Eden

Chapter 22

NSFW WARNING!! Mature content!

I didn't know whether I was angry or if I found it hilarious that Cade had my shirt, but I was sure as hell I was leaning toward the former.

His friend with blonde hair seemed to notice me and decided to go, "Hey, isn't that guy your friend?" as he sort of dragged Cade and the other guy up to my row. I closed my eyelids and rolled them hard.

"Hey man, what's up!" He came in for the usual bro handshake, squeezing my hand just to tease me. I squeezed back.

Harder.

"Hey, hey, hey, easy there," he laughed nervously, sneakily massaging his wrist and phalanges. "Ain't been seeing much of you around, and I think it's starting to get to your boyfriend here," he pointed at Cade and the other guy stifled a laugh. I laughed, too, finding it funny to an extent. I knew I was an integral part of Cade's life. I knew that other than me and the gang, there weren't really a lot of people he could feel comfortable with, so I knew that this 'thing' he was doing—staying away from me for my own good—was affecting him a lot. I was also thankful for the fact that he had joined the football team. That would allow him to make some new friends, too.

The place grew quiet for a few seconds, the two extras not really knowing what to do, almost like they could feel the awkward tension we were radiating, and it was seriously getting to them. The blonde one, the one who I think is the team captain, cleared his throat before smacking Cade on his back.

"Well, we don't got no practice today so he's all yours. We'll leave you two here. I and Bill have got some things to round up in the gear room. We're stealing them for the party tonight." He chuckled.

He started walking off before I or Cade could say anything.

We watched them walk down to the end of the bleachers in silence, heads turned away from each other, neither of us wanting to look first.

I caved after a minute of looking stupid, catching him turning his head at the same time to meet my eyes. I sighed, puffing up my cheeks and blowing the air out of my mouth sharply.

"So, how was your night? Sleep well?" he asked, his voice holding an underlying tone of mischief to it. I squinted my brows and replied cheekily, just to make him mad.

"I don't remember much of when I slept, but I do know that the movies and food I binged with Zeke were top tier." I took the pack of juice that I kept in the can of food and sipped from the straw, feigning nonchalance.

I watched his face grow hard at the mention of Zeke, his body going rigid.

"Why do you keep hanging out with that guy? He's a loser."

"Hey! Don't talk about him like that, you don't know him. And besides, he's really nice. Like, he always cuddles with me when I'm cold or crying or sleepy-"

"You cuddle him? Why the hell would you do that?" I rolled my eyes. I am definitely not ready for this hypocritical conversation this morning.

"Or what next? Are you gonna let him touch you? Hold you wherever he likes? Huh?" I looked at him in surprise, wondering where all this was coming from.

"Well, I don't know why you're asking me all that, but I think the important question is where you got my shirt from-" "Fuck that! What else do you guys get up to, huh? I'm really curious because of how fast you moved on, you know?" Moved on? What the hell does that even mean?

"You take him to watch movies at the cinema yet? Because you might as well date him since you're always going on and on about him-" Enough of this bullshit.