Give Me The Moon (I don't want the stars)

Chapter Nine

AZALEA'S POV

Those long nine days without talking to him was what I needed. The time helped the fogginess in my head clear, and it was what I needed to think straight. Even though I wasn't very strong the whole time. 

The first day that I had left his house, well, you know what happened. I cried and cried until I couldn't cry anymore. 

The second day, I didn't know what to do. I just went to school and kept my head down. Dolly didn't even bother to ask me what was going on. She just stayed away for the day, because she knew what to do when I was in that type of mood. The whole day I just kept quiet, came home to a quiet house, and went on with my quiet day. I realized that I needed to go and get groceries for the house since Mom wouldn't ever get them. So I ran to the closest store there was. Walking down the dairy aisle, I turned and stopped at the corner. There he was. It hurt to see him like this. He had sunglasses on, but I could still see the raw nose and the tear stained cheeks. His chestnut hair was very unkempt and greasy like he didn't take a shower the day before. His clothes were also very wrinkled like he had slept in them. He looked miserable, and my heart cracked at the sight. But just as fast as it started to hurt, it hardened back. He shouldn't have done what he did. I didn't even realize I was walking closer to him until I saw his head move a little in my direction and his lips part a little. But I just held my breath and ran away.

On the third day, Cade came to me during my lunch. I was sitting there with Dolly, talking about our upcoming game, and he sat next to me. Dolly's eyes lit up, and she just stared at him like a creeper.

"Where's Grey?" Cade asked and sat next to me, stealing some of my food. I didn't care he could have what he wanted.

"She doesn't know," Dolly answered, and Cade turned his attention to her. He looked back to me, but then nearly snapped his neck in half looking back over to her. His eyes lit up as he scanned them over her, but then bit his lip and looked back to me. "Anyways," he started and laughed nervously. His cheeks were starting to turn a hit of red, and I couldn't help but laugh at how awkward he was being.

"Uh, so, um can I have your snap?" he asked, and me and Dolly were both surprised at how straightforward he was.

Dolly didn't waste a second to hand him her phone to get his "Don't have to ask me twice."

They were looking at each other for a second, before I asked, "What were you needing Cade?"

He tore his attention away from Dolly for a second to look at me. "Well, I was wanting to know if you'd want to go Red's after school."

Dolly's face fell a little, but he quickly added, "Just cause I need to talk to you about Grey. That's it. Just that. Nothing else. Just as friends." he rambled. Dolly looked relieved, and so did he when he noticed his save.

I nodded and waited the rest of the day to pass while Dolly and Cade just talked.

After I threw my bag in my Jeep, I started to drive off. Practice went well. I had some steam to blow off, and drilling that ball with a bat was the best release I could have gotten. Pulling into Red's I noticed the same crowd that was making fun of Grey when I was bringing him home from the hospital. Opening the door, every eye turned to me, and three of the boys snarled at me.

"You." one of them pointed at me. I smirked and said, "Me."

They just looked at each other and Cade stepped up to the front of them. "Azalea." one said, and two large hands moved Cade to the side and one of the boys that were smaller than everyone else but still pretty big came up to me. I noticed that his ear was bruised and was cut. "You hit me with a stick," he said and I laughed a little. "Yeah, good times."