Chapter six Kaden
Chapter six
Kaden
Acres of land stretch as far as the eye can see, but I’m not concerned with the beauty of nature. It’s nothing more than a steppingstone—a path that leads to what I truly care about.
The back of the property is thick with dense forest, and just beyond the tree line is the creek.
It’s a hotspot for wildlife activity, usually giving spoils of freshly decayed bones that a nearby predator may have abandoned.
It’s my daily ritual and the only part of my bland, repeating schedule that I enjoy.
Nothing can ever shatter the perfection of death.
As I near the tree line, a hum electrifies beneath my skin. Its currents zip down my spine, and tingling awareness nips at the nape of my neck. I stop, resting my head back against my shoulders when the unmistakable sound of small footsteps fumbles from behind me.
I glance over my shoulder at Melody, my face impassive as I watch the poor girl stumble right into the dirt. She plants her hands in front of her, her face screwing up into a sour expression as she observes the fresh earth between her fingers.
“What are you doing?” I ask, causing her head to whip up.
She picks herself up quickly, dusting the mud from her skirt. “I wanted to see the creek…”
I release a heavy breath, shaking my head. Just when I think I can escape her…“Then keep up.”
Her expression morphs into surprise before her lips drag up into a smile. “Okay!”
I trudge ahead, pushing branches out of my way. The girl rushes to catch up, and a twig smacks her shin roughly.
“Ouch!” She complains.
“Falling behind,” I croon as the forest welcomes me. The thicket settles naturally, and the sounds of my boots sliding across the terrain ease the tension off my shoulders. I can hear the distant chirp of a bug and the croak of a groaning frog as I near the opening to the creek.
The break in the trees always gets to me. It’s bliss to see the clear water flowing over the jagged rocks and listen to the rushing of water as it passes through the complicated channels. The creek breathes life, and for a moment, I forget all about the girl lingering behind me.
She’s gone quiet. As my boots squelch across the muddy ground, I glance at her over my shoulder.
She stands a few steps from the tree line, hands folded tight in front of her, eyes wide as she takes in the water, the rocks, and the growing shadows that stretch as the sun slowly sets.
She looks…small. Not weak—just uncertain and new.
“Don’t wander,” I say automatically.
“I won’t,” she nods quickly before following behind me.
I turn back to the creek, irritated with myself for caring whether she listens or not. She isn’t my responsibility.
I use the toe of my boot to prod the wet ground, pushing aside the dense soil before I spot something sharp and white. Recognition pings in me as I crouch down and unearth the rodent bone. It’s covered in mud, but I don’t mind as I shove it under the stream to clean it.
“Does it look okay?” Melody asks softly into my ear, and my head swivels to her. She’s standing so close our noses almost brush, and she pulls back at my scowl.
“Does what look okay?” I mutter as I return to my cleaning.
“The bone…” she trails meekly. “You seem calmer out here.”
I stop, my eyes staring unseeing at the rush of water before me. My skin prickles unpleasantly before I shoot up from my spot and leave her behind.
She follows.
Of course she does.
“You’re not my shadow,” I bite harshly over my shoulder.
“I want to help,” she says as she climbs over a rock. Her foot slips, and I feel my heart bottom out before she regains her composure and smiles. “Sorry—”
“Get down from there!” I shout, my chest constricting with panic. Heat floods my face, and my voice trembles with fear. I don’t know what’s come over me, but the thought of her falling into the water terrifies me.
She scrambles down, looking sheepish. “I said I was sorry—”
“Sorry can’t save you from drowning, Melody.” I bite.
Her bottom lip wobbles, and her eyes become glassy. It’s an instant reaction—one that makes me blanch. I’ve never been good with tears, but seeing this girl’s face twist into something other than a smile has a pile of rocks settling in my stomach. I don’t like it.
“I’m sorry,” I say, softening my tone. “I didn’t mean to raise my voice at you.”
