Hello! Please note that I
won't be able to update for a week
due to being grounded for being 
in a fight to defend my friend.
but I made this chapter as a sorry!

CHAPTER 07

HARPER THE LESBIAN

"You know, I'm a bit surprised. I always thought she was a lesbian" Caden mused aloud to the group as she stares at the name written under the desk, 'Harper fucked Dusty'.

"Shut up Caden" Darren whispers to her, while Quinn is deeply engrossed in comforting Amerie, offering a half-hearted explanation "I should've told you. I thought it was some weird graffiti that some random had put there."

"And now it takes an entire village of randos. I mean..." Darren remarked and laughed at the list of names etched on the desk. "Look at all the fresh little sluts getting up in here. This happened at Dusty's party."

Amerie, looking slightly troubled, turned to the group with a sense of urgency, "Who do you think is doing this?" Caden, now fully engaged in the conversation, raised an eyebrow and replied, "The real question is how are these people getting fucked? I mean Anna? Have you seen her? I'm surprised anyone would be willing to sleep with her after what she did".

"Wait, what did Anna do— " Quinn questions, but is instantly cut off.

"It doesn't matter who's doing it. That stupid freaking map ruined my life. I hate that there's a version 2.0" Amerie declared in frustration. Caden, unable to resist a sarcastic jab, retorted, "Weren't you the one who made the map though?"

"Oh wait!" Quinn exclaims excitedly as she comes closer to the trio of friends and playfully plops herself between them, drawing surprised glances from Caden at how snugly they all fit together. With a mischievous glint in her eye, Quinn deftly uncovers the marker and boldly inscribes 'Quinni + Sasha' inside a large heart on the surface. Darren's hands instinctively tighten around her thighs, while Caden's eyes widen in a mix of astonishment and amusement at the audacious move made by their friend.

"Sorry what?" Darren interjects, trying to make sense of the sudden declaration.

"When—" Questions Caden.

We're in a relationship. Obviously." Quinn interrupts with a playful giggle that is infectious, drawing laughter from Caden in response. As Darren intertwines his fingers with Quinn's, he teasingly remarks, "After hooking up once, that's so textbook lesbian of you!"

"Proud of you, Quinni!" Caden chimes in warmly, enveloping the girl in a heartfelt hug. Meanwhile, Amerie extricates herself from under the table with a wearied sigh, declaring, "I am not going to end up on that map ever again. Romance is dead to me now."

"Alright there, Negative Nancy," Caden jests as she, Darren, and Quinn resurface from beneath the desk to perch themselves atop it. Amerie shakes her head ruefully and elaborates on her despondency, "I was obsessed with Dust for like a bajillion years. And for what? I just ended up completely humiliated. I'm an idiot"

Quinn locks eyes with Amerie, gently correcting her, "Okay, 'idiot' is, um, considered ableist language."

"Yeah, Amerie. Besides, what's the alternative, stitch up your mutt?" Darren quips with a grin, prompting a soft chuckle from Quinn.

"Yeah basically. I don't even want to think about boys or sex or dicks for the next...however long it takes me to feel normal again." Amerie explains wearily.

"Well I hear pussy is quite popular now" Caden interjects playfully, causing Darren to playfully swat her arm while she grins at her impish remark.

"Well, I'm not even gonna mazz" Both Caden and Darren were in disgust as they shared their aversion towards the idea.

"Ew, that sounds like my worst nightmare," Darren exclaimed, expressing their strong distaste for such a thought. Quinn, feeling puzzled, turned to her friend, and questioned, "Well, how does someone not think about sex?"

"I don't know. I'll just...train myself" Caden let out a sarcastic laugh at the comment, Amerie glanced at her and replied, "For real! Every time I get a sexy thought, I'll slap myself in the face."

"Mhm. That sounds super functional."

"I have a better idea, you could get a hobby and no not mazzing Darren, a different hobby!" Both Quinn and Amerie enthusiastically delved into discussing the various kinds of hobbies available, exploring options that might be suitable for Amerie to pursue in place of their current topic of conversation.

