"It was actually my fault why my mom and sister died." Cayden's voice was barely above a whisper as he looked down at his fidgeting fingers, a hollow sense of guilt reflected in his eyes. "I was driving one night, drunk from a party, and I picked them up from my aunt's place."
He took a shaky breath, the words tumbling out in a rush. "When I picked them up, my mom could smell the alcohol on me. She was furiousâwho wouldn't be?" A bitter chuckle escaped his lips before he continued, his voice growing heavier with each word. "That's when we started arguing. She told me I was too young to be drinking, and I told her it was none of her business. When she insisted I pull over so she could drive, I just had to insist that I wasn't that drunk. We fought over the steering wheel, and the last thing I remember was a car coming right at us."
Silence hung in the air between us, thick with the weight of his confession. He stared into the distance, lost in memories, before continuing. "When my dad got the call from the hospital, he lectured me about it. I know it was my fault, and when the police got involved, he did everything he could to keep me from going to jail."
I looked at him, my heart aching for the pain he carried. "Sometimes I think it would've been better if I had gone to jail. I deserve it for being the reason they're gone. But my dad keeps telling me that nobody wanted this to happen, which feels absurd because I was the one behind the wheel."
His hands had stopped fidgeting, and he met my gaze, the hurt in his eyes palpable. Choices we make can haunt us, I thought, each one a fork in the road that leads us somewhere we never intended to go. "If I could rewind the clock, I would've just let her drive us home instead of arguing."
I found myself at a loss for words, struggling to comfort him in a moment that felt impossibly heavy. It was cold in the room, but there was warmth in our shared silence. So, I wrapped my arms around him in a hug, feeling the tension seep from his body as he returned the gesture. We sat like that for a moment, just holding on, a silent acknowledgment of each other's pain.
"I hope you're feeling better," I whispered, pulling back slightly.
"Honestly?" He says, taking my hand, "I feel better when I'm with you," he said, a faint smile breaking through the sorrow.
***
I left Cayden's room and quietly closed the door behind me. I could still hear the muffled music and laughter from the party downstairs, but my mind was clouded with thoughts of him. He'd been drinking heavily, and I didn't want to push him to join the party and risk making things worse. The last thing he needed was another drink.
As I made my way to the kitchen, I saw Amelia chatting with Noah near the counter. I felt a slight pang of jealousy; they seemed to be enjoying each other's company.
"Hey," I said, raising my red cup filled with soda, making sure to keep it alcohol-free.
Noah smiled and waved before wandering off, leaving Amelia and me alone. "So, where's Cayden?" she asked, her eyes flicking over me as she took a sip from her own cup.
"He's in his room, sleeping. He was already pretty drunk before the party even started." I shrugged, trying to keep my tone light, but I could feel the weight of my concern creeping back in.
Amelia chuckled softly, her laugh infectious. "Typical Cayden," she said. "He really needs to work on his drinking habits."
We left the kitchen and headed into the living room, where the party was in full swing. I plopped down on the couch, watching as people danced and laughed. It was a lively scene, but I felt detached, my thoughts still lingering on Cayden.
Suddenly, I felt someone sit beside me. I glanced over, expecting to see someone I recognized, but instead, it was a guy I didn't know, his smile too confident for my liking.
"Hey there," he said, flashing a grin that made me want to roll my eyes.
I took a sip from my cup, hoping to send the message that I wasn't interested in small talk. I really wasn't in the mood.
"Not a fan of conversation?" he asked, his tone light but with a hint of challenge.
"You could say that," I replied, forcing a polite smile.
He chuckled, leaning closer. "You're playing hard to get, huh?"
I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "You're very clever," I said, sarcasm dripping from my voice. I didn't want to be rude, but I wasn't about to encourage him either.
"So, you go to Anderson High?" he continued, seemingly undeterred.
"Yeah," I said, trying to sound disinterested.
"That's cool. My friends are there," he replied, still smiling.
I stood up abruptly. "I have to go." I didn't wait for a response and headed back toward the kitchen to refill my cup.
As I turned around, I bumped into him again. "I like girls who play hard to get," he said, stepping closer.
I felt my heart race, not out of attraction but from the discomfort creeping in. "I'm really not interested," I said firmly, hoping that would do the trick.
He leaned in, his voice low and dangerous. "You should leave now before something happens," he whispered, his breath brushing against my ear.
I felt a chill run down my spine. I dropped my cup on the counter and quickly made my way into the living room, searching for Amelia.
As I scanned the room, I caught sight of Cayden descending the stairs. Relief washed over me, but it was short-lived when I noticed the front door opening to a group of guys in black leather jackets. They looked out of place but menacing, and my heart sank.
