Chapter 14 XADEN
Chapter 14
XADEN
SIX YEARS AGO.
Sloane’s mum had a space, a space where she trains her punches because as she always says, “Bad guys need to be spanked.”
I needed a place to call my own, just somewhere quiet, someplace no one would ever find me. And her place was just the place. I loved dancing. It was nice to set free and lose and then she came in one day, jaw dropped, completely frozen, standing by the door, dressed like one of those dancers from Step Up the movie. She looked like the smaller version of her mum. Badass.
I always wondered why she always acted holy around Jasper. Turns out she was bullied in school and her only friend was my impulsive selfish little brother. Not wanting to hurt her friend and lose him, she hid her true self. No matter how hard I ignored her, or how hard I tried to ignore her, she always found a way to catch my attention.
And now, here she is, dressed like a dancer, standing in front of her mum's space which was supposed to be my private space.
Her jaw dropped, her eyes glued on me. Hr eyes traced every part of me like she was taking in this version of me she had never seen before. I couldn't blame her. I never danced in front of anyone. Never looked messy. I was the first son. The first child. I needed to be put together, to carry the family alongside my father. I was always composed. Not pretending, just introverted.
Seeing me soaked in sweat, with this sleeveless fitted top, and these baggy joggers, and sneakers, the complete opposite of what she always sees me on a normal day, and this hip hop blasting in the background.
“Can I help you?” I finally broke the silence between us, tearing a view away from my sculpted body. I train a lot so yeah, my body is well sculpted.
Her eyes flickered, “Uhm, this place belongs to your mum.” she fired back.
There she is, my little fighter. She never lets me have the last word, always coming at me, forgetting that I am five years older and ten times bigger.
“Well, your mum let's meet at this place.” I fired back, “You shouldn’t be here.”
“Why? You didn't want me to see you looking like a muffin?” She giggled, walking in, swinging her tiny waist, just like her mother. Her mother is an elegant woman, who carries herself with pride. You can never catch Aunty Julia looking or walking like a mess, even the day she got into an accident chasing a drug lord, this woman strutted out of a car wreck.
And this girl, has the same walk as her mother.
Hold on, did she just say I look like a muffin?
“A muffin? Me?” I fired. I have heard people call me hot, sexy, and tempting but a muffin? Really? I am six foot two on a very good day and she likes five two and she opens her mouth to say I look like a muffin? “Do you perhaps need glasses, Peach?” I added.
She chuckled, “Your hair is wet, your eyes are wet. You definitely look like a muffin, right now. And why do you make it sound like an insult… It’s a compliment. Muffins are my favorite.”
My lips parted to refute but for some weird reason, I couldn't find the words.
Did I like that she called me Muffin?
Somehow, the name stayed.
And she only calls me Muffin, when she needed to get away with something. Or wanted to tease me.
——-
PRESENT.
I sat there, looking at her, speechless. Eyes flickering. I was very surprised I didn't like the name Muffin but hearing her call me that literally after five years, something inside of me softened.
I missed the way they rolled off her mouth. I miss the way her eyes glint whenever she calls me Muffin because she knew I was going to growl at her.
I slammed my eyes shut and slightly bowed my head because she used that name to ask why I left her.
I want to tell her… I want to tell her so had but… I’m not… I don’t think I am ready to go down that road.
Five years ago was the beginning of the hardest part of my life. Everything changed after that night… not for the better.
I was lonely. Broken. Alone. Scared. Terrified. I had barely brought myself to forget about it.., I don’t think forgetting about it is the word, … I just got to bury it… hide it in a place I won’t have to reach for.
“Sloane?” I called softly.
As much as I am not ready to tell her, I am not ready to lose her. Not again.
“Yea?”
“If I ask you to give me a couple more… If I am not ready to talk, will you leave me?” I asked, shamelessly. My voice breaking, my fist tightened together.
My eyes flickered as I stared at her.
I was shameless and selfish. Not only did I break her heart without reason, but now I am telling her to give me more time? Like five years wasn’t enough?
“Do you promise to tell me when you are ready?” Her voice yanked me out of my thoughts.
She didn't look mad, her eyes remained on me. Waiting for my response.
I nodded, “Yes, I promise.”
She turned away, “Well then, Muffin.” She shrugged.
I chuckled. “Well then, Peach.”
“So does that mean we’re good? Like we are back to being friends?” she asked.
Friends? Were we ever friends?
From the moment I heard her cuss by the lake, I think I was sure that Sloane and I would never be friends.
“Do you think we can be friends?” I threw the question at her.
I like her too much to be just her friend but if she wants to be a friend then I’ll be her friend… For now.
“Is there a reason we can’t be friends?” She threw the question back at me, dragging her eyes and words.
Oh, there is my fiesty Sloane.
“Hmm.” I paused, “I know one, he happens to be my brother, naked Jasper, your best friend?”
She giggled, “Oh please, that didn't stop you years ago, did it?” She wiggled her brows. “If we snuck around years ago, why can’t we now?”
Ohhhh… the only reason I want to sneak around with her now would be for reasons that are very much not holy but yeah… we could be friends… Friends who sneak around.
“I see your point,” I affirmed.
She laughed and sipped her coffee.
We stayed at Kyle for breakfast. Sloane said goodbye to her friends which by the way, I am very proud of because she was finally making new friends that doesn't surround my brother.
I gave her a ride home and as soon as we walked through the door and saw my brother glaring and fuming, I just knew that I should have probably waited in the car instead of following her in.