a cigarette for cade | ongoing

15 | 83 calluna lane

"I guess," he mused. "You can't tell that I'm busy right now."

I flushed, embarrassed.

"Oh, sorry," I said quietly. "I was just looking for Naomi. I need to talk to her."

He shrugged his broad shoulders without once breaking eye contact with his notebook. "Haven't seen her."

"Didn't think so," I replied. Slightly disappointed, I started to get up. "Anyway, have a good day."

"What do you need her for?" he inquired.

"Uh... Just some stuff."

"Aren't you interesting."

"Boy stuff."

That got him to look up. There was a shadow of a smirk dancing on his lips. I could tell he was amused.

"Oh?" he simpered. "I know now."

"You don't know anything," I said, furrowing my eyebrows. "It's not that big of a deal."

Though I told him that, I was very much thinking the opposite. This was the most amount of drama I've gotten myself in, in all 17 years of my life combined.

"This 'stuff' won't sort itself out," he said.

"You think I don't know that already?"

"I know you do. So do something about it already."

➶

My heart only sank further as the day went on. Eli was simply too normal for his own good. The whole time during English class, I watched the way his hazel eyes lit up when he smiled - and how goddamn contagious that smile was.

He twirled his pen and bounced his left leg. Funny, Eli usually wasn't one to twitch.

Cade, on the other hand, twitched lot. He was in constant need of something to distract him, whether it be a cigarette between his fingers, or-

Stop it, I caught myself thinking about him, and shook my head. That wasn't right. I promised myself I wouldn't think about him until I got this whole Eli-thing sorted out.

"You're quiet today," Eli said as the bell rang, signaling the end of class.

"Didn't sleep well," I replied.

A decent attempt at an excuse.

He stared into my eyes, and we sat in silence for a few moments. After it got unbearable, I cleared my throat and lowered my gaze down to my lap.

"What are you doing tonight?" I asked him, trying my best to sound as nonchalant as I could.

"Whatever you're doing," he answered, chuckling. "Why, what's up?"

"I wanna talk," I said bluntly. I was done with beating it around the bush. Evading the truth was what had gotten me in this situation in the first place.

His golden facade dulled slightly, as a slight furrow appeared between his eyebrows. He seemed concerned, and he knew something was up. However, I didn't want this to shy him away from me. I needed to clear the air.