She hiccups, rubbing the hem of her shirt between her fingers. She won’t meet my eyes. “It’s just…this is all so scary. I want someone to talk to…”
I haven’t been making things easy for her. Something sharp and heavy pangs in my chest, making my teeth grit.
I drag a hand down my face, fully turning to face her. “Hey,” I say, quieter—awkward. She appears entirely too fragile with the inward curl of her shoulders. “Look at me.”
She hesitates, but finally tilts her chin up. Her eyes are rimmed red, but she still has that timidness swirling in her irises. She’s bracing herself for another verbal blow, and it makes my irritation melt away.
I don’t know what this emotion is, but it’s bitter and painful. It makes my fist tighten at my side as I take a breath and steady my voice. “I’m not good at this…” I shake my head before resting it back against my shoulders. “Talking. Comforting. It isn’t easy for me…”
She sniffles, using a thin finger to swipe under her eye.
“It doesn’t mean I don’t care,” I add. “Just now, you scared me. I thought you were going to get swept away by the water.”
Her shoulders relax a fraction, the tension loosening as she takes a few steps forward. She stands close to me, tilting her chin up to meet my gaze. The evening sunlight slants across her eyes, making them appear golden and warm. I’ve never noticed the softness of her features until now…
“I don’t need you to be perfect,” she whispers between us. Her small hand takes mine, wrapping around my fingers in an embrace that makes my brows draw. “I just…don’t want to be alone anymore.”
I swallow, my throat tightening. I don’t know what to make of my own emotions towards this girl, but seeing the acceptance and sadness in her eyes is like a knife to the gut.
She expects me to pull away, to shut her out, and that makes something tick like a bomb inside of me. I don’t like upsetting her.
I squeeze her hand tightly. “You’re not alone.”
She peers up at me through her lashes. “I’m sorry for scaring you.”
My heart thumps painfully. “It’s okay. I promise not to fuss at you again.”
She gives a watery chuckle, the sound twinkling. “Even if you do, I know it’s because you care.”
I blink, staring at her as a torrent of thoughts battles inside my head. Do I care? Is that what this is? It’s new, and I’m not sure how to feel about it just yet. It’s the first time I’ve ever felt anything besides emptiness.
“Right…” I mutter, pulling her along as I scale the rocks further away from the stream.
I show her how I search for bones, crouching down with her by my side as we root through the mud. She doesn’t complain about the grime as she produces a perfect little tibia bone with a gleam in her eyes.
“Found one!” She exclaims excitedly, showing it to me.
“Good job,” I say as I take it from her and run it under the water.
I don’t smile, but she isn’t looking for one.
She’s looking for companionship—something I never thought about outside of my two friends.
Knowing that she isn’t expecting me to change who I am makes this easier than I thought it would be.
I don’t have to pretend, because Melody wants me just the way I am.
There are no forced smiles as Dad expects, or complicated conversations when I have nothing to say.
She fills the space herself, talking about dance rehearsals and her first day at school as I dig around in the muck.
She doesn’t even need acknowledgment that I’ve heard her rambling, and it makes me ease into this fragile bond.
“I have a recital coming up, and I don’t know if I’m ready,” she admits as she sits on a rock. She’s abandoned her shoes as she kicks her feet through the water, splashing.
I count the bones in my fresh pile, humming. “You’ve been practicing your plie, right?”
She blows out a breath, resting her head back against her shoulders. “Yeah, but I’m not as good as Stephanie. She’s perfect at every new move…”
“You’re not Stephanie.”
She lifts a brow. “No, I’m not.”
“So, stop comparing yourself to her.” I shrug. “You’re going to do fine.”
She grins, the evening light reflecting across her face. “Thanks.”
“MELODY! KADEN!”
Both of our heads whip up towards the house in the distance. Ms. Love stands out on the terrace, her hands cupped around her mouth as she calls for us.
I shove my bones into my pocket before standing. I offer my hand to my new sister, an open invitation. She smiles coyly before her fingers curl around mine, and we walk hand-in-hand back to the mansion. For the first time, my ritual doesn’t feel like something created. It’s shared.
And I think I like that.