Kingsley Academy

Chapter 33

The next morning, the sound of car doors slamming outside pulled me from my sleep. I blinked a few times, still groggy, but then it hit me—Henry and Nathan were finally here. I practically jumped out of bed, throwing on a sweatshirt as I rushed outside, excitement bubbling up inside me.

As soon as I saw them, I couldn't help myself. "Henry! Nathan!" I squealed, running toward them and leaping into Henry's arms first. He laughed, catching me easily as he spun me around, just like when we were kids.

"Al!" Henry grinned, setting me back down before Nathan pulled me into a tight hug, lifting me off my feet.

"I've missed you so much," I said, squeezing Nathan tightly. "Both of you."

"We missed you too, Al," Nathan replied, ruffling my hair playfully before glancing toward the cabin. "So, where's this Kade we've heard so much about?"

I hesitated for a split second, feeling a little nervous about how the introduction would go, but then Kade stepped outside, his usual confident stride in place. He walked up to us, his expression neutral but not unfriendly. It was as nice as I'd seen him be around people he didn't know well, so I counted it as a win.

"Kade, these are my brothers, Henry and Nathan," I said, introducing them.

Kade extended his hand, shaking both of theirs with a nod. "Good to finally meet you," he said, his voice as calm and measured as ever.

Henry, ever the easygoing one, grinned and shook his hand firmly. "You too, man. We've heard a lot about you."

Kade raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "Good things, I hope."

Nathan chuckled, shaking his head. "Depends on who you ask."

I laughed, giving Nathan a playful shove. "Be nice."

Kade took it all in stride, managing to be as nice as he could be given his usual demeanor. It wasn't full-blown charm, but he was making an effort, and for Kade, that was progress. I could see Henry and Nathan sizing him up, but thankfully, the initial introduction went smoothly.

"Glad to finally meet the guy who's been stealing all of Al's attention," Henry teased, though there was no malice in his tone.

Kade smirked, wrapping an arm around my waist. "She's the one who stole mine."

As we all settled outside on the patio, the sun warming the morning air, it didn't take long before Henry and Nathan started sharing childhood stories—most of them about me. I already knew where this was heading, and the thought of them spilling embarrassing moments in front of Kade made my face heat up.

"Remember that time Allison tried to ride a skateboard down the hill and wiped out so hard she couldn't walk straight for a week?" Henry laughed, nudging Nathan, who immediately chimed in with more details.

"Oh, yeah, and she cried so much that we had to bribe her with ice cream just to stop the tears," Nathan added, grinning mischievously.

"Guys," I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "Shut up. Seriously."

But Kade—of course—was loving every second of it. He leaned back, arms crossed, a grin playing on his lips as he listened to them go on. "This is gold," he said, chuckling. "I need more."

I shot him a glare, but that only seemed to make him more amused. "You're supposed to be on my side," I muttered, still blushing furiously.

Henry smirked, clearly enjoying how uncomfortable I was. "Oh, and remember her first boyfriend? What was his name again? Tyler?"

My stomach dropped as soon as the name left his mouth. I felt Kade stiffen beside me, his playful expression faltering just a bit. I glared at my brothers, knowing exactly where this was headed.