ONE
SOPHIE
My lips trembled and my body shivered as the rain and wind threw itself around me.
The weather report had said nothing about the storm that was thrashing around me. Which is why I had worn my denim shorts and plain T-shirt for the day instead of something warmer.
My umbrella had betrayed me 2 blocks ago and swung from my wrist in a broken mess while my full bag of homework weighed my shoulder down.
My white ankle Converse was no exception to the rest of me, being wet and cold with still another 2 blocks before my house would grant me refuge.
I was so caught up in feeling sorry for myself, I didn’t even hear the splashing of footsteps behind me until the owner of those footsteps tapped me on the shoulder.
I jumped, pulled the earphone out of my ear from behind my chest-length, light blonde hair, and turned to face him.
Kaleb.
My neighbor, my twin brother’s best friend, and my secret crush.
Dark brown hair, dark green eyes, tan muscular body, and he was at least an inch taller than my brother, Cam who was 6,5.
“Hey Soph,” Kaleb smiled positioning his nice, functioning umbrella so it sat over both of us.
“Hey,” I replied, leaving one earphone out of my ear and continuing to walk next to him, with a smile that made my already wide mouth look even wider, pushing in my dimples.
I cringed, I hated my dimples, they would forever put me in the ‘cute’ category instead of the ‘hot’ type that Kaleb went for.
“You didn’t get a ride with Cam today?” he asked looking down at me.
“He wasn’t coming straight home, apparently he has some science project to do at some girl's house and we both know what that means,” I grinned. Kaleb smirked.
“Oh. Well, I thought it'd be a nice day today so I didn't drive but I do have a working umbrella. Even if it is a bit late,” he smirked. I nodded gratefully.
“Yeah, thanks. So, what are your plans for the weekend?” I asked as we walked.
I hoped if I kept talking as if I wasn’t watching every ripple of his shirt over his impressive body move, then maybe my body would give me some peace from the heat that flushed it.
Kaleb shrugged, “The usual; work out tomorrow morning, game in the afternoon then Sunday is whatever I feel like, I guess I should fit some homework in there somewhere too.”
I laughed with him, but it didn’t sound anywhere near as attractive.
My over-imaginative brain, of course, looked out at the rain pattering down before us and images flashed of Kaleb dropping the umbrella, soaking us both before he kissed me hard and fiercely.
I bit my lip and shook out the image. He was my brother’s best friend, it was never going to happen.
“Sounds fun,” I smiled sarcastically, pulling myself back to the conversation. I did not think working out, or his game of football sounded fun, not to mention homework- which happened to be enemy number one for me.
He smirked knowingly, “Yeah, not really. What about you?”
“Nothing planned. My parents are away again so it’s going to be a study weekend, I think. Maybe I’ll go to your game on Saturday.” I shrugged, knowing if I did go to the game, then it wasn’t to watch the match.
Which was probably why half the people ever went, to be honest. Kaleb and my brother Cam just had that effect on people.
“Your parents are away again? Cam said they just got back?” Kaleb said confused.
“Yeah, they were back for a couple of days before they were called back out on another cruise again,” I explained sadly. I missed my parents; they were great when they were home but getting them to stay home for a long period was impossible.
“Oh. It must be nice getting to do your own thing though?” He assumed. I shrugged.
I didn’t tell people how much I wanted my parents to be normal like the others, to stay home and nag me to do my homework, growl me for not tidying my room.
I missed being able to talk to them about my day when I came home, I missed their voices, their hugs, their love.
I never said this out loud though, somehow it made me feel guilty.
My parents loved what they did, and they loved each other, so getting to go on cruises together meant they were doing what they loved. I just didn’t want to take that away from them.
I knew they would stop if they thought me or Cam wasn’t okay with them leaving but I wasn’t going to stop them from doing what they loved.
With them working so much, I did live very comfortably, and I didn’t want to seem ungrateful by asking my parents to stay home more.
I cleared my throat from the emotion that bubbled through it and changed the subject before I could let it out.
“I guess. So, Stacey’s not coming over today then?” I grinned, changing the subject to one I knew Kaleb would remember.
My window sat right opposite his. Sometimes we wrote each other messages, sometimes we just smiled and sometimes we forgot to close the curtains when we were having a private moment.
Kaleb had done it this time, while he’d been making out with Stacey Hollands the night before. She was the head cheerleader, and queen of the school, with Kaleb under her thumb.
He laughed and I swore I could see a slight blush.
