SageThe coffee shop was very familiar to me and I come here almost everyday but today, it felt like a stage, and I was the nervous lead actor waiting for the curtain to rise. My fingers drummed on the table, the rhythm doing nothing to calm the nervous energy running through me as I waited patiently for her.I had rehearsed my lines in my head so many times that I was certain they’d come out perfectly when the moment arrived. Mara was supposed to come here today, it was her favorite spot too. I’d overheard her mentioning it once in class, and it seemed like fate that we both frequented the same place.When the door jingled, I looked up instinctively. There she was, stepping in with her easy confidence and the softest smile that always seemed to linger on her lips. Her hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders, and she had on a vintage jacket that I thought suited her.This was it.I stood up before I could overthink it, weaving through the tables toward her. My palms were sweaty,
KaidenThe coffee shop door jingled softly as I walked in, scanning the room for Mara. She was sitting by the window, her signature smirk already in place as she watched me approach. She didn’t even bother waiting for me to sit down before she tilted her head and gave me that all-too-familiar look of exasperation.“You’re an idiot,” she said, not even bothering with a greeting.“Hello to you too,” I replied, sliding into the seat across from her.“What the fuck, Kaiden? You are a monster, you know that?” I shook my head, “would you at least let me drink my coffee first before you start yelling?” I asked,“Oh, I am yelling? Is that what you are calling it?”“What is it, Mara?”She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “You really thought this was going to work? That making me the bad guy was your best play?”I sighed, leaning back in the chair and rubbing the back of my neck. “I wasn’t making you the bad guy. I just... needed him to come to terms with it himself. He doesn’t even know
SageThe world was spinning around me as I stumbled through my front door, the taste of cheap alcohol was still bitter on my tongue. The bar had offered me no solace, only the sense of emptiness that wrapped around me like a disease. I dropped my keys on the counter, the sound echoing in the quiet of my apartment.All I wanted was to escape, to wash away the humiliation and heartbreak that clung to me like my natural scent. It wasn’t the brush off that made me upset, it’s the knowledge that I put myself out there. They said to be bold and I was, I embraced my feelings only to be brutally turned down.Without bothering to turn on more lights, I made my way to the bathroom, stripped off my clothes, and sank into the tub, letting the water pour over me.The bath didn’t soothe me as much as I’d hoped. My chest felt tight, and I kept waiting for my heart to tear open from it.Her words played continuously in my head, her apologizing for stringing me along with her words.I wasn’t mad at
SageOur lips clashed as I surrendered to him, his tongue slid it’s way into my mouth and I moaned when the organ wrestled mine for dominance. A battle I lost when Kaiden squeezed the back of my neck in warning. My abdomen tightened in response. I tilted my head back when his hand tugged at my hair, baring my neck to him. I obeyed diligently. Either I have gone crazy or there was something significantly wrong with me. The alcohol in my system made the inability to think straight a priority. I should be pushing him away yet, my fingers curled at the base of his neck, tugging at the patch of hair there. A groan rose from deep down as his hands tightened against me. I writhed in the water, the temperature running cold because we have been in there for so long. He pulled back and gazed at me with genuine concern that made my heart ache the more, “Are you cold?” It took me a minute to realize that my teeth was clattering, goosebumps decorated my body and yet, I pressed my body closer
KaidenI didn’t sleep on the couch.I laid beside him as he slept on the other side of the bed without a care in the world. I on the other hand, I couldn’t sleep.I was so burdened by guilt that sleep eluded me. My fingers trailed his cheeks in a feathery touch, careful not to wake him. I did this.I broke him.I was the reason for his breakdown tonight and to think I came over with the intent of fucking Mara out of his head. I wanted my name to be the last thing he whispered.I had no idea I would meet him broken and vulnerable. I was so angry with myself for letting things get too far and I was also angry with Mara.She was just doing what I told her to but why does the mere thought of her hurting Sage drive me nuts. Maybe she was right, I had to tell him the truth and get it over with.It would be safer to know that he wanted to be with me instead of knowing I manipulated him to do so. I would tell him the truth tomorrow, that I was in love with him.The truth about Mara dies with
SageI woke up to a pounding headache and the kind of dry mouth that made me regret every choice I’d made the night before, a terrible choice judging from the size of my headache. My eyes opened slowly, the dim light filtering through the curtains doing little to ease the ache behind my skull. The first thing I noticed was that I was in my bed.I had no recollection of how I got there.My last clear memory was of sitting at the bar, nursing a drink I didn’t even like, drowning in heartbreak and embarrassment. Everything after that was a blur. I groaned, rubbing my face, and dragged myself upright.I needed to take a shower and brush my teeth.Yawning, I stumbled toward the bathroom, stopping only when I heard a noise coming from the kitchen. My whole body froze, and panic coursed through me.Someone was in my apartment.I glanced around, my eyes landing on the wooden bat propped in the corner. Grabbing it, I tiptoed toward the kitchen, silencing my footsteps.I had a burglar in my ho
KaidenThe sun was barely up when I arrived at the restaurant, already annoyed at being dragged out so early. I pushed through the glass doors, scanning the tables until my eyes landed on my agent, Martin. He was seated in the far corner, sipping what looked like green tea and scrolling through his tablet.All in the day’s work.I strode over, pulling my sunglasses off and tossing them on the table. “Alright, Martin. What’s so urgent you couldn’t let me sleep in for once?”He glanced up at me, one brow arched. “Good morning to you too, sunshine.”I slumped into the chair across from him and grabbed the menu. “Let’s skip the pleasantries. What’s the deal? Jesus, you keep calling me like I took your kidney or something.”He set his tablet down and folded his arms. “The deal is, why haven’t you been picking up your phone? You make me look like a nagging mother other than a respectable agent.”I looked at him, deadpan. “Because I was busy. You’re lucky I even showed up. Respectable agent?
