Stay With Me ✔

25.

"So...about your date with Cade." Rave mindlessly continues to make patterns on my shoulder as my head lays on his chest. We'd come back to my house after he told me about his life at the park and since my mom isn't home tonight - not that she would mind him being here even if she was - Rave is going to spend the night. He had called Ever and she got the okay from her friend, Haley's, parents to spend the night there. 

Once we got to my house we had ordered pizza and gone up to my room to watch a movie, as if the past few days had never happened. Except, we both knew that they had happened and we were just waiting for the right time to bring it up and possibly ruin the moment. 

Rave chose this as the right time to ruin the moment. 

I tilt my head so that I can see his face, he's not looking at me, instead his eyes are still focused on the television screen in front of us. "Rave, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told him it was a date, I was just hurt because I thought something happened with you and Lexy, so I acted out of anger and it was stupid of me." 

His eyes lower from the screen and meet mine as I continue to look up at him, watching his reaction closely. "I just wish you would have talked to me so that none of this would have happened." 

He's right, if I would have just asked him about the text instead of jumping to conclusions, we could avoided everything that happened the past couple of days. However, I have a feeling that if the past two days hadn't have happened, Rave wouldn't have opened up to me about his life, and that's not something I regret knowing. 

"I know, I'm sorry." I apologize again, burying my face into his shoulder as his hand moves to my head. He combs my hair with his fingers and kisses the top of my head.

"Can we just agree to be open with each other from now on?" He asks and I can feel his lips moving against my head. I nod my head in agreement and he pulls my face up and towards his, "And no more going on dates with other guys." He adds with a teasing smile that makes me heart melt. 

"You're the only one I want to go on dates with, Ravey." I move closer and connect our lips as he smiles at my response. 

"Make sure you tell Cade that." He jokes when we part and I roll my eyes at the memory of Cade from earlier. 

"I don't think I'll be talking to Cade any time soon." I untangle myself from Rave and sit up beside him on the bed.

Rave gives me a questioning look, all the humor in his expression is now gone. "Why? Did something happen?"

"He's just not who I thought he was." I shake my head and look at the television where the credits are rolling from the movie we were watching. 

"Did he do something?" He questions, and I can't hide the smile that forms from the protective tone in his voice. 

Turning back to Rave, I shake my head once more, "No. He just said some stuff that showed me who he really is." 

"Like?"

"Just stuff like how he doesn't want to date me, but he's available if I want to have fun." I use air quotations around the words fun and roll my eyes, still disgusted by the way Cade acted today. Honestly though, I shouldn't be surprised because he was labeled a player in high school. 

In a matter of seconds, Rave is hovering over me and I'm flat on my back as he smirks down at me. Messy strands of his hair are falling in his face and his green eyes are dark and staring into my own as he leans closer to me. My breathing hitches as I look up at him, lost in his eyes and welcoming the electricity between us.  His mouth barely an inch above mine and one hand gently cupping my face, his husky voice quietly says, "You don't need him for fun, Kylie." 

--------------------------

"Okay, seriously, who are you always texting?" Erin grabs Whitley's phone out of her hands as she is mid text. 

"Give it back!" Whitley reaches towards Erin, trying and failing to swipe her stolen phone back from our friend. Moving out of Whitley's reach, Erin looks at the screen, her eyes widening as she reads the messages. 

"Whit, why didn't you tell us?" Erin shrieks as she hands me the phone, which I hand back to Whitley without a glance at the screen. She quickly locks the phone and shoves it in her purse, all while avoiding eye contact with Erin and I. "WHIT!" Erin shrieks louder, finally causing Whitley to look at us.

"Because I didn't know how you would react..."

"React to what? Who are you texting?" I ask, lost because I didn't look at the messages. I'm looking at Whitley, but she just continues to stare at Erin, chewing her lip and acting as if she's nervous for me to know. 

When Whitley doesn't answer my question, Erin shakes her head and breaks their ongoing eye contact by turning to me. "She's been texting Audrey. They're dating?" She turns back to Whitley when she says the second part, looking to our friend for confirmation. 

Whitley nods her head and gives me an apologetic look, "I'm sorry, Ky. I know that she's Lexy's best friend and stands by while Lexy torments you, but she's not like that. She's nice and kind, and she feels bad about how Lexy treats you and everyone else. I-"

"Whit! Stop." I cut her off, reaching across the table for her hand. "It's fine, I'm not upset. I'm happy for you." 

"Really?" 

I nod my head and Erin places her hand on top of mine, "Me too. As long as your happy, we're happy, Whit."

"Thanks you guys. Keeping this from you was so hard, I wanted to tell you but I was scared you'd be mad and Aud isn't exactly out yet, so that makes it complicated as well." 

"Your secret is safe with us." Erin seals her lips and pretends to lock and throw away a key, making Whit and I roll our eyes and laugh at her. 

"Wait, now I'm the only one that's single." Erin pouts.

"What about Kyle?" I ask, remembering that she never told me what happened when he texted her a few days ago. The last I heard, she was mad he said "Catch ya later" after kissing her. 

"I don't want to talk about Kyle." She sighs as we all pull our hands back to our sides. "Where's Rave?" She changes the subject, looking at the empty seat beside me that had become Rave's over the past few weeks. 

"He's making up a test he missed yesterday." 

"So you two are good now?" Whitley asks as she takes a drink of her water. 

"Yeah, we're good." 

This morning Rave and I picked up Ever from her friend's house and took her to school. She was excited to see me in the passenger seat of her brother's car again and the entire drive to the elementary school she asked us questions about our talk. She told me that she had been telling Rave all along to trust me, and said that she knew I wouldn't think any less of them because of their situation. Rave told his sister that I now know everything and I saw them share a look before Ever turned to me and said, "Your mom was really nice when she helped me. You're lucky to have her." 

I was in shock at her words, and before I could compose a reply, Ever was getting out of the car and running towards a group of girls walking into her school. 

I barely know this little girl and I want to take her under my wing and give her the world. I want to see her smile and be a kid, I want her to know what it's like to not be scared all the time. I want them both to be happy and carefree - which is why I had asked my mom to have a talk with me once Rave dropped me off after school. 

While Rave is at work, I'm going to try and get him the help he needs but is too proud or ashamed to ask for.