Chapter 8

“See something you like?” I teased as I got into the pool. I gasped as cold water splashed me. I looked up to see that Cadence was trying his hardest not to laugh. “You are so dead,” I said through my teeth. He only smiled at me and swam to the deep end. I was momentarily stunned at seeing him smile for the first time. It made him even more attractive if that was possible. He looked damn good. To be honest, I didn’t expect him to smile at me so soon. I blinked a few times before I chased after him.

We played around in the pool until my fingers looked like raisins and I was exhausted. We’d done nothing but chase and splash each other through the giant pool. I dragged my tired body out of the water and just laid on my towel in the grass under the stars. I sighed and closed my eyes before I heard Cadence lay down beside me. I opened my eyes and turned to smile at Cadence. In the dark, with no one around, it felt peaceful for the first time in the last two weeks. Normally, I was being closely watched and monitored by Ian. Forced to do everything at a normal pace when it felt so unfamiliar to me now.

“So maybe you’re not so terrible,” he said as he smiled. I could see him in the dim fire light thanks to the tiki torches Ian had set up and lit in the backyard. I gave him a playful glare but I couldn’t help the smile that managed to escape.

“And maybe you’re not as bad as everyone says,” I retorted smartly. He rolled his eyes and looked up at the stars. I copied him.

“People don’t know anything. They’re stupid and shallow,” he said. I stayed quiet, not wanting to make the situation worse… but of course, my big mouth didn’t want to listen.

“If you let people in, they wouldn’t have to make assumptions,” I said softly. I could practically feel his glare, but I kept my eyes on the stars.

“Why would I let people in of I had to lie to them all the time. Damon and Kylie are my only friends because they know the whole truth and they understand. They don’t judge me for who I am because they know. I don’t have to jump through hoops to please them and tell them all my dirty little secrets. And I guess that’s something that you will soon learn. Being like… this? You can’t trust anyone but the people like you. You’re friends, you’re classmates, they mean nothing. The sooner you cut your losses, the better,” he said before he got up and left. I sighed and closed my eyes. Was everything really going to change? Besides my new supernatural abilities, life felt like it was going on normally outside of myself. Everything I’d learned in the past few weeks seemed far away already. Besides Cadence being in my house as a reminder, nothing else in my room was different.

Just when I thought we were making progress…