KaidenI slid into the driver’s seat of my car, and exhaled. I was still drained from the photo shoot. With a deep breath, I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed the number Martin had sent me earlier.The line rang twice before a smooth, professional voice answered. “This is River Wilder .”“Hello, Mr Wilder,” I said, settling back into my seat. “This is Kaiden . My agent probably mentioned I’d be reaching out.”There was a brief pause, then a warm chuckle. “Ah, Yes. I was wondering when I’d hear from you. Martin did mention you had something rather specific in mind.”“Very specific,” I confirmed, gripping the steering wheel with one hand as I glanced out at the busy street. “I want to build a house, a home, actually. Something unique, personal. Something that screams me,”“Unique is my specialty,” he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “Why don’t you tell me a bit more about what you’re envisioning?”I leaned back, closing my eyes as I pictured it. “It’s a house for t
KaidenWhen Martin dropped me in front of the professor’s house. I barely waited for him to drive off before I dug out my phone. My fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before I hit Bryan’s name.He was the only one who was making an attempt to help me right now. He answered on the second ring, his voice calm and clipped, like always.“Kaiden?”“Yeah, it’s me.” I moved to the far side of the room, away from the windows, and lowered my voice. “Something weird’s going on. I need to tell you about it.”“What kind of weird?” His tone sharpened immediately.I told him everything. The prepaid boutiques. The law firm. The condo being bought out. The way no one could or would tell me who was behind it. I could practically hear him frowning on the other end of the line.“You think it’s Sage?” he asked quietly.“No,” I said quickly, too quickly. “I don’t know. I mean—I don’t want to think that. And it’s not the professor either. I know that much. They would tell me if they are trying
KaidenI stared at the silver-trimmed envelope resting on the counter between the professor and me like it was some kind of explosive. The award ceremony. My name was on the guest list, of course. It had to be. I was the damn honoree.“I have my own invite, thanks to my connections,” the professor said casually, leaning against the kitchen counter. He swirled his coffee slowly, watching the dark liquid spiral. “But I think Sage should go with you.”Sage, sitting cross-legged on the couch and peeling a tangerine, looked up with a sheepish smile. “Would that be okay with you?”I didn’t even think about it before I answered. “No.”Their expressions changed almost instantly, surprise flickered across the professor’s features and Sage’s smile faltered.“It’s enough that Sage’s already in the spotlight,” I said, trying to keep my voice even, my words reasonable. “With the way everyone’s been talking and taking photos, I don’t want to put him in harm’s way, more than I already have. If you
Kaiden The clock on the bedside read 3:12 a.m. I rolled onto my side, confused by the soft glow seeping under the bedroom door. I blinked the sleep from my eyes, and when I looked over, Sage was still fast asleep beside me, his breathing steady and rhythmic. I reached out, touched his hair lightly, then slid out of bed. The hallway was silent except for the distant hum of the fridge and the occasional rustle of the wind brushing the windows. I padded barefoot across the wood floor, and as I neared the living room, the scent of whiskey hit me first. That, and the sound of papers being shuffled with irritation more than purpose. The soft overhead light in the corner cast a gold sheen across the professor’s back. He was hunched over the coffee table, glass of whiskey in one hand, papers spread out like an autopsy, calm chaos wrapped in tension. He didn’t look up when I entered. “You’re still awake?” I asked, keeping my voice low. “I have work to do,” he said, not looking at me. His
KaidenI watched Sage’s chest rise and fall steadily, his breathing finally even and calm after a long, exhausting day. The faint hum of the heater filled the small apartment as the evening air drifted colder through the windows. He looked peaceful in sleep, peaceful in a way that didn’t match anything we’d been living through lately. It was a lie his body told, one I was grateful for, even if I knew it wouldn’t last. The last thing I needed was for him to keep worrying about the unknown.Today took a toll on him.I sat at the edge of the couch, elbows resting on my knees, hands folded, but my thoughts weren’t still. They kept drifting back to the question he asked earlier about whether we’d ever go back to how things were. And now I knew for certain: we couldn’t. Not with this storm closing in around us, not when every time I let my guard down, something tried to take Sage from me.I haven’t even figured out how to apologize to the professor, it took me a lot of thinking to realize
