1

I woke up in the middle of the night, my mouth dry as a desert. I made my way down to the kitchen to get a water bottle, my eyes barely open as I was still in a daze of sleep.

I yawned disgustingly as I slowly strolled through the kitchen and opened the fridge. My eyes were squinted to stilts, drowsiness indulging me.

Tiredly, I grabbed a water bottle and twisted off the lid. Leaning my head back, I downed three quarters of the ice cold water bottle before exhaling deeply.

"Addison, right?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard the unfamiliar voice in my kitchen, speaking to me at nearly 4 in the morning. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest, not even having a second to process if there was a murderer in my kitchen.

The water bottle dropped out of my hand in surprise, the remaining water spilling on the floor by my feet.

My heart was pounding frantically in my chest as I turned around, the sleepiness completely vanished as I was wide awake and completely shocked.

Sitting on the bar stool, eating cereal in my kitchen was Kaden Keen. He sat there shirtless, in grey sweatpants with an amused smirk on his face as his eyes scanned my body. He quirked an eyebrow when he was done checking me out.

"Who are you?" I muttered out, my voice still hoarse from the sleep. I narrowed my eyes as I looked at him, sheepishly tugging my sleep shorts down.

I knew who Kaden was. He's just another popular guy that goes to my school; on the lacrosse team, high on the social ladder, a big jerk to anyone who gets in his way. I didn't see him associate with many others who weren't in his friend circle though he did know everyone. He was the type of guy who was intimidating to even be near because he's popular so everyone knew it was probably best to stay out of his way.

Kaden placed his spoon down in his cereal, sitting up straighter. "Kaden. Sure you know that, though."

I kept my face straight, not wanting him to see I was actually very taken aback, confused, and a little dazed seeing him sitting in my house.

"What are you doing in my house? In the middle of the night, no less." I crossed my arms over my chest, taking a step away from where the water was spilled. I moved one leg back to use it to close the refrigerator door.

Kaden stood up and walked closer towards me but I held my ground. "I was with Avery. She's asleep, I was hungry."

I blinked, "Why are you still here?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, continuing to walk closer towards me with the smirk remaining on his face. "Can't I be?"

I looked at him for a moment longer before choosing to ignore his presence as I grabbed the mop and started to wipe away the spilled water.

As I put the mop away and was about to grab the water bottle, Kaden swiftly picked it up and threw it in the recycling.

"Thanks," I murmured, still confused as to what was happening right now. He had said he was with Avery which meant that they were hooking up. Judging from the fact that he was still here, it meant it was more than a hookup and they must be dating.

If he was helping himself to food after she was asleep, it wasn't just a one night stand or a hook-up-only relationship because if that were the case, he would have left by now.

"So, you and Avery?" I questioned, my eyes narrowed as he leaned against the counter and looked at me. "You guys are dating now?"

He shrugged, a smug grin on his face. "Something like that. Your sister likes to call me her boyfriend but acts much more like I'm her booty call."

"Yet you still come through." I noted, watching him and his expression that hardly faltered.

He shrugged again, "Sure."

He didn't seem like this relationship with my sister was very interesting for him. He didn't seem like he cared at all which wasn't surprising.

Just like Avery, I assumed he was in this for some ulterior motive. Avery was cold and quite heartless, very selfish; there was no reason as to why someone would date her, as rude as that sounds. If Kaden was dating her, he was either in it for the sex or for the social attention it brought, the same reasons why Avery was in it.

"What are you thinking?" He asked as he walked over and took his seat on the island stool. He seemed genuinely interested as well, a little confusing and weird to me because I was nobody so why would he care?

I sighed as I took the seat beside him, "Nothing."

"Not convincing," he retorted, looking at me with analyzing eyes.

I shrugged as I looked at him, "Don't have to be."

Kaden looked at me for a moment before he started laughing.

"What?" I asked, looking at him questioningly, not sure what he was finding funny.

