Page 36 of Caleb
“Anyway.” I clear my throat. I’ve lingered too much, and this part of the Residence is beyond forbidden territory. “We’ll be around if you need us. And try to rest that foot of yours. We literally need to get you up and running soon.”
Without warning, Red closes the distance between us with a couple of awkward steps and grabs me by the waist, running her arms around me. Automatically, I wrap my arms around her and rest my chin on the top of her head.
“Thank you, Caleb,” she says with her cheek pressed against my chest. Damn, it feels so good to be able to hold her like this. “You know—for earlier and just—everything. And for being my friend too.” She quickly breaks off from the embrace and skips back on one foot. It breaks my heart to get confirmation on how lonely she feels because here she is, wanting to connect with her bodyguard. After all, it’s clear that she’s got no one to talk to who would understand what she’s going through. But I do. And she knows I get it. So I’m glad that I can be there for her in whatever capacity that may be.
She’s yet to open up to me about her mother. About what happened that day as seen through her eyes. But I’m sure with time, she’ll feel ready to talk about it, and I’ll be here, willing and ready to listen to whatever she has to say.
It’s clear to both of us that bending the rules will be necessary to ease ourselves into said friendship. It’s hard for me to think about Aaron or the consequences of crossing a line when she’s standing before me, looking at me like this. Like sheneededthis.
And I sure as hell needed it too.
2006
Most Popular Guy in School
July 7, 2006
IT’S RED’S LAST DAY OF SCHOOL,and Aaron and I are waiting for her to come out of her last class. The halls are swarming with cheerful girls walking around and talking in small groups, seemingly excited about the semester ending and their summer break to come.
Aaron and I are talking about tonight’s UFC 61 event, discussing the fighters, but he seems spacey. He hasn’t been himself ever since his family called him last October with news about his father’s health. I asked him what was wrong after I returned from carrying Red up to her room the day she got her ankle sprained, but he downplayed it by saying his father wasn’t feeling well but that everything was okay.
A few days later, I found out through my mom that his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease a few years ago. His family has been relatively private about it, but it’s been challenging to keep the secrecy since Aaron’s father has been having recurrent episodes of confusion lately. Because of this, Aaron’s been constantly checking on his family. Apparently, his father wandered out of the house the day we came back from the hospital, and they couldn’t find him for a few hours.
As soon as I found out about this, I told Aaron I was aware of the situation and expressed my support. He’s usually good at reeling in his emotions, and he seems “normal” most of the time, but he’s been having some off days here and there where he appears to be inattentive and on edge. It’s hard to see him going through something like that, and I wish he would lean on me, but he wants to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Today is one of those days.
I’ve been insisting on how he should fly out to Tel Aviv if it’ll make him feel more at ease, but he refuses. I’m not sure why that is. Plenty of DSS agents could easily cover for him while he’s away. And even if that wasn’t the case, I’m more than capable of taking care of Red on my own. I’m very much acquainted with the city by now and can drive her wherever she might need to go.
Red’s been recently going out a bit more with her friends Sophie and Cecile. Mostly eating out or visiting their houses. The three of them have become inseparable, and that’s one less thing for me to worry about. It was painful to see her struggling to make friends or even talk to other girls at school. And even if she cancels more plans than she attends, I can see she’s making an effort to get out more.
“Hello!” A tall blonde girl says, standing right in front of me with a flirty smile. I’ve seen this girl around campus, and she’s cute, but she’s messing with my direct vision toward Red’s classroom door. And Aaron’s already clearing his throat, his way of telling me,don’t you dare.
“Hello,” I reply with a pursed smile. I’m trying to look away, but this girl is making it hard to do so, especially when she’s occupying my entire field of vision.
“I’m Noelle.” She tucks her blonde locks behind her ear.
“Nice to meet you, Noelle.” I can feel the heat emanating from Aaron’s gaze directed my way, scorching me. But even if my mission here is to keep this interaction as short as possible, I refuse to set my manners aside. “I’m Caleb.”
“I know,” she says with a wicked smirk. “We all know.”
“Mmm.” I look away with a frown. It’s the only way I’ll be able to keep myself from smiling at her.
“Anyway,” she says, her voice pulling my attention back to her. “Um—there’s a pre-graduation pool party tomorrow at my place at noon.” Her French accent is endearing, but I honestly couldn’t care less about her party. She’s delusional to think she can invite me and even more so to entertain the idea of me actuallyattendingthis event.
“You girls have fun.” I nod and take a subtle step to the right, redirecting my gaze toward Red’s classroom door because this is where I remove myself from this conversation. I need this chitchat to end, and the bell’s about to ring any second now.
And it does.
More students funnel out of their classrooms and flood the hallway while Noelle still stands next to me. She’s now showing me a piece of paper with a printed-out invitation, but my hands remain in a relaxed fist in front of me. I amnotgoing to grab that paper. And now Red’s heading our way with Sophie and Cecile by her side.
I do my best to ignore Noelle, but as soon as she spots Red and her friends walking toward us, she smiles and waves at them excitedly.
“Billie!” She beams at her. “I was giving these guys your invitation for the pool party tomorrow just in case I missed you.” Noelle hits me with a knowing look. She knows that’s not what she was doing, but she got caught. I press my lips and make an effort not to laugh because even if I’m flattered, Aaron’s definitely not in the mood to entertain this …situation.
Red’s eyes widen for a second, and Cecile crosses her arms at her chest and lifts a suspicious brow at Noelle. “My sister invited us already,” Cecile says, her voice sharp like a steel blade. “We’ll see you there.”
“Oh! Perfect!” Noelle hands over the invitation to Red. “Here you go anyway. À demain!”
