CADEN
I wake up at the smell of fresh made pastry. It is a weird feeling, since at my place, neither Jacob or I bake. And we both go out of the house really early. So, I normally usually eat a bagel on the way to training or a protein bar. But never freshly made something.
I try to stand up and go away, but that's when I see Nini next to me. And bits of last night flash through my mind. The party after our game. The fight. The car ride to the police station. The waiting. The time Nini came to sleep next to me.
I swallow hard and a shiver goes through me. All I want is to stay here and make sure she's okay. But then I look at the time on my phone. It's already ten o'clock. I've missed morning training a long time ago. Plus the first classes. If I hurry, I can make it to the other classes and training though.
But then I look at her. She needs me more than they need me now. And I for sure don't want to go.
I lean over to her and kiss her forehead. Then, I carefully get out of bed to let her sleep in silence. I get my phone and look for a place I can call someone without Nini hearing it. She needs her sleep.
I decide to go to the kitchen, from where probably the smell comes. I tiptoe my way there, and freeze as I see the view. Alec, the Alec Dunn, is standing at the kitchen isle, dressed in a big "I ♡︎ Cordelia" T-Shirt Sofia probably gave him and some checkered pyjama pants, that seem to be his size. He's working concentrated on some kind of dough. As he sees me, he nods and says: "Morning, West".
"Morning", I say, still can't believing what I'm seeing. The dude is supposed to kill people in his free time. Not bake in his pyjama.
"Whatcha doing?" I ask carefully. He looks around as if the answer were obvious and says, his voice cold: "Breakfast."
"You? Making breakfast?" I let out, still can't believing it.
"Yeah, believe it or not", he replies, clearly annoyed. But not by the fact he's making breakfast. But by my presence.
Since I don't have a death wish, I shut up for some time. Which gives me time to analyze him. For a person so morally grey, he also looks like one. He has a pair of very dark eyes, that give you shivers just by looking at them. He also has two scars, one of his cheek and one of his neck. The scar on his cheek is the new one, he got it a few months ago. How he got it, still remains a mystery.
"Darrel already announced all our professors we'll be missing classes today", Alec says after a while, pulling me out of my thoughts.
"What?!" I ask surprised. That was exactly what I was planning to do now.
"Yeah. We thought we might need the day off. I am staying with Foxy, who's still pretty shaken from last night. She thought you might want to spend the day with Nini, so we also got you two a free day."
"Thank you", I say, clearly not knowing what else to do. For a guy who is insufferable, he can also be pretty okay to hang out with.
Alec doesn't answer to my thank you, only nods. In order to escape another awkward silence, I shift the conversation to another topic.
"What are you making for breakfast?"
He looks at me confused for some seconds, then answers in the same serious tone: "Croissants", My jaw drops.
"You know how to bake croissants?" I ask, a bit too surprised since he throws me a glare. He then goes back to the dough and responds:
"Foxy's favorite food. I learned how to make it."
"Damn!" I let out. "Who would have thought you would get boyfriend of the year award?"
He swallows hard, visibly tensing. "It's the least I can do."
He continues modelling the dough for a while, during which none of us says anything. As the tray is in the oven, he turns back to the fridge and takes out some fruit, to make a fruit platter. I start helping him cut them after some time.
It is as we're cutting the strawberries that we can hear footsteps and whispers. We both look up and see Nini, together with Sofia, staring at us as if we were a different species.
"Whatcha doing?" Nini asks skeptical.
"Making breakfast", I answer for Alec and me. It only takes one second til a smile appears on both of their faces. They come closer to us and each one of them goes to her guy. Nini comes to me, and hugs me from behind, planting kisses on my neck and lifting herself up on her toes to whisper stuff in my ear. Stuff like I love you, You're my world, Thank you baby... Stuff that make my heart beat faster again.
I turn around to her and kiss her lips, whispering the same stuff with my lips brushing hers. She's smiling and planning not to let go. I can't help but pull her even closer.
~
"So, what's the plan for the day?" Sofia asks the moment we finished eating. April, Dia and Nessie already went off to classes, since Darrel only excused Nini, Alec, Sofia and me. Which leaves us four a their table; Darrel also with us, chilling in a corner somewhere reading a really creepy manual about how to best make a person suffer, throwing us glances from time to time.
"I was thinking we could go to the gallery, Foxy", Alec says which makes Sofia smile.
"Perfect. This way we could maybe open it at the beginning of next year", she adds. I look confused, yet Nini whispers she'll explain it to me later. Sofia then turns to us and asks: "What will you two be doing? You can come with us if you want, but I'm not sure it's going to be so interesting. We'll be working all day."
Nini quickly shakes her head, clearly not wanting to work all day. I get her. Last night was awful, the best thing for her to do now is to lay down and relax.
"What about a movie marathon?" I ask, which makes Nini smile bright.
"And we get to watch 10 Things I Hate About You?"
"Of course", I reply. Her smile grows even bigger and she leans over the table to give me a kiss.
