Kaiden
The excitement in the air is nice. The students are wearing different types of hats, making our monochrome uniform look cheerful. For once, it doesn't feel like a dull Monday anymore.
"I can hardly see your face!" Nathan laughs when I approach him and Raven.
It makes me a bit sad, seeing them, but they make perfect sense together. Nathan may not be into Sasha but he didn't deny liking Raven.
"That hat is gigantic!" he says.
"I know. Mum got it on her Bali trip. On the plus side, it keeps my personal bubble empty!" I grin. "Stay away ya filthy animals!"
"Bella should have kept a size limit," Raven giggles, lifting the front of the wide brim of the straw hat and peering at me.
"I'm not wearing this in class, just for photos. I brought a tweed beret too! I like yours, it's a funeral hat right?" I ask Raven, lifting the small black veil from her eyes.
She nods.
"Funeral for my sanity," she sighs dramatically. I laugh, putting the veil back in place. Nathan is wearing his usual grey beanie.
"Nice to see you put in the effort."
"This the only one I have," he shrugs.
He looks good as usual but tired, bags under his eyes. There's a light stubble on his face. It suits him, he looks older, more mature.
The bell goes off.
"Are you okay?" I ask him, as we walk to the lockers. Raven went ahead with a girl from the other division.
"Yeah, why?"
"You look exhausted, didn't you sleep yesterday? Did your Mom give you a hard time about the painting?"
He opens his locker, not replying.
I don't know why I ask him things even after he told me not to. I literally need to control this impulse but everytime he looks even the slightest bit sad, I want to fight against everything that made him feel like that.
It's concerning, isn't it?
"It's just exam stress. They're immediately after Homecoming so I'm a little worried especially since Coach is making us practice all the time. With work and homework, I don't get much sleep."
I blink. I hadn't expected such an honest answer. I contemplate his words, putting my own books in my bag. We walk to biology together.
"Do you maybe want to study together at the Starbucks after your shifts? That way I could help you with homework too. We could also have group studies at my place whenever you're free. It would do you good to be around people. You enjoyed my friends' company right?"
He smiles, nodding. A bubble of pride pricks my chest. I really do have the fucking best of friends.
"Yeah well, they're carefree. You're right, it'll take my mind off things. It's been a crazy few days," He sighs, sliding into a seat. I sit beside him.
I like him this way. No hiding stuff, no white lies.
"So it's decided then. I'm pretty sure Raven would be the happiest to have you around," I tease, nudging him.
He hits my arm repeatedly with a notebook. I laugh, rather half-hearted. He definitely likes her.
"I'm worried about Daniel. It's been tough with him. Ryan adjusted fairly quickly and well, Max and Alex were always good to me. It's just Calum, Daniel and the others. They're still very fucking cold."
YOU ARE READING
Summers & Starbucks || bxb ✓
Teen Fiction[completed] Kaiden Pierce fell for Nathan Summers at a camp. After two months of pining and resigning to the fact that he won't see his one sided crush ever again, Kaiden says goodbye. However, Nathan shows up as a final year transfer to Kaiden's sc...
