Dare to Fall

Chapter XIV

"How did he even end up here? How does he know which town you moved to or what school you're going to? There are hundreds of schools in this town, and he just happens to find the right one?"

Amelia leaned in, her eyes wide with disbelief. She had been relentless with her questions since I reluctantly mentioned Levi last week during our lunch at the diner. I usually kept my past private, but it slipped out between bites of my burger, and now it felt like I had opened Pandora's box.

"I know. It's bizarre," I replied, fiddling with my sandwich as I tried to shake off the unease.

"And you want to know what else is weird? Cayden sitting here at our lunch table instead of with the jocks," Amelia said, glancing sideways at him. He was perched casually at the end of our table, biting into an apple and grinning as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"It's sad how you're stereotyping me just because I'm a jock," Cayden shot back, smirking at Amelia.

She rolled her eyes. "You've been following Hailey for almost five hours now. What do you want from her?"

Cayden sighed, his playful demeanor shifting slightly. "Cut me some slack. I'm just here for Hailey. I saw how uncomfortable she was earlier when that jerk approached her. It looked like she wanted to burst into tears."

A tight knot formed in my stomach. I hadn't expected Cayden to defend me, especially not in front of Amelia. It felt strange having a football player sitting at my lunch table. I always imagined this kind of scenario in romantic comedies, but this was my reality, and I didn't know how to navigate it.

Everyone in the cafeteria seemed to have their eyes on us since we walked in, a whirlwind of whispers and speculation following us like a shadow. It was disconcerting. The spotlight felt suffocating, and I wished I could just disappear.

"Earth to Hailey! Do you want me to drive you to your destination?" Amelia teased, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Destination?" I echoed, slightly confused.

"Yeah, the 'land of thoughts.' You haven't touched your food since we brought up Levi. I'm starting to agree with Cayden," she said, emphasizing the last part.

I shifted in my seat, discomfort creeping in again. They were right; talking about Levi made me uneasy. I had spent so long trying to bury that part of my life. My past was a dark cloud hovering above me, and I didn't want anyone else to see it.

"I should get to class," Amelia said, standing up and gathering her things. "Classes won't start for another five minutes, but you know me—I hate being late. My mom's going to freak if I am."

"Okay, see you later," I said, forcing a smile.

"Good luck!" She winked and walked away, leaving me with Cayden.

I glanced at him, half-expecting him to make some ridiculous joke or comment, but he was focused on his apple, chewing thoughtfully.

"Where are you going?" he asked when I stood up to dispose of my trash.

"Class," I said, heading towards the bin. I turned to see him following me again. "And why are you following me?"

"I'm not following you. I just want to throw away my garbage and head to class early," he explained, feigning innocence.

I stepped aside to let him toss his apple core. "I know you love my company, but do you really expect me to believe you're following me?"

Cayden grinned, leaning casually against the bin. "Can't blame a guy for wanting to spend time with a pretty girl, right?"