Broken Pieces

Chapter seventeen

This chapter is dedicated to jaidkatherine for giving Erica and Caden their first ship name. CERICA.
              
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The first few minutes after I woke up were spent convincing myself that we were both adults and were both responsible for what happened earlier.

I wasn't successful though as I was now wishing that I had slept till morning because I was hungry but I would rather skip dinner than encounter Caden in the dining room.

I couldn't decide if I wanted him to never speak of it or for us to discuss it and for me to ask what he meant by the words he said before the kiss.

My stomach growled again, effectively cutting off my thoughts but I resolved to ignore it no matter what. I tried to force myself back to sleep, trying to sleep away the hunger.

I was looking up at the ceiling unseeing. Seeing the ceiling but it blurred at times when I started reliving the kiss. I don't know how long I did that but I still couldn't sleep, I was thinking of how much this might or might not affect the remaining days I have to spend here when I heard a knock on the door.

Oh no.

I jumped and sat up straight on the bed with my heart beating fast and my eyes wide. I couldn't believe that I wanted to avoid him and he came knocking himself. The door wasn't locked and I was trying to decide if I should talk with him if he comes in or to pretend like I was sleeping. Talking would end up turning to fighting and ignoring him is weak, but an easier option.

My worry on what to do proved useless as I watched the door open to reveal Dorothy. I sighed in relief but also felt a little twinge of disappointment that I brushed off.

She looked surprised to see me awake. "I thought you were asleep as you didn't come downstairs to prepare your food as usual."

"I just woke up anyway but I am not really sure of what I really want to eat." I said with a shrug but my voice still sounded breathy which is the fault of my fear of a confrontation with Caden.

"It is normal to not feel like eating anything in particular but it is too late for you to cook now. You are also just recovering and need your strength so you must eat. Carlos is back and has cooked something for you anyway, so, you don't have to stress yourself. Just get up from your bed and manage to eat. You don't have to eat much, all you need to do is at least put something in your stomach."

"That's very nice of Carlos but he shouldn't have bothered. I really don't want to be a bother. I will try to eat though." She waved off my concerns and I smiled, "Why are you still in at this hour?"

"Mr Crawford left for a business meeting this afternoon and will be gone for a few days."

I blinked as she uttered those words and I blurted out my thoughts before I could stop myself, "Did he know of this earlier today or is it impromptu?"

Dorothy didn't notice my accusing tone as she answered, "He got a call and had to leave immediately. He gets calls like that sometimes and has to rush to take care of it."

I nodded and tried not to think of how happy he must have been to have an excuse to leave. I knew in my heart that Caden wouldn't have chased me to my room to talk but I hadn't counted on him leaving his house for me. He didn't seem like he was proud of what happened after we broke apart and I am sure that he would prefer it not to have happened. But, he didn't seem like the type to run away so I guess that the meeting was real.

I would have those few days to decide what to do about my situation. Either ignore him when he comes back or act normal like it never happened because we hadn't really been friends to begin with. Although I told him things I had never told anyone and he had also told me things he had never said. We were still not friends.