Chapter Seventeen
764 Words
The first time Chloe saw Kaden after a long time was at the hospital with his light brown newly shaved hair. The fifteen-year-old boy in his plain jeans with a t-shirt and black sneakers rushes to hug her. He had driven 100miles from where he stayed under 2 hours.
He pulled her for a hug while Chloe stood there, numb. Kaden had shed tears for her when she could not cry. Chloe's only thought was he smelt so lovely.
Her eyes wandered to Kaden's parents. They looked so kind. Even if life was unfair to her, Chloe had been grateful that God was fair to Kaden.
He stayed with her throughout the night. She took her time narrating the story, skipping all the bad things that Linda did to her. In a way, Chloe didn't want him to notice that she had been suffering all this while.
By the end of the week, Chloe was back in the foster home again.
The Director hugged her as soon Chloe came down from Kaden's parent's car.
"I am so sorry," the Director whispered, squeezing the life out of Chloe, yet Chloe was numb to the feeling.
She turned to Kaden and waved goodbye. He looked so uncertain about leaving her.
"Don't forget to call me!" Kaden shouted.
Chloe nodded in response.
"Also, don't keep anything from me again."
"Ok"
"I love you to the moon and beyond," Kaden whispered.
Chloe gazed at him for a minute. It was only them in their secret words.
"I love you_."
Chloe stopped and turned away. All the people she ever loved ended up dying. She didn't want that to happen to Kaden.
"Goodbye, Kaden"
It has been a couple of days since Chloe has been back. The atmosphere felt different from when she first arrived. There were unfamiliar faces, and the place was a lot empty. Chloe dropped her tray of food on the table in the common room. She had chosen a random table to sit at. She bit her apple and looked around to see Nicky facing her at another table.
"What's up, Shortie? " Nicky nodded his head.
Chloe scrunched her face.
"Nicky, leave me alone."
"Why are you here?" he was persistent.
"Why are you here?" Chloe redirected the question back to him.
"Foster parents were tired of my ass," he said proudly.
"You?"
"Foster parents killed my best friend."
"Wow, dark stuff. Kaden?" He takes his tray and moves over to Chloe's table.
"No, someone else."
After that, they sat there in silence.
Chloe experienced her first heartbreak over the phone.
It was in the late afternoon. She had dialed Kaden's home phone.
"Hello Chloe," her heart skipped at the sound of Kaden's voice.
"How are you doing?" Chloe stammered.
"Just home"
"I can't find the ketchup." Chloe heard a girl's voice over the phone.
"I am coming, Ashley," Kaden replies to the girl over the phone
"Who is Ashley?"
Chloe wished she could take the question back and forget that she ever asked.
"My girlfriend"
And there were many other girls after that. But it had been the first time Chloe knew she liked Kaden more than a friend.
Nicky had been a pest and her only friend in the past months. While she could not connect with other children, Nicky was the only one who constantly disturbed her with his weird theories and conversation.
"Did Kaden break your heart again?" Nicky taunted. They were in the old garden, the same place he had tried to kiss her 3 years ago.
Chloe slammed her book down and got up from her lying down position.
"What the hell is your deal!" Nicky was taken aback by her outburst.
"You have been bothering me for the past couple of months."
He stammered.
"I like you, ok. I have liked you since the first day you came to the foster home."
It was Chloe's first confession; no boy had ever told her those words. Maybe Kaden, but he only saw her as just a friend.
Nicky took her silence as an approval to lean in and kiss her.
Chloe was thirteen, and he was fifteen. It was different this time; it wasn't the sloppy kiss they kissed when they were ten and twelve.
For the first time, Chloe didn't think about Kaden.
It won't compare to her first love, but Nicky had been her first real kiss. After that, no one could take it away from him.
Although their puppy love ended soon when Chloe found another family, Nicky was forced to say goodbye to Chloe.
- Writer
