The Fire We Make

chapter thirty

this chapter is dedicated to @sidradallas, another person who has supported me from the beginning. I appreciate you <3

A week has passed since my first training session with Kaiden. In that week, I've pushed my body past limits I didn't know existed. When Kaiden and I weren't training I started working out, to build some muscle. I was constantly sore and tired but exhilarated nonetheless. For the first time in my life, I actually felt confident. I no longer felt the need to hide behind my insecurities, and that was thanks to Kaiden.

Kaiden and I were currently at my old job getting some drinks with some of his friends. Mila wasn't working tonight, which was perfect for me. After I told Brayden I confessed to Kaiden what truly happens the night Tristan died, he insisted that he tell Mila too. There was so much she didn't know, that I kept from her, and Brayden didn't want to keep it a secret anymore. So I agreed and he told her. But since then, I've been avoiding her. So far it's been working but I knew could only keep it up for so long.

Kaiden's arm was resting behind my chair. He was leaned back coolly in his chair, his other hand gripping his drink. Trevor and Jay were sitting with us. They were watching baseball on the TV while I just watched. It was getting boring and I wanted to leave. I nudged Kaiden softly, trying to get his attention. His eyes didn't leave from the TV, however, he shifted his head so he was looking at me.

"I'm bored," I complained, slumping back in my seat.

"The game is almost done," Kaiden said, taking a swing from his drink.

"We're in the fifth inning, it's not almost done," I replied, rolling my eyes. "C'mon, let's leave."

At that moment, a commercial came on and I finally had Kaiden's attention. I tried to give him my best puppy dog look, which was me batting my eyes. I probably looked like I had a seizure in all honesty. He looked at me, exacerbated, before groaning slightly.

"Fine, let me pay our tab," he said, standing up. "I'll watch the rest of the game at your place."

That wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it beats being stuck here bored out of my mind. I reached in my back pocket for my wallet ready to split half of the tab, but he was already gone. Trevor saw this and chuckled, shaking his head.

"He wouldn't take your money. If you're his girl, he would never make you pay for anything," he said, nudging his head to my wallet.

His girl? It sounded so weird hearing someone else refer to me like that. Truthfully, Kaiden and I never talked about our relationship or what we were doing. We enjoyed each other's company, well most of the time, and occasionally made out time to time. Though I wanted to tell myself it wasn't anything more than that, I would be kidding myself. He knew far more about me than even my best friend. I don't think we can go back to being strangers. However, we hardly show any PDA, which made me suspicious of why he would think there was anything more going on between us.

"I wouldn't call myself his girl. We're just hanging out," I replied cooly, my cheeks blazing slightly. I looked at Jay and I could tell he was calling me right out on my bullshit. Trevor clicked his teeth, disagreeing with me.

"He wouldn't willingly leave in the middle of watching a game. He's treating you like he used to treat Lauren, and they were super serious," he said. "Tell her, Jay. You used to double date with them all the time with Rose."

My heart raced at her name, Lauren. The woman who Kaiden was engaged to once upon a time and never likes to talk about anymore. Why didn't Jay tell me they used to hang out altogether? I looked at him for some answers, but he just looked away, like he never heard anything. It looks like I was going to get answers myself.