ALLISON

🌹🦋 CHAPTER 4🦋🌹

“I wonder what our maths teacher’s aim is this year, maybe to kill us?” Hilda questioned while typing something on her phone.

“Yes… slowly and painfully,” I replied dramatically, placing the back of my hand on my forehead like I was about to faint.

Matilda rolled her eyes.

“You two are so unserious. It’s just Maths, not war.”

“Speak for yourself,” I muttered.

“That man wakes up every morning and chooses violence.” Hilda laughed.

“Honestly! The way he was looking at you earlier, Allison, I thought he was going to send you out.”

“He can try,” I scoffed, flipping my hair.

“It’s a new season, remember? I’m trying to be a better person.”

“Trying?” Matilda emphasized with a smirk.

“Don’t push it,” I warned, pointing a finger at her while the three of us burst into laughter.

We were seated at our usual table in the cafeteria during lunch break. The place was buzzing with noise—students laughing, chatting, some couples being all lovey-dovey, and others just minding their business.

Typical Braxton High.

I picked at my food absentmindedly, my mind drifting elsewhere.

“Hey…” Hilda called softly. I looked up.

“What?”

“You’ve been quiet for a while now. That’s not normal.”

Matilda leaned forward slightly. “Yeah… what’s going on in that head of yours?”

I hesitated.

Should I tell them?

“Nothing,” I said finally, shrugging.

They both gave me that look.

The “we-know-you’re-lying” look.

I sighed.

“Okay fine… I met Kaiden yesterdapy”

“Kaiden?” Hilda asked confused.

“I meant Kaiden Torres, the school's basketball player" I said.

They both stared at me with wide eyes.

“Are you bad a$$ serious?" Matilda asked after snapping out of their shocked expression. I nodded and narrated yesterday's event to them.

“Wait… you guys met at your secret hideout? Alone?" Hilda asked wiggling her eyebrows teasingly.

“You make the word Alone sound dirty, Hilda"

“I didn't say anything" Hilda said laughing. Matilda joined in too and I mentally smack my self on the head for having this two crazy girls as friends.

You love them.

Yup, but still not having twins.

I shook my head.

“Well, you have to be careful cos he's your arch nemesis boyfriend" Hilda said.

“Ex boyfriend... she cheated and they broke up remember?" Matilda corrected.

Hilda nodded.

“Well, there's nothing to be careful about, it's not like I'm going to start dating him or something?... remember my rules, no boyfriend till college" I defended.

Why do I feel offended he dated Hailey?

I didn't care before, why now?

“Well isn't this destiny, You met at your secret hideout and at the grocery store too.” Hilda said after a while, smirking at me and Matilda.

“Or bad luck,” I muttered under my breath.

“Why do you say that?” Hilda asked.

I shrugged.

“I don’t know… there’s just something about him.”

“What kind of something?”

“I can’t explain it,” I admitted. “It’s like… he’s... I don't know, different?.”

Matilda smirked knowingly. “Different in a good way or troublesome way?”

I paused.

Troublesome?

Why did that word feel… right?

Maybe because it has Hailey Young hovering around it.

Before I could respond, a sudden hush fell over the cafeteria. I frowned.

That was unusual.

“What’s going on?” Hilda whispered.

Matilda glanced around. “Looks like someone important just walked in.”

I followed their gaze— And there he was.

Kaiden Torres.

Walking in like he owned the place, with Finn and Ryker beside him.

The guy definitely owns this place with that hot body and face.

Shut it inner mind.

His presence alone shifted the entire atmosphere.

Girls were whispering, some staring openly, others pretending not to look.

Typical.

I rolled my eyes. “Overhyped.”

As if sensing my gaze, Kaiden looked up.

Our eyes met.

And just like yesterday— Everything slowed down.

What just happened? did I enter a drama or something?

He didn’t look away this time.

Instead…

He smirked.

Oh, he did not just do that.

I quickly looked away, pretending to be uninterested.

“He's staring at you,” Matilda teased.

“How sure are you that's it me? there are plenty of girls here to stare at and He could be staring at his ex for Christ sake" I defended.

"Oh he's definitely staring at you Allison, cos dude is coming right this way" Hilda said.

Moments later, I heard footsteps approaching our table.

I didn’t need to look up to know who it was.

“Hey,” a deep and beautiful voice said.

I looked up slowly.

Kaiden.

Standing right in front of me.

Actually… no.

He didn’t stop.

Kaiden walked past me.

I blinked.

Wait… what?

He moved around the table casually like he had every right to be there, then pulled out the empty chair beside me and sat down like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Finn sat beside Matilda, while Ryker dropped into the seat next to Hilda with a grin.

I stared at them. Slowly.

“Excuse me…” I said, dragging the words.

“Are we missing something here?”

Ryker leaned back comfortably. “Yeah, food. I’m starving.”

Hilda chuckled, clearly amused.

Matilda rested her chin on her palm, watching everything like it was premium entertainment.

Kaiden didn’t say anything immediately. He picked up a fry from my tray—

My tray.