LITTLE THINGS

As Caden was leisurely strolling, she serendipitously encountered Malakai advancing toward her. Acknowledging his approach, she gazes at him warmly and greets him, "Hey! You just finished training?"

"Hey, yeah yeah I'm gonna pull some weights next period. Wanna come watch me?" Malakai, with a charming smile, responds, Caden, tilting her head curiously, playfully questions, "Is this your way of flirting with me?"

Caught slightly off guard, Malakai hesitates before answering. "Well, Um..."

Amused by his bashfulness, Caden gently brushes off the situation, "It's cute, but I have something to do. If I'm free, I'll check you yeah?" Understanding her response, Malakai nods in agreement. Caden bids him farewell with a warm hug and continues her way, unaware of the pair of eyes staring at her.

LITTLE THINGS

After school, Caden was on the field practising football. Despite it only being a few days, she feels rusty, and the season is coming up soon. With a bag of brightly coloured cones in hand, she placed them meticulously, creating a makeshift obstacle course on the field. As the cool breeze rustled through her hair, she took a deep breath and began her solitary practice session. With each touch of the ball, her skills grew sharper, her control more precise. She weaved in and out of the cones, effortlessly dribbling the ball, honing her technique with unwavering focus. The sound of her kicks echoed through the empty field, a testament to her dedication and passion.

"Hey, what are you doing?" She turns around, her attention caught by the sight of Malakai energetically making his way toward her. A warm smile graces her face as she greets him, "Just practising. What's new with you?"

"Nothing really. Been practising, I'm gonna knock Spider down at the trials this weekend." Caden casually retrieves the basketball, tucking it securely under her arm before inquiring, "Trials? For basketball?"

"Yeah, dude been showing off too much and it's annoying me" Malakai remarks, casually relieving Caden of the ball and starting to dribble it.

"Well since I know Spider, the best thing to do is act as if you don't care about his words, it annoys the shit outta him" she advises. Malakai, attentive and nodding in agreement, shifts his focus to the ball as they continue their practice session.

"Are you free tonight?" Caden asked, her curiosity evident in her voice. Caught slightly off guard by the question, Malakai fumbles with the ball he had been bouncing so confidently just moments before, the rhythmic sound of its bounce fading into silence. With a nervous expression, he meets her gaze and stammers, "Uh I'm a bit busy later, maybe some other time yeah?"

Despite feeling a tinge of disappointment, Caden manages to maintain a composed demeanour, her smile still warm, as she nods understandingly in response to Malakai's hesitant reply. The moment hangs briefly between them, the unspoken tension underscored by the unfulfilled possibilities of the present invitation.

LITTLE THING

Darren, Caden and Quinn were leisurely strolling towards the school, engrossed in a lively conversation about the upcoming Slay Ball scheduled for the weekend. While Caden seemed indifferent to the event and refrained from commenting, Amerie playfully interrupted the discussion by playfully leaping onto Caden, causing a moment of chaos and surprise among the group, leading to a collective outburst of astonished screams.

"What the fuck Amerie?!" Caden says, after recovering from the sudden scare. She manages to catch her breath.

Darren, in his usual playful demeanour, turned towards Amerie, captivated by her sudden appearance, and jokingly expressed, "Where have you been all my life?"

"I took a self-care day. I went to the beach, had some fish and chips, had some sex."

Caden stopped walking and looked at her, "No way. Darren, you owe me money!"

Darren scowls as they go into their pocket to pull out the twenty. Amerie looked at the two with confusion, "I had bet that you wouldn't be able to last more than two days without thinking about sex, while Darren said, a week".

Amerie rolls her eyes at the two and continues talking, "Anyway, your girl dropped the V plates! You couldn't tell? I don't feel any different. Do I look different? Am I glowing?"

Amerie picks out the cornflakes from her shirt when Quinn mentions it, Darren grips Amerie's shoulders tightly and asks, "Who with? Wait let me guess".

