her throat. If she didn't go to bed soon, she might burst into tears for no necessary reason.

That night she fell asleep dreaming of an outfit she could concoct to blow a certain someone's mind and take his breath away.

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I am so excited for the upcoming chapters!!! I hope y'all like them! Don't forget to vote and comment!

Xoxo

W. Carolina