Kimberly's POV:
"Jessy, get away! Let go of my wrist!" I shouted, panic rising as he pushed me against the wall, pinning both of my hands above my head. His grip was firm, and I could barely breathe.
"Do you want to know my favorite part of you?" he taunted, his breath hot against my skin.
"No, Jessy, please—"
"Arghh!" I jolted awake, sweat clinging to my forehead. The remnants of that nightmare clung to me like a bad perfume.
The house felt too quiet, a strange emptiness without Kenna. I brushed my teeth, trying to shake off the lingering dread, and shuffled downstairs, desperate for coffee. I leaned on the counter, glaring at the coffee machine as if it owed me something. Why was it taking so long?
"Hey, Ann"
I turned around to see Kade standing there, and—wow—he looked ridiculously cute in his brown onesie, his messy white hair practically begging for attention. Aww.
"Hey," I managed to say, my heart doing that weird flip-flop thing.
He walked closer, and I felt my pulse quicken. When he reached out to brush a stray hair from my face, I panicked and slapped his hand away. Grabbing my coffee, I sprinted back up the stairs, my cheeks burning.
Kade's POV:
I woke up to an empty house. The silence was almost comforting. After my shower, I headed downstairs, drawn by the smell of coffee. As I entered the kitchen, I spotted Kimber—her black hair piled in a messy bun, wearing a red matching pajama set. She looked cute—like, really cute. My heart did a little dance.
"Hey, Kimber"
"Hey," she replied, her voice soft and inviting.
I took a step closer, wanting to brush a strand of hair away from her face, but she slapped my hand away like it was a bug. Then she grabbed her cup of coffee and darted up the stairs. What just happened?
Did I scare her off with my onesie? Or maybe she thought I wanted to kiss her again? My mind raced. Did she regret our kiss last night? Shaking off the confusion, I decided not to press her. Instead, I made my coffee and headed up to my room, wondering what had just transpired.
—TIME SKIP—
Kimberly's POV:
Two hours later, Kade knocked on my door. I pretended not to hear him. He knocked again, and I stayed silent. After that nightmare, I didn't want to face him today. The thought of being around him felt like standing too close to the edge of a cliff.
I took a shower but immediately wore another PJ set and settled into binge-watching "In Jennie's Eyes", trying to drown out the world. But boredom crept in like an uninvited guest, so I finally opened my door and headed downstairs.
"Oh, hey everyone"
"Kimmy!!" Jessica exclaimed, her excitement almost palpable.
"Oh my gosh, Kimmy, I'm sorry for not telling you!" Kenna rushed over. "I went on a date with Jace. You were still asleep when we woke up, and I didn't want to disturb you!"
"It's fine," I replied, forcing a smile.
I turned to Casey. "And you?"
Casey looked around for a moment before grinning. "Well, Jade and I went on a date."
Jade chimed in, "In the amusement park—it was so fun!"
"Yep," Casey confirmed, beaming.
"Luke...?" I asked, glancing toward him.
"Oh, Tori and I went on a date," he replied casually.
"An ice cream date," Tori added with a playful smile.
Jessica clapped her hands, eyes sparkling. "And I was with Kade!"
I turned to Kade, who was staring at me, his black eyes searching. It felt like eternity, a few seconds of silence that buzzed with unspoken words. His gaze was intense yet unreadable.
He glanced down at my PJs, and before I could say anything, his phone rang, breaking the moment. He stepped out of the room, leaving me standing there, my heart racing and my thoughts a jumbled mess.