To Have Loved [BxB] Book I ✓

Chapter 19

Kayden spent Thanksgiving day in his dorm watching Bojack Horseman and moping, but in the days following that, he slowly began to piece his life back together. He had to accept the simple fact that his mother would probably never love him or respect him and he would have to be okay with that. He couldn't change the truth, he'd just have to hope it would get easier to handle.

During the long weekend off, he went into town a lot. Luke and El lived in the area so they hung out most of the time, though Milo was back home on break. He saw Elias a few times, whether in the cafe or reading in the library, but they didn't talk more than normal, just if they bumped into each other or at night on the steps. It was always a short exchange, nothing much came of it. He expected that though from Elias.

A week later, everything was back to normal. It was December, it was the Christmas season, and midterms were looming now more than ever. Kayden had sixteen days to prepare for six different tests. He'd done the math. He had 2.6 days to fully prepare for each test and then he'd just have to hope that he passed. He knew he'd probably push it off anyway until Elias forced him to start studying or the due date got a little too close for comfort.

Right now though, he was decorating the dorm with Christmas lights and covering their window in little stickers designed to be put on glass while Theo hung up artificial leaves and holly. They'd both gotten up early to do it because Theo wanted to make sure he'd be able to get his homework done and have enough time for a few hours of studying in the day.

"I know we don't have anywhere to hang stockings, but I was thinking, maybe we could just put some nails in the wall and then cover it up with posters later," Kayden suggested with a smile and Theo looked at him as if he couldn't be serious.

"No nails, we're not putting holes in the wall."

"It would just be little ones."

"No."

"Fine," He sighed, taping up lights over the windows. "It was a good idea though."

"I was not." Theo laughed quietly and Kayden grinned. He liked making Theo laugh, the kid just seemed so uptight most of the time, and he knew it probably wasn't Theo's fault either, he'd mentioned once or twice that he went to therapy and Kayden assumed it was for his anxiety.

"I love Christmas."

"It's okay," Theo said. "I like seeing my family, but it's always kind of...a lot. They have a big party every year and there are all the traditions."

"Not a fan of parties?"

"Not really."

Kayden nodded, untying the curtains to make sure they wouldn't knock down the lights when they were closed.

"It'll be nice to be back in Lakeview though, it's small but I've got a few friends there," Theo said.

Kayden looked over at him. "I live in Lakeview too, who are you friends with?"

"Oh, just this girl Sophia, I used to go to school with her at St. William's until I switched to Antisto. My mom didn't really want me to go to a co-ed school but St. William's was cheaper for younger grades. I'm also friends with this guy Tyler, he goes to Lakeview high. They're both family friends so I see them sometimes at parties."

"Ah, cool. I went to Lakeview high before coming here, but I never knew a Tyler. I didn't know most people in my class honestly, just Connor and his friends."

"How big was your class?" Theo asked.

"Almost two hundred students," Kayden said as he retied the curtain open. It was much bigger than his class of forty-three at Antisto, but he honestly didn't mind going to a smaller school.