The comments about Kayden never seemed to stop. He was an enigmatic figure to others, both admired and misunderstood.
"How the hell can that guy be so perfect? He never pays attention in class, but he's always on top of everything. He's amazing at every sport, always surrounded by girls, and still seems bored with everything... what's wrong with him?"
It was something that constantly repeated among the boys at his school. They couldn't understand how someone like Kayden could have so much popularity, intelligence, and ability, yet seem to care about nothing. However, all of that seemed superficial to them. Kayden was attracted to calmness, to the prospect of things beyond the trivial. Sure, he wasn't immune to the allure of girls his age, but that wasn't what truly fascinated him. He was drawn to older women.
Why? Because he saw them as more mature beings, determined, with a vision of life that girls his age didn't seem to have. The girls in his class, although attractive, hesitated, wavered, and were indecisive in everything they did, something Kayden couldn't stand. Older women, on the other hand, knew what they wanted, went straight to the point, with no games or complications.
That day, as he listened to his classmates' comments about his lack of interest in girls his age, Kayden felt a pang of curiosity. There was something that intrigued him, something that his classmates always mentioned: sex. He wondered what that thing was that everyone seemed to experience with such enthusiasm, why people seemed to lose themselves in it. Kayden didn't consider himself naive, but he wanted to understand why his classmates talked about it nonstop, as if it were the key to achieving "maturity." He wanted to experience it for himself and see how important it really was.
He knew exactly where to go to find answers.
That same afternoon, dressed in clothes that accentuated his robust and tall physique, he headed to a shopping mall. With his hair neatly arranged and his somewhat mature demeanor for his age, it wasn't hard for him to seem older than he really was. As he walked near the women's clothing stores, beauty products, and cosmetics, he felt like he was playing a game in which he was the prey, but in reality, he was the hunter.
In the middle of his stroll, a few college girls noticed him. They were three young women who, with intrigued smiles, looked him up and down. They knew something about him wasn't ordinary, so they decided to approach.
Girl 1: "Are you from here? I haven't seen you before... what's your name?"
Kayden: "I'm new around here, my name's Kayden."
Girl 2: "New? Wow, that's rare, you're... different. Would you like to join us? We're heading to karaoke, it'll be fun."
Kayden (smiling calmly): "Sounds good, what do you have in mind?"
The girls exchanged glances before enthusiastically inviting him. Kayden had no doubts and accepted the invitation without much thought. He wanted to understand that world that others seemed to aspire to. The night promised to be interesting.
At the karaoke bar, the atmosphere grew increasingly relaxed. Drinks and several dishes were ordered while the sound of songs filled the space. Amid laughter and jokes, Kayden remained calm, observing the girls enjoying the environment.
Girl 3: "You have quite a mature attitude, are you sure you're this young?"
Kayden: "I don't like games... I prefer things straightforward." (Somehow, the response left a sense of mystery in the air.)
The conversation kept flowing, as the girls started to feel more comfortable. With each drink that passed, the atmosphere grew more relaxed, and the girls began to look at Kayden differently. The comments started to get more suggestive, and the looks grew more seductive.
Girl 2 (in a low voice, looking at Kayden): "You know, you could be much more than just a handsome guy if you let us get to know you better..."
Kayden looked back at her, not losing his composure. There was nothing in his eyes that reflected emotion, but there was a mature understanding of what was happening.
Kayden: "We'll see what happens..." (And with that response, the game began to take a different turn.)
The temperature of the environment kept rising, and the behavior of the girls became more direct, more daring. Kayden, aware of the signals, maintained his calm attitude without being swept away. He was there to experience it, to see if there was truly something more to this world that everyone kept talking about, but he wouldn't let himself be carried away so easily. The real moment had not yet arrived.
The hours passed quickly. Laughter, songs, and more than one girl's looks began to become a bit bolder. Kayden didn't do much to avoid it, but he didn't seem to be carried away either. He kept his calm attitude, as if he were watching a show, without getting too involved. The girls grew increasingly relaxed, and the jokes became more personal, with a touch of playfulness that floated in the air.
