Chapter.12- "Sorry mate I'm germaphobe!"

Twelve: "Sorry mate I'm germaphobe!"

REBECCA'S POV

There were so many things that were wrong in this situation! First and foremost was letting myself get tempted and second of all the thought of abandoning Kayden!

Hypnosis trance!

That's the only way I could explain why I was going to indulge myself in such criminal activities. But I couldn't deny that it'd felt criminally good to reach for the keys and drive off into the night!

I could've sworn that Caleb was either a magician or a hypnotist in his spare time practising his craft in a dark room with willing individuals with a hypnosis spiral and using his warm-as-a-blanket voice to induce them into a trance. When he began tempting me with the car keys it was as if it were the hypnotic spiral and when I continued to stare at it, the longer I did it started to change colour and saw an increase in size inducing me into a trance.

"Don't overthink about it. Just take the keys!" His voice was like a trance, my eyes and limbs became heavy and like a snake to a charmer, I reached for it.

It wasn't a least bit helpful when there was a shiny object nearby. The car was a shiny black vehicle that glinted. Another way to prove my theory that Caleb indeed was an evil magician well versed in the arts of hypnosis was: when he continued to further induce my trance by stepping slightly to the side and revealing a bright object, such as the sparkly car, precisely in front of the subject's eye level and telling the subject to keep their eyes on it.

Note that the subject I'm referring to here is: Me!

If you're wondering how I know so much about hypnotism, well I'd done my fair research on the subject matter and thought I'd be immune to it. Alas, here we are!

Eventually, my eyes became weary and eyelids heavy. The hypnotist aka Caleb then stepped in with suggestions. Such as: Reach for the car keys!

It'd felt exhilarating to do that, so I listened to him whilst looking into his eyes; those sapphire like depths enticed me.

"Rebecca, there you are!"

Orrrrr.... the trance or whatever spell or hex I was under could be broken.

I blinked, snapping out of the trance when Kayden called for me and then froze as realisation dawned on me. My hands dropped instantaneously from the keys, my eyes widened a fraction and stared into Caleb's, his eyes were hard and his jaw tightened as he looked past my shoulder.

For some pathetic reason, I'd wished Kayden hadn't called my name and disappointment coursed through every fibre of my being. And I'd felt awful because of that.

I turned on my heel and put on a smile whilst guilt consumed my insides. I knew there was something wrong with me tonight! Maybe it was the wine that made me consider to do reckless things in my stupor.

Ah! The classic I'm drunk excuse to justify one's action! Ah, I digress!

"My deepest apologies for making you wait longer than five minutes." Kayden flashed me an apologetic smile as he placed a hand on the small of my back.

I felt terrible in that moment. "It's fine! You don't have to apologise." I assured him, my voice squeaky.

But then I heard a scoff emanate from behind me. "She was going to abandon you anyway, why apologise to an inconsiderate person!" I heard Caleb mutter.

I gritted my teeth but exhaled in exasperation. Kayden's eyes travelled past my shoulder and landed on Caleb. I turned around and stood closer to Kayden my eyes met Caleb's and he'd suddenly gone dark and quiet, staring at Kayden it was as if he was almost challenging him. My eyebrows crinkled when I saw a sudden drop in temperature and mood.

"I know you. You're Caleb Knightley..." Kayden trailed off.

Caleb shrugged. "Ah! And you're the lad who's pudding she burgled!"

I made an incoherent noise at the back of my throat.

Kayden laughed! He legitimately laughed. "Pudding? You mean the Tiramisu? Ah, indeed she did! I couldn't say no when I saw her face and so let her steal some." He looked down at me with a mischievous look.

Probably not the best answer in front of the blue-eyed fiend, Kayden!

"Typical! You'll have no redemption." Caleb scoffed.

I glared at him. "What did you say?"

He huffed and then cast a sympathetic expression to Kayden. "Word of advice: stay away from her! That's how she'll bully you and before you know it, it'll be too late."

I gasped in outrage!

"What?" Kayden looked confused. "I think you have her confused with someone else. She's very lovely, kind, demure and extremely benevolent!"

Caleb looked appalled. "Are you sure you're talking about the same person? She's a wild little thing underneath all of that, I can assure you." He cocked his head slightly to the side and assessed me.

I narrowed my eyes at him and my anger was simmering under the surface. "You know you seem to talk rather well when you back chat to me. I wished you could talk this cleverly the other day so that my mother would know what a wild little thing you are!"

