✓ | WELCOME TO DEADTOWN → original

thirteen

"Thanks for having us over," Aiden clapped a hand on Reed's back. "We almost drowned just pulling out of Becker's driveway."

"It's no problem," Reed grinned, running his fingers through his jet black hair. "Except I thought you were driving Casey and Holland home."

Aiden grimaced and threw a glance over his shoulder at Kayden, who was taking off her shoes. "We had some. . .issues. Later, okay?"

Reed nodded, and dropped the subject as Gen said brightly to Kayden, "How was your night?"

She had never really liked the girl, what with how loyal she was to Kyle and how much more popular she seemed to be than her, but she figured ever since they had set the "pact" with the rest of their group together, she could set that aside. She also was sure that now would be the perfect time to at least try to work out their differences, if she could find someway to get Kayden alone.

Kayden shrugged, her blonde hair falling against her cheek. She really was quite pretty, with full blue eyes and a grin that could light up any room, although it wasn't seen much. Gen noticed, however, the dark bruise-like circles lining underneath them and how red they were as well. She assumed things were most likely not going well with Kyle, no matter how hard Kayden tried to convince anyone that they were.

Maybe it could convince almost everyone. Gen thought to herself as she asked Kayden if she wanted to go bake cookies while the boys picked out movies. But she didn't think any amount of pretending could get past Aiden O'Conner.

She watched with her peripheral vision as Aiden watched them go, his eyes never leaving Kayden's back until he was sure she was safely in the kitchen. Whatever Kayden did, it had him pulled under. She could tell with the look in his eyes, and she knew because it was the same way she looked at Reed.

"So!" Gen said brightly, pulling out pans from underneath the sink where Reed had shown her the thirty minutes before the two had arrived. "Did you, um, have fun at the party?"

Kayden gave her a look, and Gen laughed. She didn't think she had ever seen Kayden be sarcastic before, but that one glance did the trick. Whatever weirdness that was between them broke instantly. There was one thing Gen knew: Kayden was not anything like Kyle Becker, despite how he tried to twist and mold her into a version of himself.

"Oh yeah, it was a blast," Kayden continued, smiling slightly. "What with my boyfriend drinking so much that he vomited into the sink and the whole dead body and everything. Did you enjoy it?"

"Nah," Gen said, shaking her head. "I think I'd rather read a book or something."

She glanced sharply at her. "Don't you dare tell anyone I just said that."

Kayden shook her head, her smile deepening. "I won't. Your secret's safe with me."

As the two began to mix the ingredients together, falling into the normal conversation of college choices, likes and dislikes, and celebrity crushes that usually fell amongst teenagers, Gen steadily turned the tides to deeper waters. And before she could lose her nerve, she plunged forward with the question that would prove whether or not Kayden was her own individual, or whether she was just another carbon copy of her boyfriend.

"Can I ask you something?" Gen asked as she began to mold cookie dough into balls with her hands.

"Sure." Kayden responded, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

Gen didn't waste any time stalling, instead saying boldly, "It's about Kyle."

Kayden visibly stiffened, but still replied hesitantly, "Okay, go ahead."

Gen sighed, her shoulders relaxing. At least Kayden hadn't shut the topic down.

"Well," She began slowly, her fingers moving deftly through the dough as she placed it into the cookie pan. "One time, I was heading around the back of the school. I saw Casey there, you know, the one that's always around Holland? And Kyle was. . .I don't know. Beating him up, I guess. I don't know what the reason was- maybe he was just bored- but I saw you get out of his car and run up to him. You pulled on his arm and told him to stop, but he didn't listen. Then, when you kept tugging on it, he stopped for a second, and turned to you and said something."

She took a deep breath, looking nervously at the blonde girl next to her. Kayden was staring at the countertop, completely still. "You stared at him, and then at Casey. I thought- I don't know. I thought you were going to do something. Casey looked so bad and so. . .torn apart. But I couldn't believe it when instead you turned and walked back to the car. Kyle kept beating him up, and I couldn't watch it anymore. I left and then threw up in the grass the second I was far enough away. It was completely awful."

Gen looked at Kayden. "So I want to know why. Why did you do that? Why did you let that happen? Why do you let all these things happen? And I'm not trying to be rude or intrusive, I just. . .I want to know the truth."

When Kayden finally spoke, her voice was scratchy, as if she was trying not to let something escape. "Do you know what Kyle said to me?"

Gen slowly shook her head, and Kayden looked up at her, her blue eyes glistening with tears. "He said. 'If you don't do as I say, you're going to turn out exactly like your mom. You're already worthless, let's not add to the list. Get back in the fucking car.'"

Her voice was flat as realization flitted across Gen's face. "My mom is a drunk and she's physically abused me since I was four years old. That's why I never go home. And Kyle knows that. So he knew exactly what to say. And that's why I got back in the car, because things would have been so much worse if I didn't."

She finished rolling the last bit of cookie dough and plunked it in the tray. Silence stretched between them, and finally Gen found her voice. "God. That's why you never. . ."

"Yeah," Kayden said quietly. "That's why I never help anyone with him. Or why I never stand up to him. Because he can fuck me up if he wants too. And we both know it."

She shook her head, turning to put the tray in the oven. "I thought I was going to be stuck there. I thought it was always going to be Kyle and I, forever. At least, until. . ."

Her face reddened, and Gen leaned back against the counter, a smirk lifting the corners of her mouth. "Until you met Aiden, right?"

Kayden closed the oven door, turning back to face her. "What? No. That's not- that's not what I was going to say."

Gen rolled her eyes. "Come on. Do you see the way he looks at you? He's practically dropped everything for you."

Kayden shook her head. "No, he hasn't. That doesn't mean anything."

"Are you serious?" Gen said incredulously. "Jesus Christ, how do you not see it?"

Kayden's brow twisted in confusion. "See what?"

Gen laughed out loud, tilting her head back. Once she had caught her breath, she looked back up at the girl, leaning forward until there was enough space for her to whisper.

"Kayden," She said quietly. "Aiden O'Conner is in love with you."

we got some tea this chapter and i know a lot of people probably have mixed reactions on kayden and that's totally fine lmao. btw, taylor's swift's album "lover" drops friday, august 23, so pls listen to it cause my baby has worked sO hard :))) remember to vote and comment, i love you all!