BLEAK

Chapter Thirteen

13

"YOU WENT ON A DATE?!" Ella screamed two nights later.

We were sat in her living room, Pitch Perfect playing in the background.

"God, really?" Kacey asked, looking up finally from her phone. Bets were she was talking to Lewis.

"Yes," I repeated, rubbing my temples. "We went on a date."

"Aw!" Phoebe exclaimed, staring at me with wide eyes that said she wanted to know more.

"You willingly went on a date with Cayden?" Brooke asked in shock. I could understand where she was coming from. After everyone getting a piece of him, they all swore it would never happen again.

"Why is it so hard to believe?" I wondered, scared at how they were acting.

Jade shrugged, her expression neutral thanks to the green face mask drying on her face. "We just thought you were the sensible one."

"What's that supposed to me?" I exclaimed. "We didn't have sex. We just kissed!"

"Personally," Phoebe pipped up again, "I think it's adorable."

"Thank you, Phebs!"

"So does Callum." She finished.

I felt my face drop. "You told Callum?" I asked, referring to the guy she was sat with a couple of mornings ago.

Phoebe nodded.

"I told Lewis." Kacey joined in.

I put my head in my hands.

"They're both all for it," Phoebe assured me. "Though they have started acting quite protective, by the way."

"Does Kian know?" I asked Ella, betting she would've told him.

"Mm," She answered, bringing up the chat on her phone and showing it to me. "He's annoyed though. Really though you and Regan would work."

"I saw him today," I muttered, absent mindedly. "His brother stole me so we ended up in Ricky's together."

Ella screamed. Literally screamed. "Aw! Awesome! Dump Cayden then!"

"What are you on?!" I shouted. Everyone else's conversations stopped. "Regan and I are friends, Cayden and I are together! He knows that!"

"Cayden's not good for you!"

"SAYS THE GIRL WHO DATED HIM FOR FOUR MONTHS!" I screamed. "WHY ARE YOU SUDDENLY ACTING LIKE MY MOTHER?! I CAN DO WHAT I LIKE! AND WHAT I LIKE RIGHT NOW IS CAYDEN!"

Feeling tears in my eyes, I jumped up and walked towards the door.

Without saying 'goodbye', I left.

-

Avoiding the gazes of anyone on the bus, I shuffled towards the back, which was oddly empty.

I sat down and stared out of the window at the falling rain. The weather matched my mood perfectly.

Rubbing my eyes, I glanced at my phone and saw it was near midnight, way too late to call Cayden.

I slowly let my eyes drop.

Unfortunately, bliss didn't last long as my phone started vibrating.

Without checking the Caller ID, I answered.

"Yeah?" I asked, not bothering with a hello.

"Lauren?" A soft voice asked. Stunned, I pulled the phone away from my ear and saw it was Cayden.

"Cay? What's happened? Are you alright?" I asked, panic setting in.

"Oh, I'm fine. You're not though," He said.

"What?"

"I'll be waiting for you," He answered. "Come to mine, yeah?"

Then he hung up.

I glanced around the bus at the young adults on their way to the night-shift. No one had heard.

Obviously, Cayden knew I would get on the bus. And the particular bus from Ella's to mine also ran to Cayden's block.

Sighing, I put my head in my hands and waited for the bus to pull up.

-

Breathing in, I knocked on the door lightly.

"Lozza!" He exclaimed, grabbing me and pulling me inside and out of the cold before smothering me in a bone crushing hug.

"Baby, are you okay?" He asked, holding me at arm's length and checking me all over, stopping at my outfit.

Leggings and an oversized Goonies top that once belonged to my dad.

He tried not to laugh but failed miserably.

"Shut up!" I exclaimed, punching his shoulder.

Cayden smiled and grabbed my hand. "Come on, upstairs."

I was dragged up the stairs, making a fair bit of noise. I was then told that no one was actually home tonight, so we could be as loud as we wanted.

I snickered at the innuendo.

"Get in and sit on the bed like a good girl, I'll be back in a second." Cayden said, pushing me into the lighted room, giving me a chance to look him up and down. He was wearing Adidas tracksuit bottoms and a tight white t-shirt. I grinned.

He rolled his eyes and left for downstairs, leaving me alone. In a boy's bedroom.

Slowly, I lowered myself on to the bed and put my head in my hands again. How was I going to survive school after flouncing out of our Saturday Girls Night?

"Lauren?" Cayden asked, walking in.

The mattress next to me sank slightly.

"Yeah?" I answered, looking up.

"Why did you storm out?" He asked.

I stalled. "Storm out of where?"

"Ella's place." He answered, handing me a glass of water that I accepted.

"She was slagging you off," I shrugged and took a gulp of water. "Saying how it should be me and that Regan. Just because he needed to confined in me, I'm being told to just dump you already. They don't seem to understand that I don't want him. I want you. But no, just because Ella thinks she's my mother, she doesn't trust you and thinks you're going to hurt me." I sighed.

Cayden's arm appeared and he put it over my shoulders; pulling me into him.

"Honestly, it's okay. I'm used to friends not liking me," He sighed. "If you want to go with this Regan, don't let me hold you--"

"Shut it." I snapped pulling away to face him properly.

"I'm just saying..." Cayden's eyes widened.

"I don't care," I snarled, grabbing his shoulders. "I'd rather have you."

I grabbed his face and crashed our lips together. Cayden's arms went around my waist and mine slipped to round his neck. I was moved onto his lap, so he moved his hands to my bum. Slowly, he stood up with me attached to his waist and laid me on the bed before climbing on top, lips still connected.

Carefully, I pulled his top up and over his head while he slid off my leggings. I rested a hand on him chest, fighting with myself whether to take his tracksuit off.

"Wait," He gasped, drawing away. "This isn't what I planned." He was straddling my waist and his hands were playing with the bottom of my top; itching to get inside.

"Fair enough," I breathed, just wanting to feel his lips against mine.

"Though, I like this idea better," He winked and leaned down to kiss me.

"Wait," It was my turn to draw away now. "I don't want to... you know..." I stuttered, blushing.

Cayden grinned at my awkwardness, "I wasn't going to make you," He kissed me again. "You're cute when you blush, and stutter." He commented, making me blush even more.

"So I've been told."