They say people paint their skins with inks to hide the ugly scars people have given to them, they say they only hide these scars to show—rather convince the world they aren't weak but I think they are trying to convince themselves they aren't weak, trying to prove a point to themselves!

Now, I wonder if that's the same case with Kaden-I watch from the kitchen door as the half-naked tattooed man pressed his fingertips into the sides of the kitchen sink his face downwards and his back muscles tensed while a storm ravaged outside. It would have truly been an attractive sight if I'm not so worried about the man that beat up someone for disrespecting me.

Another clap of thunder receives a choked sound from his lips, he is yet to notice my presence and I can't bear to see him this way.

So I speak up taking tentative steps into the kitchen. "Astraphobia is what I think they call it. Fear of thunder,"

He raises his head to stare at the wall in front of him, his back still tensed. "What are you doing here, Ellie?" his voice is deep and low; a soft murmur to my ears.

"I thought you didn't want Kate to know we're speaking," while the name of my only friend should have set the alarms off in my head and should have made me turn my back on the struggling man, it doesn't.

I don't see anything wrong in what I'm doing, there's a person who needs help in front of me—I might not be the perfect candidate to help him vanquish his fears but they say a company can help reduce your fear—id be damned if I turned my back on him.

Just this once, he isn't Kate's brother but someone I see that is struggling.

"It's a fear only triggered by thunders, and I wonder if you get it everything there's a rumble of thunder—" I step closer and sit on one of the stools in the kitchen, my gaze locked on his back, Kaden merely turns his head to the side. "And even wonder more what caused that fear, what caused this phobia, Kaden?" he scoffs.

"You're fucking delirious if you think I'd be willing to spill my guts, Ellie." He draws, "why the fuck are you even here? Don't you have a warm bed to sleep on? Better yet don't you have a pantie to toss around into the face of another man?" I lose my composure for a second and I'm threatened to cuss him out but I calm myself and remind myself that it's a normal reaction...I hope.

I sigh, "Having phobias is normal, my phobia is—"

"Don't tell me shit about yourself Red, I wouldn't be able to console you. Plus, you're not my therapist." He says finally turning around, his eyes are bloodshot red and his jaw is clenched. He shuts his eyes taking a deep breath. "You shouldn't worry about matters that aren't your business, it will leave you only with a broken heart." I slouch a bit in on the stool as he stalks forward.

He stops in front of me and crosses his arms—I watch as his muscles bulge out more. He leans down a bit with his eyes piercing into my very soul. "You need to go get your money back from whatever shitty therapist told you having a fear is normal because they lied to you." Then he turns about to leave.

I blow out an air before speaking. "You should hang out with me, I can't sleep."

"Your insomnia is not my business. Ellie."

I couldn't be more embarrassed, I watch as his figure departs and as his shadow disappears then I begin to question what sorcery woke me up, I hated getting up in the middle of the night and if I did by any chance I'd try not to speak to anyone because I hardly ever sleep.

Not only did I wake up in the middle of the night, but I also gave—well, tried to give a speech to someone with tattoos.

Something is definitely wrong with me.

I make my way to the fridge then pick out a bottle of water before returning to my stool so I could keep up with the lives of celebrities when Kaden appears by the door again this time in a black shirt.

He scratches his head awkwardly I refrain from laughing, "There's this book I want to read," I begin trying to ease him up, his stormy eyes momentarily lights up like bright stars before he takes the stool next to mine. "It's for class anyway, it's about Greek mythology there's only little information the internet can provide, I mean I know it can provide enough stories, tales but I don't have enough patience to dive deeper finding both relevant and irrelevant." Kaden has an elbow on the kitchen island with his head on his arm while he watches me speak.

"Then buy it." I laugh at his words.

"Have you seen its price? It's really expensive!" I show him my phone so he could see the price and the book.

"It's cheap to me."

"Yeah, it would be to a millionaire."

"Billionaire, Red." He is quick to reply me with a tiny smirk at my eye roll.

Kate informed me about her Kaden being the reason for their money in the family, and how rich he really is.

"Which leaves me to wonder why you're squatting with your little sister." I raise two eyebrows at him.

He leans closer and he replies. "Aren't you a wondering little red?"

"You can't blame me. I don't like things out of order," his eyes run over my figure and he leans back rubbing his chin even as it's night Kaden has rings adorning his fingers.

I look away when his stare becomes intense and I can tell the atmosphere in the room has just shifted into something...deeper.

