Good Enough - Completed

Good Enough - Chapter Seven

The soft clanking of cutleries against fine china were the only sounds filling the bedroom terrace attached to the master’s in Caleb’s home.  The view from up here was simply spectacular; which can only be expected of someone as accomplished as Caleb Stifler.  From the looks of it, they could be up in a penthouse suite, judging from the interior that screamed wealth.  He has always loved the solitary peace a place like this afforded and if she were being honest it was the kind of abode she would choose to be or in her case can only dream to live in someday.  A deep sigh escaped her.  Wow, she has truly spent the best part of the day sleeping off her hangover.  Her head still pounded in a dull ache but the gentle cool breeze kissing her cheeks and disentangling strands of her hair from her ponytail was as soothing as a salve on a bruise.  The sun was down and the horizon appeared in a beautiful stretch of orange and deep, deep brown; the crescent moon peeking out.  Soft murmurs between Caleb and his son can be heard in the background and she smiled at how endearing it sounded in her ears as he coaxed him to finish his vegetables. She turned her gaze from the beauty before her and eyed the feast on the table. The food was visually and definitely gastronomic perfection, a shame that she can’t seem to taste anything more than the juice from the grilled Tanguige fish  and the soft and creamy consistency of the mashed potatoes.  She picked on the asparagus because of her absolute dislike for eating vegetables and downed her second glass of pineapple juice realizing that she has never felt so parched in her life.  She put down the glass and landed her gaze on a pair of two cute sea blue orbs staring at her, blinking repeatedly in…was that awe or bafflement?  She hoped it was the former because she could share the same baffled look with the handsome tot.

Why am I here again? What the hell am I still doing here?  Ah yes, because I totally lost all power of negation with Caleb Stifler who is smirking at me. Jerk!

“Is the food not to your liking, Kaitlin?  I can have the cook bring you something you would like.  You have not eaten anything since last night, what with all the alcohol you imbibed.  You had better eat something.” Caleb admonished.

“Yessss….dad.”  She whispered the last word and a boyish chuckle erupted from Ryder Stifler on her right.  He is so adorable.  She instantly found him so charming with his messy mop of dark blond hair, a spread of freckles on top of a cute little nose and the pinkest lips on a boy she has ever seen; but why his eyes were blue as opposed to Caleb’s jade ones is a question saved for later or maybe never because she has absolutely no place to question this boy’s parentage.  If Caleb says he’s his son then so be it.  If only the moment hadn’t felt awkward between them.  After this meal is over she would ask him for her clothes and leave, talk to Stefan tomorrow and tender her resignation.  She couldn’t go on living and breathing the same air as Caleb, and the air was so thick between them that her chest constricted and she is feeling the pinch of hurt all over again.  She has no idea why he waltzed back into her already stable existence and now shaking it up again causing her an instant flashback of all that has ever happened between them and it zeroed in on their last time together when she never had an inkling nor a clue that it was going to be their last meeting.

“You’re awfully quiet, honey?  Is something wrong?”  Kaitlin queried a stoic Caleb.  It was their usual dinner after class and he’d been quiet since they met up at the pavilion where they usually meet.  The term of endearment had begun on mutual terms and she just rolled along with it offering a glimmer of hope that Caleb could possibly be warming up to the idea of a “them” than just this casual no label thing going on between them.  It was just wishful thinking where she was concerned, and as for Caleb she let him come into terms with his self, make that decision on his own with no pressure from her.  But looking at him now, that glimmer was reduced to a faint spark that is slowly dissipating.  Each time he is in this state, she half-expected for the bomb to drop when he tells her they’re done..finished..history. She feared that his somber mood could only be caused by the argument between Kaitlin and her mom that ensued only hours before her last class ended and he caught on it after reading through her phone messages discovering that he was the subject and he absolutely hated it.  He hated that her mom was getting too involved in her affairs and that they openly talk about him.  Caleb just sat across from her and said nothing, just clenched his fist and his gaze fixated on the throng of people out the window, not really seeing them.  This could be it, he was going to tell her he can’t do this anymore with her and all she could ever do is to accept.  After all, he was not hers to keep and whatever he decides, she would respect and keep away.   The axe is about to fall, she is almost certain,  so a big ball of lump was caught in her throat and her eyes pricked by foreboding tears so she pushed her plate and waited.  The seconds became a minute and every minute felt like hours even an eternity until he quickly got up and grabbed her hands to exit the diner to walk back towards the dormitory where he stays.  He was still mum and his fingers dug into her wrist ignoring her silent protest to slow down so she can catch up.  They were gaining some sharp stares and various cuss words from the people they bumped along the way but he failed to care, this was Caleb who never gives a damn about what other people think and say unless they’re people he cares and respects.  The ride on the elevator to the 9th floor was stifling and downright uncomfortable that she struggled against his hold and gave in to the silent tears that she tried so hard to hold back.  She wasn’t hurting from the firm grasp but from the impending words that would soon come out of his mouth and would cut her so deep and possibly render her life meaningless.  When he refused to let go, she looked up to him, searching his face willing him to look at her; her eyes begging but he still had that vacant stare with neither a peep of a word from his mouth. She just silently cried and helplessly fought the sob escaping from her pursed lips.  Soon after they reached the floor and she was dragged into his apartment, he spun her to face him, bending her right arm behind her back and pinning her against the wall.  His right arm pushed against her clavicle and his gaze turned heated with an unnamed emotion akin to anger mixed with frustration.