Through The Storm

35

Estella

I woke up that morning with a smile on my face for the first time in as long as I could remember. Last night flooded my mind as soon as my eyes opened, my thoughts were filled with Cade. He had slept on the couch downstairs last night after getting back home. He seemed different, like he regretted it. But I couldn't fill my head with those thoughts right now because all I could focus on was the good between us. We still had a while left in Seattle and I could only imagine how the week would go.

I creeped down the steps as I was the only one awake, and I went straight to the kitchen. Whenever I was in a good mood; it was easy for me to cook so I fried some eggs and made French toast with bacon as well. I continuously peered into the living room to check on Cade and see if he was awake yet or not, he was so peaceful when he slept. Besides the nightmares— did he have them last night? I would've heard them right?

I turned my focus back to my cooking, I wasn't going to let my mind decide my mood today. I was stronger than that, I had held my mind at bay for long enough before my breakdown in the bathroom the other day. Although some nights in Houston I still had to cope, I did a pretty good job at keeping them balanced. The attacks weren't as bad; they haven't been that bad since I moved. Flashbacks came to my mind of Cade kissing my scars, telling me I was beautiful. Did he mean that?

Was he able to overlook my flaws? Or was it just someone to mess around with? He had been out for the entirety of the night before, and I didn't even question it. Was I letting my fantasy take over? This whole morning I've pushed the negative thoughts down because I didn't want to overthink, but what if I was underplaying it? What if I wasn't thinking enough?

I heard a rumble from the living room and peered around the corner again to check it out. To my surprise, he wasn't on the couch anymore. The bacon was almost done frying as I heard Cades footsteps coming towards the kitchen.
"Morning Princess." He was cheery but he was hiding something. There was a tone in his voice I couldn't quite read, he was masking himself. Why?

"Good morning! How'd you sleep?" I was polite and perky, I wanted to have a good day today. I didn't want him to regret last night.

"I slept alright." Was he being short on purpose?

"Any dreams?"

"What the fuck did you just ask?" He was sneering at me. It had completely left my mind that he would think I was referring to the nightmares when in reality I was just making conversation.

"I didn't mean it like that- I was just making small talk."

"So what? We hook up and suddenly you're asking about my fucking dreams?"

"No- I was. I just wanted to. Wait, hooking up? That's all it was to you?" I couldn't help but be hurt at his words. Had I been so stupid to think it meant something... again?

"What else would it be babygirl?" He was smirking at me, using a voice coated with cruelty. This was his plan.

"Fuck you." I turned back to my pans, flipping the French toast and watching the bacon closely. The eggs had finished frying and were sitting on a plate ready to go. I quickly took off the bacon and set it down on a plate as well, following with the French toast.
"Here's your breakfast." I gave the plate to him and then called for Jules to wake mom and come down to eat.