"Malakai"

Caden turns her attention, to Amerie. Is that why he couldn't come over? Because he was too busy fucking her? Caden is annoyed at the mixed signals he's sending her. Sure, she has a bet going on with Spencer but that doesn't mean she couldn't talk to people. She was wondering if she should ask more questions about Malakai but then thought it would look suspicious for her to ask about him. Caden was silent throughout the rest of the journey to school.

"It's totally not a serious thing though. I think we're both going to keep it chill" Amerie says as she puts the lollipop in her mouth, only to spit it out when she sees Malakai holding a bouquet and a balloon that says, 'Will you be my girlfriend Amer' in front of the whole school. The whole school were laughing.

"Yeah, that seems totally chill." Darren comments.

LITTLE THINGS

Instead of sticking to the initial plan of heading over to Darren's place, Spencer found himself waiting outside eagerly to give Caden a lift. Surprising as it was, Caden hadn't anticipated his sudden appearance at her doorstep. Her choice of attire for the evening, a captivating black square neck ruched sequin mesh bodycon dress matched flawlessly with her rose gold butterfly knot metal pointed toe stiletto sandals featuring a charming tie-up strap.

"What're you doing here?" She questions as she opens the door and sits in the car.

Spencer's gaze lingered on her face, captivated by her radiant presence, before smoothly descending to appreciate her outfit. "I wanted to pick you up. You look amazing," he remarked with genuine admiration, prompting Caden to playfully roll her eyes, the affectionate exchange between them palpable in the air. "How'd things go today?" He asked after pulling off from the curb.

Caden sighed wistfully, "It was ight, nothing too exciting. Mom's still on my case about her she-devil" she added with a touch of exasperation.

"She is kinda scary."

Caden couldn't help but chuckle in agreement, "Kinda? The woman is the devil's spawn" she quipped, a glint of mischief in her eyes. Her expression turning more serious, she continued, "I think she's forgetting that I'm not her child. And mom is forgetting that I am her child".

"Well, you are technically related to her, well when they get married," Spencer said, causing Caden to visibly cringe at the mere thought, a grimace crossing his face, only to be met with amusement from the blonde who couldn't help but chuckle. Catching her eye, he quipped, "Fuck em. "

Which earned an eye roll from her, although she couldn't suppress the fond smile tugging at her lips. Without missing a beat, she reached over to change the music playing on the radio, opting for The Calling's classic tune, 'Wherever You Will Go', a choice that typically wouldn't be Spencer's first, but strangely, he let it play without interruption, focusing on the road ahead. Each time they hit a red light, he dutifully stopped, stealing glances at her in the passenger seat as she swayed and danced to the music, a sight that never failed to make him smile in adoration. It was cute.

The drive to the Mardi Gras Slay Ball wasn't long, maybe it was because of the conversations the duo was having with each other, discussing everything from past memories to future aspirations. Once they got there, they found themselves standing in line with Dusty, Missy, Sasha, Ant, and Harper, creating a diverse group of friends ready to enjoy the festivities. Harper attempted to engage Caden in small talk, hoping to break the awkward tension, yet Caden seemed distant and uninterested. How could she? Yeah, Amerie is her ex-best friend, but she damn well knew that her friend had a crush on Dusty, and the fact that she boosted about not liking him only for her to come here with him, is sick. But hey that isn't her business.

"Hey," She heard a familiar voice call out, causing her to turn around and spot her usual group making their way towards them. Taking a moment to admire their outfits, she specifically took note of Darren's work. She looks at them and says, "Nice work making them look like people"

"Can't go outside looking like they're homeless" Amused by the jest that they couldn't appear as though they were homeless, she let out a snort in response to Darren's playful remark. Caden observed the exchange between Amerie and Harper as they exchanged glances.

"Nice shoes" The blonde commented, her ex-friend, Amerie smiled at her, "Oh, thanks. They're the only thing of yours I didn't burn."

Dusty leans his head and looks at what Malakai's wearing, "Oh, look at you."

