Shattered

Chapter 30: Closer

Kaden's POV:

"Tell me every terrible thing you ever did, and let me love you anyway." - Sade Andria Zabala

"I have no food here."

"You gotta have something," I said doubtfully.

After a couple hours of watching TV, I was hungry but Violet hadn't said a word about food. I stayed silent, my stomach didn't, and I was mad at it because up until it decided to tell her I was hungry, Violet had been full on leaning against me, resting her head against my chest with her arm draped over my waist while we watched The Twilight Zone. Every passing minute, she relaxed more against me until we were cuddling. Violet was cuddling with me and my fucking stomach ruined it with a loud growl that had her sitting up and trying not to laugh as she asked if I was hungry. I asked about food and her response didn't make sense.

"I really don't," Violet said. "I don't go grocery shopping."

"What do you mean, you don't go grocery shopping?" I frowned. "We had an impromptu date while you were grocery shopping for Mrs. Fletcher."

"That was not a date," she said, her brows drawing together.

"It wasn't?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "Well shit, I've been counting it this whole time. I guess now we'll have to go on a date so my numbers stay accurate."

"Smooth," she said, narrowing her eyes at me and fighting back the smile.

"But seriously, what do you eat if you don't go grocery shopping?"

"I eat out a lot," she said. "Or... Honestly sometimes I just don't eat."

"You don't eat?" I repeated

"Eh," she shrugged. "I get hungry, I get sick of take out, so I just don't eat."

"You know," I said, sitting up straighter and turning towards her. "There's this skill you should learn. It's called cooking and I'm very good at it, so I could show you."

"Look, my problem is not that I don't know how to cook, it's that I hate cooking."

"You hate it?" I asked. "That's a strong emotion for an action that gives you sustenance so you can... You know, stay alive."

"It's boring," she whined, covering her face.

"Boring?" I laughed. "Why is it boring?"

"It takes so god damn long, Kaden," she said flatly, dropping her hands to her lap. "So. Damn. Long. I burn every meal I cook because I start it, forget it's happening and go do something that actually matters, and then... It just burns, and then there's dishes and just..." she paused, scrunching up her face in the most adorable way that made me want to lean over and kiss her. "No. I'd rather be hungry."

"So if I looked in your fridge right now..."

"You'd be wholly disappointed."

I stared at her skeptically. She couldn't have no food, she was a person. I jumped up and made my way to the kitchen. Violet followed me in, leaning her shoulder against the wall while I opened the fridge. I stared at the contents, unsure what to say. There was nothing except several bottles of booze and a stick of butter. "There is only alcohol in this fridge," I said, reaching in and grabbing the butter. "... And one stick of butter."

"I know," she nodded. "It's how I get most my calories. The alcohol, not the butter. The butter is only here because Alek brought it when he was visiting and we made rice krispy treats. Mrs. Fletcher got the leftover cereal."

"That's..." I trailed off, slightly concerned. She needed food. I frowned at her then turned to the cupboard, gesturing to it. "Can I?" I asked. She nodded. I opened the cupboard and it was empty except a bottle of Advil. The next cupboard had a couple glasses but that was it. The next had three plates. Three. She wasn't exaggerating, there was no food in this apartment. I turned towards her, crossing my arms. "Violet, that's terribly not good for you."