"Indeed? Just like how I wish you could right now so that he can see you for who you truly are, Harper. You've bewitched him that's why he's blind." He then looked in Kayden's direction, who looked gormless at our exchange. "Did you know she was going to take off with my car and leave you here all alone?"

Oh my gosh! He did not just say that to Kayden!

I glared at him. What the hell was he playing at? Was he trying to ruin me? Or start a fight he can't finish? Wide-eyed I met Kayden's eyes, my face displaying guilt.

"I wouldn't blame her, I would too! That's one wicked car you've got there, mate!" Kayden bumped his shoulder with mine, winking as he assured me it was fine.

My shoulders sagged in relief and I stuck my tongue at Caleb feeling chuffed to bits when Kayden took my side.

Caleb was not expecting that sort of answer from Kayden, but he quickly masked it. "Wow, Harper, good on you. I must say I've underestimated you a lot!" He eye-rolled. Which strangely resembled Damon Salvatore.

"You should know better not to underestimate me, Caleb." I shot back.

"My apologies, but I don't seem to understand what's happening right now. You seem to know a lot about her, do you perhaps know her?" Kayden inquired, looking at the both of us.

A sardonic smile displayed on Caleb's face. "Why don't you ask her? She'd love to tell you how we know each other, won't you, Harper?"

Two pairs of eyes were on me and I wanted to gouge out one of those. I was stood having a stare-off with Caleb that I almost forgot about Kayden looking at me expectantly for and explanation. I averted my eyes and met Kayden's curious ones.

"He's an old acquaintance...err even if you could call it that...erm... we went to the same school for a few months and haven't seen each other since then. He's no one important, really!" I tried to be as nonchalant as possible. I met Caleb's eyes and there was this hardened expression on his face.

"Oh, dear sounds like you didn't part on good terms," Kayden said lightly.

Caleb scoffed bitterly. "Tell me about it! And that's all on her." He pointed at me. My face contorted into a painful expression.

All on me? What was that supposed to mean? He was the one that-

I blinked heavily when Kayden nudged me.

"....right. Can you please take a picture of us around the fountain?"

What?!

"Crikey Moses! Would you look at the time?" Caleb shook his head and tapped his watch. "I best be going now!" He made a move to leave.

"Just one picture, please!" Kayden had already handed him the phone.

Caleb sighed, then pressed his lips into a thin line as he reluctantly agreed to snap our picture, but instantly he had this evil smile on his face. Kayden had dragged me to towards the fountain and that reminded me what had transpired a few minutes ago between Caleb and I. I hoped that there was no camera up there that had captured our encounter. And it also reminded me of how he'd slid his fingers through my hair combing them with such surety and with such disturbing ease and confidence which made my voice die down in the back of my throat and made my spine tingle.

Kayden nudged me. "What're you thinking about? Smile." He'd whispered.

I ran my tongue on my lower lip and smiled at him. "Nothing." I faced forward and plastered a smile on my face.

We were stood a little to the side so that the fountain was visible as background and there was this very high luscious green hedge that surrounded the fountain, studded with red flowers. He delicately plucked one then handed me a tiny red flower that he'd found on the hedge and I beamed at him as I muttered a thank you demurely. We posed Kayden had his arm wrapped around my waist as we stood closer to each, I sucked in a sharp breath, the heat emanating from his body made my body tingle and my heart raced.

I was pretty sure that I accurately resembled a wide-eyed and incapable of smiling emoji at the moment.

"Done!" Caleb announced after a few seconds, like he was either excited for us to take a look at the picture or to be over and done with it. "I've been generous and took two extra pictures just in case you didn't like the previous ones." He had a big fat grin on his face.

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. Something told me that he'd done something naughty whilst taking that picture.

Kayden took his phone back. "That's very kind of you! Thank you very much!"

Caleb waved his hand. "Ah! The pleasure was all mine." His eyes landed on me and I narrowed my eyes.

"It was lovely meeting you." Kayden stretched his hand forward.

Caleb looked down at his hand and then feigned a torn expression. "Sorry, mate, I'm germaphobe!" He pouted.

My jaw unhinged itself and all the way to the pavement. He was germaphobe? He'd just manhandled me a few minutes ago! And he had no qualms about running his long fingers through my hair and also when his hands slid across my arms when he had let me go!

"What?!" I said in incredulity.

"Oh, but y-you...you play football and you get tackled at every given opportunity. Does your germaphobia not bother you then?" Kayden looked adorably confused.

