Candy just be sending Cade texts during school complaining how boring it is without him and keeping him up to date on annoying kids and teachers lmao
but also positive stuff, like immediately letting him know when she got a good grade in French or a teacher told her she did a good job
and obviously stuff like
"bully X was super rude to person Y so I shared some bonbons with them 🥰"
"also, kinda off-topic, but later that day they were send home due to stomach cramps and vomiting 🤔"
ooor
"someone's been stealing my food, and today I took some chocolate I made myself, but it disappeared from my bag 😩"
"either way, this one kid apparently shit his pants during an exam after lunch lol"
Cade rolls his eyes at his phone, sticking it back into his pocket. A certain headsick, cotton Candy girl had been texting him all afternoon while he was stuck at work with his brother.
He chuckled under his breath as he went back to skinning the deer head he was working on. Demetri poked his head in through the back, checking in on his younger brother.
“I’m pleasantly surprised to see your almost finished” the older man commented.
“I’m not incompetent, you know this.” Cade glared at his brother.
“It was a compliment, but if you’re going to be hostile about it-“
“What do you want Sully, or did you come back here just to shadow me?”
Sully lets out a sigh.
“I was going to tell you perhaps I was too harsh the other day. You’ve shown initiative and have taken this first week of suspension quite well. All things considering.”
“But I had to go and run my mouth, got it. So what, now I have to work here when I’m back at school too?”
Demitri slowly pulls the clever out of his hand and places it flat on the metal table. Forcing the youngest boys attention to be solely on him.
“You done?”
Cade just nods, letting out a huff.
“A friend of mine brought it to my attention, that perhaps it would be beneficial for you to socialise more with other children your age. I didn’t have many friends when I was your age either, and it’s not fair of me to keep you locked up in here all day. You’re free to go.”
Cade fidgeted with his hands, missing the weight of the heavy knife in his palm.
“What’s the catch?”
“You help on the weekends, so I can spend more time with your niece. She’s acting up in school as well and refusing to speak English. Dipper requires more attention.”
“What is with these Americans, now it’s wrong to not want to speak this stupid language? Dipper didn’t do shit.”
“I’m not saying I agree with them, but we have to follow the rules if we want to stay here Cade, you know this. Stop being facetious, you’re plenty old enough to understand how these things work. You remember what father taught you?”
“Of course I do, he only beat it into me everyday.” Cade hissed, “fine. Can I go?”
Sully looked toward the doorway to dismiss the younger boy.
“Tell miss Walker I said hello.”
Cade paused in the doorway, not bothering to look back at his brother.
“How did you-“
“Your ears flush pink when you’re thinking about her- you’re not as immune to human emotions as you think…”
Cade grumbled under his breath, shoving the door open with force and ripping off his apron, throwing it down on the counter. Few people got under his nerves as consistently as his brother and came out of the interaction unscathed.
Cade decided it was best to lay low for a while, and stay on Sully’s good side. But it didn’t mean he couldn’t have some fun. He pulled out his phone to text the one person who was worth anything in this town.
Candy:
Those idiots deserved it, nice work by the way. The test and those goons. Study session in the park tonight.
It wasn’t phrased as a question and he hoped Candy would understand that. He wanted to see her tonight, but he knew much studying wouldn’t be done. Cade needed to decompress, his annoyance was on high and she’s the only thing that made a lick of sense to this boy.
