Conveniently Inspired

Chapter Eight

Skylar quickly learned that Kaden was a man true to his word. He found her outside her second period classroom, and his hand wavered inches from hers, waiting for that sign of consent. When she alas nodded, he winked and gripped her hand, tugging her through the muddled crowd. Skylar trained her gaze on the speckled high school floors, fascinated by the trekk of sneakers weaving in and out. Lincoln High was what you would call 'overpopulated.' Everyday, Skylar saw a new face down the halls, somebody she'd never seen before. Still, with a school this large, the face of Kaden Brooks was a name to be known. He was popular. Good looking. Athletic. Literally the only three characteristics that brought you to the top. Because of that, he couldn't walk down a single corridor without getting a "hey, man, what's up?" It was like yesterday with the traffic cars all over again.

Skylar kept her head hung, choosing to watch her own feet instead of everybody's eyes which were surely glued to the hand she linked with Kaden's. Because of this, she nearly tripped. Twice. And twice, Kaden had to grip her waist. "Geez, careful. Am I gonna have to carry you down the stairs next?" She heard the tease in his voice and tried to feign a smile, but the idea of sitting at the cafeteria in the center table with all his friends made her queasy. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Fine" she squeaked out.

She was the opposite of 'fine.' As he held open the cafeteria doors for her, it felt like entering a sauna. The room was hot. Too hot. Like the sun had orbited significantly closer to their high school in a span of five minutes. Skylar's skin was melting off like candle wax. Kaden moved to grab her hand again, but she slipped her fingers away. She'd die before he felt her sweaty palm. "Come on, just this way." The eyes of the room were still on them, and as they approached the table,

ten more steps,

five more steps,

everybody, all of Kaden's friends, whipped their necks to the approaching couple. Skylar knew who they all were, of course. Brody, Harris, Thomas, all part of the lacrosse team. Part of Kaden's posse. Staring at Skylar like an uncooked piece of meat. Her stomach churned as she felt the weight of Kaden's arm slung over her shoulder. "You're doing great" he murmured in her ear. Like a switch, he turned off his act and faced his friends with ease. "What's going on, guys? This is my girlfriend, Skylar. She's joining us today." Kaden slung off his backpack which he always had hooked over the right shoulder, setting it by his feet. Skylar hadn't moved a muscle.

There were several others at the table that she didn't know. Some girls, others guys, but all of them had their eyes narrowed with suspicion. The question in their gazes were transparent- Who is this? You've never mentioned her before. Why is she sitting here with us?

Kaden tugged her hand, more forcibly this time, causing her ass to plump down on the bench. "Harris, quit drooling. You never seen a pretty girl before or what?"

Harris, with dark skin and hair separated into cornrows, clamped his jaw shut. He glanced away sheepishly, which only made Skylar's cheeks flush greater in return. "She is pretty," someone from the far end of the table said. It belonged to a feminine voice. Hafsa Ahmed, throwing her a genuine smile. Skylar blinked about five times before offering back what she hoped was a sincere grin in return. "Thank you. So are you."

A deep whistle let out from Brody, sitting directly across from Skylar. "So she speaks." Kaden reached over and grabbed one of his fries sitting in the tray, only to flick it back into his face. "Hey, what the hell?!"

"Don't talk about my girlfriend like that."

"Like what?!"

"Like she's some pet." Kaden grabbed another fry, biting into it aggressively.