Between Us

Chapter 7

It was time to attack.

By attack, I meant give Caden—apparently his name—homemade cake. I didn't know if he ever ended up eating the other cake I gave him and if he even liked cake at all, but that was what I was going to do. I had to be a good neighbour and bribe him to help me somehow.

The excuse I used on my parents was that I was becoming fast friends with the neighbour who was helping me out with getting used to the neighbourhood. They didn't seem too bothered, in their own little world. Sometimes that happened when they thought about my sister. I knew better than to interrupt them.

I know because I used to do that, too.

I knocked on his door, my feet tapping against the floor, the chocolate mud cake balanced in my hands. I went to knock again but stumbled back when he opened it, body looming over me. Chunk squeezed out from the side, his tongue sticking out as he came to me.

"Hi," I cooed. "How're you, buddy?" I gave his ear a good scratch, watching his whole body practically wag with his tail.

I gulped as Caden surveyed the box in my eyes with one dismissive sweep. "I still have the cake you brought me last time."

"This cake will be ten times better." I shoved it in his direction. "It's homemade."

His eyes turned into slits. He didn't look impressed. Instead of responding to what I'd said, he stepped out and shut the door. Wait, why was he coming out? Couldn't he have just taken the cake and gone inside? "Um—"

"Go home," he said, going down the steps past me without a backward glance. He whistled for Chunk to head over to him and being the obedient dog he was, he did just that. That was when I realised he was dressed in his sports clothes. I ran in front of him, squeezing myself between him and the gate.

"I actually came here to ask you for something. A request...kinda."

"I'm not taking any," he said, blankly.

"Please? I'll do anything!"

His face darkened and a brief, malicious quirk of his lips sent my stomach churning. "Oh? Anything?"

My jaw clenched. "No," I snapped, wanting him to cut it out with whatever game he was playing.

Caden chuckled, the sound brittle like he knew he was getting under my skin. "Then I guess I can't help." He pushed me to the side and opened the little gate door.

"I haven't even told you what it is yet!"

"You don't need to." He shut the gate and jogged down the pavement past Jordan's house, Chunk trotting alongside him like his own golden cheerleader. The cake still sat in my hands as sad and neglected as I was, watching him go with a glare on my face.

Paris apparently didn't know him well enough. He was horrible! I stomped back into my own house, slamming the cake down—but also making sure it wasn't completely destroyed so I could eat it later—on the kitchen bench top and throwing myself onto the couch. The space next to me dipped with the weight of a person.

Mom.

She tucked some hair behind my ear and rubbed her knuckles against my cheek. "You okay, sweetheart?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Doing amazing, I filled in. I hate the neighbour who hates me and won't help because he's a jerk.

"I think I know you better than that," she said softly. "You don't need to tell me everything that goes on, but I...I'd like to think that you feel like you can trust us. After what happened with..." Mom's eyes glazed over with a thin sheet of water and she blinked, turning her head to avoid my eyes. "I don't want that to happen to you."

I shifted so that I was facing her, grasping her hands. I could feel my own lids burning with unshed tears. "It won't," I said, my voice wobbling. "I won't do that." I sighed, relenting. "I've been struggling with fitting in here. I was told the neighbour could help me become more confident. I was thinking this could be good for me going forward, especially college."

My mom patted my cheek, smiling stiffly. "I'm glad you're taking the initiative to better your experiences. I know I had fun in college. Remember one thing—never enjoy yourself at the expense of other people's feelings, okay?"

"Okay, mom." She placed a kiss on my forehead and got up, the warmth immediately leaving with her. Even though I didn't know it, I needed that. It had been a while since I'd felt like they really cared for me.

Not just the memory of my sister. This move had done us all a great deal. They really were trying to be more lenient.

***

Later that day, I was going to head into the town library to borrow some fiction books and possibly some textbooks to read up on anything that could help me. A few people walked past me, shooting me friendly smiles. Was everyone here nice? I thought.

Back home, the neighbours didn't even look at each other, pretending to not notice when they passed someone they knew.

As I crossed the street, I saw Chunk race past me at lightning speed. He was so fast that he was just a golden blur up until he jumped into a bush a few houses down.

Looking around, there was no sign of Caden. Had he gone off in the wrong direction or did Chunk run away? Before he could rush off again, I ran over to the bush I had seen him in. He was looking around, possibly for whatever animal he'd been chasing. I crouched down and pulled him over to me, making sure that I had a good grip on him.

"What're you doing in a bush, silly?" I cooed, kissing the side of his head as he panted heavily. "Where's Caden, hmm? Did you get sick of him, too? Because I think I'd understand."

Hearing footsteps, I watched as Caden jogged over to where I was with Chunk. He placed his hands on his hips, licking his pink lips as he bent down, looking Chunk over. "Thank fucking God, you're okay," he murmured.

"What happened?" I couldn't help but ask.

"He got spooked by a car crash a few feet away from the road we were running by." Aww, I thought, watching as Chunk settled onto the floor, head in between his front paws. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"You saved my dog, didn't you?"

I hadn't meant to save him. Technically, I didn't even know he was running away and I just found him hiding behind a bush. An idea flickered in my head. This could be used to my advantage if I went about it wisely. "Yeah, but it was no big deal," I said, forcing out a mellow laugh. At least, I hoped it was. "I was walking down this path, anyway."

"Doesn't matter. I owe you." He pushed his hair back and away from his eyes, gritting his teeth as he looked at the ground. "I'll help you with that request."

I hadn't even needed to ask him! I beamed. "Really?"

"If it's to go out with you, then no," he said, face impenetrable. "I don't date."

How dare he?! I thought. I lifted my chin in the air. "You've misunderstood," I said, "I'm not interested in dating. Least of all you." His eyebrows raised in the air, briefly, not of surprise, but of amusement. I grimaced. "But," I added, not wanting to insult him and make him take back his acceptance, "Paris said you can help me change into someone more confident and less...awkward?"

Caden was silent for a few seconds before he stood up. I followed suit. "You want to impress Jordan." It wasn't even a question. More like a statement. Like he knew before, but this just confirmed his suspicions or something.

"No!" How—why did everyone come to that conclusion?! "You've got the wrong idea. I want to do this for myself—"

"I said yes, didn't I?"

Oh boy. Why did I go ahead and listen to Paris?