ALLISON

🌹🦋CHAPTER 16🦋🌹

Allison's POV

Well... It's Saturday already.

The day I promised sweet Laila an ice cream date.

I stood in front of my closet, staring at my clothes like choosing an outfit had suddenly become the most difficult decision in the world.

It wasn't an actual date.

Obviously.

It was ice cream.

With a little girl.

And Kaiden.

Okay.

Maybe that last part was why I'd changed my top three times.

I finally settled on a simple white fitted top, light blue jeans and sneakers. I left my hair down, grabbed my handbag and headed downstairs.

My phone buzzed.

Hilda: Are you ready?

Me: Yes.

Matilda: That's a lie.

Me: Why?

Hilda: Because you've been in your room for almost an hour.

I frowned.

Me: How do you know?

I didn't get a response but immediately my door burst open and Hilda stood there with her arms crossed, while Matilda laughed behind her.

“You two are creepy.”

Hilda looked me up and down.

“Hmm.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“I know that look.”

“What look?”

“The one that says you're judging me.”

Matilda smiled.

“She is.”

I grabbed my bag.

“Can we just go?”

We headed downstairs.

Dad was in the kitchen making coffee. He looked up.

“Heading out?”

“Yeah.”

“Where?”

“Ice cream.”

He smiled.

“That's a very specific Saturday plan.”

“Laila invited me.”

Dad's eyebrows lifted.

“Laila?”

“Kaiden's niece.”

“Oh.” He nodded slowly. “So it is the famous Kaiden.”

I stopped.

“Famous?”

“You've mentioned him.”

“I have?”

Dad smiled.

“More than once.”

I looked at Hilda.

She was suddenly very interested in the ceiling.

Traitor.

“It's not like that.”

Dad laughed.

“I didn't say it was.”

“Everyone keeps saying that.”

“Because you keep defending yourself before anyone accuses you.”

Matilda burst out laughing.

I glared at her.

“I'm leaving.”

Dad chuckled.

“Have fun, trouble.”

“I will.”

The ice cream shop was busier than I expected. Families were everywhere, kids running around while their parents tried to keep them from knocking things over.

Then I saw them.

Kaiden was standing outside with Laila, who was practically bouncing on her feet.

The moment she saw me, her face lit up.

“Allison!”

She ran toward me.

I barely had time to open my arms before she hugged me.

“Hi, Laila.”

“You came!... I knew you would.”

Kaiden walked over, smiling.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

His eyes moved over me briefly before returning to my face.

“You look nice.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“That's your opening line?”

He laughed.

“I was going to say hello first.”

“You did.”

“Then I improved it.”

“Debatable.”

He shook his head.

“Nice to see you too.”

Hilda cleared her throat dramatically.

“Are we getting ice cream or are you two going to stand here talking all day?”

Kaiden looked at her.

“Hi, Hilda.”

“Hi.”

Matilda waved.

“Hey.”

Laila looked at all of us.

“So everyone came?”

“Apparently,” I said.

Hilda smiled.

“We're making sure Allison behaves.”

Kaiden laughed.

“Good luck.”

I stared at him.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“You're supposed to be on my side.”

“I don't remember agreeing to that.”

“Unbelievable.”

Laila tugged on my hand.

“Come on! I already know what I want.”

She dragged me toward the entrance.

I looked back at Kaiden.

“She's bossy.”

He nodded.

“Very.”

“I like her.”

“I knew you would.”

We ordered our ice cream and found a table outside.

Laila sat between me and Kaiden. Within five minutes, she had chocolate ice cream all over her face.

I handed her a napkin.

“You're wearing half of it.”

She looked confused.

“Where?”

I pointed at her cheek.

“Oh.”

She wiped the wrong side.

I laughed.

“Other side.”

She wiped again.

“Here?”

“Almost.”

Kaiden leaned over and cleaned the spot she missed.

“There.”

Laila smiled.

“Thanks, Uncle Kay.”

“You're welcome.”

I watched them for a moment.

There was something about the way Kaiden interacted with her that I really liked. He wasn't pretending to be patient. He actually was.

Even when she asked the same question three times.

Even when she dropped her spoon.

