Blame it on our Fates

t w e n t y o n e

Her sleek, white chefcoat glimmed and danced along with her pale blue, smoldering eyes. Her long, pale blonde hair pinned in a chignon -in other words- a classy word for a bun, that she insisted I would call it rather.

Caleb was clad in his amazing, sleek Armani suit, which wasn't very unusual. I sometimes wondered if he even slept in Armani suits.

I quickly pulled the picture out of the plastic holder and held it out for Taylor to see. Her expression matched those of Hailey's and Harriet's, of utter confusion.

She complied and took the picture from my grasp, a little hesitance showing through. I closed my eyes tightly and waited for her reaction. A few seconds passed. I almost thought that that Caleb wasn't the one. But I spoke too soon. I heard it then.

A loud, shocked gasp. I cracked one of my eyes open and looked at her. Her face was the epitome of surprised. She looked shocked. Hell, everyone did. Except Harriet, of course. She hadn't met him yet.

"Cadence, isn't that your boss? What was his name again, something with a 'C'," muttered a thoughtful Hailey.

"Caleb Moore."

It wasn't my voice. The words didn't stumble out of my mouth. But rather it was a hoarse voice. A pain filled one at that. That voice was Taylor's. She sounded broken. A part of her that I wasn't very familiar with. I mean she was the most sadistic, strong and very much rude person I knew in the past. The girl tormented me for God's sake.

"Caleb Moore?" Asked Harriet confused. "Why would Cadence have a picture of Caleb?"

"Because he is my boss and a good family friend," I replied or rather whispered quietly but I knew everyone heard me as I heard Taylor sharply take an intake of breath. She turned to me, her once dried tear stains wet again as her waterworks started. She was crying. But it kind of freaked me out. I wasn't used to her crying or bawling her eyes out like a crazy person.

"Why didn't he come to meet me? He said-no promised he would return. And he did, but just not in my life. Was it something I did? Was it because I was too clingy? Did he not love me anymore? Was I just a girl who had her cherry popped by him? Weren't we in love? Why-" Ranted on Taylor as she thought of all the possibilities Caleb didn't inform him about his return but was soon cut off by me grabbing her shoulders and making her look into my eyes. One look and she was in my arms, hugging me tightly.

"Shh, Taylor, calm down," I said as I gently patted her back and she not-so-gently clung to my arms. No wonder she called herself a clingy person.

"I want answers," I heard her hoarse voice call out.

"Me too, Tay, me too," I said. And yes, I was persistent to know the answers that we all wanted. And I was going to get them. One way or another. Cue One Direction, though I didn't like them much.

You know if there was someone in my tight knit group of friends who could easily dissolve tense situations, it was Harriet. And this time too, it was her who definitely knew the right words to ease the atmosphere.

"By the way Taylor, I should give that to you. You sure know how to pick guys. Like let's be honest, that man is one hunky man. No wonder you gave him the honors to pop your cherry. Anyone would. Heck even I would but I can't since he's taken by you. No thanks to you," muttered a playfully glaring Harriet. And apparently, it worked too, cause Taylor cracked a smile and punched her shoulder playfully.

--

I quickly parked my Vespa on the side of the road, next to the Moore's household. And even though it wasn't the first time I was, I was still amazed by the beauty of it. If I thought Hailey's house was huge, Caleb's was approximately twice even of hers which was saying a lot. His house was the epitome of money, perfection and elegance. And living there seemed to be like a fairy tale. But that was what it was. Just a fairy tale. Not reality. 'Cause I knew how many problems Caleb had in his family. But then a question hit me. Did I really know him at all? The person I considered my brother.