Addicted to Green

CHAPTER 2

NAVINA

"Mom, are you home?" I shout through the house. My voice is echoing. I look around and slide my shoes off, plopping my bag on the floor next to the little table with a mirror next to it. I just got home from art club, and it's now five. I walk on the white marble floor to the kitchen, my feet prickling at the coldness.

"In here, sweety!" I hear my mom's bright voice from the kitchen. I see her pronouncing The little sunshine seeping through the window right above the sink shines, accentuating her green eyes, quite like mine, and her black hair, which is in a low ponytail. Her arm is around her, and a towel is slung around her shoulder.

My mom owns a bakery in town called Sweet Delight. It's cheesy, I know. I named the place when I was four. My mom just started her own business, and she asked me for a name, and that's what I came up with. But in my defense, like I said, I was four

"How's your day?" She asks, putting something in the oven, shaking her hands together, smiling at me, and taking a good look at me.

I shrug, "fine." I pause before asking her, "Um, I was going to go to the new ice cream shop with Cole, Chase, and Edenlike... now." I say smoothly.

She shrugs, "Sure. You can go, but be home by nine. Schools tomorrow," she mentions. I nod and smile at her, saying, "Thank you!" and running up the stairs that are in front of the door, and my room is right next to the stairs. I open my door to be greeted by the faint smell of my perfume, which is hard to describe but is like something summery.

I go straight to my closet and see the leather jacket with a bunch of stickers on it that I got from my dad the last time he came. Since my dad is an FBI agent, he travels around the world for important cases. There's no specific place he works; he floats around with a team. I know it's kind of like criminal minds.

He's a profiler. I think. I mean, he doesn't talk about work with me. Nothing gruesome like killings and all that sort (even though I watched Criminal Minds and am an FBI whore). But when he says it, I am entranced by every word he says. I want to be an FBI agent after I graduate.

I have good enough grades for it, not to mention that my dad runs his team; he's like Aaron Hotchner.

I also wear a white tank top and black ripped jeans. It's fall, and it's my favorite time of year. I love fall and Halloween. I love him. I can't express it. It's also the best time to wear the clothes I love. I take my black Air Force ones and slide them on. I then closed my closet door and texted the group chat.

ME: I'm coming now.

EDEN YES I'm already here, so hurry up, guys.

CHASE: I'm coming, babe.

Eden: I told you to stop calling me that.

Case: You call me the same.

EDEN: No, I don't.

CHASE: Yes, you do.

EDEN: No, I do not, chaseinator.

CHASE: I just laughed. Cute nickname, Emo.

EDEN: you're emo.

I sigh as I put my phone in my pocket. They are made for each other. I smile as I slide my silver rings on and put on my red heart necklace that Thara got me for my birthday. Red is my favorite color, and hers was purple, so I got her a purple one too. I still have it. I didn't have the heart to get rid of it.

Before her dad packed up all her stuff, he let me go through it. But her dad is gone now. He went to Jamaica or somewhere. I'm not even sure.

I don't blame him for leaving after losing a wife And then his child; it must be hard.

I sigh now, sad, as I close my door and walk downstairs. "Bye, Mom!" I shout, opening the door. I look up at my surroundings and notice...

Oh my god.

Caden.

He's just everywhere today, isn't he? Gosh, he is very infuriating. He's. every. Where. I may be overreacting, but I hate cocky guys who think they rule the world; their front tier in a line of tiers is horrid, and I'd rather die.

I see him walking out of a house—well, his house, I think. He uses his forearm, which is covered with his sweater, and hewipes his nose. What's there to wipe? I think to myself.

I shrug it off and start walking to the left. He has a skateboard and starts riding in the same direction I'm supposed to go. I internally groan. I start walking the same way, hoping he doesn't notice.

It's getting darker and darker even though it's only 5 something now. Since it's that time of year when the time changes it gets darker faster now. I pass by his house, and he continues walking. I then notice he turns his head a little towards the forest, and I see what looks like earbuds—the dangly apple ones. He then looks forward again. His black hair fits perfectly around his head. It's fluffy, and it's not long enough to cover the nape of his neck. He has quite pale skin.

I turn, noticing I'm walking past the house he left. It's a dingy house. It does look quite like mine, though. It's black and white. There's a black SUV parked in front, and the lights in the front look open. I turn back and continue walking, not sure why I even care.

I do want to try to be nice, give him the benefit of the doubt, and say he's not a raging a-hole since I barely know him. He might be like, Thara." I shake my head. Not going there, nav. Not going there.

I hear my phone buzzing as I near the shop.

EDEN: Nav, where are you?

ME: On my way! Promise.

CHASE: Good Edens are getting mean again.

EDEN: I am not!

COLBY: You guys know we are all together right now, right?

EDEN: no doy, Colby

COLBY: Don't call me Colbs Eds.

EDEN: Ew, that sounds like Aids.

CHASE: I wouldn't be surprised if you had them, babe.

Eden: I'm going to kill you.

CHASE: kinky much?

EDEN: Ugh, your insufferable chase

CHASE: I know, babe.

EDEN: Stop calling me that!

I chuckle as I put my phone back in my pocket and walk into the ice cream shop.

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