"T-that," Caleb coughed. "I simply cannot do anything about that. I've come to accept that when I'm on the field touching is inevitable, and when I score a goal have you ever seen me celebrate with the team? No right? But when I meet people off field I personally tell them about my condition," he said with such conviction that I almost believed it.

The posh little wanker deserved a BAFTA! I even slow-clapped impressed by his acting skills.

"Ah! It must be very difficult for you." Kayden looked like he still couldn't wrap his head around that piece of information.

"That's rubbish!" I disputed.

"Of course you'd say that you're not the one who has to live every day like..." Caleb stopped, inhaled through his teeth as if it pained him to continue. And to prove that, he even brought his fist to his mouth and closed his eyes tightly.

I had to laud his acting skills because it was top notch! We had an ocular archery contest as if he dared me to dispute his claim.

Kayden cleared his throat. "It was lovely meeting you."

"I didn't quite catch your name." Caleb narrowed his eyes, as if trying to remember something.

"That's because he didn't toss it." I bit back. Kayden snorted.

"Well, can he toss it now? I'm wide open," Caleb said with as much attitude as you could imagine. My mouth hung open.

"I'm Kayden." He smiled at Caleb then without waiting, he twisted his body and looked at me. "I'll ask the valet to bring the car around, excuse me." He informed me, I nodded my head and he left.

I was stood there blinking trying to understand what had just transpired and wondering how this boy who was stood before me had turned out so sassy.

"Well, he seems rather nice," Caleb commented.

"Just...just what the hell do you think you're playing at? Don't start something you can't finish Caleb. If you have something to-"

But I couldn't catch a break now, could I? I was in for a rude awakening when something was snatched from my hand.

"Give that back!" I demanded and reached for the flower Kayden had given me.

He tutted as he held the flower and scrutinised it with great interest. "I don't think so, Harper this belongs to me now."

I scoffed. "It was never yours, to begin with. Hand it over, Caleb or I'll flip you on your back to the ground and take it back!" I threatened.

He tutted. "Mhmm, kinky! You be a good girl and run along now." He patted my head with the flower as if to prove he wasn't joking about his germaphobia and turned around to leave. But paused and called over his shoulder, "This should look familiar to you, Harper."

Oh, my gosh! I was going to kill him later on.

"Piss the hell off! And don't call me Harper." I scowled.

I had the strong urge to hurl one of my heels at him but, refrained from doing so. I had company, after all, I didn't want Kayden to think I was uncouth and run for the hills. I could deal with Caleb next time when we met on my home ground, he had an upper hand here, but once he was on my home ground..... Muhahahaha.

Until then, I had to act proper. With a two-fingered salute and a cheeky wink my way Caleb, the sexy fish drove away. I'll be darned when I say this, but he looked dishy when he drove that swanky car.

I watched him disappear into traffic as he pulled into the motorway along with countless others who'd wished they were the one driving that sports car.

"Rebecca," I spun to the side when I heard Kayden's voice. "The car's here. Come on, we're late and your mother said to be home by eleven." He snickered.

I gaped, my face began to pinken. "Please don't!" I begged.

**************

Unlike earlier, the drive back home wasn't silent, it was filled with conversation. But I wasn't in the mood for it, my mind was occupied with thoughts of what happened earlier accompanied by despondent sighs followed by strong angry bouts.

"So, what's between you and Caleb? Because you seem to be upset after that encounter with him." Kayden asked softly.

I inhaled through my teeth. Upset is such an understatement because I was fuming mad and wanted to hit something, preferably Caleb right now.

"Where do I even begin?" I laughed and noticed that we were nearing my home. "Nothing is going on between us. He's just juvenile like that-we've always been like that since we were children." I explained vaguely. I didn't want to talk about him nor did I want to tell him about Caleb. "He wasn't always like this when we're young, but now he's become cheeky and uncouth. I apologise on his behalf for being so rude and I hadn't a clue that he'd be there and he's usually not the friendly type because-"

"It's fine, don't apologise. I think- no, I understand why he'd do that." He chuckled shaking his head.

"You do?" I asked surprised. He side-eyed me for a split second, bobbed his head and turned back to the road ahead.

"And you haven't got a clue," he muttered under his breath.

I twisted my body when I heard it. "I'm sorry what?"

He shook his head. "Nothing." He dismissed it quickly.