Before I could process what was happening, the guy from earlier grabbed my wrist. "I guess you're not one to take threats seriously," he said, his tone mocking.
Cayden's eyes narrowed as he walked toward us. Without hesitation, he punched the guy square in the jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground. "What the hell are you doing here? You're not invited to this party," he spat, his voice low and dangerous.
"Cayden, waitâ" I started, but the guy was already getting back to his feet.
"I'm not the one who's going to end up dead tonight," the guy sneered, but his bravado faltered as he noticed the anger radiating from Cayden.
"What the hell are you talking about, Karl?" Cayden shot back.
So that's his name, I thought, but I couldn't focus on that now. The tension was rising, and I could see the realization wash over Cayden's face as he glanced at the group of leather-clad guys standing at the door.
"We need to get out of here," Cayden said urgently, grabbing my wrist and pulling me toward the kitchen.
"Why? We just got here," I protested, but something in his expression told me I needed to listen.
"Get everyone," he said, his voice low and serious. "I'll explain later."
My heart raced as I darted into the kitchen, scanning the room for Amelia and Noah. They were still talking by the counter, giggling. I felt a pang of frustration. Did they really not see the chaos brewing outside?
"Hey, stop flirting for a second!" I called, my voice cutting through their conversation. "What's happening in the living room?"
Noah looked at me, confusion crossing his face. "What do you mean?"
"Just come with me!" I said, grabbing Amelia's arm and dragging her along as I headed back to the living room.
We squeezed through the crowd, and I could see Cayden still glaring at Karl and the group of guys. "Holy shit," Noah muttered as he caught sight of the scene unfolding before us.
"Do you know those guys?" I asked him, panic creeping into my voice.
He shook his head. "I don't know, but we need to get out of here."
Amelia stepped closer, her expression serious. "What's happening?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "Cayden said he used to be part of a gang, and these guys look like trouble."
Before I could finish, a loud crash echoed through the room, and Cayden lunged at Karl again. The music stopped abruptly, and the party's atmosphere shifted from lively to tense.
"I think we need to leave," Amelia said, her eyes wide with concern.
"Good idea," I agreed. "Let's find Logan and James."
Just then, the chaos erupted. A gunshot rang out, and the crowd erupted into screams, scattering in every direction. I instinctively grabbed Amelia's hand, pulling her toward the kitchen.
"Where are the guys?" I shouted over the din.
"I don't know!" she yelled back, her voice tinged with panic.
We squeezed through the crowd and finally spotted Logan and James emerging from the living room, their faces tense and serious.
"Let's go!" Logan shouted, and I nodded, relief flooding through me.
But as we turned to leave, I noticed a couple behind us arguing. "I hate you so much! You're so ugly!" the girl spat, her voice laced with venom.
"What do you mean I'm ugly? I'm chiseled by God!" the boy retorted, his ego clearly bruised.
I stifled a laugh despite the chaos. "Boys and their egos," I muttered to Amelia, shaking my head.
"Let's just go," she said, pulling me along as we made our way to the front door.
After what felt like an eternity, we finally burst outside, the cool night air hitting us like a splash of cold water. I looked around, searching for Cayden and Noah.
"Where are they?" I asked, glancing back at the house, which was now a scene of chaos and confusion.
"They're coming," Logan assured me, his eyes scanning the crowd.
Just then, Cayden and Noah emerged from the door, their faces set with determination.
"We're leaving," James said, grabbing our bags from the car parked nearby.
"Why do you have our bags packed?" I asked, bewildered.
"We didn't want to take any chances," he replied. "Cayden said we needed to get out fast."
I glanced back at Cayden, who was still watching the front door, as if expecting someone to come bursting out.
"Let's go home," he said finally, and we all nodded in agreement, relieved to escape the madness that had erupted inside.
As we piled into the car, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. I looked at Cayden, trying to gauge his mood. He seemed distant, lost in his thoughts.
"Are you okay?" I asked quietly, my voice barely audible over the sound of the engine starting.
He nodded but didn't say anything.
I knew he was still processing everything that had happened, and so was I. We had escaped the chaos tonight, but the lingering question remained: what would happen next?
***
Hey, and I'm sorry for not updating for a while. I'm too busy with stuff even though it's winter break right now, but here is the update!
I hope you guys liked it or maybe loved it. Don't forget to leave a vote, comment your thoughts and share this story to your friends. So, what present did you get this Christmas?
Anyways, Carry on and Happy Reading!~
P.S. Merry Chrysler! (Christmas)
- The Author