Walking into school with Cain Monday morning, I actually believed there was a chance everything would be okay.
That belief was short lived.
Laughs and cat calls echoed through the hallway, the sound amplified against the lockers. Cain tried to break into my thoughts by whispering reassuring words in my ear, wrapping his arm around my waist, but it didn't help.
I could still hear the cat calls loud and clear, the giggles from every other girl in the hallway, the curious and wondering eyes that were too afraid to confront on whatever new rumor had started to surface. They all stared, shifted on their feet, winked. But nobody, not one, had enough courage to step forward and talk to me.
"Don't let them bother you." Cain had pushed me gently back against my locker, one of his hands flat against it behind me head, the other brushing a loose strand of my dark hair off my red cheek.
"What's the rumor of the day?" I responded, pretending I hadn't heard his previous comment. "Who did I have sex with in between periods this time?"
"Kase-" he started.
"No, Cain. It's fine." I pressed my hands against his chest and started to push him back, "I get it. They get a kick out of teasing and taunting me. Out of bullying me."
"I'll walk you to class." He offered, taking my textbooks from my locker and shutting it so loud that a few people scattered.
I shook my head and rolled on to the balls of my feet, smiling weakly.
"I'm fine, Cain. If you do that, you'll be late to your first period." I said.
"I could-" I leaned forward and kissed him softly, then fell back and started down the hallway, leaving everyone, including Cain, to watch after me.
*
I decided to head out to Track after my last class, if not to join, then just to see how the whole thing worked.
Coach Mendez was standing with his back to me, clapping his hands at the herd of kids that were running around the field, most of them drained of energy and looking ready to pass out. My lips parted in surprise when I spotted Callum among the group, sticking out like a sore thumb in his black hoodie.
Everyone seemed to be wearing a tank and shorts, a few wearing actual tees. The more shocking thing was that he looked to be one of the few that wasn't out of breath or on the verge of heat stroke.
As if he could feel my gaze on him, his head shot up and piercing blue eyes burned into me. We held each others eyes for a second, frozen in place, before Coach blew his whistle and snapped us out of our daze.
"Ms. Blackwell! You've decided to join us!" Coach exclaimed as I approached, letting his whistle drop back against his hard chest. I offered up my best smile as I nodded.
"Don't know about joining yet, sir. I want to see exactly what it is first." He nodded and gestured toward the bench.
"Take a seat then." he turned his attention back to the track, "The rest of you keep going! Let's go!"
*
"I didn't think you'd show up." Callum ducked under the bleachers and planted himself on the ground beside me. I turned my head away, shrugging.
"I thought I'd see what it was." I muttered.
"So," He paused, "why exactly are you hiding behind the bleachers?"
"I don't know. Why don't you ask every other guy out here? Asking if I can. . . if I can help pleasure them." he frowned, his eyes narrowing at my answer.
"They're all dicks." He sighed, "It was Eric. He said something to Jordan about your date everything escalated from there."
"It's funny." I reached up and wiped my tears before they could escape my eyes, "I'm not even mad at Eric, you know. I guess I understand, the whole reputation thing."
"That's bullshit," Callum shook his head, "you don't need to think my brother is this wonderful guy, Blackwell. He's one of the biggest dicks out there, he just has a better way of hiding it."
I could hear it, the bitterness that dripped off of every word that left his mouth. His blue eyes were shielded by his half shut eyelids, his mess of curls kept under control by the hood thrown over his head.
"Why do you always wear that?" I blurted, "The hoodie. Even when it's a hundred degrees."
"That's none of your business, Blackwell." he hissed through his teeth, earning a surprise look out of me.
I had obviously hit some sort of sore spot without realizing it.
"There you are, Kase!" Cain crouched down and stared at me from the other side of Callum, oblivious to his presence.
"Glad to know I was being looked for by someone that didn't want sex." I replied sarcastically.
"I've been looking for you for like an hour, Kasey. I. . . come on." He outstretched his hand in front of Callum. I could feel Callum tense at the close proximity, both pairs of eyes on me.
"I'll see you around, Callum." I slipped passed him and took Cain's hand, allowing him to help me up.
"Sure." he shrugged, avoiding my eyes. Cain started to lead me away, but I stopped and turned around to face the hunched over hooded figure under the bleachers.
"I run every night at seven. I start at my house and end at the park, then circle back again."
*
I stared at the two letters I had received a few days ago, that I had pushed into the back of my drawer and mind to prevent myself from over thinking them.
I was about to start writing out my response to the first when a knock at my window disrupted me. I smiled, leaning over and opening the window to stare out at Cain.
"What are you doing out here, creep?" I questioned, tapping my fingers against the sill.
"You promised you'd help me study. I have everything set up at home." He made a gesture with his thumb over his shoulder, smirking.
"Yeah, yeah. I remember. Give me a second." I pushed the letters and the beginning of my own into the back of my nightstand drawer and climbed out my bedroom window to join Cain.
"My parents are positive that we aren't actually studying." I told him, shutting my window. He took my hand and gave me a suggestive look.
"Well, I suppose we'll have to blow their minds when I get an A in English now, won't we?"
***AN***
Hope you guys enjoyed!
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~ChasingMadness24