Rebellion Project (12 page)

Chapter 21

Double Trouble

I took my usual seat at the outcasts’ table for lunch. Normally the table, which sat six, would seat four. Parker would join me and occasionally two other friends who didn’t fit in would sit on the other end of the table, leaving the two middle seats unoccupied every day. Though as I sat down at the empty table, I noticed we wouldn’t be eating alone today. I caught sight of Kayden, who was glancing around as if he was looking for someone. The second his gaze found me a smile curved onto his lips. He pointed at a vacant table, and shrugged his shoulders to ask if I wanted to sit with him. I was glad he wanted to eat away from his friends because I didn’t want to sit with them, I still wasn’t ready to face them again after the party. I also didn’t want to leave Parker to eat by herself, so I waved him over to join me instead. As Kayden made his way over to join me, another guy immediately jumped up from the table Kayden’s friends were sitting at and jogged over to be with him instead.

The phrase ‘friends no matter what’ came to mind as they met up and exchanged a quick conversation. I had been feeling Kayden was avoiding his friends for another reason than the recent event. Parker and I rarely had arguments and because no one else was ever really around us we didn’t have other types of drama. I saw Kayden become angry and send his friend away. I was relieved he wasn’t bringing it to our lunch table, but it also solidified for me that there was something else going on. I was going to ask, but became distracted by a new voice.

“You have certainly have changed,” I heard Parker say as she slid in next to me at the lunch table. Her long brown hair provided a curtain over her face while she moved her chair into the table. She looked down at her food instead of at Kayden, who signed that he was going to get food and then meet us.

I nodded in response and turned back to my friend. It was clear Parker was uncomfortable with the idea of Kayden sitting with us, though I couldn’t determine why because they seemed to have been having a great time when I saw them this morning at my locker. I knew it could have been a one-time thing because he treated her poorly too through our high school experience. It was going to take Parker a long time to get used to Kayden, but since the party on New Year’s she was making progress. After I had called her to fill her in, she had thanked him repeatedly for taking care of me, she even gave him a hug when they met over break. Needless to say the gesture surprised both of them until they pushed away from each other. It didn’t last long though, she soon started to spout about what she would do if Mac ever tried to touch me again. Kayden had gone rigid, as if angered by her words

But as I looked at my best friend, I saw a blush on her cheeks and began to think that it wasn’t Kayden that was causing her discomfort. She was worried about what Ryan had said about her after we left them. She had met him over winter break, he was a twenty-one-year-old college student and co-owner of the tattoo parlor we’d gone to. She had developed a small crush on Ryan, even though she hadn’t been happy about me getting a tattoo. Once she knew Ryan gave it to me her tune changed. She would rave over his artwork and talk to him about it all the time. He took the compliments, but I think it’s because he was oblivious to her flirting.

Poor girl.

“What was your first clue, Parker? The blue hair or the fact that Kayden is going to be sitting with us today?” I asked curiously, knowing exactly what was going to come out of her mouth.

Parker had been telling me how happy I was lately. She told me she noticed a small change when we first met over break to tell her about the shopping trip Kayden and I took. It continued to become a commonplace topic in our conversations because before I wouldn’t have had the courage to walk out on my father after a fight, get in a car with a rookie race driver, or get a tattoo, but now it was blatantly apparent to her that this change was for the best. It was true, I was starting to enjoy myself more. I was happier, and I could only explain it because I felt free.

“Well, the hair was a dead giveaway, but I meant more internally. You aren’t the same quiet girl I grew to love,” she said, giving me puppy dog eyes to make me feel bad, as if I wasn’t the same girl she made friends with in our early years.

“Parker, you were forced to hang out with me because our moms thought it would be cute to arrange play dates for us. I was your science partner for two years in a row at the start of high school. So even if our moms didn’t know each other, you eventually would have been stuck with me either way. You didn’t have much of a choice in this matter,” I said with a cheeky smile.

Parker and I were occasionally interrupted as people stopped by to talk to me. Most of them just commented on my hair color, I would be surprised if it wasn’t trending on social media right now from how much everyone was talking about it. Others stopped by to meet us for the first time, wanting to make sure they were in a good light in case Kayden ever heard anything about them talking to his girlfriend. A few even threw Parker a wink or a coy smile before turning and leaving. She was thriving under the attention.

“I could have had my choice of guys if you and Kayden had gotten together earlier,” she stated as Kayden sat down across from her with a confused expression on his face. He glanced at me, trying to determine if it as safe for them to sit down in case we were having an argument.