I didn't have the energy to prod him so I just settled on letting it go. "Thank you. Ugh, he's quite bothersome and now since Carter spends time with him he's always around and I don't associate with him at all-"

"Is he really a germaphobe though?" He inquired.

I opened and closed my mouth when I wasn't sure what to answer. "I-err... I don't know that. But I do know that he didn't like talking to people back then." I laughed awkwardly.

Plainly not! He had touched me a few minutes ago and I knew he wasn't a germaphobe and he'd lied and I knew even Kayden didn't believe that since it was absolute bollocks!

A few minutes later, we were stood in the front yard standing there like spare lemons.

I cleared my throat meekly. "I- I had a wonderful time today, Kayden, thank you," I said shyly.

He put both his hands in his trousers pocket and nodded. "Oh no, thank you, Rebecca. I had a great time as well. I hope you enjoyed the food."

"Are you joking me right now?" I asked appalled. "Don't be silly, the food was scrumptious and delightful. I'm going there again," I said.

"Hopefully with me." He gave me a cheeky grin.

Gosh! It made me blush. I nodded and ducked my head down.

We stood there for a while. Not knowing what to do. Then I remembered something so I lifted my head nearly giving myself a whiplash. Aye!

"I- I wanted to... err... can you... can I have a look at the pictures? The ones which we took at-"

He nodded his head immediately. "Yes, yes, of course! How stupid of me." He fumbled for his phone and fished it out from his dinner jacket. He unlocked it and I bit my lip and sidled next to him. "My apologies! I wanted your permission before I could-" He made a choking noise at the back of his throat.

I already suspected something would be wrong. "What's wrong?" I peeked and let out a non-committal noise myself.

That posh little wanker intentionally had captured blurred pictures of the both of us and one photo was of our legs which were blurred as well. I had never been so angry ever in my life as I was now.

"I am going to kill him!" I growled. I snatched the phone from his hands and swiped to investigate the other pictures and all of them were just as bad. I let out a shuddering breath, I was going to murder that boy.

"Look, don't worry. It's fine we can take plenty of other pictures. I didn't know he was so petty." Kayden took his phone back and pocketed it.

Oh, I would show him petty!

"You should go in. It's getting late." He gestured towards the door.

I exhaled trying to calm myself. "Yes, I should. So should you," I tried to say that as calmly as possible.

He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't be upset, please. It's fine." I felt tingles on my body. I managed to nod my head but didn't relish the feel of his hand on my shoulder as I was livid.

"I'm sorry. He's just so... Gosh, I am sorry."

We stood there for quite some time and when I was slightly calm he spoke, "I'd kiss you right now, but I don't think your father would appreciate it." He looked past my shoulder.

I sighed and turned around. My dad waved at me through the first-floor window, I growled in exasperation. "Of course, he wouldn't!" I muttered.

Could this night get any worse?

"I don't know what I am going to do with him. I best get going if I don't want him coming out. I am sorry," I said utterly embarrassed.

"Please stop apologising!" He pleaded. "Well, you better go. Your father looks like he'll jump out the window if I keep you here any longer. Good night, Rebecca." He smiled softly at me.

I snorted my dad would do that, I wouldn't put it past him.

"Goodnight, Kayden. Text me, once you reach home, yeah?"

He agreed with a nod of his head. He stepped closer, my eyes widened, then he leaned forward and pressed his soft lips against my cheek, I inhaled sharply and my heart raced. "I was right! You smell like lavender," He spoke against my cheek.

I froze, closed my eyes and felt my face warm up and I mentally groaned. He chuckled in a low voice then he took a step back and got in his car, a smile playing on his lips as he drove away.

______________________________

NEW A/N: So Caleb's a petty bitch don't you all agree? And do you really think he's a germaphobe as he claims? And why do you think he's adamant to make Rebecca look bad in front of Kayden??

OMG Mystic Pop-up Bar is such an underrated drama! I cannot get enough of it!!! It's so cleverly woven and it really made me shed a few tears and it is one of the best supernatural dramas ever because unlike other dramas (no offence to Goblin or any other ones even if they're my fave!) they explain things really well and what consequences ensue you if you misbehave!! The simplicity is what makes it work so well! Aye.

OLD A/N: ParktheJlmln and Cxptured_heart. Thank you so much for helping me with the edits.

I finally watched Shazam, last week and although it's a little underappreciated, it was good. And I also watched Murder Mystery, it was ok. So if you want to watch it, go ahead.

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Your lazy, Willy Wonka!x💜