The Kings of Kentworth

78.

Stephanie and Caleb

Caleb and Stephanie were in the kitchen a few minutes later. She watched him move to the fridge, pull out two plastic cups and a small carton and pour a drink into the cups. Stephanie watched him cautiously.
The way brown and limp strands of his hair fell to his face as he lowered his head. The crease that appeared on his forehead as he concentrated on making sure both cups were filled up to equal levels. The moment he dropped the small carton and looked up, Stephanie quickly looked away; throwing her eyes to cupboard at the right. She thought it was weird how smooth and clean the woodworks of the cupboard were.

"Here," she heard Caleb say before she turned and saw him handing one of the plastic cups to her with a smirk on his face.

Stephanie took her eyes off the cup and looked up to his face. She was hesitant.

"It's not beer," Caleb gave her a kind smile. "It's juice. Pineapple juice."

Her eyes fell to the cup again before she slowly reached up and took the cup from him. "Thanks."

Caleb's smile grew wider before he lifted his plastic cup to his lips and took a sip.

Stephanie watched him and started to think. She thought it was sweet that he assumed she wouldn't like alcohol; because she didn't. She also thought it was hurtful that he didn't think she was 'Bad-ass' enough for alcohol. Caleb brought his cup down from his lips and turned to her with a smile. His smile slowly dissolved into a playful frown when his eyes travelled down to her outfit. "What are you wearing?"

Stephanie suddenly looked down at herself as if she had not realised she was wearing a grey sweater and loose jean trousers all this time. She looked back up to Caleb; her face beet red and a nervous smile playing on her lips.

"You look like a hooker," Caleb said.

Her eyes widened . Did he just call her a hooker? She stood there in shock for a few seconds; waiting for him to take back what he had just said and maybe apologise, but no, he just kept smiling at her mischievously.

Stephanie furrowed her brows and started to think that maybe Caleb was finally losing his mind. She was wearing a large grey sweater that seemed to itch her all over and a jean trouser that looked like it belonged to her father and here he was calling her a hooker? She looked into her cup of juice and paused, before looking back at his smiling face again. That was when it hit her.

He was being sarcastic.

A smile suddenly appeared on her face as she shook her head. She lifted her cup and sipped on her drink; a gesture she did to hold herself from laughing out. He would probably think she was a hyena if she laughed at every single joke he made.

"You know..." Caleb started. "I didn't think you would come."

She looked up at him with furrowed brows

"Why?"

"I just didn't think parties were your thing," Caleb shrugged.

" ...Because I'm a straight 'A' student?"

Caleb opened his mouth to say something, but then he saw her raise her brows at him in anticipation for his answer and then he dropped his head and began to chuckle. He looked up at her and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"It's fine." Stephanie shrugged as though she did not care, but she did. There was silence again.

"Let's go join the party," Caleb nodded to the door as he moved past her.

"Actually," she said, causing Caleb to stop and turn to face her. "I don't think that would be necessary."

"Why not?"