Chapter 9 Cadence
Cadence
Ikeep reading the messages over and over; the texts that Zach and I shared back and forth from last night after the game.
I decided to actually take him up on his offer even though I had already picked a dress, and I sent him the photos before we showed up at the school.
I guess I just wanted to see what he would say.
That and Ryen told me to just do it, so I did.
It was somewhat excruciating watching him on the field knowing what I had done and thinking about what his reaction would be once he got to his phone and saw the photos.
Every time my eyes fell on him, it's like he knew and he'd turn to look up at me.
They were fleeting moments; just brief glances most of the time.
But they felt forbidden and consuming, lighting my skin on fire and giving me butterflies that seemed to quiet my surroundings even though everyone was loud and cheerful while watching that game.
Every time he looked at me I felt like I was the only one in the stands.
Zach has never intentionally looked up at me like that.
He's never purposefully stared at me for longer than needed but for the past few weeks now, I've caught him a few times doing just that and I get nervous when I think about what it is that captures his glance or what's going on in his head when he looks at me.
It's when I start to overthink things, like maybe his stolen looks aren't for any special reason but rather because he's simply confused as to why I keep watching him.
But I'm starting to think that maybe, he's just as interested in me as I've been in him.
Usually after the home games, my family and I will head down to the field to greet Brayden and give the boys hugs and words of celebration, but this time I left with Ryen, leaving my parents to join Brayden alone.
I was too anxious to face Zach. I didn't want him to know that he makes me nervous—he always has—and I just know that I likely would have given that away due to the fact that I had just sent him several photos of me; something I have never thought about doing before.
Ry told me to be brave and just head down there like I didn't just send him those pictures of me, essentially dressing up for him—the photos would have never been taken otherwise.
But I just couldn't find it in me to pretend like I wasn't freaking out inside.
So after we decided to leave, Ryen drove me home and it wasn't long before I started getting notification after notification of Zach hearting every single one of the photos and then proceeded to tell me which one was his favorite.
Seems simple enough, right? Maybe there wasn't any reason to be nervous.
Wrong.
The conversation was actually a lot more complicated than that and honestly left me feeling pretty confused. And as I sit at the table, slowly making a dent in my bowl of Lucky Charms, I re-read the messages feeling just as flustered now as I did last night.
Damn Cadence… this was not a good idea.
The first message that threw me off.
Wait what? It was literally your idea, what do you mean?
I know, I know. But I’m not always the smartest.
I’m confused.
Forget about it. Sorry I sent the photos.
Stop.
That’s not what I meant.
Okay then??
I just mean… you're a very pretty girl Cadence. But I have never seen you in anything like what’s in these pictures. I just, I don’t know. I wasn’t expecting all this.
The second message that caught me off guard.
Is that a problem?
Yeah, kind of.
Zach, I’m so lost.
At this point, I was starting to wonder if I should even continue texting him.
I felt like he was being so cryptic with me and I didn't really know how to proceed.
But then I remember watching him type and just hoped for the best, but my head had been spinning trying to figure out why he was being weird.
Even now as I revisit the texts, I wonder what the heck was going through his mind.
The red dress with the roses is my favorite.
But I’m going to be honest with you, it’s a bit revealing and while I don’t wanna tell you what you can and can’t wear… if you wore that, it might cause some problems.
But damn Cadence. I’m kind of speechless.
Well I am too to be honest. I’m not sure how to take what you’ve just said to me.
All good, promise. Which one do you like the best?
I like the one with the roses too, but I also really liked the white one. The blue one made me look like a box lol.
Nothing you tried on tonight looked anything but beautiful. You pulled them all off tbh.
Zachariah… are you complimenting me??
Cadence, that’s what I’ve been doing…
I said it was a bad idea because you're Brayden’s little sister and, well, let’s just leave it at that.
Okay, but for the record I’m only like two years younger than you.
Almost, I’m not nineteen just yet.
But the rose dress Cadence. That’s my choice though the white one looked just as pretty.
Well, I guess I’ll just have to surprise you. I’m gonna go to sleep now. Thanks for the help. Talk tomorrow?