Both Malakai and him, shook hands together (I can't remember what you call this), "Acting like you never seen a Blackfulla before, hey?" Malakai says, then does a little weird dance. Spencer is about to comment, but Caden grips his shoulder in a warning. Spencer stares at him in disgust and continues to chew his gum, while Malakai smiles at him and says, "Go on, then. Take a picture. I'm a lovely ting, aren't I? Don't project your shit 'cause you feel inadequate."

Caden's gaze pierced through Malakai, a questioning look etched on her face as she grappled with the source of his unexpected outburst. Glancing over at Spencer, she half-expected a furious reaction. Instead, he simply let out a derisive snort, commenting nonchalantly, "'Inadequate'? Nice. Big word for a little bloke."

Caden turns him to face her, "Oi, ignore him ight? He's just trying to rail you up". Her words were meant to calm the tension brewing between them and remind Spencer that Malakai's taunts were not worth taking to heart.

He stares but doesn't say anything. Once the door opens, he holds her hand and pulls her inside. The performers on stage were entertaining. The music wasn't Caden's go-to music for dance, but it wasn't bad. She started swaying her hips, trying to enjoy herself when she felt hands on her waist.

She felt Spencer's strong, firm hands delicately resting on her waist, gently guiding her in time with the music as they moved in perfect harmony. The sensation of his warmth against her skin was palpable, creating an intimate connection that seemed to transcend the crowded room, leaving them enveloped in their own world. The rhythm of their bodies swaying together conveyed a shared understanding, a silent language spoken between just the two of them.

With each undulating movement, she sensed the growing intensity of their mutual attraction, manifested in the way his grip on her waist tightened slightly, a non-verbal declaration of desire. A soft, involuntary moan escaped her lips as she felt his tender kisses on her neck, the sensation of his breath sending shivers down her spine. The lingering pressure of his lips against her skin left an imprint that she could almost see, a silent testimony to their shared moment of passion that only served to further ignite her own inner flame.

She melted into Spencer's embrace, feeling the safe haven of his arms wraps around her with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. His touch, once resting on her waist, now delicately caressed the contours of her lower back, drawing her impossibly closer to him. The raw, primal desire pulsating between them became palpable as they pressed against each other, their bodies engaged in a silent dance of yearning and arousal.

The music, a mere backdrop to the symphony of their desires, faded into a distant hum as they became lost in the magnetic pull drawing them together. His lips, traversing a path from her neck to her ear, awakened every nerve ending in her body, leaving her tingling with a heady concoction of pleasure and want. A gentle nip at her earlobe, followed by the tantalizing sweep of his tongue, elicited a delicious shiver that cascaded down her spine.

Their movements synced in perfect harmony, as Spencer's hips began to arch and press against hers, igniting a wave of sensations that made her gasp in response. Seizing the moment, he captured her lips in a searing kiss, a passionate exchange that left her breathless and craving more. In the heat of their shared passion, tongues tangled and explored hungrily, each revelling in the intoxicating taste of the other.

With each passing second, her body surrendered further to the insistent call of desire, the rush of heat pooling between her thighs an undeniable testament to the growing need for release. Yet, amidst the maelstrom of sensations and cravings, she clung to the moment, determined to savour every touch, every kiss, every shared breath as if time had simply ceased to exist in their cocoon of intimacy and passion.

Spencer must have sensed her hesitation, because he pulled away slightly, looking down at her with a question in his eyes. She answered by pulling him back in for another kiss, her hands working their way underneath his shirt to feel the warmth of his skin. He removes his lips from her and groans, "God, you make it fucking impossible to not take you right here."

Caden flashes an innocent smile, her playful gaze locked on his frustrated expression. She playfully pats his chest and taunts, "Mhm, I thought you said that you like a challenge? Giving up already?" Despite her teasing tone, he simply scoffs in exasperation, choosing to remain silent and savour the electrifying tension between them.