—and ate it.

I froze.

“Did you just take my food?” I asked, my voice dangerously calm.

He glanced at me, completely unbothered. “You weren’t eating it.”

“I was thinking about it.”

“Well, think faster next time,” he replied, taking another one.

Ryker let out a loud laugh. “I like her already.”

“You don’t even know me,” I shot back.

“I know enough,” he said, grinning. “You look like trouble.”

“I am trouble,” I replied sweetly.

I thought we were avoiding trouble?

“Perfect,” Finn muttered under his breath, earning a light elbow from Matilda.

I narrowed my eyes at Kaiden. “You always invite yourself to people’s tables or I’m just special?”

He leaned back slightly, studying me.

“You’re special.”

I scoffed. “Try harder.”

Hilda covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

Matilda didn’t even try—she laughed outright.

“Ouch,” Ryker said dramatically.

“Captain, she’s immune.”

Kaiden smirked. “I can see that.”

He turned back to me. “So… Allison, right?”

I paused.

“You remember?”

Again!

“Should I not?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Most people forget names of people they met once.”

“I don’t.”

For a second, his tone was… different.

Not playful.

Just simple.

I looked away first.

“Don’t get used to it,” I muttered.

“Too late.”

I ignored that.

“Besides we met twice remember?" He smirked at me. I rolled my eyes.

I could see Matilda and Hilda giving each other a knowing smile and the boys watching us with amusement.

“So…” he continued, resting his elbow on the table. “You skip classes often or was yesterday a special performance?”

I rolled my eyes. “Why? Are you keeping records?”

“Maybe.”

“Then write this down,” I leaned forward slightly. “Mind your business.”

Ryker choked on his drink.

Finn shook his head, smiling. “She’s brutal.”

“I warned you,” Matilda said proudly.

Kaiden didn’t look offended.

If anything—

He looked entertained.

“Noted,” he said calmly. “But I’m still curious.”

“About what?”

“You.”

Yup, I fell into that one

I gave him a flat look. “That sounds like a you problem.”

Hilda laughed this time. “Okay, I like this.”

“Same,” Ryker added. “This is fun.”

Kaiden tilted his head slightly. “Why do you always answer questions with attitude?”

“Why do you always ask unnecessary questions?” I shot back immediately.

He smiled.

A real one this time.

And for a second—

It caught me off guard.

“Fair enough,” he said.

There was a brief pause.

Not awkward…

Just new.

Finn cleared his throat. “So… you guys are in senior year too?”

“Obviously,” Matilda replied. “Or do we look like freshmen to you?”

Ryker leaned closer, pretending to study her face. “Hmm… maybe.”

She kicked him under the table.

“Ow—okay! Definitely not freshmen,” he laughed.

Hilda shook her head. “You guys are something else.”

“You have no idea,” Finn muttered.

I picked up my drink, taking a sip while watching them interact.

It was… easy.

Too easy.

Like they’d known each other longer than just a few minutes.

Strange.

“So,” Ryker said, turning to Hilda. “Which one of you is the smart one?”

“Both,” she replied instantly.

“Lies,” Matilda said. “It’s me.”

“Keep dreaming.”

“Say that again—”

“Both of you are loud,” I cut in.

They turned to me.

“What?” I shrugged. “It’s true.”

Kaiden chuckled softly beside me.

“You’re quiet for someone who threatened a freshman earlier,” he said.

I turned to him sharply. “You saw that?”

“Half the hallway saw that.”

I smirked. “Good.”

“You scared him.”

“He ran into my friend.”

“So you scared him.”

“Exactly.”

He shook his head slightly, amused.

“You’re something.”

“I’ve heard that before.”

“Not like this.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And what does that mean?”

He looked at me for a second—

Like he was about to say something.

But then he just shrugged.

“Nothing.”

I frowned slightly but let it go.

From across the cafeteria—

I felt it.

That stare.

I didn’t need to look to know who it was.

Hailey.

I glanced briefly in her direction.

And yep—

There she was.

Sitting with her group, eyes locked on us.

More specifically—

On me.

Her expression? Unreadable.

But her glare? Sharp.

Cold.

I looked away like I didn’t care.

Because I didn’t.

“Everything okay?” Hilda asked quietly.

“Perfect,” I replied casually.

Kaiden followed my line of sight for a second before returning his attention to the table.

But he didn’t say anything.

Good.

Because I didn’t need saving.

Definitely not from Hailey.

“Anyway,” Ryker clapped his hands lightly. “Since we’re all friends now—”

“We’re not,” I cut in.

“—we should hang out sometime.”

“Still not.”

Finn laughed. “You’re not making this easy.”

“I’m not trying to.”

Kaiden leaned closer slightly, his voice low enough for just me to hear.

“You always this difficult?”

I turned my head, meeting his eyes.

“Only when I’m bored.”

“And are you bored right now?”

I held his gaze for a second.

Then smirked.

“Ask me later.”

For the first time—

He looked challenged.

And he liked it.

I could tell.

And honestly?

That made this a little more interesting than I expected.