When time flew by, the karaoke lights started to flicker, and the music grew softer. The conversation became more intimate, and the girls no longer hid their intentions as much. Kayden, still calm, played along with the game, without showing signs that things were getting more serious.
At the end, when the night came to an end, everyone said their goodbyes with smiles and promises to meet again soon. The girls looked at him with a mixture of fascination and curiosity. After everything that had happened, it was clear they were somewhat satisfied, though also slightly tired. Their smiles were more relaxed, and their looks softer, as if the weight of the night had left its mark.
Kayden, for his part, remained as calm as ever, but he couldn't deny that he had enjoyed the experience. It wasn't the big deal everyone made it out to be, but somehow, it had been an interesting night. The girls, now more calm and a little tired, said their final goodbyes with a last glance that said more than their words ever could. There was no denying it, the night had been intense, and it seemed to have left them with a pleasant feeling.
Kayden went home with the feeling that he had lived through something different, something his classmates talked about so much, but without the excitement they painted it with. Sure, he had now experienced it, and, as always, it was just another day in his life.
...
It was past midnight, and Anri couldn't help but feel anxious. She had spent the whole day not hearing from Kayden, his messages going unanswered, and the silence from her phone seemed heavier with every passing hour. She was uneasy, as if something inside her was telling her that something wasn't right. She was standing by the door, her eyes fixed on the hallway when she finally heard the sound of the lock.
It was Kayden. His presence, disheveled, seemed to carry the weight of everything that had been going on in his life lately.
"Kayden!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with concern. "What is this? You're so late. You know how worried I was. You didn't answer my messages, nothing! I thought something had happened to you..." Her voice held anguish, like a knot in her throat that she couldn't release.
Kayden, with a somewhat tired face, seemed unmoved. He shrugged slightly as he began to walk towards the shower.
"I'm sorry, Anri," he said in a low tone, as if he didn't have the energy to keep a conversation. "Time just flew by, I didn't even realize... it won't happen again."
Anri stood there, staring at his back, feeling her heart race. She didn't understand why Kayden always seemed so distant, even in the closest moments. Instead of feeling relieved by his return, a sense of emptiness took over her. She was scared that he wasn't being honest, that there was something he didn't want to share.
"Is that all you have to say to me?" she asked, her voice a little firmer, but sadness shone through the words. "You disappear all afternoon, all night, and you don't even tell me where you were. I can't keep doing this, Kayden."
He looked at her for a second, and in his eyes, Anri saw something she didn't expect: it wasn't indifference, but a sadness so deep that it pierced her. A kind of emptiness that he couldn't hide, even though he tried. She knew something was broken inside him, something that couldn't be fixed with a simple apology.
"I was walking around the city... thinking, Anri," Kayden replied, with an unshakable calm that only intensified the tension in the air. "Thinking about what I should do, what direction to take. I don't know why I get up every morning, or why I keep going to school. Today, I tried to find something that would make me feel alive, something that would take me out of this cycle... but I guess I failed, once again."
Anri stood in silence, staring into Kayden's empty eyes. Right then, she realized that behind the brilliant and perfect guy everyone saw, there was someone lost, trapped in an endless search for something he didn't even understand. A guy who, despite knowing everything about the world, didn't know how to find his purpose in it. It was as if the spark everyone thought he had had been extinguished, and now he was just a shadow wandering through life.
Anri felt the knot in her chest, the real fear of not knowing how to help him, how to find a way for Kayden to see beyond his own emptiness. But for now, she had no answers. All she could see was how he, so special, so talented, was sinking into the darkness of his own mind.
Without saying another word, she let him go to the shower. The smell of alcohol still lingered on his clothes, and the hickeys on his neck were a reminder of what he had done beyond her reach. Anri knew something had changed in him, but she didn't know how to face it.
She lay down on her bed, hugging the pillow tightly, and closed her eyes. The tears that didn't dare to fall remained trapped in her chest, while her mind filled with questions without answers. What would Kayden do now? How could she help him if he didn't even know what he really needed? Anxiety embraced her, as the worry for someone so important to her wouldn't let her rest.
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Guys, I know I've been diving a lot into Kayden's past. Would you like me to wrap it up quickly to move on with the story, or do you want more details? Let me know what you think