They turn their attention to those on stage when suddenly, Darren comes up and starts dancing. Caden looks at Quinn and Amerie to wonder what's going on when even they didn't know that they were going to do this. Caden started screaming and cheering them on. She didn't think Darren was much of a dancer since when the two of them would randomly practice, they would get tired. But she was impressed. Once Darren got off the stage, Caden ran up to them and jumped on them, making Darren put their arms under her thighs, to support her.

"You were amazing, lemme go fuck up them judges". Darren laughs at her comment. They put her down and go to accept the hugs from Amerie and Quinni.

Once the cheering is over, Caden goes and looks for Spencer. She sees him on the dance floor talking to Ant. She grabs his hands. Ant looks at the two and laughs, "Oi, wrap it ey? Don't need a mini version of you!"

Caden shakes her head while Spencer gives Ant the middle finger. The two walked out of the club and took a stroll. "You had fun?" He asked, she shook her head and said, "Yeah, I did. We should do this some more".

"You have any plans for tomorrow?" Spencer asks. Spencer inquired further, as Caden playfully swung their hands, feeling a sense of whimsy, "No, I don't think so, why?"

"Wanna hang out?" Spencer proposed, to which Caden shook her head affirmatively and replied, "Sure" A smile spread across Spencer's face at Caden's positive response. Caden looks at the sky and stares at the stars.

"You ever thought about what the skies have? Like I mean beyond it?"

"What? Are you drunk?"

"No, just follow along. Think about it. Do we really know what beyond the stars have? Maybe there's alien life that we don't know about".

"You're an alien" She laughs at his comment. "If I'm an Alien then you're a dinosaur but the one with small arms"

"You mean a T-rex?"

"Yeah, those things. Sometimes I imagine you as a dinosaur with small arms trying to scare everyone, but it comes off as adorable" Caden says as she imitates a dinosaur. Spencer laughs at her stupidity, "You're so weird".

"Maybe it's because my parents are dinosaurs" Spencer says, Caden stops and looks at him.

"Is that why you're so tall?" Spencer continues to laugh at the girl. Spencer was about to respond when they saw a police officer attacking Malakai. He was about to pull Caden back when the girl let go of his hands and ran quickly to her friend. Ignoring personal danger, she launched himself at the police officer, determined to forcibly remove him from Malakai. The scuffle intensified as Caden grappled with the aggressive officer, her fervent efforts a blur of motion in the chaotic scene. Amidst the chaos, a heart-stopping moment unfolded as the police officer forcibly pushed the girl aside, causing her to stumble and fall, the impact jarring her so that she struck her head against the unforgiving ground. Dazed and disoriented, she found herself briefly enveloped in a disorienting swirl of sensations - the distant echo of her name being called out, the dizzying realization of her fall, the vague sensation of weightlessness as she was lifted from the hard floor.

Upon awakening, Caden found herself in a bed that wasn't her own, with Spencer lying shirtless beside her. As she attempted to sit up, a throbbing sensation engulfed her head. Spencer, noticing her movement, extended his hands in a gesture to keep her from rising, gently coaxing her to remain lying down with a concerned tone, "Oi, what are you doing? Lay down, yeah?"

"Did we have sex?" Caden mumbles, but despite the haze in his mind, Spencer manages to catch her words. Reflecting on the absurdity of the situation, he responds with a mixture of disbelief and amusement "You literally were in a fight with the police and you think I'd have sex with you after? You really did hit your head hard."

"Shut up...what time is it?" Caden's voice cut through the silence of the night. Her blinked groggily, trying to orient himself in the darkness that enveloped his room. The question hung in the air, unanswered for a brief moment until Spencer's response broke the quiet.

"Still nighttime, got a few more hours till class" Caden stares at the ceiling, trying to remember what happened, "Stop thinking so hard and go back to sleep"

"I got to call-"

"Already called your mum, now go and sleep" whispered Spencer gently, enveloping her in a comforting hug that filled her with a sense of contentment. Feeling the weight of her eyelids becoming heavier, Caden nestled into the embrace, welcoming the warmth that lulled her back into a peaceful slumber.