Underneath the Sycamore Tree

At least he accepts that.

“Break is coming up,” he notes.

“Yep.”

“So…are you going to leave?”

I laugh. “You sound sad.”

“You sound surprised,” he counters.

“You don’t exactly like me, Kaiden.”

His eyes pierce mine. “I don’t dislike you either, Mouse.”

The nickname has become oddly endearing, and I’m not sure what that means. It’s a sign though—a good one. Like maybe Dad could be right about Kaiden and me being there for one another.

“Are you saying I’m tolerable?”

He grunts. “Not if you keep fishing for compliments. You sound like Rachel.”

I fake gasp. Rachel hasn’t bothered me in a while, and I wonder if it’s because Kaiden has ignored me. Sometimes she’ll glance at me in English or if we pass by each other in the hall.

“I think you like me Kaiden Monroe.”

He doesn’t say anything.

He doesn’t deny it either.

“You know it’s your fault,” I say.

His eyebrow quirks.

I run my hands across the rough material of the blanket. “People are probably scared to talk to me because they think King Kaiden will do something to them.”

“It’s for—”

“You don’t want me being bullied,” I cut him off. “Fine, I appreciate the concern you won’t admit to having for me. But you can’t keep reminding me that I have nobody here because you’re the reason for it.”

Crickets chirp in the distance.

“You have someone,” he murmurs.

My brows pinch.

He glances at my face. “You have me.”

When we get home later that night to find our parents already in bed. Kaiden and I go to our rooms, but before I can even change into my pajamas, Kaiden is at my door.

He looks around the room, his hands tucked away in the pockets of his jeans.

“What’s up?”

I want to ask him why he gave me his room, but I don’t. It seems like there are limits as to how much he’s willing to reveal. Baby steps.

“Want to watch a movie?”

A movie?