To Have Loved [BxB] Book I ✓

Chapter 49

a/n: Hey, I promised this chapter would be out by today at the latest so here it is. I'm pretty excited about this one and the last one. I think I'll probably get started writing it tomorrow and put it out whenever it's finished. Honestly, one of my favorite things about this book is seeing how much the characters have developed and changed as people. At this point, they feel really well fleshed out and I'm so excited to take that into the second book and continue to build on some of the things this book has started. Also, I know a lot of you are probably in the beginning or middle stages of finals season right now, so I wish you all luck on your various projects and exams as the school year comes to a close. I hope you're all doing well, remember to stay hydrated, and I'll catch you in the next chapter. 

Kayden sat on his bed, his laptop in front of him as he stared at an empty document. He had an unthinkable amount of different assignments due Monday on top of a 7-page essay, but he hadn't started any of them. He'd been trying to for an hour now. He was also supposed to be in the library half an hour ago. He wondered how long Elias waited before he got up and decided to do something else with his time. Kayden just didn't think he could face him, not when he was so behind and somehow had managed to do nothing all week when he was supposed to be doing extra work. He hadn't taken notes, he had hardly even looked at his homework all week. He knew what would happen, Elias would look at him like his entire existence disappointed him and then he'd tell Kayden he needed to pick himself up and get his shit together because he only had two weeks left.

He ran his fingers through his hair, tugging at the red curls. He was stressed and tired and he didn't want to have to think about this anymore. He wanted to die. He didn't really, but maybe he did. He just wanted to be done with it all and it felt like everything was only getting worse. He couldn't fathom the thought of killing himself over a history assignment, though. 

There was a knock at the door and Kayden hardly looked up from his computer. He didn't really care who it was, he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone.

"Kayden?" Elias' voice called from the hall.

"Go away, I'm working," He called back, but the door swung open and Elias stood there with a raised brow. He looked at the blank document and then at Kayden.

"Working."

"...yup."

Elias sighed and walked over to sit down at the foot of the bed, gently pushing Kayden's laptop closed so he could look at him. "Well, when's the last time you took a break?"

That was just about the last thing Kayden was expecting to come out of Elias' mouth. No comment about how he'd skipped their tutoring session? No jab at his incompetency? He just sat there, pulling at his fingers. How long had it been since he'd felt like he could take a break? He didn't deserve a break, he hadn't done anything productive in days. "I...I don't know."

"Listen, I know that you're probably pretty behind at this point, but pushing yourself to get things done when you can't isn't going to get you anywhere," Elias said softly as he took the laptop and set it aside. "What's something you want to do? You could take a nap or I could take you out for food. You need to take care of yourself, you look exhausted. After that, we can work on a plan to get you caught up before finals."

"I don't have time for that. I need to get this all done now, and I have to turn in my piece to the newspaper by tonight because I didn't last week and Ezra's already pissed at me," Kayden said, taking a shaky breath in.

"Have you thought that it might be time to drop the paper?" 

"What? No, it's two weeks away from the end of the year. Ezra would never forgive me-"