Chain Reaction 3.33: Kade

Isabella

      It's not fair! My nieces have men falling all over themselves just to get at them, and when I finally have the perfect guy, it turns out the girl he was still trying to get over turned out to be one of them! Why Jarvis, Charlotte? Why him? Isn't it enough that you're the heir?

      I was really starting to fall in love with Jarvis. He was certainly better than any of those losers I'd meet in the club. He was... real. He wasn't just trying to get in my pants. That's not to say he wasn't passionate, but he was a gentleman about it--well, compared to some jerks I've dated.

     Sigh. I guess I'll be the branch on the family tree that stops with me.

     "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was here," I hear coming from a deep voice to my right. Turning my head, I see some guy standing there looking at a loss as to what to do. "There usually aren't any people here this time of the night." Why is he concerned someone is here? It's a public park. Maybe he'd hoped to be alone and I'm ruining it.

     "Sorry." Geez, I can't even go to the park anymore? I love this park. It's so romantic... which isn't that great a thing right now, but I still like it.

     "Is everything okay?" he asks, and I really look at him. I immediately notice the concern in his brown eyes.

      "My boyfriend cheated on me," I tell him. I believe Jarvis when he says that he was planning on coming to talk to me as soon as he could. Still, he shouldn't have chased after her to begin with. I feel cheated out of a good relationship.

     The stranger takes a breath. "Oh yeah. Been there. Only girlfriend, though. How long has it been?" 

     "Been since what?"

     "Since he cheated on you."

     I look down at his loafers. "A week. I mean, I'm mostly over it. I'm just starting to think I'll never be happy."

     He sits. down. on the bench next to me.

     "Do you need someone to talk to?" he asks.

     Crap. This is just like the night I met Jarvis for the second time. Only this time I'm the one moping. 

     I sigh. "I don't know what good it'll do. Tell me what happened with you." Maybe hearing someone else's story will make mine not so bad.

    "Uh..." He sounds uncomfortable.

      "You don't have to," I say. I should probably go. I have no idea who this guy is. He could be a serial killer for all I know. I could be in danger. But... I don't know. Right now, I don't feel like I'm in danger. That's probably stupid of me, but hey, maybe I'm more like Ethan than I am Emily.

      "No, it's, uh... I wasn't expecting that, and I have no idea how to begin." He pauses. "We were engaged. But there was this guy... Well, she had a thing for him in high school, years before we met. She acted like he got on her nerves, like she even hated him. Guess she was wrong because I found them making out on the desk in her dad's office."

      "That had to have been uncomfortable."

      He starts laughing, and I look up at him, confused. That makes him laugh more before he can try to stop. "Sorry. It's just that's the last thing I expected to hear."

      "Sorry."

     "No, you don't have to be sorry. Laughter is good, right? And I'm not laughing at you, by the way, just the unexpectedness of what you said." He smiles. It's a really nice smile. Warm.

     "I guess. And... I guess my story is somewhat similar. She wasn't ever his girlfriend, but he's had a thing for her for years. What's worse, she's my niece."

      "Whoa! How old is she?"

      "Huh?" I look at him. "Oh. No. Nothing like that. She's eighteen." I explain to him how it is that I have nieces just a little younger than me.

      "So you're the youngest. I'm the youngest, too. Of five boys."

      "Whoa," I take my turn being amazed. "Your poor mom."

      He cracks up laughing again. Calming himself, he holds out his hand as if to ward something away. "No, no. It doesn't matter how big we get, she can always keep us in line with that sharp tongue of hers." He pauses. "What's your name?"

     Now, I get the distinct impression that he's trying to pick me up. Maybe I should leave. "Isabella."

     "Did you know there's a wishing well in this park, Isabella?"

     "What, that old thing?" I don't want to go home just to be around Mom and Dad. My parents are so in love. Everyone is so in love. Not me. I'm an adult, and I still live at home. Maybe I'm just a loser.

     "Yeah. I discovered it the other night. I moved here a few weeks ago from Bridgeport. Wanna try it out?"

     Sigh again. "Why not? I guess it beats moping." Then I'll leave and go home.

     "I thought they'd locked this gate," I say as we approach it.

     "If they did, it's rusted out by now. That makes me wonder how long it's been here."

     "You never told me your name."

     "Oh," he says, sounding somewhat surprised. "It's Kade Love."

     I smile for the first time tonight at the last name. 'Mr. Love.' If he were a doctor, he'd be 'Dr. Love.' 'Dr. Love is in the house,' I say in my head and have to swallow a giggle. 'The Love doctor is in.' I have to bite down hard on my lip.

