Office Hours

53 | the m a l e v o l e n t

| C A D E N |

     TAKING A BITE FROM THE DONUT, Caden nodded an answer to Ryder's question.

"Wow," Ryder said, mouth wide from surprise.

"I don't get it," Liam said.

Ryder awkwardly cleared his throat. "I'm not sure if-"

"Nah, it's fine," Caden said. "Ion really want anything to do with her but I'm doing this for Zoya."

"See Liam? I told you he's in love!" Ryder excitedly stated, unknowingly making Caden feel hot.

Liam smirked. "Yea, I see it too."

Instead of replying, he told his friends he'd see them another time. He needed to get Zoya from school and bring her to his mom.

I hope she doesn't turn me away because I did last time I saw her.

When he arrived at Wesriveria and saw Zoya standing by the gate and reading the book he gave her (which she told him she was rereading for the third time since she got it), he paused.

Damn. . ., he thought, admiring her and wondering how he got so lucky with her.

He approached her and the sound of footsteps made her look up. She contagiously smiled, wrapping her arms around him while he kissed her forehead.

"Hey, baby," he said. "You missed me?"

"Yes," Zoya answered, her soft voice making him sigh from content.

She really turned me into a simp. I never knew I could feel for someone like this. . . I never knew I could feel like this at all.

He almost tugged her back into his hold when she broke the hug.

No need to do allat. She mine forever.

"You ate?" he asked, feeling a tingle in his hand when she intertwined their fingers.

"I did but I know you're still going to feed me," she said with a grin. "Yaa go mek mi fat ino, Caden."

"So? Ion care if you fat or skinny, ima still. . ."

"Still. . .?"

The words were right on the tip of his tongue, but an invisible force caged them, refusing to set them free.

When he could finally speak, he said, "Ima still call you my lil crosses."

Zoya rolled her eyes and Caden pretended not to see the tiniest of smiles on her face. He smirked and thought, she loves the nickname. Ion know who she think she foolin.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked, watching her carefully place the book in her backpack.

"Chic-Fil-A."

"You can't eat that junk all the time, mamas."

"I'm here for a good time, not a long time," she said, making him scoff.

They arrived at the fast food restaurant and he got her a salad. "Eat, Zoya," he said, watching her pick around the food.

"This isn't what I meant when I said I wanted Chic-Fil-A," she mumbled, eating a forkful and giving him a fake smile. "Happy?"

She's cute when she pouts.

"Yes."

He went on his phone, answering his dad's message that his mom said she'd be on the lookout for him. Caden withheld his sigh and didn't let his emotions show, he didn't want to worry Zoya. He didn't know how he'd tell her that all these years, his mom had the ability to reconcile their relationship and never did.