Possessed Soul

Part 3- Sage Chapter 22

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Autumn was moving in fast. The leaves turned golden brown and pirouetted as they fell. The sun was high in the sky, but the chill in the air still sent goose bumps up my arms. The hairs on my arm stood upright and swayed gently to and fro, like people swaying to slow music in a packed ballroom.

I shivered uncomfortably and ran the palms of my hands up and down my bare arms. I was wearing one of Emma's tank tops. I was one of those girls that didn't feel comfortable showing my shoulders, it just seemed wrong somehow. But tank tops seemed to be the only thing of Emma's that covered most of me. Her clothes consisted of crop tops and low hanging blouses. I wondered how she survived in winter. I wondered how I would survive in winter. Usually, I bundled myself up in multiple layers until I looked like an Eskimo. Winters in Croydon were anything but mild. The roads became covered in a thick layer of ice, until the salt truck came and spread salt over the roads to make the ice melt. The thought of Winter only made me colder, so I started picturing Summer. But the sight of yellow beaches reminded me of Calum's fair hair and then I was just gloomy. So I closed my eyes and pictured an empty black void filled with nothing.

I heard a soft rustle as someone sat down on the grass next to me. Whoever it was wasn't feeling as cold as I was, because they took their jacket off and wrapped it around my shoulders.

My first thought was Kaden, but it couldn't have been him. The parka didn't smell like him. Kaden smelt like cinnamon and vanilla; this smell was more minty, like toothpaste, only more natural.

I opened my eyes gently and took in the man next to me. He was broad shouldered and wore a short sleeve grey shirt. Did no one feel cold in this place?

Flynn smiled at me, and I noticed that he had a nice smile. Not seductive like Kaden's smile, but nice in a gentle way. There was a hint of a stubble on his chin, tinged slightly grey. His fair hair stuck out in many places, in a carefree manner. He seemed to be the kind of person you could never really know. There would always something new to learn about him. He seemed like a very secretive person who would get to know other people without ever volunteering information about himself.

"Thank you," I said, pulling than parka tighter around me. It was big for me, but that provided more room for warmth. I smiled when the cold was cut off from my body.

"You're welcome," he responded. "Can I ask why you're outside in this weather?"

I shook my head. "I could ask you the same question."

"You could," he nodded. "And if you did, which you didn't by the way, I would have to say that I came out here to comfort you."

"Really?" I asked.

"No," he confessed, with a sigh. "I was walking and saw you here. So I decided to try my hand at consoling, which I've never tried before. Emma doesn't like anyone to see her cry, and Holden and Aaron never cry."

"What about Kaden?" I asked, wondering why he had been left out.

"Kaden," Flynn started, and then stopped as if he was thinking of what to say. "Kaden bottles everything up. He doesn't talk about how he feels. He's ..." Flynn stopped short, as if he couldn't find the right word.

"Insecure," I filled in for him.

Flynn's forehead creased. "How did you know that?"

"Am I not supposed to?" I enquired.

Flynn shook his head. "I'm surprised he told you about his past."

I didn't say anything, hoping that Flynn would keep talking and I could piece together bits of Kaden's past.