Operation: Break Up

Part 18- Caught and Tangled

I awoke with a jump when my alarm clock went off this morning. Of course, I recovered quickly and realized today was the day...the day I go back to school.

Though I understood the fact that it's only been a week- and a dreadful one, at that- and also I didn't forget the fact that I wouldn't have to worry about Scarlet. But for some odd reason I just didn't feel very...I don't know...sure?

It might've been because I was the only one in my whole house this morning. Although, I highly doubted the silence as an excuse of my pale skin and twisted stomach.

As I got dressed and began to head out the door, I debated mentally if I should just stay at home for another day...

*No, Blynn. You're going to school today.*

When I arrived at school, I was instantly greeted by Addison and Elena. They knew I was supposed to come back sometime this week, they possibly knew today, but that didn't stop them from basically tackling me when I walked through the door to my budgeting class.

"So...still got the house to yourself?" Addi asked me. I nodded my head and turned to Elena, who had some sort of hopeful look on her face. When we made eye contact, she blushed and looked down at her red Toms. Elena was the quiet bashful type; which I think was one of the reasons we were such good friends. We had been tight since 8th grade, when we were stuck with each other in all of our classes. This is how Addison became my friend too. The 3 of us began to giggle like a bunch of school girls, and before our own eyes, we were opening up to one another and breaking out to the other, while remaining silent and mysterious to all of our other peers and classmates.

"Yeah, why? Do y'all want to come over for a girls night tonight? We can order pizza from that new parlor downtown and even pull out some old board games." I suggested my plan to my best friends as we sat down at our table. Normally for our "girls night" us 3 ladies pig out on pizza and popcorn while playing games like Say Anything or having a movie marathon. As we would do this, we would make crazy confessions like who we have a crush on, who has the dirtiest secret, or even who has heard the juiciest gossip lately.

"I think that can be arranged." Elena says quietly. The bell rings and our teacher comes in, ready for a fun period of learning how to buy a house and pay mortgages...yay!

***

At lunch, I was summoned by Caden to go eat lunch with him. I hopped into his truck; all the familiarity flashing through my brain. We quickly arrived at his house on the lake. Caden made us both PB&J's, and we sat at the dining table overlooking the lake outside. There was that rocky and unsure feeling again. When everything seemed to settle down, he finally spoke up.

"So, there was a reason I wanted you to come with me today." As I sip sweet tea, I look up to him with confused eyes. Caden sighs heavily before continuing.

"Ya see, I've been seeing someone for the past 3 months. She's from Dustin, and I met her at a party one night with some of my buds. We exchanged numbers that night and have been talking ever since. I like her, and we've had some great memories but..."

"But what, Caden?" I ask, pushing him to talk more.

"But then...Zack brought you along and...I began to have feelings for you. The way you keep hush-hush about everything is just absolutely adorable, and how you can't act crazy with someone until after knowing you can trust them. The way you look when you're completely happy, and the fragilness you hold when you're about to break. Me and that girl, Leah, have had a past. But Blynn, you see...I can't help but think 'what if Blynn is worth it?'"

I clear my throat before speaking. All this is just too much right now. "So that's why you haven't asked me to be your girlfriend? Or taken me out anywhere else, for that matter?"