“Not today. So, what do you want this time? Caramel latte again?” He grinned, looking down at me. I smirked as he referred to our deal.
Whoever forgot to close their curtains during intimate circumstances or awkward situations, had to buy the coffee the following morning on the walk to school.
I seemed to have a winning streak at the moment, partly because I didn’t have many guys over for anything other than studying due to Cam’s overbearing big brother ways and secondly because Kaleb had girls over all the time.
The only thing I had been caught out on so far was forgetting to close my curtains after my shower a couple of times, which even though I had been in my underwear had created a very awkward situation.
“Perfect,” I grinned. He laughed.
“You know this little deal we have going is becoming very expensive,” He teased.
“No, your forgetfulness is becoming expensive,” I laughed with him.
“Touché,” He smirked.
We came around the corner of our block, where our two houses sat side by side, getting as hammered by the rain as we were.
We walked over to them and I couldn’t help thinking about the god-like teenager who walked beside me, his warm scent of earth and caramel always made my mouth water.
I wished the feelings would stop there, just be an unhealthy, strong attraction for Kaleb, but it wasn’t just physical.
I had feelings there that were entirely internal and stemmed from somewhere inside me that I hated to admit.
I’d liked him for a long time, in more than a big brother’s best friend kind of way. Ever since his parents had gone away for work and he had stayed over for a couple of weeks when we were younger.
At first, I had felt left out from the boys but one night I’d had a nightmare and had been crying in bed. He had come in and helped me feel better. Soothed and comforted me in a way that had stayed with me.
Now I was stuck being one of those pining girls who drooled every time I saw him.
At least the others had a chance with him, he was with new girls all the time and it broke my heart every time.
He had never gone after me the way he had them and it made my confidence plummet daily because of it.
I had been stuck in the friend zone for so long it was starting to become pathetic pining after him, but I couldn’t help it. He was stuck in my heart and no matter what I tried, he stayed there.
I sighed irritably at my wayward thoughts and looked up at him.
He was friendly, warm, kind, and gentle. Mix that with the muscular body, defined jaw, green eyes, and dark hair and he was one hell of a guy that took my breath away daily.
Even just walking home with him had butterflies in my stomach the whole way. Did he still see me as his best friend’s sister? Or was it really because he felt nothing towards me?
I shook myself out of my thoughts before they got the better of me.
“I’ll walk you to your door, so you don’t get even more soaked,” he offered. Such a gentleman.
“Thanks,” I said as we walked past his house and up my driveway. He led me up the three steps onto the porch, where he pulled his umbrella down while I went to get the spare key.
It wasn’t there. I frowned and looked under all the other flowerpots that were on the porch, but it wasn’t there.
“Shit,” I bit rubbing a hand over my soaked hair.
“What’s wrong?” Kaleb asked.
“Well, either Mom and Dad didn’t leave the spare key out or Cam has it with him, either way, I can’t get in the house.” I sighed, fishing for my iPhone in my bag.
“Oh. Do you want to come over to mine until you figure something out?” Kaleb asked. My eyes widened as I bit my lip.
I had been over to Kaleb’s before but never without Cam and I didn’t know how long I would have to stay since my parents might have the key.
“Um maybe. I’ll call Cam and see if he has the spare, if he doesn’t, I might have to stay with the twins until my parents get back,” I said, referring to my twin best friends, Molly and Dani.
I called Cam’s number but there was no answer. Finally, on the third try, he answered.
“What Soph? I told you I was busy this afternoon,” he said in a tone that was gentle but annoyed and maybe even breathless?
“Sorry Cam, do you have the spare house key? It’s not under the plant and I can’t get in,” I asked.
“Oh shit, yeah I grabbed it today and forgot to put it back. The road to Abbey’s is closed though Soph, the storm has it flooded so I can’t get back until probably Monday."
He sounded genuinely worried.
I clenched my hand around the phone. The twins were away this weekend, that’s why I had no plans. They were going on a trip up north with their parents to see the rest of their family.
I sighed, “Damn it, um don’t worry I’ll sort something,” I said irritated.
I was wet and cold, and I just wanted to have a nice hot shower, get into some dry clothes, and maybe help my body out of its frustrated state.
“I’m sorry Soph, text me when you know what you’re doing okay?” Cam apologized.
“Yeah, I will,” I said then hung up, not sure if I could handle being in Kaleb's space for an extended time period when all I wanted to do was pull him in for a kiss that would destroy his 'cute' idea of me.