“What’s going on?” he asked curiously as his eyebrows furrowed together, creating a crease in his forehead. His hair had moved slightly with the new expression and was now covering his blue eyes, making him look mysterious like the men on book covers.

“Nothing,” Parker stated quickly before gesturing for him to sit down. “We were just talking about all the attention she’s been getting lately. We’ve had more people stop to talk to us, well her really, in the last day than in our entire high school career.”

Kayden let out a soft laugh before he wrapped his arm around me to say something. I always pictured him saying something along the lines of ‘that’s my girl,’ but I never got to find out because Jamie and Alexis had the audacity to interrupt our conversation.

They stood behind Parker, and I just glared at them to show how unwelcome they were. They didn’t care, and brushed me off as if I was dirt on their shoulders. Their gaze turned to Kayden, and I once again realized there was more to this than the small fight at the party. I hoped they would bring light to it, I didn’t want to ask Kayden in case he didn’t want to talk about it. I’d respect his privacy in the matter, but I wanted to know why he was avoiding his friends.

“What do you want, Jamie?” I found myself basically growling at her. I hadn’t realized my voice could become dark and angry when I protected my friends, probably because before now I had never tried to protect anyone. I just wanted to stay out of trouble, not drag myself into it, but now I had to protect not only Parker, but myself too. I wanted to make sure Jamie and Alexis couldn’t mess with us anymore, and it felt great to stand up to them, to be honest.

“I was coming to talk to Kayden, not you,” she sneered as she sat down next to Kayden. Alexis followed her lead and took the seat next to Parker so she could talk to Kayden face to face.

She positioned her body so she was facing him and brought his attention to her by leaning over the table slightly to show off the low cut of her shirt. She was attempting to shut us out of the conversation, but Kayden was completely oblivious to their attempts. He turned to talk to me, and I rolled my eyes before glancing over at Parker, who just looked annoyed.

“Are you coming to the party Friday night? We really missed having you stay through the whole party at the New Year’s,” Alexis chimed, directing her question to Kayden alone.

Parker and I both scoffed, causing Jamie to glare at us before turning back to Kayden. He glanced down at me and quickly kissed my forehead and told me not to worry. Jamie and Alexis didn’t miss the scene playing out before them, and quickly tried to get his attention back on them. It failed though, Kayden seemed immune to their attempts, probably because he had experienced them many times before. I just laughed, which caused Kayden to smile before turning to them and nicely telling them he wasn’t interested. After all, he was taken.

“Actually, my friend Ryan and I have a double date this weekend with these two ladies,” Kayden said with a smirk as he looked at Parker and I.

“We do?” I asked curiously. I felt my eyebrows lift, as if on their own, in pure shock. I had been unaware of plans for any date, let alone a double date with Parker and Ryan. When I looked at Parker she had a blush on her cheeks, and a smile on her lips that told me she knew this was going to happen. Why wasn’t I informed?

“Yeah, we do. Don’t you remember, sweetheart?” he asked with a feigned hurt tone. “I’m hurt, Lauren, and after Ryan worked so hard to convince me to let him come with us so he could have an excuse to ask out Parker without looking like a total tool. You’ll just break his little heart,” Kayden said with a cheeky smile as he flashed a wink in Parker’s direction. He seemed to know more than I did in the Ryan and Parker department as well.

I had a feeling if Ryan was here, he wouldn’t have enjoyed Kayden throwing him under the bus like that. It would have wound up with Ryan punching him in the chest, and then Kayden making a joke of it. I could see him saying something like “Will you do us a favor and go out with this loser?” He would mean it playfully, but he had a way of getting under people’s skin, especially when it came to embarrassing them.

I laughed at Parker’s reaction to Kayden’s claim of a double date, she honestly looked excited, but I laughed harder when I saw Jamie’s shocked expression. Her face was now in complete shock, her jaw hanging open wide enough to catch flies and her eyes bugging out of her head like those squishable animals that have their eyes pop out. Alexis was no different, except when she caught me staring she snapped out of it and let the anger show on her face before she elbowed Jamie back into reality.

“Oh, and Jamie,” Kayden stated to get her attention again. “You’re not invited. We will not be attending anymore parties with you or Alexis present after how you treated my girlfriend last time. Who does that to their friend’s significant other? You kept me away from her when she needed me, and for what? So Mac could put the moves on her and then I would break up with her. It was wrong to get him drunk, then manipulate him to get your way. I thought you would have learned that after I told you to back off Amy, but I guess not. I don’t want you anywhere near Lauren when I’m not around again. Clearly you can’t be trusted.”

