To Have Loved [BxB] Book I ✓

Chapter 5

a/n: Hey guys, I miss doing these so I might sometimes. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the wait, I've had a rough few weeks, and then writer's block hit, and suddenly the upload schedule is being completely disregarded. So that's that and I'll be trying to upload more often. Anyways, how's everyone liking the new book? I'm excited to be doing something a bit more cute and uplifting. Remember to drink your water and I'll see you in a few days.

The first week of school went about as well as Kayden expected: boring classes, excessive amounts of homework, and teachers that he'd soon be disappointing. He wasn't stupid, he knew he could get straight A's if he tried, he'd done it before, he just ran out of steam to be keeping up that kind of effort all nine months until summer break. He put in the effort when he needed to, but most of the time it just didn't work, he didn't have it in him.

"Do you want anything, Kay?" Grant asked and he looked up from where he'd been staring at the floor. The coffee shop. Grant was asking for his order. Right.

"A black coffee's fine," He said, reaching for his wallet.

"Don't worry, I'm putting them all on my card," Grant said and Kayden paused but then nodded.

It'd been a long day that Friday and he was half out of it at the moment. He felt drained and had a slight headache amongst the foggy, stuffy feeling in his brain, but he'd agreed to go and study with everyone at the cafe so here they all were. He thought maybe a coffee would get his mind working again.

Once they'd ordered and been served, they all settled into seats at a table with their drinks. Grant had ordered a Latte, Ezra a Cappuccino, Theo asked for hot tea, and Brooks, like Kayden, asked for plain black coffee. The cafe seemed to be more so just an extension of the school, it was barely off school grounds, and it didn't count as leaving campus for upperclassmen to go to the cafe during free periods, which was probably why it was such a popular study spot for Antisto students. It was also kept reasonably quiet, there were even signs up here and there asking customers to keep it a 'quiet zone' as it was mostly existing for student use and was partially funded by Antisto.

Kayden took out the book they were currently reading in English. Pride and Prejudice. While most of the other boys in his class had moaned and groaned about it being a girl's book, Kayden's qualms were more to do with it being slow and absolutely mind-numbingly boring. Sure, it wasn't a bad story, but it could have been a novella rather than the full 360-page 'masterpiece' it was. There were too many scenes including elaborate balls and flowing gowns and brooding men for his taste. Still, he was almost halfway through it and they were supposed to be finished and started on the essay by next Friday. He was a bit behind the class according to the assigned chapters, but it was nothing to be concerned about, he'd catch up in time and he'd be writing his essay last minute anyway.

He glanced up from his work. Theo was reading a textbook and scribbling notes down at the end of the table, Grant and Ezra were writing on each other's papers and smiling amongst themselves, and Brooks, who was seated next to him, seemed to be looking over a music sheet, his earbuds plugged into his ears and the wire disappearing into his blazer pocket. Even though it was pretty evident that Brooks was friends with Elias, he appeared to be a cool guy and Kayden didn't hate him or anything. He'd talked about his interest in music, he played piano mostly but liked violin and the saxophone too. Kayden had brought up a few of his favorite bands which were mostly some mix of alternative and indie, and Brooks knew a few of them, so he got Kayden's stamp of approval. Anyone who knew about The Crane Wives, Billie Marten, The Wrecks, or Grandson was instantly kind of chill in Kayden's eyes.

He glanced back to his book a moment, trying his hardest to pay attention to whatever was going on in the scene. Elizabeth, the main character, was talking to her sister about...something? Mr. Collins, one of Elizabeth's suitors who Kayden had appropriately named 'weird rich simp' in his head to remember who he was, was saying something about estates and money, but he lost his place halfway down the page for the third time and couldn't quite figure out who was talking anymore. He took a sip of his coffee, hoping that it'd ease his headache but it didn't.