and we scored

Scene 33

NINI

I don't know for how long I've been standing here. Probably more than fifteen minutes. Or twenty. The air is cold and making me shiver. However, I can't go back inside. Not just now. I need some more time. I need some air.

"Broadway?" A familiar voice asks me. I turn around and see Caden, his face showing off how worried he is. Unwillingly, my gaze then wonders off to him. And the way the tux he's wearing suits him perfectly. I bet Soph gave the palace designer his size and let it be custom made. The dress I am wearing right now has also been custom made. It's a beautiful purple satin dress with spaghetti straps. My hands are covered in elbow-long gloves made of the same material. The outfit is gorgeous, yet clearly not made to be worn outside in the November air. Which is why I am freezing.

"Yes", I answer. Caden comes closer and wraps his arms around me. He gets scared as he feels how much warmth I've lost. "You're so cold", he adds whispering. "You'll get sick."

"I never get sick", I say, trying to make him let me stay. He sees past it and replies:

"You might. You really are cold. And you seem pale."

I take a deep breath, not knowing how to tell him the reason I am outside. So, I just say: "I can't go back there. Not yet."

"What happened?' Caden continues, his voice pointing towards violence to the ones that hurt me. Yet no one did. Not really. And not me.

"Nothing happened", I reply.

"Then why can't you go back inside?" he insists. I take another deep breath and tell him the truth.

"Because I can't see one of the people in there."

"Who?" he asks, worrying about me.

"Soph's brother", I tell him. He looks at me surprised, since this clearly wasn't the answer he expected. I explain him why: "He is a jerk. A very big one. Made some pretty shitty decisions that affected Soph a lot. I'll never forget the time I walked inside of her room and found her all cried up, lying on the ground, asking me what she should do now. Or the times I called her while she was in Cordelia at the beginning of Summer, when she was in a very bad phase. She wouldn't talk, wouldn't say anything. She would only cry. It wasn't entirely Karl's fault, her brother's, but mostly. And I'll never forget the day I saw him at her wedding and he looked happy. Happy that the man she was about to marry wasn't Alec, happy that she was about to marry a duke who would make her keep her duties to the crown and forget about true love. When in reality, my bestie was suffering. And he didn't care."

I take another deep breath and add, my voice now breaking: "He didn't hurt me. But he hurt my bestie. And that hurts just as much."

Caden looks at me understanding. He then does the weirdest things. He gives off his blazer. Just like that. I give him this big sad mop story and he only undresses himself.

Then, he puts his blazer around me, to keep me warm. And the doubts from before disappeared. He also wraps his arms around me again and whispers: "In that case, we can spend some more time here if you want."

I nod and sink my face in his chest. He pulls me closer and sinks his lips in my hair. I don't know how much time we spend there just being there for each other. Probably enough. It's not until Caden lets go and reaches out for the phone in his pocket, that we break our hug.

"What are you searching for?" I ask, looking at how he's typing something, so focused that it's clear he has a goal in mind. Seconds later, the first lyrics of I Love You Baby can be heard and he lets his phone slide back in his pocket.

Caden steps closer to me and does a little bow. He then looks up and asks me: "May I have this dance, Miss?"

I can't help but chuckle. I take his hand and answer: "But of course, Mister."

Caden places one of his hands on my waist, the other one still holding my hand tight. He seems to know how to waltz, since he does it perfectly.

"Who taught you to dance like this?" I ask. He wants to answer, then swallows hard and thinks whether he should answer or not. He decides to do it, since I can hear him whisper:
"My mother."

It's then I realize why he acted like that. He probably didn't want to remind me of Denise and ruin this now again beautiful day. I flash him a smile, to tell him I'm fine. He understands and relaxes, moving me again together with the rhythm.

"She seems to be nice", I say. Caden is quick to nod.

"She is. And she always smiles to everyone."

"I'd love to meet her one day", I whisper. 

Caden tenses a bit, then replies: "I'm sure you will."

He spins me around in a pirouette that ends with his face only an inch away from mine. Still so close, Caden says: "I'd love to take you on another date, Broadway."

I look at him smirking, since he just called our day out together a date.

"I'd love that too", I answer smiling.

He relaxes, as if he were actually nervous, I would have said no. How could I? Especially given how much I love him. Or how amazing this day we spent together has been.

Caden leans closer and kisses me, proving me all I thought of. I wrap my hands around his neck and pull him closer.

And suddenly, I don't feel at all cold anymore. All I feel is warm. Waves and waves of heat.

~

It's four days after we came back from Cordelia and I am supposed to be meeting Caden outside my dorm in one hour, for us to go on a date. We got a table at a really nice Italian restaurant waiting for us, my favorite one in New York. We had to book from yesterday, since it's a small place and doesn't have so many seats to offer.

However, it's not Caden I'm having a date with right now. But a big box of tissues. Because he was right that night in Cordelia, as he said I might catch a cold. I did. I am literally sick. The sickest I've ever been. And it's keeping me away from my date.

Unwillingly, I take out my phone to text Caden. I'm currently on the couch in the living room, bingeing my comfort series. Friends. Soph is at the other end of the couch, since I told her she should keep some distance. We don't know if I am highly contagious yet. However, she still didn't want to leave me alone, so I agreed to her staying here, but only if at the other end of the couch. She accepted.

"Have you texted him?" Soph asks me, probably knowing what I'm doing. Staring at our chat, not wanting to text him that I can't make it tonight.

"You need to text him", she continues. "Or he might end up waiting for you for an hour or so in front of the restaurant."
Defeated, I give up and type my message.

ME: Hey, Caden! I am very very sorry, but I can't make it tonight to our date. Guess what? I caught a cold. I'm meanwhile surrounded by mountains of tissues on the couch. Again, I'm really sorry. Hope you can forgive me.

I need to take a very deep breath before I send the message.

Annoyed, I throw my phone back next to me on the couch and repay my attention to the series. Only, it doesn't take more than one minute for my screen to light up with a message. From him.

CADEN: I'm so sorry, Broadway.

CADEN: Hockey or workout?!

I think I wasn't so good at hiding my shock, since I gasp out loud. Soph immediately turns panicked at me and raises an eyebrow. I do her a sign everything is okay with my free hand, then go back to texting him.

ME: What on Earth are you talking about?

CADEN: Just answer the question, love.

ME: I don't know. Hockey.

CADEN: Okay. And then, chicken or tomato?

ME: Are you crazy?

CADEN: Broadway...

ME: Whatever. Chicken.

CADEN: Alright then. I'll be right there.

I try texting him again, yet he doesn't answer anymore.

My heart skips a bit knowing he'll come.