     He convinces me to make a wish.

     I wish that I wouldn't stay lonely forever. 

     The fountain erupts in a red light. "Whoa! Cool!" Kade exclaims.

      At the same time, I cry out, "Ah!" What's happening? I start to walk backwards, but I feel Kade's hand on my back.

      "Hold up. Let's see what happens." He sounds excited.

      "No. This is a magical artifact or something, and we probably shouldn't be messing with it."

      He talks into my ear. "Really? Has that ever stopped you, Isabella? Somehow I didn't peg you as the rule-following type." He stands right behind me, and I have the sudden fear that he's going to push me down the well.

     I spin around and push him away. He looks surprised.

     "Who are you, really?" I snap.

     Utter confusion hits his face like someone slapped it there. "What do you mean? I'm Kade. Just Kade." Then, he holds up his hands like he's surrendering, and he backs up. "Sorry. Geez, I was just having a little fun. And trying to get you to have a little fun too. Looked like you needed it."

     OMG I am a loser. "Sorry." I hide my face behind my hand.

     "Okay. Yeah, I know I just appeared out of nowhere and you don't know me. I can only guess that's why you'd ask that. I'll just leave. Sorry."

     "No. I'm sorry. It's just that you did appear out of nowhere. But you don't have to go. Unless you want to, I mean." Yeah, because I'm a loser.

     "Could you step away from the well, first? Maker only knows how deep that thing is, and it's making me anxious."

     I smile. Maybe he's not a creep or a serial killer. Maybe he's just a night owl like me that likes to come to the park to think in the middle of the night.

     He smiles back. "Well, if I'm not going, I can think of something else to do just for fun. I've been tempted to do it ever since I first saw it but thought it would be crazy if I did it by myself."

     "What?"

     He holds out his hand. "Follow me." After I put my hand in his, his long fingers wrap around it securely.

      I suspected this is what he was thinking. "You're crazy." I giggle.
     "Naw. It's great! You should try it." He splashes around, ruining his loafers.

     "You're destroying your shoes! I don't want to ruin my shoes."
     "Well, if they get ruined, it's just an excuse to go shopping, right? You strike me as someone who likes to shop." He smiles, not meaning anything bad by what he said.
      He looks like he's having so much fun. I can't resist.

     I can't stop laughing. "This is crazy!"
     "I know, but haven't you always wanted to do this?"
     "Maybe when I was a little girl, yeah."
     "Well, let that little girl inside you have some fun!" He splashes me. Not cool. So, I take both hands and make them form a tidal wave-type thing all over his shirt. Ha! His hair gets wet when he leans down in the fountain's spray, and he flips it back, trying to get it in place with his hand. His eyes are beautiful.
     Eventually, I get tired of the fountain. Not to mention I'm a little cold, so we sit on the edge.

      "Your watch is ruined."
      He looks at it and shrugs. "I bought it at SimMart for ten measly simoleans. No big deal."
      A slight breeze blows by. Normally, I'd hardly notice it, but being soaked like I am, it makes me shiver. He scoots closer.

      "Really, Kade?" I ask in a kind of sarcastic disbelief, but I think it's funny.
      "What?" he asks, but I can tell he's trying to hide a smile. "You looked cold. I thought I could help with that." He can't hold back the smile anymore. "Am I not helping?"

     "That has to be the oldest move in the book."
     "Well, you're warmer. Right?"
     I smile and let him keep his arm around me. We sit and talk about our lives. I tell him I haven't picked a career path. But I hope to go into fashion design. He's a musician, piano mostly. We keep talking and talking about our families, and he just stares at me.

     "What?" I ask, wanting to know why he's gotten quiet.
     "You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen, and I'm not just saying that."
     I blush, and he smiles. Then, he looks at my lips.
     "I hardly know you," I tell him, leaning slightly away.

     "Can we fix that?" He looks so hopeful. And, I start kind of wishing he had kissed me. He has nice lips.
     "Like..."
     "Like let me take you to dinner tomorrow night--if that's not too soon. I just know I... won't be able to get you out of my head."
     "Why did you come to the park tonight?" I ask him.
     "Looking for inspiration for a song. And I found you. I'd be an idiot if I walked away from here without at least getting your phone number."

     "Tomorrow isn't too soon."
     He smiles. It's a nice smile. I suppose I can give this guy a chance. It's not like I was madly in love with Jarvis; I'm just upset that he's a good one that got away.
     We agree to meet at the village restaurant tomorrow at seven.

     When I get home, I see lights from a police squad car lighting up the house. What's going on?!