Cade's POV.
4:45pm.
In only half an hour I can finally get out of the house and pick up Kaia from her home. In only half an hour I get my second chance in making everything right. I don't know why she agreed, she seemed so adamant on not taking me back and I truly thought for a moment there I was going to lose her. And for a moment, I thought she didn't like me enough to give it a second shot.
I wanted to get out of the house now, but I didn't know what to do by the time I get there. Instead, I sat in the living room with the television on, but I wasn't really watching. Mom was in her study room and I could hear on the phone with someone else. I couldn't figure out what they were saying, and I didn't really care. I was just staring blankly at the television, thinking of the many scenarios where this date will go wrong.
I was also afraid for a small moment what Kieran was going to say if we did get back together. Will he accuse me of playing with Kaia's heart? But I told everyone that Kaia was the one who broke up with me. I don't know why I did it. Probably because I didn't want to embarrass her, and I knew no one would feel bad for me if everyone thinks Kaia broke up with me. A lot of people were probably curious or maybe relieved.
People at school likes her. Even Vivian, her cousin, likes her but too embarrassed to admit it. And I can see why. I don't understand how someone like her would want to be with someone like me. The type of person that causes problems from left and right. The one who gets on everyone's nerves. The one that plays with people's heart. The one that would date someone in order to get money in return.
I know I have to tell her. She has the right to know. But the day she does know, will be the day she will never trust me again. So, do I tell her? Do I risk the one thing we have together? If I tell her, her heart would be broken. But if I didn't, I would always keep a secret, a truth, away from her. She would be deprived of the very information she has the right to know. But how could I tell her? How can I tell her without the risk of losing her?
"I have never seen you concentrate this much for a reality television show," dad interrupted. He entered the family room and took a seat beside me on the couch. I didn't shift, nor look at him. I just sat as if he didn't walk in the room and sat beside me. "What's bothering you so much?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean there's something running around in that head of yours. Do you want to tell me or just live in pain silently?"
"I'm fine," I mumbled.
"Ah, so you picked the latter. Stupid choice, but I will respect it," dad replied.
I rolled my eyes. He was the last person I wanted to tell this to. "I'm keeping a secret away from a really close friend of mine, and I'm not sure if I should tell them or not."
"Is this friend Kieran or Kaia?"
I frowned. "What? Why would you say that?" I stumbled over my words.
"Because they are your only friends," dad answered.
"That's not true!"
"Okay then, who are your other mates?"
I paused. How embarrassing is that? Kieran is my only friend. Kaia is my ex-girlfriend. I really need a better social life. But then again, I was never the type to want a social life. I was content with being alone and making people miserable all by myself. I'm shocked that I'm actually comfortable hanging out with Kieran.
"Okay, fine. It's Kaia," I mumbled.
Dad smiled. "Does this secret make you look bad?" he asked.
I nodded. I moved my eyes to the vase beside the television. I wasn't really focusing on it – it just sat in my line of sight.
"And you're scared that if you tell her this secret, she'd refuse to get back with you?"
I nodded again.
"This is an easy one," dad laughed. "You tell her the truth."
I glared him. How could this be an easy one? It's killing me inside. How could I even possibly tell her the truth when it risks the chances of her heart breaking? I couldn't do that to her, especially after seeing how she reacted when I just broke up with her without nay context. But this time, she'll be infuriated. She won't trust anyone anymore. How could I do that?
"I can tell you are fighting yourself over this but trust me when I say this, the truth will always come out. Whether it comes out now from you, whether she finds out herself or whether you tell her in ten years' time."
"Why would I tell her in ten years? It'd become irrelevant then."
"Because you will be ridden in guilt. The very fact that you think telling her this secret will hurt her feelings is the very reason why you have to tell her, Cade. And the very fact that you're fighting yourself over it is good enough reason to tell her now. You are going to continue to feel this for the rest of your life up until you finally do tell her. And from all my time living with your mom, I learnt one thing. The longer you wait to tell her, the harder or worse it will become."
"But what if it will ruin our chances of ever being together?"
"It's not fair to her. You can't be in a relationship filled with lies."
I exhaled deeply. I looked at my wrist watch and it was time to go to pick her up. I looked at dad and nodded, telling him I will think about it. And I did. I got in the car and drove all the way to Kaia's home contemplating whether I should tell her or not. I was afraid to tell her. But if I really did want to start this relationship from the start, without any ill-intent, she would need to know the truth.
I pressed the doorbell and in seconds, Mrs. Harper opened the door. Her eyes widened the moment she realized it was me.
"Cade? What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to pick up Kaia," I advised.
She nodded, slightly skeptical. "Ah, I see," she said, her voice soft. She had her eyes at her feet as though she was thinking over something. "Well, Cade, I don't really need your services anymore, so you don't need to keep dating Kaia," she said.
"I'm sorry, what?"
She looked over her shoulder to check if anyone was listening in. She opened the door slightly, gesturing me to enter. As I entered, she asked me to follow her into the study room. She took a seat at the other side of the table while I sat on the one nearer to the door.
"I actually wanted to speak to you so it's probably good that you came by," she said.
"Is there anything wrong, Mrs. Harper?"
"I was wondering why you returned the payments I made to your account?"
"Because I didn't want them anymore."
"I didn't offer it to you as a gift, Cade. I gave them to you as part of our verbal agreement. You were to date my niece, and I would pay you a particular sum," Mrs. Harper explained.
