Dare to Fall

Chapter XII

Cayden was at my house. I felt a rush of anxiety at the thought. Not because I was scared of him, but because I didn't expect him to come by. The last time I checked, we were still navigating the awkward territory of friendship after everything that had happened. Now, here he was, standing at my doorstep with flowers in hand.

"This is for you," he said, a lopsided smile on his face that made my heart flutter against my better judgment.

I accepted the flowers, their vibrant colors contrasting sharply with the dullness of my surroundings. "Thank you," I managed, though my mind was racing. I gestured him inside, my voice tinged with uncertainty. "Come in and sit down."

As he stepped through the door, a familiar voice interrupted my thoughts. "Cayden, what a surprise!" Amelia exclaimed, striding towards us with that effortless energy that always seemed to light up a room. She leaned closer, whispering, "How did he know your address? Did you give it to him?"

I shrugged, casting a quick glance at Cayden, who seemed just as confused by the question as I was. "I guess he just... found it?"

The three of us stood there for a moment, the air thick with unspoken tension. I cleared my throat, attempting to regain some control over the situation. "So... what do you guys want to do?"

Caleb, who had arrived with Cayden, exchanged glances with him. "Do we know each other from somewhere?" he asked, his brow furrowed as if he was trying to piece together a puzzle.

Cayden gave him a puzzled look. "Not that I know of."

Caleb's eyes lit up with recognition. "Wait! You're the quarterback from Anderson High, right?"

"I guess you could say that," Cayden replied, his expression shifting slightly.

"Wow, impressive," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I felt a pang of envy. A quarterback? It felt like another world—one I had never quite managed to be a part of. I coughed awkwardly to regain their attention, but they seemed lost in their own conversation.

"Anyway," Cayden said, glancing at me, "I should probably get going. I have some errands to run. I hope you feel better soon."

"Yeah, me too," Caleb added, standing up. He grabbed his keys from the coffee table. "Amelia, take care of your best friend."

"I will!" Amelia replied, rolling her eyes playfully.

"Sure you will," Caleb shot back, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I'll see you at home. Dinner's at seven, and don't be late. Mom hates that."

With that, they left, the door closing behind them with a soft thud.

I moved to the window and peeked through the blinds, catching a glimpse of them talking outside. I was about to turn away when Amelia's voice broke through my thoughts. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, spinning around. "Just checking on... um, the plants outside."

"You don't have plants outside," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we do. You just don't notice them," I replied defensively.

"Sure," she said, shaking her head. "Anyway, you should take a nap. You look exhausted."

"I'm just going to lie down for a bit," I told her, heading up the stairs to my room.

Once inside, I closed the door and fell onto my bed, letting the weight of the day settle over me. I stared up at the ceiling, wondering what Cayden and Caleb were talking about. Did they mention me? That seemed unlikely. I was just the girl with the hospital bracelet, the one they had to keep an eye on.