I’ll be waiting. Sweet dreams, Cadence.
When I put my phone down—which wasn't easy, mind you—and after he said goodnight, I rolled over in my bed. Of course I started overthinking the whole interaction. Should I have sent him the photos at all? Even now, I wonder if it was the right thing to do. But all I could think of were his compliments but also just how strange he was being. And it certainly didn’t help with my ever-growing confusion.
But somehow, I feel like my crush on him is just getting worse than it’s ever been. How the hell is that even possible?
And when is it acceptable to text him again?
Should I even start the conversation back up?
He said he’d be waiting. Should I send him a good morning text?
I mean. I really do want to talk to him again, but do I wait for him to text first?
Maybe I shouldn’t say anything because I’ll see him later tonight, right?
I don’t want to seem too desperate but I also don’t want him to think I’m not interested.
But does he want me to approach him tonight?
Is that something I even want to do? Am I just making a fool out of myself?
"Ugh, I need an adult," I groan out loud in a dramatic tone, dropping my forehead to the counter.
“Please don’t tell me you ate all the damn Lucky Charms again?” I jump, lifting my head and trying to lock my phone at the sound of my brother’s voice. But in the midst of panic, I accidentally knock over the entire box of cereal instead.
I curse when I see that the contents have spilled out all over the kitchen floor, a mix of colorful marshmallows sprawled out over the white tile.
I look over at my brother and shrug my shoulders as I scoot my bowl forward and get up from my stool.
“I didn’t,” I state as I look at him with innocence lining my features, as if we both just didn’t watch the box fly onto the floor.
I lean down to pick up the box and shake it, confirming that it is now in fact empty.
“Somehow, I’m impressed,” he quips and I just sigh in annoyance when I realize that I have to now clean up this mess.
“What were you complaining about anyway?
And what were you so frantically trying to hide on your phone?
" Bray opens the fridge as he turns over his shoulder to look at me and I just know my face likely pales.
I can feel it. He caught me off guard. But I can't tell him the truth, which is why I hate that he's gotten nosy.
I don't like lying. I refrain from doing so almost ever if it isn't for a good reason.
However, given his questionable reaction the other day when I told him I had talked to Zach, I wonder now what his reaction might be if he knew I was talking to him again.
And not only that but if he knew what we had texted about.
I decide it's not something I'm ready to face right now, so I resort to not saying a word so that I don't have to lie to him.
“Was it porn?” he asks when I don't answer and I gasp, choking on air in shock, but also . . . can I really expect any less from him?
“Brayden Daniel.” Mom’s voice echoes in the kitchen as she turns the corner and we both perk up.
I watch as my brother’s face also drains of blood, and I cringe with him knowing just how much he hates hearing his middle name thrown around.
He places his hands up in front of him in mock surrender as he grimaces.
“My bad, my bad,” he chants, sarcasm playing in his tone. “But did you have to middle name me?”
“Well, don’t talk like that around your sister and maybe I’ll avoid it,” Mom adds and I turn to look at my brother, now sticking my tongue out at him as he smirks at me, shaking his head.
“Alexa, add Lucky Charms to the grocery list,” Mom yells out at the smart device on the counter before grabbing the cardboard box from the floor next to me to break it down for the recycle bin.
I watch as Bray turns back to the fridge and pulls out a brand new jug of orange juice, twisting the lid and taking a swig straight from the bottle.
“Yeah, because no one else was going to drink out of that,” I mutter in disgust as I shake my head, still scooping cereal from the ground with the dustpan and tossing it into the trash can.
“Brayden!” Mom shouts again with her hands on her waist. I giggle under my breath, trying not to be obvious to the fact that I'm enjoying him getting called out right now but Bray just laughs it off. “Oh, chill. It’s not like we all don’t come from the same blood line.
” He puts the jug of juice back in the fridge.
I scoff. “Yeah, but who knows where your mouth has been.” I wince, pretty much forgetting that our mom is standing right there.
"Well, I take it back. You might actually be the mail man's baby," Brayden fires back and I roll my eyes.
“Okay, that's enough you two.”