"And I terminated that agreement prior to the completion of one hundred days and thereby I had to repay all the payments you have made as a consequence of my termination," I responded with a vague smile.
"You don't have to speak to me like that boy," she narrowed her eyes.
"My apologies. I thought such language was appropriate due to the professional nature of our agreement," I pushed.
"Fine. I'll keep the repayments. But I do not wish to see you here, or anywhere outside of school with Kaia, other than for family events," Mrs. Harper adds, her hands grasped together on top of the desk.
"What? What do you mean?"
She snorted as though I said a joke. "You can't honestly expect me to approve of you being my niece's boyfriend, do you?" she asked.
"Why not?"
"Uh, must I remind you of our agreement?"
"That's in the past, Mrs. Harper. I broke up with her just so I can break this agreement, and so I can start again with her with a new leaf."
"Do you think I would be okay with that? You manipulated my niece into dating you because of money."
"Actually, no. It was because of curiosity. I already have money," I noted.
"You are not suitable for my niece. She's a lovely young girl, with a bright future and you are nothing but a trouble maker. You did bring up her confidence, and I thank you for that. But she does not need you anymore. She's stronger now and whatever you could do for her, she already has," she argued.
"I don't want to date her because I want to help her. I want to date her because I want to be with her," I retorted.
"Even if we did not have this agreement before, I still would not have approved of you and Kaia," Mrs. Harper stated.
"Why? Because I'm a trouble maker? How am I any different from your daughter's boyfriend?"
"You are very different Cade. You are the type of boy who is amused by other people's miseries. You are the type who is willing to play with girl's hearts and break up with them when you are bored, you are the type who will get into fights to get out of class, and you are the type who loves breaking the rules. Do you think you are a match for Kaia? She's sensible, kind, charming and she is very smart. You will only bring her down. You two are not a good match and I'm sorry I didn't see that before, but I see it now."
"I have changed."
"No, you haven't. Because she still doesn't know the truth."
"I was going to tell her now," I responded.
"Alright, then go ahead and tell her."
It was very strange seeing this side of Mrs. Harper. It was like she completely changed persona. I know she loves Kaia very much, but I don't know why she thinks what she did was also acceptable? If Kaia learnt the truth, she wasn't going to be very happy with Mrs. Harper either.
"You do know that she's going to hate you too when I tell her," I pointed out.
"She will, but she is also my niece and I only hoped the best for her. I regret my decision in asking you in the first place, I should have respected her choice. But that doesn't mean it's too late for me now to protect her the right way."
"Making me stay away from her isn't the right way. That's her choice to make. Besides, you're not even her mom or dad. So, who gives you the right to say what she can or cannot do?"
"What's happening? Why are you two fighting?" I hear.
Mrs. Harper and I immediately enter into silence as we turn and see Kaia standing behind me. She's by the door wearing jeans, and flowy shimmery top. She looked beautiful and she looked like herself. Not any of the dresses Mrs. Harper makes her wear. But something she was comfortable to be in.
"How long were you there, sweetie?" Mrs. Harper asked.
"I didn't even know you two spoke to each other," Kaia added, ignoring Mrs. Harper's question.
"We have. For a while," I answered truthfully.
Kaia frowned. "Why? You two have nothing in common." She had a point.
I looked at Mrs. Harper. It was time to tell her and I felt bad I was going to be the one to tell her. Mrs. Harper looked slightly nervous. She was scared. She was as scared as I was. She was probably contemplating for a long time whether to tell Kaia the truth too.
"Kaia, there's something I need to tell you," I started.
"Uh, what's that?"
"Your aunt and I have spoken to each other a while ago, before you and I started dating," I said.
"Okay, congratulations?" Kaia was sounding more and more confused by each word. I didn't know how to tell her. It was terrifying.
"Oh dear, you are dragging this on for too long," Mrs. Harper groaned. "I have made an agreement with Cade that I will pay him a certain amount of money if he dated you for one hundred days."
Silence.
Kaia was frozen. She didn't say anything. Her eyes didn't move except that her mouth was slightly apart. I stood there, watching her and waiting for her to register everything in. She closed her eyes and shook her head suddenly.
"What?"
"It's true," I confirmed.
Kaia's eyes opened and she looked at me.
"What?" her voice became louder.
"I'm sorry, Kaia," Mrs. Harper said.
"What?" Louder.
"I paid your aunt back, Kaia. The day I broke up with you was the day I broke the contract," I added.
"How does that make anything better? You dated me for money?" She was breathing heavily, and I could see the anger pulsating through her eyes. She was glaring directly at me and I felt my heart racing from the fear of what Kaia was about to do. She hated me. She was going to demand that I leave and never see her again. I knew this was going to happen and I hated it, but she had to know.
"Yes, I did but that was before I had any feelings for you."
"You pushed and pushed me to go out on a date with you, manipulated me even when you knew my past, and my wishes to be single?"
I remained quiet.
"How dare you! How dare you do that to me? I knew something was wrong but... but... why would you do that to me?" Her voice broke and I could see her eyes beginning to water.
"I'm sorry," was all I could say.
She closed her eyes, biting onto her lips shut as she held back the tears. She tilted her body away from us and I could notice her chest heaving.
"Honey," Mrs. Harper voiced softly.
"No! You don't get to have a say! How dare you do this to me, Aunt Meredith? You're my aunt! You... how could you do that to me?"
Before any of us could answer, she turned around and stormed out the room, slamming the door behind her. I stood there in silence, my heart racing around rapidly with the one thought screaming in my mind over and over again: You lost her.