A Darker Love

Chapter Nine- Soup And Surprises

I spent the day in bed wrapped in Caleb's leather jacket and trying to block out the rest of the world. Dad thought I was feeling sick so me spent the whole morning making soup for me, he tried to make potato and leek knowing it was my favorite but the potatoes came out hard and lumpy and the leeks were bitter and weird tasting. He then gave up and ended up buying me one from the corner shop and heating it up for me. 

My phone kept buzzing non-stop so I eventually had to take out the battery and leave it in the furthest corner of my room. Kayla then decided that she call the house phone, so I had to explain the whole thing about her leaving me at the party to Dad. He was fuming and wanted call her mom but I convinced him not to, he was still pretty annoyed but he told me he was proud that I didn't have that much too drink.

"So if you and Kayla fell out, how did you get home?"

I sighed. Great, now I'd have to tell him about Caleb. I spent the next hour or so explaining that Caleb was my newest friend and he was a really nice guy, however Dad wasn't fazed and kept asking questions about him.

"I want to meet his boy wonder."

I almost spat out my soup. "What?"

"I want to make sure he's really as nice as you say he is, plus, he's clear he's made a big impact on you."

"Oh God, do you really have to do that?"

"Yes, I'm only trying to protect you."

Ugh, I hated that word now. It was so stupid and it made me think of Isaac which made me want to curl into a ball and cry. No, I had to try and stop thinking about him. He was really drunk and he hurt me so I wasn't planning on seeing him anytime soon. 

Later that day I got the courage to switch put the battery back in and it vibrated back into life. I clicked the latest message when I saw it was from Caleb.

Hey, we still on for today? 

Shit, I completely forgot. I texted him back that I would be there in 5 and got changed as quickly as I could. Dad was away at some teacher conference thingy and would be away until tomorrow morning so I didn't have to sneak out. I grabbed my keys and ran out the door, locking it behind me until I heard something walking towards me. I turned around and saw Kayla's worried face looking down at me, she gave me a tired smile and tried to go in for her hug. I walked straight past her open arms and carried on down the street towards Caleb's house. 

"Wait! Sam! Come back, I need to talk to you." She tried to keep up with me but I was too fast for her, I could run like a cheetah went I wanted too.

I ran around a corner and hid behind someone's hedge to avoid her. She walked past out of breath and trying to hold back the tears.  She stopped and leaned on a fence a little while up the path from me and I ran up the hill when her back was turned. Thank God for middle school cross country!

I checked my hair and make up on the camera on my phone and then knocked the door. It was a very big door, wooden with Gothic designs made of metal on it. Caleb opened with a smile and welcomed me inside.

"Whoa, your house is massive!" I stepped inside and looked around at the furniture and the paintings, obviously his uncle liked things a bit more vintage.

"Well, technically it's my uncle's but its sort of mine as well now." He shut the door. "Can I offer you a drink?"

I laughed and looked at the table full of bottles of alcohol. "Nah, alcohol does bad things to people."

"I actually meant like a coke or something, that's my uncle's booze table. He likes a bit of a drink." 

"Where is your uncle?"

Caleb looked a bit flustered for a second but then shrugged, causally brushing it off. "I don't know, he's not home right now though so he won't bother us." He smiled and showed me to the kitchen and poured us two glasses of coke.

I sipped my coke and then put it back down on the table. "I brought your jacket back, I hope you don't mind if I wore it for a bit." I handed him the soft leather, blushing a bit.

"It's okay, as long as it kept you warm." He smiled and put it on. "I must admit, it felt weird without it on my shoulders."

"It's really comfy, I just wish I could find my own."

"Surprise." He walked behind me and slipped on my own silky leather jacket.

"Where did you find it?" I smiled in delight as I felt it around my shoulder, I missed you buddy.

"I went back to the park this morning to find it for you, it was hanging on a tree in the woods."

"Thank you so much!" I hugged him tightly and breathed in the smell of his aftershave, it was instantly calming.

He hugged me back and stroked my hair like he did at the bonfire. We coughed awkwardly and then broke apart, grinning at each other and then going back to slip our cokes. Everything was so intense between us and I knew he could feel it too.  

He smiled at me. "How about I make you dinner?"

"You can cook?"

He laughed. "There are many things I can do. Nah, I like cooking for people so I just do it."

"I'd feel guilty if I just sat there and watched you make me dinner, how about I help?" 

"Sounds good to me, is a stir fry okay ?"

I grinned at him. "You red my mind, I love stir frys."