Even when she insisted chocolate ice cream was better than every other flavor in existence.

“You're staring,” he said suddenly.

I looked at him.

“I wasn't.”

“You were.”

“I was looking at Laila.”

“Sure.”

“I was.”

He smiled.

“Okay.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“Don't start.”

“I'm not.”

Laila looked between us.

“Are you two friends?”

I almost choked on my ice cream.

Kaiden coughed.

Hilda immediately started laughing.

Matilda covered her mouth.

Laila looked confused.

“What?”

I recovered.

“Of course we're friends.”

Kaiden nodded.

“Yeah. Friends.”

Laila looked at us suspiciously.

“Then why do you argue?”

“Because she's annoying,” Kaiden said.

I stared at him.

“Excuse me?”

“She asked.”

“You're so dead.”

Laila giggled.

“You argue like my grandparents.”

Kaiden froze.

Hilda nearly fell out of her chair laughing.

“Okay,” I said quickly. “Let's talk about something else.”

Laila smiled innocently.

“Okay.”

Kaiden leaned toward me.

“Saved you.”

“You caused it.”

“Fair.”

After we finished eating, Laila suddenly jumped out of her seat.

“Can we go to the playground?”

Kaiden looked at her.

“You still have energy?”

She nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes!”

“I don't understand where you get it from.”

“I'm not tired.”

“Of course you're not.”

Laila turned to me.

“Allison, come with me.”

I looked at Kaiden.

“She's not even asking anymore.”

He laughed.

“You've been chosen.”

Hilda stood up.

“Come on, Laila. I'll go with you.”

Laila looked at her.

“You?”

“Yes.”

She glanced at Matilda.

“And her too.”

Matilda pointed at herself.

“Me?”

Laila nodded.

“Yes. Both of you.”

Hilda laughed.

“Okay, boss.”

The three of them started walking toward the playground.

Kaiden watched them go.

“I think we've been abandoned.”

I smiled.

“Looks like it.”

He looked at me.

“Want to walk?”

“Sure.”

We started walking slowly along the path beside the shopping area.

For a few seconds, neither of us said anything.

It wasn't awkward.

It was actually comfortable.

“So...” I said.

“So?”

“Is this your usual Saturday?”

“Not really.”

“What do you usually do?”

“Basketball. Sometimes I stay home. Depends.”

“Sounds exciting.”

“It is.”

I gave him a look.

“You're lying.”

He laughed.

“Okay, maybe not.”

“What about you?”

“I usually hang out with the girls. Sometimes I stay home with Dad.”

“You and your dad really are close.”

“Yeah.” I smiled. “He's basically my favorite person.”

“I'm starting to understand where you get your attitude from.”

I stopped walking.

“My attitude?”

He immediately smiled.

“See?”

“You're trying to start something.”

“I'm just making an observation.”

“You make too many observations.”

“That's because you're interesting.”

I looked away.

“You've said that before.”

“Because it's still true.”

I kicked a tiny pebble on the pavement.

“You know, you're surprisingly easy to talk to.”

He looked at me.

“Surprisingly?”

“Yes.”

“Why is that surprising?”

“When I first met you, I thought you were going to be annoying.”

He laughed.

“You thought?”

“I still think it.”

“Fair enough.”

“You're weird.”

“You're the one who keeps hanging out with me.”

“I didn't plan this.”

“Neither did I.”

We continued walking.

A few seconds later, I noticed him looking at me.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“You're staring.”

“I wasn't.”

“You were.”

“Okay, maybe I was.”

“Why?”

He shrugged.

“I don't know.”

“That isn't an answer.”

“I know.”

I shook my head.

“You're impossible.”

“You've said that too.”

“Because it's true.”

He smiled.

“Maybe I like hearing you say it.”

I laughed softly.

“You're strange.”

“Only around you.”

I looked at him.

He wasn't joking.

At least, I didn't think he was.

“Why?”

He took a moment before answering.

“Because I don't feel like I have to act a certain way around you.”

I didn't know what to say to that.

So I looked ahead.

“I don't think you act differently around me.”

“I do.”

“How?”

“I talk more.”

I laughed.

“You definitely do.”

