Lost Heart √

Seven

Skylar's POV

"I was outside your front door with a gun in my hand.
You were truly terrified.
Caden Miller is done with the skeletons in his closet.

Two truths and a lie, sweet Skylar."

•••••

"Let's say, hypothetically speaking, that you're lying to me," I stated the very next morning, my tone laced with utter nonchalance. Totally calm.

Caden's gaze lifted from his phone and settled on me. When I didn't further add anything to it, he raised a dark brow, still not pushing his phone away. But at least I had his attention. I wondered if I should get up and join him on the small burgundy loveseat situated at the very corner of my room (probably Mom's doing).

"Yes?" He prompted rather patiently, which I found a bit endearing. A dark wisp of his hair fell over his forehead and I think I found his slightly longish hair a bit more endearing.

God, everything about him was a distraction at its finest. You were saying something, Skylar!

I rolled over on my stomach, halfway sprawled on my bed. "Well..." I trailed off, giving him a grin and trying to hide any jitters that I still had from reading the recent letter from my hooded stalker. "Why'd you be lying?"

Caden leaned back on the sofa, his beautiful green eyes still trained on me. There wasn't anything that I could read in them. No hesitation. No lie. Why would he lie? I thought.

"It may be because I don't see any reason to tell you the truth."

I sighed in defeat. That was the problem, I suppose. I couldn't even tell if we were still hypothetically speaking or was there some real truth behind his words.

"I'll give you a reason, mister." I hopped out of the bed and started pacing, thinking about the letter and those words printed on it. Skeletons in his closet. Very very vague. Nibbling on my thumbnail, I stopped and gave him a pointed look. "You love me. People don't lie to the ones they love, right?"

He threw his phone aside and ran both of his hands through his hair, letting out a tired sigh. We'd slept late last night once I convinced Caden to a sleepover. Would've probably slept the whole morning too--peacefully--if Dad hadn't called on the house phone, disrupting our slumber. My parents were to arrive back today. "Safety, Sky." He said. "Some things are better left unsaid."

I started pacing again because his words weren't comforting at all. I knew he didn't owe me every secret from his past. I knew Caden deserved some privacy too. But what if this was just about protecting me. Again. Like the time he'd lied to me about Blake and his evil biological father?

No, I thought and stopped in front of my closet. I wasn't going to mingle with something that I was better left not knowing. Not again. That might only lead to bad situations and awful trust issues. Like having a hooded stalker wasn't enough.

I saw Caden getting up from the loveseat and walking towards me. Until he gripped my elbow and gently tugged me to face him. "Why is it that you think I'm lying to you?"

You aren't, I wanted to say. I don't think you are. But those letters...

I tipped my head back against the closet door and looked up at him. I didn't realise I was anxiously gnawing on my lips until his fingers caressed my jaw, his thumb brushing against my lower lip. A quiet sigh left my lips and I stared into his eyes.