But I can’t.
If there are more people here, I need to know who they are. I need to tell for myself who they are, I need to meet them. I won’t be able to relax not knowing who else is living here without me knowing, and Cayden knows that.
“Just this one time, would you believe me when I say I don’t think you’re ready and leave it for today?” I shake my head and he sighs with a chuckle. “Didn’t think so. Alright, get up.”
Cayden takes my hand in his, leading me outside and towards the barn. The door is ajar, and it sounds like there’s music playing inside. I hear laughter and conversation; it seems like there’s a lot of people just waiting inside. But then I hear Bella’s voice, and my interest piques.
“If you need a minute alone, just say the word and I’ll pull you out, okay?”
I nod, waiting in anticipation as Cayden looks down at me with a defeated look in his eyes as he opens the door of the barn. All of a sudden my heart stops, and my jaw drops. Inside are all the girls from The Academy who just disappeared, even some more than that.
Alora, Elena, Franchesca, Rose, Chloe, Kylie, Daphne, Lucy, Kaylee, and Eva. All but one, Lauren.
My feet move before my brain kicks in, and immediately I’m pulling Kylie into a hug. “You’re alive, you’re really alive,” I whisper, my voice breaking as I hold her close to me. And for a moment, the world goes quiet.
Cayden got them out.
Cayden saved them all.
“How are you? You just disappeared, they didn’t tell us anything. Are you okay? Are you hurt?” I pull back just enough to check her over for any obvious injuries, and she laughs, shaking her head at me.
“I’m fine, honestly. Moria and Olivia feed us far too much.”
“Good, that’s good…” I’m still struggling to process everything else that’s happened, but then I look back to Cayden. My anger at him has long past faded, and I run into his arms, pulling him close. He saved them all, my friends, my sisters. Cayden saved them.
“Thank you.”
“Am I officially out of the doghouse?”
I laugh. I have no idea what that means, but I’m guessing it’s a way of saying I’m mad, so I nod, pulling back just enough to wipe my eyes free from the tears falling down my cheeks.
“Yeah, you’re officially out of the…whatever you just said.”
He groans, a smile curving his lips that’s wide and bright, the dimples that I love now completely on show.
“Thank god.”
And then he leans down, pressing his lips to mine and pulling me close. I only try to pull him closer, but he breaks away.
“You really are cute when you’re mad, you know that, right? Your cheeks get all rosy and you have a pout, it’s the cutest thing ever.” I glare at him, and Cayden laughs, kissing me again and holding me just as tight.
“Sorry baby, truth hurts sometimes.”
He kisses me again, softly, gently. His lips move with mine, consuming me, like he wants to consume every part of me. His arms wrap around my waist, pulling me in closer, but again we’re interrupted by Bella who pretends to cough to get our attention.
“He is so your boyfriend.”
“Oh piss off, Bella.”
Chapter 39:
Darlia
Moria has become a mother to over twenty girls, and she takes the role very seriously. When dinner was served, she dished every plate, making sure every girl had enough food to actually be full. She doesn’t judge if one of the others wants more, she just gives it to them without complaint.
Tonight she made something called lasagne and garlic bread, but I couldn’t eat, not with so much going on. My head feels like it’s spinning, trying to process everything, yet I can’t deny I’m sitting outside with the girls from The Academy eating dinner like a group.
There are three tables pushed together so everyone can sit at the same table; apparently that’s something Moria insists on. She doesn’t have many rules according to Kylie, but the ones she has are regularly enforced.