SageThe next morning, Kaiden and I walked to school in silence. The meal we shared was so brief and he stayed with me. The professor didn’t come home and when I called him, he said he was working late and we should enjoy ourselves.I knew it was because he didn’t want to spend time with Kaiden. After their argument, they have been tense with each other.I didn’t want to Interfere in their problems as it could escalate into something I wouldn’t be able to control.I looked at Kaiden, I know we have already talked about this but I was so curious.I wanted to ask him again about where he’d really been that day, but the tension in his jaw warned me off. Still, I couldn’t help myself. “So,” I started, kicking a loose pebble on the sidewalk, “you never really told me where you went. Like, actually went.” His steps didn’t falter, but his grip tightened around the strap of his backpack. “I told you. I needed to clear my head.” “Yeah, but that could mean anything,” I pressed. “You just
SageI stood just outside the hospital’s main entrance, staring at the parking lot like it was a war zone. The discharge papers were crumpled slightly in my grip. I could feel my fingers tremble, but I didn’t loosen them. The sun was bright, the day clear, but I felt like I was standing in the middle of a fog, one that hadn’t lifted since I was attacked.Kaiden mentioned he would come and pick me up, hence the hesitation. I felt like if he wasn’t here to do that, I wouldn’t go. “Ready?” His voice pulled me out of my head.I turned toward him. He had one hand in his pocket, the other adjusting the strap of my duffel bag slung over his shoulder. His hair was a little messy, like he hadn’t even bothered with a brush this morning, and his hoodie looked slept in. But his eyes, his eyes were alert. “I don’t know if ready’s the word I’d use,” I admitted. My voice sounded too thin to my own ears. “I feel like I’m being pushed out of safety and right back into the middle of whatever this me
KaidenI slept at my place after the detective dropped me off. He was looking at me like he had a lot to say about what happened but I didn’t.Yes, I overreacted but I couldn’t go back there. I felt suffocated and the only thing I needed was freedom. I needed to find my answers and not let it extend to my relationship.I decided to go see Detective Bryan. The man in charge of narcotics. The one who might know what the hell was really going on. I hadn’t told Sage or the professor anything. Not yet. I couldn’t, not until I had something real. Something more than just paranoia and late-night shadows tailing me.I sat hunched over my laptop in a dingy little café two blocks from my apartment, the place reeking of burnt espresso and desperation. I typed in “Detective Bryan, Narcotics Division, city PD” and hit search. A few articles came up. He was decorated, involved in several high-profile raids. One article had a photo, square jaw, stern face, early forties. Not someone you’d expect to
SageI woke to silence. Not the peaceful kind, the kind that sets your skin crawling with dread, like the air itself is holding its breath. The clock on the wall read a little past 3am and I could see the shadows stretched along the floor, motionless. I looked around and noticed with a slight disappointment that Kaiden wasn’t here. I blinked twice and turned my head toward the small couch across the room. No professor either.My heart sank.They were gone. Both of them.I have never felt so alone. I thought they would both stay with me so I won’t be scared. But I was a big boy and could handle myself.I sat up slowly, the sheets slipping off my chest as I scanned the dim room. Maybe they went for a walk. Maybe Kaiden needed air and the professor tagged along. Maybe I was being paranoid.Or maybe something was very, very wrong.I was about to slide out of bed when the doorknob turned.I froze.The door creaked open, and the harsh fluorescent light from the hallway spilled into the r
KaidenI left the hospital with a gnawing unease in my gut. I hadn’t told Sage or the Professor the full truth, that I needed to test Raines myself, to see if he was really on our side or if he was playing us. If I had voiced my suspicions, the professor would have warned me against it, and Sage… well, Sage would have insisted on coming with me, injuries be damned. But this was something I had to do alone. I couldn’t pretend for the life of me. If the detective wasn’t on our side then I needed to know now, to save myself the trouble of finding out later.I know that the professor was just trying to be cautious but the detective was kind of my friend so I needed to give him the benefit of the doubt.I stared at my phone for a long moment before making the call, my thumb hovering over his contact. This was a gamble, if he was dirty, I might be tipping my hand. But if he was clean... I needed to know. Taking a steadying breath, I hit dial. He answered on the third ring. "Kaiden?"