⁂⁂⁂

"Yes sir. Everything is good." I close the fridge after taking a bottle of cold water with my free hand. My left hand is holding up my phone pressed against my ear.

"Are you studying as expected?" My uncle questions again.

"More than expected sir." He laughs at that.

"Good."

Zayn flashes me a smile from where his butt is planted on. He's busily playing video games in the living room.

"And I've told you not to call me sir Cade. I'm your uncle, not your boss." A chuckle leaves my lips.

"Okay Uncle Kent." He reminds me of the things I am told to do and keep up, before ending the call.

I blow out a deep breath, drink my water, then proceed to the living room.

"What did he say this time?" Zayn ask before I could even sit down.

"The usual." I take my biology textbook that's on the coffee table, along with my notes and other textbooks.

I open my book, ready to jot down notes, but something that has been sitting on my brain uncomfortably, takes my focus.

Something that I know will hurt me, but I also it's what is best for all of us.

Something that will make me not think about Freya anymore and make me forget about her completely.

"Are you ever gonna tell Freya?" I didn't look at Zayn cause I know he heard me.

"Tell Freya what?" He ask nonchalantly.

Must you make me say the words Zayn?

"Are you ever gonna tell her that you like her?" My eyes are on the book, still I can feel Zayn's eyes now fixated at the side of my face.

He keeps silent for a while and for a moment, I thought he wouldn't respond, until he did.

"I don't know." I look at him at the sound of his voice. He has a sad look in his eyes.

"You don't know?" He nods.

"Dude, you've had a crush on her since you were in middle school and you're saying you don't know?" His face falls even more, but it just wasn't his.

My heart is hurting from this thing I'm doing. But it doesn't matter because it's the right thing to do.

Zayn has had the biggest crush on Freya for the longest time. He always talked about her anytime we talked over the phone when I was back home. I always encouraged him to actually talk to her and confess his feelings.

But he never did.

And that was all before I ever laid my eyes on the same brunette girl that makes me so happy and anxious at the same time.

Way before my heart tumps without rhythm when she walks into a room, or she smiles, or she pouts or laughs.

Long before I came to know her name or study her nature. Way before I met her. Way before before I liked her and cannot stop thinking about her.

She's been living inside my head---

"I'll tell her okay." Zayn's words cut into my head.

"I'll tell her, but I'm honestly just scared she'll reject me." He scratches the back of his neck nervously.

I wanted to encourage him to try at least, but the ache in my chest stops me.

I need to stop myself from feeling this way.

"Hey guys!" Ophelia cheers happily as she and Freya walks to our table for lunch.

"Hey." Zayn replies back, smiling as well.

I fight myself from looking at Freya or at least looking her in the eyes. If I wanna make progress in not feeling things for her, I have to start now.

"I hate today." Ophelia starts her usual complain.

"Math class was boring as fuck and Mrs sassy pants didn't make it any better." She refers to Mrs Bright, our math teacher.

"That woman is anything but sassy Ophelia." Zayn laughs out.

"She is to me okay?" She retorts.

"Maybe you shouldn't use your phone doing class." I stupidly and mindlessly bring my eyes to Freya at the sound of her voice.

"And who ever obeys that rule?" I hear Ophelia say which caused Freya and Zayn to laugh.

I watch them as they laugh happily, witnessing what I hardly did in my previous school.

I was with the wrong group of friend and I'll be forever grateful that I no longer have to see those people who dragged me down and left me when I needed them most.

"You okay?" I finally meet the eyes of the girl I've been trying to avoid.

Freya's concerned whispered words matches her facial expression. I nod my head, creating my signature smile. She chuckles before looking away from me.

I allow the conversation around the table succumb me. I'm hearing them, but my mind is somewhere else.

Even if I have left my hometown and my previous life, something keeps telling me I'm not completely free. The constant voice in my head keeps telling me my past will catch up to me and ruin all that I'm working for. All that I'm trying to change.

The person I'm so desperately trying to be or not be.

Lunch was over and we were all making our way back to our next classes. Zayn and Ophelia are ahead of me, while Freya is behind me. I look back at her and found her still smiling at her phone.

Earlier when we were seated for lunch, a text came for Freya, which has stolen her attention ever since.

I know how creepy it sounds for me to know it's a text precisely but at this point, it's pretty obvious I am way too invested in everything about her and what she does.

Even if I don't want to.

I wanted to say something, but I find myself being tongue-tied as I stare at her. I walk slowly so she walks ahead of me with her eyes still on her phone.

I don't know who she's texting, but my mind has not stopped racing with the possibility of it being that fuck shit aka Kyle.

I should be surprised that I remember his name. Maybe it's because I think of burying my fist in his face.

We make it into the hallway, students walking along side us. Freya would've almost hit someone if I didn't pull her aside. She mutters a little thank you which I didn't expect, cause I thought she didn't notice my help.

