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C H A P T E R T W O

R I L E Y A D A M S

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TRAILING ALONGSIDE ONE of my best friend's: Finn, I listened to his excessive rambling. I really wasn't interested in the conversation since my mind was clouded with much more dire matters, although I certainly wasn't going to tell him that.

I was barely managing to listen to his chattering right now and I didn't know how much more of it I could take. "So what do you think...should I, or should I not?" he asked causing my eyes to widen and my mouth to hung open like a fish.

Well shit. I thought as I stuttered, making me sound more idiotic than ever.

"I-uh, I think you- shouldn't-..." Looking at his expression I could immediately sense that saying shouldn't was not the answer he was looking for.

"-shouldn't worry too much and you definitely should." I grinned as his frown remained, his emerald green eyes free of all emotions as his face became serious.

Not a second later, he cracked a grin, that glee spark returning as he swept his blond hair out of his face.

"See, this is exactly why you're my best friend, I just knew I could count on you to listen and tell me that I'm absolutely right." Nervously laughing at the situation itself, I smiled in return.

A small and soft laughter escaped my lips. We turned the corner and headed towards the cafeteria, our shoulders side by side as we made our way towards the line.

"You know-..." He started as he picked up a blue tray and began to fill it up with many different foods, varying from tomato pasta, to a baguette, a bowl of soup, a tub of ice cream and finally, a chocolate chip cookie.

Grabbing my tray grumpily, I followed behind Finn, taking a seat at our usual table.

Finn Sanders was my best friend-my brother even. We grew up together and thankfully hadn't drifted apart, despite having very few classes together and living in opposite sides of town from each other.

Finn was on the track team and it didn't take a genius to tell that he was a ladies man with those enticing emerald green eyes of his and that dirty blond hair. He knew he looked good and that very confidence that had a large population of the girls in our year fawning over him.

I was thankful that he wasn't a player, though. I swear to god if he ever decided to go down that path I'd be there with a pair of scissors, ready to snip off a 'prized possession' of his.

Besides, he had a girlfriend, Kayla-who believe it or not was also another one of my best friends.

We were a trio but much like a lot of the other's in school, we kept to ourselves. We were just 3 ordinary teens living an ordinary life.

It didn't take long for Kayla and Finn to get together since the minute we befriended Kayla there was this instant spark between the two of them.

"Guys, guys, guys." Came Kayla's voice as she ran towards us, her blue eyes glimmering with warmth as she took a seat next to Finn, across from me.

"What's up, babe?" Finn asked with a chuckle as we amusedly waited to hear what she was so excited to tell us.

"I didn't fail the math test." She cheered as we shook our heads as smiles remained glued to our lips.

"That's great." I told her encouragingly as we started our lunch, laughing and simply talking like any other group would.

"Oh guys, you'll never believe what happened to me the other day. I was walking to school and guess who practically ran me over?" I enthusiastically told them, my hands against the table as they both looked stunned at my sudden outburst.

"Caden King." I cried out as Finn dropped his sandwich onto the tray, and Kayla placed her hand in front of her mouth to contain her giggles. Looking back at Finn, his jaw had dropped simultaneously with his sandwich as he quickly looked around the lunch hall.

"You mean-.." He spoke out, leaning closer as he whispered the next part.

"-the ruthless heartbreaker of Lakewood High?" Raising an eyebrow, I eyed him up and down, clearly not amused by his humourless joke.

"Har Har, you're too funny." I mumbled as I dug into my lunch, ignoring Finn and Kayla's annoying series of chuckles and giggles as they joked around with me, almost in a teasing way.

"Come on Riles, we were just messing with you, don't be a grump." Kayla teased as I sent her a playful glare.

"Oh shut it." Glaring harshly, I stabbed at my pasta with the tip of my fork as my head was held up by my hand. A frown stretched across my lips and their laughter seized.

"Okay, I'm sorry, not carry on with the story." Finn ushered with a nudge as I sighed, dropping my fork onto the plate.

"Well basically-..." I explained the rest of the story and they sat with their arms crossed, their heads nodding up and down as they allowed me to explain. Their eyes never wavered away from mine and their attention never faded.

"Hm, quite the predicament you've got yourself into. But I guess it's only fair since you did get in the way of his bike." Finn sniggered, running a hand through his blonde locks.

"Yeah, see I-wait what?" I remarked, my eyebrows furrowed as I opened my mouth to protest.

"I-..." I started, my thumb pointing towards me."-didn't get in the way of anything. It was all his fault." Muttering a series of profanities, I watched Finn's lips curve into a smirk as his eyes travelled upwards. Nudging Kayla to get her attention and pointing behind me, they both no longer bothered to contain their smirks.

"Well, I guess you'll just have to settle that with him then." Kayla grinned as she jutted her chin up. Confusedly muttering 'what?' I turned around only to face palm at the new presence that had made itself known.

"That's where you're mistaken, princess, it really was your fault." The familiar boy smirked and I couldn't help but roll my eyes in utter dismay.

"Oh great, look who decided to grace us with their ever so pleasant presence." I snarled as i witnessed the way that jerk cracked a smile.

Caden didn't bother replying to me as he shifted his brown eyes back to Finn and Kayla who watched intently. "Mind if I borrow her for a second?" Without waiting for their replies, I was scooped up from my seat, my mouth open for protest as I was dragged out of the cafeteria like a rag doll.

Pushing him off, I placed my hands on my waist, raising an eyebrow at Caden as he amusedly stood before me, his legs shoulder width apart and arms casually hanging by his sides.

"What the hell is your problem? You couldn't have just asked me to follow you?" I questioned as he rolled his enticing eyes.

Quirking a grin, he titled his head to the side. "Would you have come if I'd asked?" He retorted as I knew exactly what my answer would have been.

A thick silence rose throughout the ghostly halls, mixing with the dust that drifted down towards the cream floors.

No. I inwardly thought as he took my silence for just the answer he was looking for.

"My point exactly." Smirking victoriously, he ran a hand through his thick and tousled hair.

"Now that you have me here, what do you want?" Sighing frustratedly, my foot tapped against the ground, creating a small and almost silent rhythm.

Eyeing me for a brief second, he took a step towards me.
"I need your help with something." Caden bluntly stated as he got right to the point, all the flirty comments, winks and smirks out of the window as he looked me over almost to analyse my reaction.

"I'm not helping you wth anything." I breathed out, boredom hitting me like a tonne of bricks as I shot my answer right back at him.

"Actually, I think you will be helping me." And just like that the smirk and that flirtatious wink was back and better than even.

Inwardly groaning, I let him continue.

"Remember, you owe me a favour, therefore you're obliged to do this one thing for me." He grinned mischievously, a well thought out plan was fresh in his mind, I could just tell.

"Oh you mean the problem that you caused. And what would that 'one thing' be?" Curiosity filled me as I looked him over, eyes narrowed into slits as I impatiently waited for a reply.

Suddenly, he opened his mouth and uttered the two words that I was in no way ready to hear.

"Date me."

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