My phone pings and lights up earning a squeal from me at the notification. I tap it and smile brightly, "They finally got together! God, my favorite celebrity couples just got together!" I shove my screen to his face and Kaden stares at it blankly.

"Two weeks and they'll break up," I pull my phone close to my chest sending him a glare. "Or less."

"Don't say that! Plus I think it's impossible for them to break up. It's true love." I say liking the post.

"True love doesn't exist." Kaden scoffs with an eye roll.

His response earns a frown from me. "Yes it does."

"You really believe someone is capable of making "butterflies" swarm your insides? That someone is capable of making a stuttering mess?" He shakes his head as I nod at his rhetorical questions and for the umpteenth time that night Kaden leans closer to my face, his warm breath fanning the skin on my nose. "No sane person should believe love exists, Red. It's just wrong."

But it does exist, Kaden, it truly should, that's the only thing that can keep the world sane.

The next day I have classes, a full day of them and it's just so frustrating and I begin to question why I decided to stay up till the sun came up—but as strange as it may sound I'll do it again with Kaden, after all, we're just talking nothing else.

"The phrase don't fly too close to the sun can be chased down to Icarus the son who disobeyed the loud warnings of his father that the wax of his wings would melt..." the class goes on for an hour before it's my free period I can already feeling my poor souls withering away.

It's an exaggeration but that's how tired I feel.

I make a quick drive to the cafe and order my famous pink drink, "You're Ellie Crow right? I guessed your name because someone described you." The guy says as he gives me my drink, I dip my hand into my purse. "Oh, it was preordered and paid for." He replies.

"Who described me and paid for me?" I frown.

The blonde shrugs. "He paid me extra not to tell you and threatened to get me fired if I did." I take the drink with an even deeper frown.

"Well. Tell the person I said thanks, I guess." I shake off the weirdness and leave the cafe rushing back to school.

Whoever it could be just restored my soul, this pink drink is heaven.

Classes are over for the day and I make my way out so I can leave with Kate, it feels like forever since we hung out for real. The other Saturday hangout was canceled for some reason and I want to make up for that.

Partially because it was my fault and more importantly because I have been talking to her brother.

"You must really love pink and yellow because those are the only two combinations you wear," I instantly look away from the clear sky to the man leaning against his car, sunshades are hiding his eyes away and his silver chain glistens under the sunlight. The ink peeking from his three unbuttoned shirt is really hard to ignore.

I ignore brush my ruffled hair, "Kad—what are you doing here?" I whisper like we're sinning whilst I look around for Kate.

He leans off his car and is about to reply to me when I hear the sweet voice of my best friend. "Ell—Kaden! What are brilliant surprise, what brings you to this part of the world?"

"Thought to give you a ride," a few glances from other students are thrown is away and I can't blame them, without his tattoos Kaden is very attractive, I mean would have been attractive only those sickos with a strange love for tattoos can find him attractive.

"Oh? You didn't have to do Ellie has a car." Kate says pointing at my jeep parked at the other end, Kaden lowers his shades.

"Seems the tires are bad. I wouldn't want to jeopardize the safety of my sister," even Kate can sniff the fake concern in his tone.

I look over to my jeep before walking there and just as he has said, two out of four tires are bad, seems like something punctured it.

"It's really bad," I tell Kate wondering what exactly could have punctured my tires. They didn't have any problems when I was driving from the cafe.

"Now do you want a ride or should I leave without you two?" He asks as he stares at his Rolex.

"What about my Jeep?" I shriek, the thought of leaving my care here all alone terrified me. What if something even worse happens to it?

"Someone will have it fixed. Now get it, I have a meeting to attend in an hour." He grumbles as he makes his way into his car, Kate rounds the car before getting in and I send one lingering look at my car before getting in myself.

Kaden drops us home and drives away before we could thank him, Kate shrugs saying she's never accepting a ride from him ever again and we go in.

I flop on the couch and so does Kate, a book is on the table and normally I'd ignore it but it cover is a familiar one. One I have been seeing on Amazon and I've been wishing I could purchase for my assignment but couldn't because it's expensive.

"Thought you said this book is crazily expensive! Do you have a secret cash stash I know nothing of?" Kate begins but I tune her out.

My fingertips run over the hardcover of the book, a soft smile playing on my lips as my thoughts begin to wander.

Why did he get the book for me?

•••
Thanks a lot for reading!