Every Breath You Take

2

My poor nose.

Rubbing the area where the rock had hit me, I glanced down the road. Kaden's car had become a speck in the distance and I could already hear his demonic, antagonizing laughter.

Kaden was really back. Why?

The last time I had checked, Kaden wanted nothing to do with this place, with this town. During the middle of eighth grade he had just picked up and left for New York or something. Kaden had never been physical—just a pain in my ass—but then middle school hit and the guy was starting fights left and right. There was this one fight where it was just bad, Kaden went to the hospital with bloody knuckles and the other guy...the poor guy was sent to the hospital for a broken nose. After that, Kaden was done—Aiden said he was gone for good, but I guess all of us were wrong for now the spawn of the devil was speeding through town in a very, very nice car.

Nolan, being one of the guys that used to hang out with Kaden, fell out of contact with him. Kaden stopped talking to a lot of the guys after that fight in the eighth grade over whatever petty thing they were getting mad about. I think Cole was the only guy from our football friend group Kaden had actually stayed somewhat in touch with, but that was expected—Cole was the only one the King of Douches tolerated.

I don't really know what happened to Kaden while he was in New York or why he suddenly spun out of control in middle school, but I had heard little stories here and there—him getting kicked out boarding school, partying on the weekends, having a new girl on him daily... It was cliche, I know, but in a way, he was worse. Being kicked out of boarding school and sleeping around was the least of it. 

I'd never been fond of Kaden, obviously. Besides being an inconsiderate prick with no sense of morality or sympathy, Kaden Reyes enjoyed making me absolutely miserable. I liked most people and I tolerated some, but Kaden was just one of the very few I would definitely push off the edge of a cliff if the opportunity was presented.

Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer, whatever season it was during grade and middle school, Kaden managed to terrorize me whether it was splashing mud at me, pushing me into the pool, scaring me in my own home, drawing on my coloring books, messing up my room, messing up my hair, playing with my crap, yanking my hair out, scaring off the boys I liked, or nailing me right in the face with snow, he was relentless.

I groaned. If Kaden was back, then this school year was definitely going to be a nightmare, I could see it in the demon's smirk.

Shuffling my books further up my chest and holding them tighter, I made my way down the sidewalk.

I mean, I could always avoid him. Yeah, I would do that.

I shook my head. That was definitely not happening, especially because we shared the same friend group and knowing Kaden, he was probably going to try out for the team too...Oh god.

I swear, by the end of senior year, I will probably have a permanent glare etched onto my face. All he ever made me want to do was yank out my hair, punch him in the face, and yank out his hair too.

Why couldn't he just get back on his broomstick and fly away like freaking Broom-Hilda? I mean it wasn't so hard for him to do it five years ago, so why couldn't he do it again?

That's it. Fate definitely hated my guts and luck, well, luck was just being a straight bitch like she always was.

Running my free hand down my face, I turned and jogged across another street, spotting Casey's white Jeep, a bob of blonde curls sitting in the back seat.

It was honestly too hot for all this Kaden crap and frankly, I was not spending my last day of summer being a sweaty blob and thinking about a certain someone who-shall-not-be-named. Casey, Nolan, and the guys would find out about Kaden tomorrow, no need to spoil the last hours of Summer with this news.... Heh.