He shook his head, grinning as he stopped laughing. "Nothing, I just see your similarities to your sister despite the fact that she says there are none."

I narrowed my eyes, leaning back. "What could Avery and I possibly have in common?" That was the first time I ever heard someone say that about Avery and I. It was quite an obvious fact that we were nothing alike.

Kaden tilted his head as he looked at me. "You're both closed off, don't let people in."

I paused, looking at him. "How do you know who I am?" I asked instead of commenting on his note.

He grinned a little, "Addison Manford, the younger sister who thinks she's inadequate because her sister's mission is to always outshine her."

I blinked, taken aback because I wasn't sure it was that simple to peg me but everything he said was accurate.

"Surprised I guessed it on the first shot?" He raised his eyebrows.

I held an impassive look, not wanting him to know he was getting to me. "How did you?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, "Wasn't very difficult. With Avery being the way she is, people hear her name and know who she is even if they've never seen her before. They'll line up, waiting for her to walk by so they can praise her, as dramatic as that sounds. It's not surprising that you'd much rather stay out of her spot light and lay low which doesn't seem to be too difficult for you anyways since she takes hold of all the attention anyways. Judging from how different you both carry yourselves and now seeing the difference in your attitudes and personalities, it's easy to pick up on the fact that whatever attention may be directed to you, she'll take anyways which results in you backing off even further because you're not interested in being the golden girl unlike your sister."

I blinked a few times, my heart rate picking up. "It's that easy to see?" If he could see it, how many other people could as well?

He shook his head calmly, "Nope. I'm just observant and good at reading people - or so I'm told. Unlike anyone else, this isn't the first time I'm noticing you, Mar. In fact, I didn't even know Avery had a sister until she mentioned you'd be home tonight. Even then, I didn't know it was you until I really thought about it. It makes sense."

Mar? Why is he calling me Mar?

Mar? Why is he calling me Mar?

Ignoring the nickname, I blinked a few times again. "People really don't know she has a sister?" It hurt a little. I knew we weren't close or alike but come on, is she really hiding the fact that she's related to me?

Kaden looked at me, an observing look in his eyes the whole time we had been talking that I just then noticed. He licked his lips, "I guess not. If people hear that Avery Manford has a sister, they're going to assume she's just as quirky, uptight, and riding on just as big a high horse as Avery is, if not bigger. They'd never picture someone real... not materialistic and laying low on the radar like you."

I tilted my head, unsure of what context to take his words in.

He noticed the look on my face which caused him to chuckle. "I mean that in the best of ways, trust me."

"How do you know I'm real, not materialistic? You hardly know me, we've been talking for less than ten minutes." I quirked an eyebrow, the expression on my face not seeming very interested but I was curious as to how he was pegging me with all this right away.

He chuckled, "For starters, you're actually having a conversation with me, listening to my opinion though it should be irrelevant because we don't know each other."

I knew he was referring to the fact that this was unlike my sister. She couldn't hold normal conversations nor did she bother listening to what anyone else has to say which is why he could see we were different, that I wasn't stone-cold and selfish like her.

"It's basic human decency to hold conversation and listen to others. For all you know, i could be conning you right now."

He laughed again, "I doubt that, Mar."

Again, I ignored the nickname that made no sense. "You know," I started. "seeing as you're dating my sister, you sure seem to be talking quite lowly of your girlfriend."

Kaden grinned, resting his head on the palm of his hand as he looked at me with amusement sparkling through his eyes. "I mean no disrespect." That was all he said which didn't seem to be answer enough for me but I dropped it anyways because I knew he must only be in this relationship for the sex and really, I don't think I blamed him because my sister was using him too.

"Well," I mumbled as I pushed the stool back and stood up. I looked at him, "In that case, I wish you luck on this relationship because it sure seems to be working out perfectly."

Kaden grinned at me, watching me head out of the kitchen

Kaden grinned at me, watching me head out of the kitchen. Just as I was headed up the stairs, I heard him call out behind me, "Goodnight, Mar."