“And I don't usually tell people much about myself.”

“Why?”

“People make assumptions.”

“About you?”

“Yeah. Basketball player. Popular. Whatever else.”

“Rich?”

He laughed.

“Maybe.”

“Handsome?”

He looked at me with a grin.

“Definitely.”

I rolled my eyes.

“See? That's exactly what I'm talking about.”

“You asked.”

“I was being sarcastic.”

“I chose to ignore that.”

“Obviously.”

He laughed.

I smiled.

For some reason, I liked moments like this.

No crowd.

No teasing from Hilda.

No Ryker bothering Matilda.

Just us.

“So...” he said after a moment.

“What?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“You're going to anyway.”

“True.”

He smiled.

“What's something you're afraid of?”

I looked at him.

“That got serious quickly.”

“I know.”

I thought for a moment.

“Losing people I love.”

His expression softened.

“Yeah.”

“What about you?”

He was quiet for a moment.

“Failing.”

“Failing at basketball?”

“Everything.”

I studied him.

“You put a lot of pressure on yourself... Why?”

“Because I don't want to disappoint the people who believe in me.”

I nodded slowly.

“I understand that.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. My dad believes in me a lot.”

“You're afraid of disappointing him too?”

“Sometimes.”

He nodded.

“That's a lot to carry.”

“So is basketball.”

“True.”

We walked a little farther.

“Okay, enough serious questions.”

He laughed.

“Agreed.”

“You're ruining my Saturday.”

“I thought you were enjoying it.”

“I am.”

He smiled.

“So am I.”

I looked at him.

And there it was again.

That feeling.

The one I kept pretending wasn't there.

Before I could say anything, my phone buzzed.

I pulled it out.

Hilda: We're taking Laila to get something from the toy store. Don't wait for us.

I stared at the message.

Then showed Kaiden.

He laughed.

“They're giving us privacy.”

“They're being nosy.”

“Probably both.”

I shook my head.

“Those two are impossible.”

“I can live with that.”

We continued walking until we reached a quieter part of the shopping area.

There was a small bench beneath a tree.

Kaiden sat down.

I hesitated before sitting beside him.

For a moment, we watched people passing by.

Then he spoke.

“You know what's funny?”

“What?”

“When I first met you, I thought you didn't like me.”

I laughed.

“I didn't.”

“I know.”

“You were annoying.”

“I still am.”

“Very.”

He smiled.

“But now?”

I looked at him.

“Now what?”

“Do you still not like me?”

I stared at him for a second.

That was a dangerous question.

I looked away.

“I never said I didn't like you.”

His smile grew.

“You implied it.”

“I implied you were annoying.”

“Same thing.”

“No, it isn't.”

“So you like me?”

I immediately looked at him.

“Don't push your luck.”

He laughed.

“That's not a no.”

“Kaiden.”

“Okay, okay.”

He raised both hands.

“I'll stop.”

I smiled despite myself.

A few seconds passed.

Then he quietly said,

“I like talking to you.”

I looked at him.

“I like talking to you too.”

He smiled.

No teasing this time.

Just a genuine smile.

Neither of us said anything after that.

We didn't need to.

For once, the silence felt like enough.

A few minutes later, Hilda's voice came from behind us.

“There you are!”

I turned.

Hilda and Matilda were walking toward us with Laila between them.

Laila was carrying a small stuffed bunny.

“Look what I got!”

I smiled.

“That's cute.”

“She chose it herself,” Matilda said.

Hilda looked between Kaiden and me.

Then smiled.

“Looks like we interrupted something.”

I immediately stood up.

“We were just talking.”

“Sure.”

“Hilda.”

“What?”

“Stop.”

She laughed.

Kaiden stood up beside me.

“She's always like this?”

“All the time.”

“Good to know.”

Laila tugged on my hand.

“Come on! I want to show you my bunny.”

I followed her.

Behind us, Kaiden caught up and leaned closer.

“So...”

I looked at him.

“So?”

“You like talking to me.”

I smiled.

“Don't ruin it.”

He laughed.

“No promises.”

I rolled my eyes.

But I was smiling.

And this time…

I didn't bother hiding it.