Once in a lifetime.

⚠️46

October

"So your brother is protective."

Cayden says his eyes not leaving the road as he drives and because of that it makes me keep my eyes off the passing trees, "I'd say he has a right to be."

"Of course. Juliet, I just wanted to meant ...."

"If you're going to apologize for Dalton, save it. If he was really sorry, he'd be here right now not you." Poor Cayden, he keeps getting interrupted. I think he's too kind to complain about it though.

"In his defense, he is doing a concert."

My head whips around to look at Cayden. "No shit he has a show but is that a good excuse for ignoring me at all? Is that a good enough excuse to not ask if I'm okay when there is something wrong with me? When I call him crying and when I text him and tell him I need him, is it okay to ignore me because, well, he has a show?

You have a show with him, you are physically supposed to be there with him right now, and yet here you are." My nostrils are flaring and it takes a second to realize I just raised my voice at Cayden, he doesn't look fazed.

He simply sits there, looking at the road, and says, "No. it's not a good enough excuse."
"Damn straight," I said turning back to the trees and buildings outside of my window.
"I just feel like maybe he isn't as bad as you think he is."

I hummed and he sighed. We didn't talk again until we got to smoothie King.

"Whatever you want, it's on me."

I look at Cayden sideways. "Just because your friend sucked at being in a relationship doesn't mean you have to play pretend boyfriend." All he does is smile at me "Your smile creeps me out Cayden, you should stop."

"I just think it's awesome that I even got you in here."

"Whatever," I say turning away so that I don't have to face Cayden with the tears in my eyes. "I don't even know what's good here."

"The angle food one is strawberry banana, do you like that?" I look at the calories and my face must change because Cayden says, "Don't look at the calories. Actually," he steps in front of me blocking my view. "Let's play a game, give me a number, one through ten."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Cayden I don't want to play games right now."

"It's not a game, just pick."

I debate my options, will I be able to get out of this? I look at Cayden and all he does is smile at me. He's cute when I think about it. I huff. "Fine, eight."

"Wonderful choice madame," he turns back around to the cashier. "We'll have a number eight small and a number ten small."

"Any enhancers?"

"Probiotics for the eight and energy for the ten." He then pays and turns back around smiling.

"It was a game." I spit at him.

"No, it was a meal. A meal that you and the person inside of you needs." I feel my eyes narrow and I turn going to find a secluded spot to hate both myself and Cayden.

The small table is closest to the bathrooms and even though I wouldn't normally choose this spot as all I can think about is the fact that anyone who needs to pee will end up looking at me, but the smoothy place is empty and that makes me feel safe. I take out my phone and start scrolling on Instagram. A post from 'Lay It Down Sunshine' makes me pause.