I wrap my hands around her neck and pull her closer, again whispering I love you while my lips are brushing hers.
As Nini sits back straight on her chair and we stopped our smooch fest, Sofia gives Alec a look that makes him shrug. She just whispers please to which Alec sighs and gives up, nodding at her.
"Caden, what are you doing next weekend?" Sofia asks me, which makes Nini gasp.
"Soph! Are you sure? Isn't it too much?" My girl asks her. I still have zero clue about what is going on. Sofia turns at her bestie and answers:
"No, don't worry about it. If you would like him to come, he is invited."
"Invited where?" I ask confused. Nini nods once to her bestie, her eyes all thankful. Sofia smiles and looks at me, explaining:
"I'll be turning nineteen next weekend. My family is organizing a ball for me back in Cordelia. We're spending the weekend there. We'll be leaving Friday after classes and coming back early on Monday. If you are free and want to come, you are invited. It would be us four, April, Dia and Nessie."
I look at Nini, still surprised about Sofia's offer. Nini looks at me begging to say yes. I go through my schedule next weekend in my mind. It's the weekend with the 3rd and 4th of November. I don't have any games planned or any important events. So, my answer is obviously...
"Yes", I say, smiling at Nini, who lets out a cheer. "Thank you!"
"Yeah, no problem", Sofia says. "I'll text you the details."
The conversation shifts to the subject of Cordelia from then, with Nini telling me about all the places we need to visit next weekend.
And damn I feel glad I said yes.
~
"You sure you're sitting comfortable?" Nini asks me, as I tense for the at least hundredth time. Her and I are on the couch in the living room, her leaning her body against mine and resting her head on my chest. And that's exactly the reason I tense. Because she's so close. She's so close, I can feel her scent. And her warmth. And her heartbeat.
"I'm perfect", I say, to which she smiles and nods agreeing. I don't understand why, until I do and can't help a small smile.
On the TV plays her favorite movie, 10 Things I Hate About You, and I still didn't quite get the plot. Especially with Nini talking over it the whole time, commenting the scenes or just telling me how amazing she finds Patrick Verona. I formed my fist at first, ready to punch the guy for having a piece of Nini's heart, yet she saw it and a loud laugh burst out of her. It's then I realize how stupid I got getting jealous of a film character. Nini, who saw I tensed, called it cute and kissed me. It made me forget what I just did and focus just on her.
Like right now. I'm playing lost in thoughts with her hair, til she slowly slaps me on my arm.
"Caden, it's beginning!" She lets out, a bit too cheerful.
"What?" I say and turn my gaze to the TV. On which I can see Patrick's face, smirking at something.
"Did you honestly just made me pay attention so I can see a close-up of your crush?" I ask her teasing. She slaps me again, this time a bit harder as before, and I have to chuckle.
"Shut up! You know you're my crush."
I want to say something like I'm not your crush, I'm your boyfriend, but it's then I realize I can't. Because truth is, I am not her boyfriend. Although it for sure feels like it and I love her more than anything, the moment we become officially a couple, it's the end for us. After three months, I have to breakup with her. It's either that or she'll find out about the fact this whole thing started out as a deal. I don't want to become yet another one of the people who disappointed her. So, I'll just have to stick with that fine line between friend zone and relationship.
Nini notices the shift in my mood, since she kisses my cheek once then whispers in my ear: "You're just to good to be true..."
I look at her confused, yet then I hear the song also playing in the background. I look from her to the screen, only to find a to-the-song-dancing Patrick Verona. And not just anywhere. But on a sports field. In front of Kat and her team.
"I love this scene", Nini says, looking dreamy at the dancing man. "I've always wanted someone to do this for me too."
I can't hide but chuckle. She turns to look at me surprised.
"What?!" She asks, both amused and a bit offended.
"You want a guy to make a complete fool of himself singing in front of all your friends to a Frank Sinatra song?"
"Yes", she says, clearly not seeing any problem in that.
"You're impossible, Broadway", I say chuckling. Her mouth has a smirk now on.
"Why? Were you considering of doing that for me?"
Absolutely not. "I can't sing."
"Neither could Patrick...", she begins, trying to convince me.
"Well, he seems pretty good to me", I argue, his voice being heard in the background.
"Well, it's not about how good you can sing. It's the gesture", she continues. I give her a confused look, to which she only smiles.
"I'll think about it, Broadway."
"That works for me", she says, coming a bit closer. I wrap one arm around her and she reaches for my hand, curling our fingers together.
"I can see why you like it", I whisper after some time.
"What?" She asks confused, not knowing what I'm talking about.
"It's a good movie", I whisper, pointing with one finger at the screen. She smirks and replies:
"Told you it's a good movie."
I nod, yet it's not the movie that I like in particular. I like watching this movie with her. Hearing her laugh, seeing her smile at the scenes. It's a good movie, because I love how happy she is watching it.
It became my favorite movie.