Bitter Heart √

Twenty Seven

Skylar's POV

I didn't know how I was still standing on my own two feet when that little act had drained enough energy from inside me.

Caden, on the other hand, looked totally the opposite--calm and unbothered--like nothing had happened.

I leaned back against the wall as I saw him opening the door. All my senses had gone haywire. I didn't even feel the surprise when I saw a familiar redhead--Seth--and Shane coming inside. I didn't even know how to respond when Shane passed me a smirk in greeting and Seth gave me a small wave of acknowledgement.

Seth looked back at Caden and I saw them speaking some words that I couldn't quite hear before Caden took out a small card from his pocket, passing it to him.

Didn't he care? Why did I? Why did it feel like something was ripping apart inside me every time I glanced at Caden?

None of them thankfully seemed to notice my dazed and confused state, until Adrian stepped inside my house from the front door, which was right behind me.

"Hey, are you...all right?" He asked me.

I turned around abruptly and managed to force a small smile on my face. "Y-Yeah."

He returned the smile before looking down at the broken glass. "Oh, such a mess." He whispered.

I took deep breaths to calm my erratic heartbeat before backing away and sitting down at the very bottom of the staircase. I had no idea why they all were here. I had no idea what Seth was tapping on the black device in his hands with Caden on his right. And I had no idea why Shane seemed so busy admiring the candle stand.

"You look a bit shaken," Adrian spoke up before sitting down beside me.

I saw Caden looking over at us and found myself diverting the gaze, clearing my throat a little as I looked back at Adrian. His hand went over my hair before pulling out a small piece of glass.

"I just feel sick," I whispered truthfully because I did feel sick.

"Because of what just happened?" He asked.

I didn't exactly reply to him, except for a small sound at the back of my throat. A lot had happened in the past hour and my thoughts were a jumbled mess.

I wanted to go over to Alex's. I wanted someone here who I knew I could trust.

How had Mom known about this? What locker had she been talking about? What was so important in that locker that a guy had broken in just because of it? And why did it feel like I could never erase the feel of Caden's lips from my own ever again?

"What are they doing?" I jerked my head towards Shane and the others.

Adrian followed my gaze and raised his eyebrows. "Tracking."

There was a beat of silence until my phone rang. I almost jumped in surprise as I fumbled and took it out of my pocket, and saw Dad's name flashing on the screen. Then I stood up hastily and gave Adrian one last glance.

"I'll be back in a bit."

The moment I was safely inside my own room with the door closed shut behind me and Chicken roaming near the foot of my bed, I answered the call.

"How did you know?" Was the first thing I asked.

There was just silence on the other end, and I had a feeling it was all because of my sudden question.

"Dad!" My voice cracked a little under the evident exasperation. "Do you guys want me to think that you both sent that guy to break in?"

There was a loud shuffling before Dad finally replied, "Break in? Skylar, are you all right?"