Undateable

Thirty-Five

Cade's POV – 48 Days

I can't help it. Every time Kaia is in my presence, I want to kiss her so badly and I don't want to let her go. But the guilt is consuming me alive and I can't bare looking at her either. I don't know what to do anymore. My heart hurts whenever I look at her and even when I'm far away from her. I feel so conflicted and I can't keep lying to her.

I look at the beverages and grab a red solo cup. I get some bear and chug it down. I feel the cold liquid buzz through me as I close my eyes and breathe. Vivian's parties are horrible but I'm here only to see her again. How could I not when she brought my mood back up during detention? When I was laughing with Kaia only a few minutes ago, I just only then realised what she said and the word keeps repeating itself in my mind over and over and over again. I can't keep it out.

I don't know if she meant it intentionally but she said it. And when I noticed it, when I realised she said that word, I felt like the misery in the world vanished and as Mrs Harper would put it, the sun shone on the meadow once again. Kaia just referred to her gesture during detention as an expression of her love. She might not mean love as in she was in love with me, but she said those four letter words I thought was never capable of being felt towards me.

I could I possibly continue this charade with her? I need to stop the deal with Vivian's mom – I can't keep playing along with the act. I want to be with Kaia. I want her to be my official girlfriend. I turned into those losers Kaia loves watching in movies.

"I thought you had a fight with Kaia," I hear.

I open my eyes and look to my right. Over the loud music, I can distinctly hear the conversation between Ben and Wyatt. What's he doing here? Vivian hates Ben and so does Vivian's boyfriend. I let myself eavesdrop into their conversation.

"Yeah, we did, but that's not going to stop me. She's vulnerable now – she and Cade is at the brink of breaking up and this is my opportunity." The thought of Ben and Kaia together makes my blood turn cold. Does he honestly think he has a change with Kaia?

Kaia is not stupid enough to ever have feelings for him. Ben is nothing like me – if anything, Ben is worse than me. I know I get into trouble and I do bad things but unlike Ben, I don't threaten people. Sure, no one likes me or Ben but that doesn't mean we're the same and that doesn't mean Kaia has to like him if she likes me.

"Aren't you going a little too far for revenge?" Wyatt asks. What is he talking about? I glance at the two of them and Wyatt is leaning towards Ben in a whisper. The idiot is still loud for anyone to hear.

"What are you talking about?" Ben asks.

"Kaia is annoying, but do you want to keep messing with her? Have you seen her brother? They're inseparable and no doubt, Kaia will tell Kieran and then you'd be on Kieran's hitlist." And mine. I feel my blood boiling as each second goes by. The asshole is trying to hurt her?

Ben laughs, "I'm not scared of Kieran. That bitch deserves everything she gets thrown at her – it'll teach her a lesson."

I turn to Ben. That bastard! I want to punch him in the face until it bleeds. I want to make him beg for mercy. I want him to be locked up in jail so no one would ever have to see his jacked-up face ever again.

Abruptly, Kaia steps in front of me and everything disappears. The very face I want to protect from the devil that sits only a few metres away from her. My eyes can only see Kaia and Kaia alone. She's the one I want to protect from people like Ben. Her eyes are beautiful, naïve and innocent. Her innocent appearance can have anyone fooled. But the look in her eyes; I can't decipher them. I can't read her expressions – they're a mix between sad and angry.