Renee's River | √

4. layers & creativity

❝ I bite my tongue, it never hurt so bad
Keep wanting you to cross that line
I keep tryna get you to react ❞
- Keke Palmer, Jeremih, Enemiez.

"I still can't believe you're getting a job so soon," Kaleb said in misery as we got into his car after school. We were going to check the bakery out. "And you'll probably be working on Saturdays."

"Yeah, thanks to the friendly and hot Kendall," I faked a grin.

"We always hang out on Saturdays," he said quietly.

He was right. If he wasn't with his basketball guys or doing something with Sydney, I was over at his house or he came over to mine and we would see movies or just talk and do fun stuff. Sometimes when he didn't want to be a complete ass, we would go on a ride to wherever the gas could take us to and fro. We would sing on top of our lungs to songs by Khalid because we were die hard fans, then we would walk into La Taqueria for tacos because Kaleb was in love with them.

I let out a breath, this was going to be so hard and I bit my lower lip.

"But hey, we aren't so sure I'll be working on Saturdays yet," I felt my face light up.

"Rae, if anything, bakeries open mostly on Saturdays. I mean, it's Saturday," he said.

"You're right," I sank back into the passenger seat beside him.

"Hey, I'm sure we would work something out if at all you have to work on Saturdays," he started to turn the key in its ignition and was about to pull away from the school's parking lot when I heard Sydney call, "Kaleb!"

"Oh, come on," I groaned, rubbing my temples as I sank even lower in the seat. I wanted to avoid her for the whole day, all because I wasn't in the mood for her drama on the first day.

Kaleb shot me an apologetic look before getting down to talk to her, but that didn't mean I couldn't hear their conversation.

"What the hell, Kaleb," I heard Sydney say.

"Are you okay, Syd?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I just don't know what she's doing in the car."

I rolled my eyes inside the car. What was with her?

"I promised Rae I would take her somewhere," he explained.

"Where? Where are you taking her, Kaleb?"

I groaned, pushing the door open and coming out, "It's none of your business where he's taking me."

She raised an eyebrow at me, "Stay out of this," she looked back at Kaleb, "So?"

I grabbed my bag from the front seat and slung it over my shoulder, "You know what, Kaleb? We should probably go on Saturday. Better yet, I can go myself."

"You should, because we've got plans for Saturday," Sydney shot and I rolled my eyes and started to walk away.

"No, Rae," Kaleb spoke, "I promised you I'll take you to go check the place out and I will, so you should get back into the car," he looked back at Sydney, planting a kiss on her lips, "I promise you, I'll make it up to you. I'll call you tonight?"

She rolled her eyes before mumbling an 'okay' and then glared at me as I got back into the car.

"I'm sorry about that," Kaleb said in a quiet voice as he pulled away from the parking lot.

"She annoys the hell out of me," I let out a breath, adjusting in the seat, "But then, I hate being the cause of your arguments sometimes.

"She just needs reassurance that there's nothing going on between both of us, Rae, that's all," his eyes didn't leave the road.