“Well, we weren’t meaning―” Jamie started, attempting to ease Kayden’s anger, but he knew what they had tried to do, and he wasn’t listening anymore.

“I don’t want to hear whatever excuse you and Alexis have cooked up,” he growled. “I know what you were trying to do, and I have now seen what kind of people you really are,” his voice dipped lower and angrier. “I don’t want to see you again, and you can tell the same to Mac until he comes to apologize. Now get out of my face.”

“But Kayden―”

“He said leave, and I agree with him. He didn’t like how you treated me, and that’s your fault. You shouldn’t have used Mac as a part of your plan, and if you owe anyone an apology, it’s him. He didn’t deserve his friends to treat him like that. Now, go away and don’t come back,” I stated with a smile as I waved good-bye to them both.

They turned away and left quickly, but something in their eyes told me they would be back. For now, I had a confidence boost. I had told off Jamie Price and Alexis Jayson, two of the most popular girls in school who had tortured me the most before my deal with Kayden. I could feel confidence flowing through my veins, and happiness soaring in my soul. This was a new me, and I wasn’t going to back down for anyone, and I had Kayden to thank for it. I couldn’t be more thankful for it either, I was enjoying the new me.

“So about this date,” Parker started hesitantly. “Is it really happening?”

“If you still want it to. Ryan and I were seriously going to ask you guys on a double date. It was supposed to be a surprise until they interrupted,” Kayden stated as he jabbed his thumb in the direction of Jamie and Alexis. “Then I just wanted to rub it in their faces.”

“I’m in!” Parker stated excitedly.

Kayden and I let out a laugh before turning to each other and smiling. I could see this blossoming into a beautiful friendship for us all, and hopefully a real relationship.

“Thanks for standing up for me.” I paused for a moment before I added, “For us.”

“Anything for my girl,” he said sweetly, leaning down and kissing the top of my head again.

I really could see this becoming a wonderful relationship, and something told me he felt it too. It was definitely in the way he looked at me, the sparkle in his eyes when he called me his girl. It was also in the gentleness of his kiss and the automatic reaction to hold my hand when I moved away from him. He had me falling for him, I just hoped he didn’t break my heart as he did to other girls. I would live, but I’d never be able to forgive him. At least high school was almost over.

Chapter 22

Forgetful

I sat at the kitchen table, attempting to finish a few things so I could sit and relax for my Friday night, when a sudden knocking on the front door that made me pop out of my chair in shock. The chair moved against the faux tile flooring as I looked around the kitchen toward the front door. My hands flared out as my chair fell backwards. When I spun around to look at the fallen chair I knocked over the glass of water onto my computer. I let out a shriek as I picked up the towel from the kitchen counter and the knocking got louder, more panicked.

“Hold on a minute,” I called to whoever was on the other side of the door as I dabbed the water off my computer. I peeled off the protective keyboard cover and let the water drip from it for a moment before putting it on the kitchen table. I had been trying to write my history paper, but I was so nervous since it was worth so much of my final grade at the end of the year that I was stressing over it. I was relieved when Kayden said he was busy, because I really needed a distraction from this paper.

“Lauren, seriously?” I heard Kayden’s voice question from the entrance to the kitchen. “Your cry had me worried you injured yourself, and knowing you, you could have lost a hand,” he said as he took the towel from me and moved my computer from the table. He dried off the bottom of the laptop before placing it on the counter and coming back with another to clean the water from the table.

“How did you even get in here?” I asked as I moved to look at the front door. I knew I had locked it when my father left, so how did he get in? “Aren’t you supposed to be doing something today anyway? You said that you wouldn’t be able to see me until tonight.”

“Plans changed, and I thought I would do something special for you before we go on the double date,” Kayden said with a smile, but it quickly vanished when he saw my expression. I felt my head tilting sideways slightly as my eyes squinted together in confusion and my lips part slightly as I tried to figure out his words. “What?” he asked with a curious eyebrow lift. “Did you forget we were going or something? I’m sure Parker and Ryan would hate to hear that.”

I let out a short laugh, letting the tension leave my body. “I didn’t forget, but you’re right that Parker would be furious at me if I forgot. She is so excited for this,” I said with a smile as I looked into his ice blue eyes. They really were breathtaking, and the longer I looked at them the faster my heart raced. I wanted to lean in to kiss him again, but he hadn’t made a move since the New Year’s party. I didn’t want to be the one to make the move either, but if he didn’t step up I was going to.

“Well, today’s that day!” I paused momentarily, how did I forget about this? “Did you seriously forget we had a date or are you just acting right now? If you’re acting you’re doing a pretty convincing job.”

