Skylar's POV

I didn't know how I was still standing on my own two feet when that little act had drained enough energy from inside me.

Caden, on the other hand, looked totally the opposite--calm and unbothered--like nothing had happened.

I leaned back against the wall as I saw him opening the door. All my senses had gone haywire. I didn't even feel the surprise when I saw a familiar redhead--Seth--and Shane coming inside. I didn't even know how to respond when Shane passed me a smirk in greeting and Seth gave me a small wave of acknowledgement.

Seth looked back at Caden and I saw them speaking some words that I couldn't quite hear before Caden took out a small card from his pocket, passing it to him.

Didn't he care? Why did I? Why did it feel like something was ripping apart inside me every time I glanced at Caden?

None of them thankfully seemed to notice my dazed and confused state, until Adrian stepped inside my house from the front door, which was right behind me.

"Hey, are you...all right?" He asked me.

I turned around abruptly and managed to force a small smile on my face. "Y-Yeah."

He returned the smile before looking down at the broken glass. "Oh, such a mess." He whispered.

I took deep breaths to calm my erratic heartbeat before backing away and sitting down at the very bottom of the staircase. I had no idea why they all were here. I had no idea what Seth was tapping on the black device in his hands with Caden on his right. And I had no idea why Shane seemed so busy admiring the candle stand.

"You look a bit shaken," Adrian spoke up before sitting down beside me.

I saw Caden looking over at us and found myself diverting the gaze, clearing my throat a little as I looked back at Adrian. His hand went over my hair before pulling out a small piece of glass.

"I just feel sick," I whispered truthfully because I did feel sick.

"Because of what just happened?" He asked.

I didn't exactly reply to him, except for a small sound at the back of my throat. A lot had happened in the past hour and my thoughts were a jumbled mess.

I wanted to go over to Alex's. I wanted someone here who I knew I could trust.

How had Mom known about this? What locker had she been talking about? What was so important in that locker that a guy had broken in just because of it? And why did it feel like I could never erase the feel of Caden's lips from my own ever again?

"What are they doing?" I jerked my head towards Shane and the others.

Adrian followed my gaze and raised his eyebrows. "Tracking."

There was a beat of silence until my phone rang. I almost jumped in surprise as I fumbled and took it out of my pocket, and saw Dad's name flashing on the screen. Then I stood up hastily and gave Adrian one last glance.

"I'll be back in a bit."

The moment I was safely inside my own room with the door closed shut behind me and Chicken roaming near the foot of my bed, I answered the call.

"How did you know?" Was the first thing I asked.

There was just silence on the other end, and I had a feeling it was all because of my sudden question.

"Dad!" My voice cracked a little under the evident exasperation. "Do you guys want me to think that you both sent that guy to break in?"

There was a loud shuffling before Dad finally replied, "Break in? Skylar, are you all right?"

I laughed at that question, then slid down against the closed door of my bedroom and placed my head on my knees. I wanted to yell at him, ask him what the hell this was all about. But instead, I stuck with inhaling a deep breath. Chicken, on the other hand, meowed loudly before curling up on my lap.

"Someone broke in, Dad." My voice came out strained. "I locked the doors but that guy broke in anyway. I don't--I don't understand what's going on."

I was going to start crying any second now. I didn't know how else to hold it all in.

"Sky, sweetheart, are you hurt?" It was Mom's voice this time, so full of concern, and I wished she was here so I could hug her. God, when was the last time I really wanted my mother around?

"No, Mum." I closed my eyes shut, trying to swallow down the lump in my throat as I remembered the ghostly touch of Caden's finger along my collarbone. "I'm fine. Caden...arrived on time."

"Caden?"

I clutched Chicken against me and it seemed to calm me down a bit. "How did you know about this, Mom?"

Once again, there was just silence and I bristled at that. Why the hell weren't they both saying anything?

"I know it's the locker. What's in that locker? That--That guy wanted that locker. You told me to keep it safe. Why?" It felt like I was talking to no one but myself and I had this sudden urge to scream out loud. "I'm going to call the police."

"Skylar, no," Mom spoke up and I was a bit taken aback by her strained voice. "You can't do that, sweetie. We're so sorry for all this. But I promise you, this won't be happening again."

I tipped my head back against the door and winced at the way my head seemed to pound at that tiny action alone.

"I don't understand," I whispered.

"We'll be back by morning, Sky," Dad said. "Try not to worry too much about it. Stay over at Alex's tonight, yeah?"

I felt a small lump growing in my throat, almost making me choke on my own words. "Will you explain this to me when you come back?"

They both didn't say anything, and I didn't think I had it in me to ask for it again.

"We'll be back soon, Sky." Mom said.

Soon.

