Page 2 of Teaching Cayden

Chapter 1

2 years later…

Cayden- age 19

It’s funny how things change when you go away to school. I never planned on living on campus, but after a semester of traveling back and forth, I changed my mind. With Dad being an employee of the university, I get a free ride, so why not take advantage of everything that comes with that?

Things have gotten easier for me since I first set foot up here. I’ve managed to submerse myself in the college life, and I quickly found out that age doesn’t matter in college like it does in high school. Once I started fulltime, I found that I had a wide range of students in my classes. They’re predominantly students in their late teens and early 20s, but there are also older students and a few younger ones like I was. Math is still hard, but I’ve made friends who help me.

I also did something else I swore I’d never do. I joined a fraternity. It hasn’t been that bad with the exception of hell week, but I’m not supposed to talk about that. You know, “what happens in fight club, stays in fight club?” My roommate joined with me, and I think our joint suffering is what helped me get through it.

All in all, things are great, except I still haven’t found her. I’ve looked everywhere, but the girl who helped me pass my first calculus class all but disappeared after that first meeting. I’ve often wondered if she graduated and I’m wasting my time looking for someone who doesn’t go to school here anymore. I don’t try as hard, but I must admit that I look everywhere I go for a Seahawk’s baseball cap, and then the green eyes peaking from under it.

“So what do think?” My best friend and roommate, Noah, elbowed me.

“Huh?” My head snapped in his direction. We were sitting in the student union having lunch between classes.

“You’re doing it again,” he grumbled as he shook his head.

“Am not.” I scoffed as I glanced down at the taco sitting in front of me. He was right. I was looking for her again. I couldn’t help it. It had become a habit, but I thought I was being slyer about it.

“Dude.” He sighed. “You were too.”

“Sorry.” I closed my eyes and sighed. “I can’t help it.”

“Why are you so obsessed with this chick? You guys screw or something? I mean, no one deserves this much of your time. Look at all the ladies here. I’m sure one of them thinks you and your nerdy self is hot.”

“I’m not a nerd,” I grumbled as I lifted the taco to my mouth.

“Sure.” He laughed. “A Captain America shirt and thick rimmed glasses are the new Tom Cruise.” He shook his head before balling up the food wrapper in front of him.

“I’ve never had complaints before.” I shrugged as I finished off my taco. What he didn’t know was my dating didn’t get me very far either. Most of the girls I went out with liked me until they realized that I really was a nice guy. I don’t know why college girls think that a nice guy can’t be their boyfriend. It’s like lately every girl wants to date the asshole.

“You’ve never had offers either.” He shoved me in the shoulder as he stood and turned toward the trashcan, tossing the balled-up wrapper like a basketball. As it fell through the hole in the top, he turned to me and grinned. “Nothing but net.”

I shook my head as I balled up my wrapper, only I knew better. I walked to the can and stuffed it inside. The last time I tried to make a basket, I hit a teacher. My buddies still make fun of me for it, and I haven’t tried since.

As we got up from the table to walk back to our dorm, Noah tried again. “You going tonight?”

“I don’t think so. I just came back here yesterday. I was planning to veg before classes start back up tomorrow.” I stuffed my hands in my pockets to try and stay warm against the winter breeze. Winter break had just ended and spring semester was starting tomorrow. I’d come back to campus a day early to walk my schedule. I still got nervous whenever there was a change in my life, but I’ve been able to hide that fact pretty well. I used the excuse of needing to buy books as a reason to walk around with Noah today.

“Ah, man. You mean I gotta go by myself?” He groaned as he threw his head back. “What am I supposed to tell the guys?”

“Tell them I’m not coming back until the morning and I’ll see them this weekend.” I shrugged. “I don’t care, but do not bring them back to the room.” I glared at him.

“Fine,” he muttered. “I might need to bring a girl back though. It’s fucking cold out.”

“So buy an extra blanket. I don’t want to hear you and some random chick slapping skin on my first night back on campus.” I shoved him, causing him to trip over his own feet.

“You are a real buzzkill, you know that, Sutter?” He shook his head at me.

“Yeah. Whatever.” I shrugged again before scanning the quad as we passed through.

“She’s not there,” Noah grumbled in aggravation beside me. “You’re never gonna stop, are you?”

“Nope, because you never know.” I shook my head before shoving him again.

Addison

---