“I just got sidetracked, I guess,” I said as I moved my blue hair off of my neck, suddenly hot from the embarrassment.

“Well, I got something for you today. I’m thrilled to spend the night with you and our friends, and to celebrate the occasion I have a gift I think you’ll like,” Kayden said as a devious smile spread across his lips.

“What’s that exactly?” I asked cautiously. His coy smile and mischievous demeanor had me worried for many reasons starting with his idea of a good time and ending at the tattoo I had on the back of my neck.

“You’ll see, but first I just wanted to hang out with you, and maybe dive into a few different extracurricular activities that you don’t have on your resume already.” He grabbed my hand as I latched onto my purse and pulled it from the chair. He pulled me close, and leaned in seemingly to kiss me, which made my stomach flutter again. “Come on, we have some time!” he stated as he pulled me from the house with the smile taking over his face.

I tried to convince him to tell me what was going on, but I was more interested in what he was offering. Another chance to kiss him, and this time to get it right. His excitement was starting to rub off on me, but before I could close the distance between our awaiting lips the doorbell rang.

“You’re kidding me,” he groaned as he reluctantly released me. He was doing his best to keep his cool, but I knew he was upset at the interruption. Kayden had been inches from my lips, the excitement clear on both of our faces. His hold on me was tight, as if he feared that when he let go I’d run away and never return. I couldn’t help but imagine if the doorbell hadn’t rung. I’d probably have my hands tangled into his hair so I could kiss him like my life depended on it.

I opened the door to reveal Parker with a bag around her arm and a bright smile that reached her eyes. She looked at me for a moment before the excitement faded. I wondered what was wrong, but figured she would blurt it out. She just remained silent as I started to question my appearance. Did my hair look as if it hadn’t been washed recently? My hair could be greasy at times, but I had washed it a few days ago. If it ever looked greasy, I always put some baby powder in it to take away some of the shine. Maybe I should have washed my hair last night, I thought as I looked at my fingernails. I had recently gone to get my nails done with Parker, and we both got French tipped nails and our toes painted different colors. Mine were a deep purple, while hers were a bright turquoise blue.

“You forgot, didn’t you?”

I winced. I had been doing that a lot apparently.

Luckily, Kayden interrupted before I could stick my foot in my mouth again. “No, she didn’t forget, Parker. I was just distracting her.” He smiled down at me as he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me to him.

Parker lifted an eyebrow curiously at me before she glanced at Kayden and gave me a coy smile. Now she seemed pleased with that reply, but I knew it wouldn’t stay like that. I suddenly remembered she was here to get ready for the double date.

I really needed to remember to write things down. Maybe then I wouldn’t have to explain to my best friend, who was ecstatic for this date, that I only had my nails done and nothing else in the last three days. While I had taken remarkably good care of my nails since we had gone a week ago, I didn’t have shoes I wanted to wear or been able to get a new dress like we planned to. I had pushed off the shopping trip with her to do an English paper. I knew she would help me with the make-up, and somehow fix up my hair to look presentable, but it was going to take time. Time I wasn’t sure we had because I wanted to finish what Kayden and I had been about to start.

“Kayden,” I said cautiously as he looked between Parker and me, wondering why I hadn’t invited her in. “I forgot to tell you that Parker was coming over to get ready. We already had plans so I can’t take you up on the offer to spend time alone, unfortunately.” My downturned expression only made him offer me a soft sympathetic smile.

“It’s fine, baby. We can spend time together at our favorite place when we finish the date.” He smiled before turning to look at Parker and adding, “Without Ryan and Parker. I promise I can wait.” He leaned down and let a feather light kiss pass between us before he left my side. “I’ll see you girls at seven sharp. I’m sure Ryan will show up a little early because he’s more excited than a kid going to Disneyland, so be sure to be ready.”

“We will be,” Parker chimed before swapping places with Kayden. “Come on, Lauren!”

Kayden smiled at me before waving goodbye. I wanted to stand there with him instead of watching him leave. Instead I put on a smile and shut the door so I wouldn’t be tempted to follow after him. I had it bad. I heard the car turn on and couldn’t stop myself from glancing through the glass pane to see him pull out. He stopped at the edge of the driveway and waved. I waved back, thankful he would be too far to see the blush that had come across my cheeks. I really did have it bad for him.

“Lauren, are you coming?” Parker cried from upstairs. Knowing her she was already in my room doing her hair, with her dress and shoes chosen, while I had nothing prepared and would need all of her help. I groaned in response before starting my race up the stairs to meet her, and as I assumed she was my room with a curling wand in her hand. “Come on, Lauren, you have to pick out what you want so I can do your hair and makeup. You’ll look more stunning than anyone Kayden has ever dated.”

