The Golden Boy

9

KADEN

It was about one in the morning when I drove her home. I didn't want to, but I knew I had to. I had to give her time, space. She needed to think about things and I needed to respect that.

I pulled my car into park and looked at her. She was staring at me, the same way she was when she kissed me the first time.

"Come in with me," she whispered.

"Mak," I said quietly.

"Please," she begged.

"I don't know if I can do that," I replied.

"Please Kade. We won't do anything. We're both sober, I promise if you promise," she said.

"I don't want to promise any thing," I whispered.

"Then don't, just spend the night," she said.

"Okay," I said nodding.

We both got out of my car, walking into her house quietly. I followed her up to her room and closed the door behind us. She walked into her bathroom, returning in a large T-shirt. It wasn't like I hadn't seen her before, but I think she was doing it so I wasn't tempted.

"Get comfortable," she said, brushing through her hair.

I nodded, grabbing the back of my shirt and pulling it off. Luckily I was wearing sweatpants, so I could keep those on and still be comfortable. I stood there, waiting for her to tell me what to do.

"This is a bad idea Mak," I said, scratching the back of my neck.

"I know," she whispered.

She grabbed my hand and pulled me to her bed. Just hours earlier I had laid her down kissing her. I wasn't sure what we were doing anymore.

"Relax," she said.

"I can't," I replied.

We laid down in her bed. She stared at me intently, not once looking away.

"You're a good person Kaden Walsh," she muttered.

"You're a good person too," I replied.

"Not really," she said closing her eyes. "Goodnight," she whispered.

"Goodnight Makenna," I replied, closing my own eyes.

~*~

"I love you so much, please," she muttered.

I opened my eyes to see that she was fast asleep. She must be dreaming. I studied her face as her eyebrows pulled together and her lips frowned.

"Please," she said. "Please no."

"Makenna," I whispered.

"No!" she yelled. She was hysteric, yelling no over and over. Her voice was panicked and urgent. "Please," she screamed.

"Makenna," I said again, shaking her shoulders.

She opened her eyes and relief filled her face. She pulled me close and hugged me tightly.

"Shh, it was a dream," I said to her in a calm voice.

She cried into my shoulder. This was a side of her I'd thought I'd never see. She was always so strong, so stubborn.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I asked.

"No," she said, her body shaking.

I pulled away and looked at her. She looked so frazzled, so dazed and unsure of what was real.