Free Falling

7|Orange Soda

    A month passed and the rumors about the boys had dwindled down to mere whispers and casual glances in the hallways, along with the chaotic situation between Miles and Peters that had stirred the gossip mill within the school walls. Peter was kicked off the team, and the position of captain was granted to Miles who declined, saying that he only wanted to be a part of a team who accepted him for who he was, not for the rank. The offer then shifted to Caden who took it wholeheartedly, but not without making it clear that Miles was a part of the team, and if anyone had an issue, they could kindly take their leave. But everyone accepted Miles with open arms.

    André backed out of the band only a few hours of getting lead guitar position. He didn't tell us why he had changed his mind, only that it was a mistake to even consider joining in the first place. My guess was that he was a little shy, but he'd have to come around on his own terms. 

    Unfortunately, Preston didn't make it onto student council, but he was fine with that once he realized that he didn't want to be a part of this school's clubs. I couldn't blame him.

    Eli had decided against joining the football team, claiming it wasn't his style anymore. part of me was upset that I didn't get to see him in uniform tackling other players, but I got over it.

    So far, everything was as normal as it could possibly be at Marionne High.

    Skylar was sprawled on her stomach across my bed flipping through a fashion boutique magazine when she twisted her body around. "André asked me out."

    My fingers froze over the keyboard, barely finished typing the rest of my history essay. "So you guys are...?"

    She shrugged. "Depends on if the date goes well.

    "Why wouldn't it? You guys already act like you're a couple."

    The past month, André and Skylar had been glued to the hip like Sienese twins. They finished each other's sentences, swapped foods that they didn't like with one another, and even bickered like an old couple. It was nauseating, but I couldn't be more happy to see Skylar being treated like the queen she was.

    Pink tinted Skylar's cheeks. "We do not," she countered. "Besides, you're one to talk." When I raised a questioning eyebrow, she added, "Miles? Come on, everyone can see the chemistry blooming between you guys."

    I rolled my eyes. "You're searching for something that doesn't exist. Miles and I's relationship is strictly platonic, just like with the rest of the guys. He's like another brother to me."

    Skylar huffed and sat up, tucking her legs underneath her. "When are you going to let go of this hard exterior of yours and let someone in?"

    Pointedly, I said, "The last time I let someone in, my heart was ripped out of my chest."

    "I get that, I really do," she leaned over and grabbed my wrists gently, making me look into her eyes, "but if you let your past dictate your future, you will never know what it's like to live again. To love again."

    As I opened my mouth to argue that love was only a theory planted by weak romantics who stuffed their heads in romance novels and blinded themselves by sitting too close to the tv when The Notebook came on, the door creaked open and Kenny poked his head in.

    "Everyone's downstairs chilling. You guys coming down?"

    "I have to finish this essay," I said.

    "There's pizza," he added. I shoved my laptop to the side and stood up, heading to the door.

    "Shut up," I warned when Kenny shook his head like he knew I would give in once I heard that food was going to be involved. Pushing him to the side, I walked downstairs and heard chatter coming from the living room.

    Six teenage boys sat around the small table that had two boxes of pizza piled on top, one of which was empty. The other had five slices left, and I immediately scowled. Kenny had made it seem as if there was enough pizza to get two slices, but I couldn't even get one. I scooped one up before the others reached for it and took the opening seat between Miles and Eli.

    "What's up?" Miles addressed me with a heartwarming smile. My mind reeled back to what Skylar said about us having chemistry, and I looked away. Then I scolded myself. Miles smiled at everyone and everything; there wasn't a double meaning under it just because it was directed at me.

    "Nothing much." My voice was muffled by the mouthful of greasy pepperoni pizza.

    "Such a lady," Brandon muttered in disgust.

    I winked at him. "You know it."

    Skylar walked in after, scooped up a few pizza slices, and settled in next to André.

    "So, what's the game plan for today, or are we just going to lousy around stuffing our face with pizza? Because if so, I'm down," I said as a stuffed my face some more.

    Eli chuckled beside me. "You really are something else, Cathy."

    "And so he speaks."

    We stared at each other, communicating silently with our eyes. Eli and I hadn't spoken much ever since Miles and I started hanging around a lot, and a part of me thought it was because he was jealous. That idea was shot down when I realized that he hadn't been talking to anyone in the past month. He was always a quiet person, but this was different like he was deliberately distancing himself from everyone. The others didn't overreact, so neither did I, but it didn't stop my curious mind from wondering.

    "I do speak," he finally said.

    "And why now?"

    He shrugged. "Felt like I had to say something so you can stop worrying."

    "I wasn't worried."

    He gave me a pointed look. "You were worried. All of you were, actually. It was sweet, though. Thanks for being there for Miles when I couldn't."

    I gave a one-shoulder shrug. "If Kenny wasn't already my brother, Miles would be my favorite."

    "Hey!" Kenny protested. Everyone laughed.

    "I'm getting something to drink," I announced as I stood up. "Anyone want one?"

    Preston and Brandon raised their hand while everyone else was engrossed in their side conversations. I stepped into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.

 Finally spotting the orange soda cans, I bent down to grab three when I felt a presence behind me. I tensed as hands gripped my waist and a body pressed up against my ass, but then a taunting smile curled on my lips.

    "Our friends are literally three feet away," I whispered, still awkwardly bent over with half my frame in the fridge.

    "Ask me if I care," he replied. I straightened and closed the door but didn't have the chance to turn around as his hands traveled from my waist down to my ass, gripping it with two firm hands.

    "I've missed you," he cooed in my ear. "I've missed feeling you."

    "I know."

    "You've been dodging my texts."

    "I know."

    He spun me around and trapped me with his tall frame. His chocolate eyes bored into mine, and his gaze flickered to my lips. "I was thinking."

    "About what?" I wrapped my hands around his neck and played with the hairs on his nape, gently tugging mindlessly as I waited for him to kiss me.

    "Our relationship."

    "What about it?" My body leaned into his warmth, and I figured that I would have to make the first move if he didn't speed things along.

    "I want-"

    "Where the hell is Caden?"

    We ripped away from each other like tissue paper just in time to see Kenny stroll into the kitchen. I kept my face impassive as he looked between us with furrowed eyebrows, but my heart was beating a mile per second.

    "Dude, didn't you hear me calling you?" Kenny asked, narrowing his eyes at Caden.

    "I told you I was going to the bathroom."

    Caden followed Kenny out, glancing at his shoulder at the last minute to shoot me a that-was-a-close-one look. I ran a hand through my hair and waited until my face cooled down before walking back into the living room.

    "Where's our soda?" Preston eyed my empty hands.

    "We ran out," I blurted, bowing my head so that my hair curtained the sides of my face, repelling the curious looks thrown at me by Brandon and Preston and the smirk Caden shot my way.

    If Kenny would've caught us in the spur of the moment, all hell would've broken loose, putting a damper on our laid-back evening and a divide not only between Skylar and me but also between Kenny and Caden.

    Caden and I knew what the risks were when we began this; in fact, we had sorted over the pros and cons of this "relationship" that we started and figured it was best to keep it under wraps. A part of me had wanted to end it all after the first few days we hooked up, but the other half had beckoned in the waves of excitement that came with sneaking around with Caden. No matter how hard I tried to ignore it, there was that small urge that slithered in through the cracks in my foundation.

    My eyes subconsciously met his and found that he was already staring at me with a look of complete desire. What he said had been true; we hadn't hooked up in a while, but I had been hanging around Miles so much that I didn't have time in my agenda to fill him in.

    A smirk curled at my lips. Soon, he and I would catch up on a long-overdue appointment.