“Thanks for reminding me that he’s been on so many,” I said sarcastically. I was trying to forget that I was only in a fake relationship with him, and that everything he was doing was so that he could take his prize in the end then run off. I hoped I would be strong enough to deal with the ridicule that came after, or that he would keep it going until the end of the school year. At least then I wouldn’t have to face anyone from school again.

“It’s clear to see he has feelings for you, Lauren,” Parker said as she started to swipe a mascara brush over her eyelashes. “Just relax, I think he’s falling for you too.”

“Too?” I asked as I glanced at the shoes in my closet. Most of them were from the shopping trip Kayden and I had taken, but I had recently gone shopping again and gotten a few that would surprise him.

I could remember walking through the aisles of shoes until I found the seven and a half sizes, and then glanced at the variety of shoes. There were a lot of sneakers, and only a few heels, and some were too tall for me to walk in. I know, because I tried, fell, and then popped back up to avoid further embarrassment when others started to stare at me.

I pushed back the memory as I picked a safe pair of black closed toed heels and set them on the floor beside my bed. They were short, about three inches, according to Parker, but they were the tallest ones I owned. What really mattered was that I could walk in them, and that was a breath of relief knowing I wouldn’t relive my fall in the store. I hope I never saw any of those people again. I didn’t know what we were doing for this date, but my goal was to not embarrass myself while I did it. When I finally turned my attention to picking a dress, Parker started to ask me questions on Kayden. I let out a slow breath, and hoped she wouldn’t get too personal. I’m sure she was wondering about what Kayden and I had planned to do before she came over.

Hopefully it would have ended with his hands in my hair and us clinging to each other in a kiss.

“What dress are you picking?” Parker asked, regaining my attention.

I wonder how long I zoned out thinking of the almost kiss Kayden and I had shared. Maybe she thought I just didn’t want to talk about it and changed the topic. “I have no idea.”

Parker laughed lightly. “I figured. Pick out a few while I finish my makeup and then I’ll doll you up.”

I nodded and turned to my closet, glancing through my choice of dresses. I was shocked that some of the dresses I had in there were from years ago and would no longer fit me, back when I was a size zero in pants and a two in dresses. It made picking a few dresses out of my closet a lot easier at least.

I had narrowed it down to six, but as I looked over some of them I decided I only really liked four of them. The other two were out of date, and more in my goodie-goodie fashion. So I took them out and decided I would donate them later. That left me with a few dresses I had picked up on a whim in my shopping trip with Kayden. They were shorter, just above my knee or mid-thigh, and had a more alluring shape.

“I’d like to see these on you,” Kayden had replied when I had shown him the dresses. I had rolled my eyes at his remark, even though he wouldn’t be able to see it and paid for them without another thought.

I glanced over the dresses to make sure there weren’t stains on any of them. In my investigation I found a tear in one of them, so now I was left with three dresses. Although the choice came down to what went with my blue hair otherwise it would look awful together and then I’d have to hear Parker complain about it all thing. There was a gorgeous burgundy dress with black sequins around the bust, but it didn’t match my hair, it would only go with my regular hair color. I missed my blonde hair in that moment. I would have worn that dress in a heartbeat because I knew it would make Kayden’s heartbeat erratic. I put that dress to the side, and looked at the remaining two dresses. There was a blue strapless sundress and a white bodycon dress, as I said it came to what went with my hair.

The white lacy bodycon won.

I put on the dress, pulling the inner lining into place and the outer lace fully down to my mid-thigh and slid the heels on before interrupting Parker, to show her my choice. I approached Parker, who was putting on the final touches of her makeup when she saw me in the mirror.

“You look fantastic! Is there another one or is this your choice?”

“This is my choice,” I said confidently as I flipped my hair out of my face and did a short twirl to show her the full view.

“Great, then sit down,” she instructed. “I’ll get a towel so I don’t get anything on your dress and ruin it. Then we’ll make sure Kayden compares every girl he’s ever been with to you. They’ll all fall short when I’m done with you,” she promised before rushing off.

I took my seat in front of the mirror and smiled. There was a glow about me I didn’t notice before, and for the first time I could really appreciate the beauty I had when I took the time to show it. I breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as I thought of Kayden’s face when he saw me. I think he’d be floored, in a good way, and then maybe after we can finish that kiss we started in the kitchen. I had a feeling it would be well worth the wait.