The Art Of Seduction ✓

BONUS: New Beginnings

AMBER AND KADEN : AGE 24

I'm half asleep on the plush sofa, my head dropping and forcing myself to stay awake but not even Dancing with the Stars can keep me awake on a working day. I groan, pushing myself off the sofa and walking to the bedroom.

When I wake, I see that the space beside me has been slept in, messed up and the person beside me gone. 

I groan, moving to brush my teeth and begin another work day.

It's just Kaden's first week at work. Of course he's going to be busy. It's not like I didn't know this. Didn't hear the jokes on the table during Kaden's internship that I'll barely be seeing the boy I've grown to count on being beside me.

Maybe this is what Kaden felt when I moved away, during the year we barely spoke. 

Hollow.

Day in.

Day out.

No texts messages, just a bed that's been slept in without his body beside mine. 

It's two weeks later when I see him. Or well, when he wakes me. 

"Hey," his voice is soft, lips kissing the top of my head and I wake seeing his once tan skin paller and those large hazel eyes of his. 

"Hey stranger," the smile that comes from me is reflexive because I've missed him so much. I rouse myself from my sleep and irritation bites at my shoulder, "I've hardly seen you."

He's in a white collared shirt, an orange stain at the colour that I fixate on, trying to wipe the urge to clean it off his shirt. 

"The hospital has been insane," he says moodily, he moves towards the kitchen and the space between us is a gaping reminder of how little I've seen or heard from him this past week.

"Clearly," I chip, "since you've not replied a single message I've sent you this week."

Kaden raises his eyebrow, "Sorry princess for not replying you when I'm stitching up a child who's cut his Ulnar artery."

I miss him. I move away from the sofa, closing the gap between us, "You could have texted me after," my voice is raised and everything is going wrong. I miss him. But I'm angry too. I'm hurt. I wish he were here. I didn't care for the lives on his table, I cared for the fact I've eaten dinner alone this last two weeks. 

"I barely have time to eat, much less look at my phone," his voice is tired, curt. "I'm going to shower." He steps away tossing aside his clothes as he goes to the bathroom. I stare at his back and feel the irritation grow in my chest. 

I'm still fuming when he falls into bed beside me, I turn, ready to argue but when I look at him, he's already asleep. 

I hate you,  I think watching his sleeping figure, why aren't you arguing? why aren't you snapping back at me?

I fall asleep watching him.

When I wake he's gone. 

It's a week later I see him, he comes in dragging his feet. "I thought you're on leave today," I say. 

Kaden nods but doesn't explain. He goes into the kitchen and begins to take a roll of bread. 

"You can't plan on eating -" before I finish. He's taken the dry loaf into his mouth. I roll my eyes. Dramatic. I move to the kitchen, pausing Dancing with the Stars. I had some left-overs in the fridge from Chinese Takeout. I place it in the microwave.