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The closer Cade gets to us, the more I see him and apparently his look clearly. His hair is curly and perfect as always.

His black leather jacket only adds to the whole 'bad boy vibe' he has going on. Small silver hoop earrings decorate his earlobe, with a silver necklace and rings on fingers.

He already looks really good but now with all the accessories, he looks a lot better.

Hotter, sexier---

Wait! What am I thinking?

I realise now that they've gotten to us, which snaps me out of involuntarily studying Cade.

"Hey," Zayn says from besides Cade, pulling my attention to him. He looks great as well. I smile brightly at him with a response, which caused his cheeks to heat up.

He blushes so easily, it's really cute.

"You look nice." I smile at his compliment.

"Thanks." I couldn't help but turn my eyes to the eyes I've been feeling on me for some seconds already. If I'm being honest, it felt longer.

Cade is doing that thing he always does, looking at me with something I can't understand in his eyes, but only this time being more different.

His pretty eyes runs over my body and my mind shuts down everything and everyone around us.

Why does he keep looking at me like this?

I've never failed to notice this stares during lunch, when we go to the diner— which is becoming a normal thing —and when we are in the same space together.

But the difference between those times and now is that he doesn't tear his gaze away from me like he normally does. He keeps them on my body, tracing up to my eyes.

Although, I can't say that I understand what goes on in his head when he looks at me because I don't. Behind those stares, I don't know what he thinks about me. His expressions are always unreadable.

When did I start caring about the way people see me or what they think of me?

Why do I care about the way he looks at me and filled with curiosity as to what goes on in his head behind those stares?

"You came!" Ophelia's voice snaps us out of our trance.

I take my eyes away from Cade and turn around against him. Ophelia who seemed lost in her phone earlier is now radiating joy and excitement as she looks at Cade.

The guys did their guys thing, while I successfully avoid eye contact with Cade. Plus Ophelia has taken her place besides him to keep him company. He laughs as she compliments his edgy look and plays with his earrings.

She has this habit of randomly touching and playing with things she likes on people's bodies.

"My dimple twin." Zayn smiles brightly as Ophelia practically dives him for a hug.

They began a conversation, so does Cade and Jacob.

"She likes him, doesn't she?" I flinch as Daya whispers from my side, startling me.

"Don't sneak up on people like that." I hold my dear heart, but she ignores it and gestures her finger between Ophelia to Cade.

"And yes she does." She chuckles.

"But why is she being so obvious and trying so hard? I've never seen Ophelia be like this for a guy, let alone try to gain his attention." Daya elaborates.

"I mean she's Ophelia, it's always the other way round." Daya says everything with a little surprise but I couldn't help but agree with her.

She knows Ophelia well too because we were all once close, including April. So it's no surprise to hear her say everything she's saying.

"Birds of the same feather know their flock." I state matter of factly to Daya. It took her a couple seconds to understand what I said before she laughed.

"It's not my fault guys follow me like lost puppies and I can never commit to a real relationship," she looks at Jacob and whispers, "sorry boo."

Daya and Jacob have been dating for two years now, but everyone knows she's not one for a committed relationship.

Jacob on the other hand, knows that fact too and even though Daya agreed to an open relationship which kills Jacob and honestly hurts him, he still can't leave her because apparently, he loves her.

Love will make people do the stupidest things.

"But you're right though." I say and she turns back to me.

"This is not the Ophelia I know." She adds. We make small talk before she runs off to Jacob.

"Hey guys." We all turn our attention to Ian, the host of the party.

"So we are having a different party upstairs, where games will be made to spike up the night." He informs and the most excited one out of all of us was Dylan.

"About time for some real shit." He joins Ian upstairs, pulling away Jacob who had reconnected lips with Daya.

"I guess we're playing games now," Ophelia chips excitedly. April scoffs unnecessarily, which caused her to stop. April picks up her solo cup and follow after the guys upstairs.

"Did you guys have a fight?" Cade asks curiously but Ophelia just shrugs.

"It's more like she's fighting with me." She waves it off before hooking arms with Cade, taking him off guard as they went upstairs.

"She's really a wild one, isn't she?" Zayn chuckles as they disappeared from our sight.

"She sure is." I chuckle as well. We follow suit, until we arrive at a room where Ian directs us into.

The room is oddly spacious but it's no surprise cause his house is like a castle. Four others were already there, including Ian in the room and the eight of us adds to the number.

"Okay guys, gather around." Ian calls out and everyone forms a circle on the floor.

I roll my eyes when Ophelia rushes to Cade's side and sits next to him on the rugged floor.

"So what are we playing?" Mike, a guy from Jacob's basketball team ask.

"Anything you guys want, as long as it's fun." Ian says.

I purposely sit on a spot I can easily avoid Cade's stare. Still, it was almost impossible because we are seated in a circular motion.

"Two truths, one lie." Dylan suggests.

"A fun game Dylan, not a story-telling one." April retorts and he clams his mouth shut.

They continued suggesting randomly but I stay quiet. Anything they decide on, I'll gladly participate. Besides, I'm already feeling the effect of the alcohol in the punch. It's faint, but it's there.

"Seven minutes in heaven." Daya's eyes lits up as she calls out.

"Truth or dare?" Cade finally speaks up. I meet his face at his suggestion to find a grin spread across his lips where his smile usually occupies.

"Better idea, let's do both." Ian snaps his fingers like some genius and we all agree. Ian explains the rules just to make sure everyone understands it.

Jacob covers the silence of the room with his light humming to a random song as Ian and Daya write our names on small papers.

"Okay, it's done." Daya announce happily, dropping the small box with the tiny pieces of paper inside.

"I'll go first." April makes sure to flip her hair and throw an unnecessary shady look towards Ophelia as she moves to the box and picks out a paper.

"April I'm not in a fucking competition with you, can't you see?" Ophelia points out, causing April to pause for a second with a soft-almost hurtful expression emerging her face, but she quickly changes it.

The room falls awkwardly silent for a moment before April clears her throat, ignoring Ophelia's statement. She opens the paper and a little smile drags to her face.

"Seems like the game is in my favour." She grins at Hailey, who equally grins back. She's a senior along with the rest of us and a cheerleader.

Dylan, Ian, Zayn and Daya all whistle and cheered loudly as they both step into a walk-in closet at a side of the room.

"I would do anything to see them make out in front of me." Dylan drawls out with a dreamy look on his face.

"Snap out of it." Ophelia snaps her fingers at his face, causing us to laugh.

Seven minutes later they came out. You could evidently see how they ate each other's faces off. Two others went in while the rest of us chatted amongst ourselves. I didn't really feel like conversing with anyone. I actually just feel like sleeping right now.

"So Cade, when did you move here?" I involuntarily shoot my head up from looking down at my thighs at Jacob's question.

Cade turns from Ophelia who he was engaged in a conversation with.

"This summer." He replies with a kind smile.

"Y'all are cousins?" Dylan gestures his fore finger between Cade and Zayn, causing them to chuckle but reply nonetheless.

"You okay?" Zayn whispers from my side as the others drown in their conversations. I give him a tight lip smile with a nod.

Moments after, the pick started again and this time, it was Cade. I mindlessly play with the hem of my skirt in my indian style seated position as I watch him.

He digs his hand in the box and picks out a paper. The level of my focus on him is way too surprising to me, but I don't hate it.

I don't fail to notice the corners of Cade's lips that hitches up as he looks at the name on the paper before raising his head.

I feel the beat of my heart in my head as he utters his words, like I already know it's gonna be me.

"Freya."

~ I know you guys thought I abandoned Cade.

♡ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴs♡