Chapter 14

Kaden didn’t mean to stop.

He’d just been walking past the study lounge on the third floor of the student centre when he saw her- Alexa- kneeling beside a printer that had been blinking angrily at students all morning.

“Stupid thing,” she muttered, brow furrowed, tongue slightly poking out in concentration as she poked at the jammed tray.

He hesitated. His girlfriend’s angry face flashing across his mind for a split second.

“Need help?” He found the words flying out of his mouth before he could stop them, and as if that wasn’t bad enough, his feet stepped into the lounge and his feet moved in her direction as if they had a mind of its own.

Alexa looked up, startled, then smiled, that soft, sunny smile that always made people lean in without even realising it. “Oh Kaden! Yeah, I’ve been wrestling this thing for over ten minutes!”

He crouched beside her, “these things hate everyone, it’s not personal.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” she laughed, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

He chuckled, fingers working quickly to unjam the tray, “I heard you’re now assisting Mrs. Carter with her after school art class, even gave you a spare key to her classroom and everything.”

“Oh that,” she waved a hand, “being the Dean’s newest stepdaughter gets you places.”

Kaden looked at her, “I’m sure that’s not it, you’re a very bright student…so I’ve heard.”

Oh Jemima was so going to have his head on a stick.

Alexa blushed, ducking her head, “my mom raised me to be a bit of an overachiever.”

He smiled, a toothy smile, “and you make it look it cool.”

“Thanks,” she shyly smiled, voice quieter, “that means a lot coming from…well, you.”

Kaden’s brown lifted, “from me?”

She shrugged, eyes darting to the side, “you and Jemima are, like…IT on campus, you’re practically royalty. I didn’t think you’d even remember my name.”

He blinked, “Alexa. Of course I do.”

She looked down, “yeah well, it doesn’t really matter anyway, I was warned- threatened to stay away from you.”

“What? Threatened? By who?” He put a hand on her shoulder to get her to look back up at him.

Alexa shook her head, “no it doesn’t matter, she’s right, I ruined your date, I shouldn’t even be-”

“Wait, Jemima threatened you?” Kaden’s eyebrows creased together, his tone raising just a bit with a slight hint of irritation.

Alexa tucked another lock behind her ear, “just forget it, it doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it ma-”

The printer beeped, paper finally sliding out.

Alexa quickly stood, and Kaden handed the paper to her with a half-smile.

She took it, her fingers brushing his lightly.

“Of course it matters Alexa,” he stood up as well, “she…doesn’t own this school and definitely doesn’t own anyone, she has no right to threaten you- or anyone for that matter. What did she want?”

Alexa sighed, her hands nervously fiddling with the edge of the A4 paper, “nothing bad…she just wants me to stay away from you if I don’t want my college life to be over, which I do get and I’m not mad at, like at all. I mean, I totally get it, so don’t worry about it.”

Kaden’s jaw ticked and he looked down for a second, slight fury burning underneath his blue eyes, “I don’t know why she would-”

“Kaden look, I completely understand her. No girl wants their boyfriend prioritising some other girl over them, and whether you want to admit it or not- that’s exactly what you did that night you dropped her home and took me for milkshakes instead, I would be mad too. So maybe it’s best we keep our distance from from now on.”

“No, Alexa,” Kaden stepped closer, closer than anyone who was in a committed relationship should be to someone else, “we don’t have to do that, I- I like having you as a friend…I mean, I’ve only known you for a week and a couple days but you’re by far the most genuine person on this campus. Don’t give up on me.”

“I- I won’t,” her face was beet red and she avoided his eyes like they were plagued.

“I’ll talk to her, she’s not going to do anything to you,” he promised.

She nervously met his eyes, “thank you…and for the printer thing as well.”

He chuckled, “don’t sweat it.”

He should’ve moved. He should’ve said ‘have a good one’, and walked out and gone straight into Jemima’s arms, but…

“There’s another ice cream place in a different part of town I’ve been meaning to try,” he didn’t realise what he was saying until the words were out of his mouth.

Yep, head and the rest of his limbs on a stick like a human kebab.

Alexa blinked, her expression unreadable for a second- then she laughed, all light and innocent, “you had me at ice cream.”

Kaden own smile stretched to match hers, “just let me know when you’re free.”

“Of course,” her smile deepened, “but this time you are definitely trying the mint and chocolate flavour.”

Kaden pretended to gag, “eugh you’d have to tie me down to a chair for that to happen, I don’t even know how eat that abomination.”

Alexa laughed, her hand resting on his upper arm as she slightly leaned into him, “it’s not even that bad, best flavour in my opinion.”

Kaden smiled down at her, not seeming at all bothered by the hand that rested so comfortably on his bicep, “oh I get it, you’re a weirdo.”

“Proudly,” she grinned up at him, and their eyes connected. Blue on blue.

There was a pause between the two. Not awkward- not tense, just soft.

“I-” Alexa cleared her throat, taking a single step away from him to create some distance, “I have some fundraising planning I need to get to…so I gotta go.”

Kaden raised his eyebrows, “right, you’ve been everywhere lately, huh? Organising fundraisers, volunteering, saving the planet…”

Alexa tucked her hair behind her ear again, blushing deeply, “I just like helping out where I can.”

“Well you’re doing good, I guess I’ll let you be. See you around, Alexa,” he waved, walking backwards towards the door while keeping his eyes on her.

Alexa giggle when he tripped but managed to catch himself before falling on his butt, “see you, Kaden.”

They were both so engrossed with each other that neither of them saw the secret spy girl near the vending machine- Zoe- standing just out of their sights, enlarged ears with earbuds halfway out, some overly sweet drink forgotten in her hand.

“Oh Kaden you lying, cheating, little piece of shit!” She quietly cursed her best-friend’s boyfriend.

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