She giggles at who she's texting with and that was what it finally took for me to speak up.

"Is that Kyle?" We stop at her locker. Ophelia and Zayn has gone into the class they have together.

Freya looks up at me. "Why are you asking?"

I shrug, feigning being unbothered. "Just curious."

No I actually wanna know if it's him and why you're smiling so happily at him.

"Well I'm not gonna feed your curiosity." She gives me a tight lip smile. Far different from what she's been displaying.

The hallway is almost empty now, leaving just us two alone.

"You know that guy in a scumbag right?" I let the words roll out my mouth and I honestly don't regret it. I know an asshole when I see one and Kyle is the spitting definition of it.

I'm not gonna sit back and watch Freya fall for his zero level games or get hurt just because she's oblivious. I know she has never been with anyone.

"It takes one to know one." She retorts.

I don't know if she meant that or she was just humoring me. Her smile drops as she looks at me, before she tucks her phone in her back jean pocket.

The old Cade definitely was an asshole. New Cade not so much.

"You think I'm a scumbag?" I laugh, but Freya didn't find it funny. I killed the laughter once I sensed she isn't in a smiling mood again.

"This is the first guy that you've given a chance, but I'm just trying to look out for you, so you don't get hurt when he plays you or something because that's what guys like him do." Trust me, I know exactly what I'm saying.

I don't know how I was expecting Freya to take in my words, but her hard change of expression wasn't it.

"What does that mean?" She says, clear anger taking over her facial features. That alone should've been enough reason for me to stop talking, but my fast mouth didn't.

"You are new to this Freya. Don't get swayed by whatever that Kyle guy tells you. I'm just trying to protect you."

Cade shut up!

I know jealously has started speaking, cause I'm very familiar with that feeling.

Freya's face suddenly resides into blankness. I can't decipher what she's thinking about.

"And who the fuck do you think you are to protect me? Did I ask for your protection? And why the fuck are you telling me all this shit Cade?" She throws all the question at me, taking me by surprise.

It wasn't even the questions that surprised me, it's how calm she was as she spoke and looked at me. I think I just got chills from her cold look.

"I'm your friend Freya." Saying that sentence is like a blade slicing my tongue.

"I know we barely know each other but trust me, Kyle isn't good for you." Why the fuck am I still talking?

Her cold look doesn't falter as she speaks again. "So behind all that smile and quietness, there's actually an asshole living in there." Freya retorts in an unfriendly tone.

That actually hurt.

"You know so much right? So if Kyle isn't good for me, who is?"

Me!

I am good for you Freya.

I can be good for you.

You know that's a lie Cade.

I didn't answer her question. I couldn't.

I don't know why I said all those things to her, especially after being tongue-tied, but I don't regret it. She might probably not like me at all and now I'm realising the shit I've just done.

"He just wants to get in-between your legs Freya." I blurt out without my brain functioning.

What the fuck Cade?!

Before I could realise the shit I just said, a sharp and very painful slap lands at the side of my face.

"Stay out of my fucking business Cade!" Freya yells, clearly and reasonably angry at me. She stomps off, leaving me to regret the past minutes that just happened.

What is wrong with me?

Why did I have to say anything?

I change my direction from my next class to the bathroom, striding towards it like the world is falling behind me.

Thankfully, it was empty when I went inside. I head straight to the sink and turn on the faucet.

I splash water on my face, before raising my head. I stare at my reflection in the mirror.

What am I doing?

I thought I was making progress. Why did I have to say those things? Worst of all, I don't regret saying them to Freya because as much as it hurts, it's true.

But that wasn't my place. I had no right to say such things to her, even if I have this strong urge to just protect her despite the fact that I haven't known her for long.

I thought I could control how I act or what I say. I have been making great progress but when I'm with Freya, I don't know how to act.

I don't like the fact that she wants to mess me up again. I mean is it a good or bad thing?

Is she helping me to be good or bad?

Or am I creating these ideas in my head that she affects the way I behave?

I was quick to notice how I'm gripping the sink way too strongly with my nose flaring non-stop.

The million questions popping up in my head one after the other stops when my phone chimes with a message. I take it out of my pants pocket to read it.

An unknown number displays on the screen. I open the message.

Unknown number: Took us a while Cadence but we eventually found you. Great way to clean up your tracks but you're not as smooth as you think you are. We'll be seeing you soon.

Cadence?

Only one person calls me that.

Fuck no!

It can't be.

What I've been afraid of is already happening. All the troubles and chaos I tried to leave behind in my past has started catching up to me.

They've found me already.

❦❦❦

Happy New Guys!!!

Thanks guys for freaking 5k reads on Cade.

How was the holidays for you?
Hope you're okay.

Love you guys.

♡ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴs♡