•••••

When I went downstairs, I noticed that Seth and Shane were gone and Caden and Adrian were the only ones left.

Caden looked up at me from his phone right as I stepped into the lounge.

"Who was it?" He asked me, probably referring to the phone call I just had.

I frowned. "No one."

Adrian, who'd been busy with a call too, ended it and came towards us, directing his gaze at Caden. "Seth says he might've gotten a lead. I'll go and check up on it."

And as he left too, with a small smile towards me, I didn't think I was happy at the prospect of Caden and me alone in my house once again.

I crossed my arms and went over towards the couch, sitting down. I could've felt Caden's stare on me.

"You don't have to stay," I said.

"Skylar--" Caden started but I cut him off.

"It's fine. I'll be fine."

Caden shook his head at me and I couldn't help but notice his clenched, bruised knuckles. "Don't start acting like that."

"Acting like what?" I asked him. And I was tired, I realised. I didn't want to have another argument with him right now. "I want to be left alone, Caden."

I didn't. Not really.

"You don't." He frowned at me. "Not after what happened tonight. It's bloody well written on your face, Anderson."

What else could he see on my face? Had he tried almost kissing me just to get answers out of me?

"Well, I still don't want you here." I glared at him. "Not when all of this could've been something you set up."

Caden blinked in surprise, then disbelief. "Why would I try to save you from a person I sent to break into your house?"

"I don't know." I forced it out. "I don't know you. I don't know what you want."

It might've probably been the first time I ever saw him at a loss for words. "I don't..." He trailed off. It'd be stupid to say that I saw a brief flash of hurt in his eyes. Because this was Caden. Caden wasn't known to show emotions. "I don't want anything."

"You wanted to know about that locker." I gritted my teeth. "You want that. Everyone always wants something, Caden."

He stared at me. He stared at me for a very long time.

I could've felt my heart beating feverishly. "Just leave me alone, please. I need some time alone."

Silence. There was just silence.

The only sound I heard was the back door opening and closing back as he left.

••••••

Right as I heard the doorbell ringing, I rushed towards the door and pulled it open just as quick. Past experiences should've prevented me from doing so, especially at night when I was home alone, but I knew it must've been Alex.

And it was him.

I felt so incredibly relieved that I probably could've cried right then.

"Hey..." Alex trailed off, his smile faltering and transforming into a frown as he peeked inside my house. I didn't wait another second before throwing my arms around him and breathing out a long shudder.

"What's wrong?" He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer. "What happened?"

"Don't ask." I shook my head and scrunched my eyes close when tears welled up in my eyes. I think Alex heard it in my voice since he squeezed me a little, pressed a kiss on the top of my head, before slowly walking us both inside.

I heard the front door clicking shut behind us right as Alex muttered, "Oh."

"Did you fight with Chicken?" He teased, though I could hear the hint of concern in his voice.

"No." I sniffled, then pulled back. What had happened here was far worse than a fight with my cat.

His eyes trailed around the house before stopping at the broken pieces of the vase that I had somehow managed to push aside in one corner. "What happened then?"

I flopped down on the couch, slumping backwards and closing my eyes shut. Now that he was here, I really didn't need to feel so cautious anymore. And that's when exhaustion really hit me.

But I still told him everything that had just happened. I told him everything about that creepy guy who had broken in. I told him about Caden coming here at the same time, which still didn't settle well with me. I told him everything about that locker too, from the voicemails my mom left me to the creepy hooded guy who'd demanded to know where the locker was.

"And then this thing with Caden--" I stopped abruptly then, deciding that I should omit out the part where Caden almost kissed me. I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to think about the fact that it could've been Caden just taking advantage of me.

"It's just, a lot happened, Alex."

Alex was silent the entire time, listening to me intently with his slightly furrowed brows. He sat down on the couch beside me and faced me.

"Your parents must've got a reason for it, Sky. You and I both know they have a reason for almost everything." He passed me a small smile.

I stared at him worriedly.

"I'm...relieved though that he was here for you," Alex added, and the smile vanished from his lips. His gaze trailed away from me. "Caden, I mean. It could've gotten a lot worse."

I swallowed and looked away too. It could've gotten a lot worse.

"I don't know, Alex," I whispered. "This all is just...scary. I'm scared."

Beyond just scared. Just when I thought I could move on from this mess, it seemed to come right towards me. There was so much that I didn't know--the locker, the things my parents were hiding from me, Caden's true intentions, Blake's true intentions. There was so much more to it all than I thought.

Alex was silent for a while before scooting closer and placing a comforting arm around my shoulders. "Don't be. Everything will be fine, Sky."

And I believed him. At least for that night.

______

Xoxo,

Crystal 🌿