P H O E N I X

The ride to Belmont wasn't long. It was the neighbouring town to Stonecrest, smaller in size but popular for its year long funfair and that's where our destination was on a warm Saturday night.

The trip had oddly reminded me of the music festival. It felt like it happened a lifetime ago. This time rather than Jay, Chloe and Elsa as my companions it was Kaden, Sam and Kat.

Callum had been less than pleased that Sam was going to the fair so I wondered how he managed to convince him otherwise. I remembered the chat I'd had with the detective only a few days ago.

"Phoenix, can I have a word?" He said discreetly after my last class.

There weren't many students left so I hoped him pulling me to one side wouldn't stimulate another set of rumors.

I knew today was the last of the safety talks so after today he wouldn't be hanging around the school anymore. Kaden would no doubt be overjoyed to hear this news. But then there was also the fact that Callum was looking into the incident with the fabricated article. I wondered if Kaden had said anything but judging from our conversation starter I doubted he did, and it didn't seem right to say anything when he himself hadn't.

"I can see you've been spending a lot of time with Kaden." Callum rubbed his rough jaw, the remnants of grief still lingering.

"Are you spying on me?"

"It's not exactly a secret." He was right on that account. I had been coming to school with Kaden. It was a change to my usual bike ride. Even Kat enjoyed having the free lift in a four wheeled vehicle than two.

"Listen, Matt was one of my closest friends. You're his little sister. I don't want to see you getting hurt."

"You don't have to feel like you have this responsibility over me."

"All I'm saying is to be careful. Kaden isn't someone with a great background."

"Neither are you." I fired back, on the defensive. "Thanks for the help but I'm capable of making my own judgements about people."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm talking to you as a friend, Phoenix. He's mixed up with some bad people from his past."

"I can take care of myself, Callum." I said, already beginning to remove myself from his sphere of influence. "Besides the past is in the past."

"The past may not be put as far back as you think." I heard him say this as I was leaving and didn't I know it? I hadn't forgotten that Kaden had been one of my earlier crushes in life.

Looking at him now, one hand casually on the wheel while the fingers on the other were tapping his knee, I wondered how I'd come to this point. It didn't escape me how everytime I tried to make him talk about himself, he'd always find a way to divert the question back. Either that or turn my mind to mush with lingering kisses. I didn't mind the latter so much.

Shaking my head of remnants of the past few days I focused on the present.

"You two know each other long?" I broke into Sam and Kat's hushed conversation. They had their heads drawn suspiciously close.

"Phee!" Kat hissed.

"What?" I said innocently.

"You're being embarrassing."

"It's alright." Sam laughed. He'd regained some of his old self. "Kat and I have a few classes together."

"Oh really? Which ones."

"Phee." Kat warned.

"Biology and chemistry."

I couldn't stop the grin from my face. "Seems fitting."

"Oh my god." Kat's cheeks burned and I no doubt would have been on the receiving end of her wrath had the boys not struck a convo of their own.

She was still mad at me when we arrived at the fair. I let her storm off with Sam on her trail, I assumed she'd like the turn of events. Sliding out the passenger seat, I found a text by the others telling me they were by the candyfloss stand.

"Ready?" I asked Kaden. He gave me a grim smile but it was better than nothing. I went ahead to search for the candyfloss stall but circled back to drag Kaden when he dwindled behind.

Our clasped hands were the first thing that Chloe noticed judging from how her gaze zoomed in between us. Jay and Elsa had other things on their minds. "What ride should we go on first?"

I turned to ask Kaden what he thought but noticed he'd turned stiff. I followed his gaze to see Noah balancing multiple sticks of pink floss. I also didn't know what was going on there but I offered a supportive squeeze of the hand. When that didn't work, I ran circular motions at the base of his spine to get him to ease up a little. It seemed to work because he became a little more relaxed.

"I can't do anything with heights." Elsa said. Much like her fear of blood she had a severe case of vertigo.

"You're no fun." Jay tutted.

"Says the guy who's afraid of clowns."

"That's a completely rational fear."

While they argued whose fear was more legitimate, I searched for Kat and Sam. I'd told them not to wonder too far but couldn't seem to stop worrying. It would have been better if they were with us.

"They'll be fine." Kaden said as if reading my mind.

I didn't get the chance to respond because it was announced then that we were to go on the ghost train first. Jay knew the worker behind the till so we even got a group discount.

Noah and Chloe sat in front, Elsa and Jay in the middle and finally Kaden and I. Throughout the seating ordeal, Jay hadn't stopped teasing Elsa. They'd betted who would get through it without making a sound but neither had taken into account that they were both equally scaredy cats. It had ended in a draw of course and the penalty was to buy corn dogs for everyone.

The ghost train had a few jump scares but was overall manageable. Kaden, on the other hand, didn't seem to move a single muscle. Nothing could frighten Mr Tough Nails. Nothing except confrontation which occurred when Jay and Elsa went off to do their penalty and Chloe pulled me aside.

I glanced at Kaden's startled look when I was taken to one side. "Don't worry, I'll bring her back." Chloe flashed him a smile before whisking me away to a quieter part of the fair.

"You and Kaden huh?" She began, not waiting to beat around the bush.

I shrugged. "It just happened."

"But I need details."

"You really don't." I couldn't help the blush that crept up my cheeks. I didn't have to admit to Chloe that a few make out sessions had turned into a little more for her to get the gist.

She raised her brows in amusement. "No wonder he hasn't let you out of his sight. So you two are really a thing now."

"I guess."

"You can say it you know, boyfriend."

"I think that scares him."

"What, commitment?"

"I don't know what it is. But I don't think he wants me getting too close."

"You've already been there."

"Chloe!" My cheeks burned from embarrassment. This was what it must have felt like to be Kat's shoes but to a much greater degree.

"Okay I'm being serious now." Chloe tried to make a straight face but couldn't keep the grin away. "Maybe he needs time to adjust."

"That's what I'm hoping."

Satisfied with what I'd told her, we began to head back to the group. Kat and Sam had finally turned up, each with corndogs in their hands. A look of relief passed Kaden's face upon our arrival. Chloe surrendered me to him with a flourish which made me blush even harder though I tried to play it off with a roll of my eyes.

"What'd she say to you?" Kaden leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"Nothing." I said but my voice was barely above a squeak.

He arched a brow but there was a glint in his eye. He then leaned down again and whispered something that had me turn as red as a lobster.

Chloe was watching us closely so when I marched past her, picking our next ride, I heard her join Kaden in laughing at me. And despite my embarrassment, it was a welcoming sound.