Caleb darted to the door and let Morgan in. He closed the door behind her, gesturing around the home. "Welcome" He said softly, smiling at her genuinely. "It's not as grand or fancy as your home, but this is mine." He stated, leading her upstairs to his room

Morgan flashed a bright grin when Caleb opened the door, stepping inside with a cheerful air. Her gaze wandered around the room they’d entered, and she couldn’t help but hum in appreciation. It wasn’t grand or flashy, as Caleb had warned, but it had a certain warmth. It felt... personal. This was his space, and he’d felt comfortable enough to invite her in. That alone made it special.

"It’s lovely, Caleb," she chirped, her voice light as she took it all in. She paused for a moment, straining to listen for any voices or sounds, but the house seemed eerily quiet. Her head tilted slightly in curiosity, but she quickly dismissed it, not wanting to pry into things that weren’t her business.

She followed him up the stairs, humming a soft tune as her fingers idly played with a strand of hair. A thought struck her, and her lips curled into a small smile. "Oh, you left your bag at mine. It's in my car," she mused aloud, her voice lighthearted. Thank God my parents didn’t find it, she thought with a faint, amused chuckle. The whole situation from the night before was still fresh in her mind. She was sure her parents had figured out she’d gone out, but they’d never be pleased to find traces of a boy in her room. The thought made her feel a touch self-conscious, but she pushed it away.

As she reached the top of the stairs, her smile softened, and she turned to him. "Thank you again for looking out for me," she said quietly, the sincerity in her voice unmistakable. "You didn’t have to." Her words lingered in the air, more meaningful than she had expected them to be.

"Anytime" He said, brushing his arm with hers nonchalantly as he went to sit on his bed. "What would you like to do? Watch a movie, study, interigate me.... the list is truly endless." He noticed his slip of hearing her curiosity about him as soon as he said it

Morgan smiled softly, a relaxed, easy expression on her face as she made her way to the end of his bed. She kicked off her shoes with a casual flick of her foot, the soft thunk they made as they hit the floor echoing in the room. Settling down cross-legged, she let out a little hum of contentment, feeling her muscles relax as she adjusted into a comfortable position. Her gaze drifted around his room as she did, her curiosity piqued by the quiet simplicity of it all.

It was so much quieter than her own room—less vibrant, less... alive. Something about the space felt almost distant, though she couldn’t quite place why. The room, like the house itself, seemed to lack the warmth and welcoming atmosphere she was used to. Everything was orderly, almost to the point of feeling sterile, and that made her wonder if there was a story behind it. But, for now, she pushed the thought away, not wanting to overanalyze. It was his home, after all, and if it made him comfortable, then that was what mattered. She shrugged it off, settling more comfortably on the bed, her gaze finally returning to him as she flashed a soft, easy smile.

"Interrogate you?" she repeated, her voice light with amusement as she laughed softly. The idea tickled her more than it should have, and she couldn’t help but let the chuckle escape her lips. "A movie sounds good, sure. But, thinking about it... interrogating you actually sounds even more fun," she added with a teasing grin, making herself more at home. She stretched out a little, her fingers running idly over the bedspread as she mulled over the possibilities of what she could ask him, feeling a strange mix of curiosity and mischief.

For a moment, she let herself wonder if he could already hear the thoughts running through her head—the little questions, the half-formed observations she kept to herself. Did he sense them? Could he feel the restless energy bubbling up inside her? She tilted her head slightly, studying him more intently, her eyes narrowing in a playful challenge.

She broke the silence with a mischievous glint in her eyes, her voice soft but playful. "Okay, let’s start simple," she said, leaning forward slightly as if the question were some grand revelation. "When’s your birthday?" she asked, her tone light and teasing, but still with a sense of genuine curiosity underneath. She wasn’t sure why she asked—maybe it was because she was dying to know more about him, maybe it was just the thrill of having a chance to poke around, but either way, she was just glad to spend a bit of time with someone new for once.

Caleb smirked at her mental indecisiveness. He cleared his throat before answering. "November 10th" He said simply

Morgan hummed lightly, a small nod of acknowledgment as she pulled out her phone and tapped the date into her calendar. November 10th—Caleb's birthday. The thought lingered in her mind for a moment before she flashed him a smile. "Okay..." she trailed off, considering the next question she could ask in her usual attempt at 'interrogation,' as he'd put it. "So, how come you didn’t want to spend any time with your friends last night?" she asked, a soft curiosity in her voice. "I’m sure they would’ve liked to see you, you know."

She paused, humming thoughtfully as her smile lingered. "I mean, I’m glad you were there. If you weren’t, I probably would’ve ended up leaving with that other guy," she chuckled lightly, the sound a little nervous. "But, honestly, you didn’t have to play babysitter," she added with a tilt of her head, half teasing, half sincere.

As her gaze wandered around the room, she couldn’t help but notice how stark and impersonal it felt. His room seemed so... empty. No pictures, no little signs of life. She looked back at him, her expression growing more curious. "Caleb... are your parents not home? It's the weekend," she said quietly, trailing off, unsure if she was crossing a line.

Caleb chuckled lightly. "My friends are around me just because. They don't actually like me, they just wanted to add another to their group. I seemed like a good addition, y'know being quiet and distant while not refuting anything someone says about me." He explained, a soft smile on his face the whole time. Anger flashed in his mind as he thought of her leaving with the other guy and him most likely taking advantage of her. "I don't mind staying near you." He admitted, his smile growing slightly.

At her net question, he looked down. "No. They....went somewhere out of town for the next 2 weeks." He admitted, now ashamed he hadn't told her yesterday. "I stayed here because I didn't want to be with my mother. She's.....mean to say the least." He added.

Morgan tilted her head, offering him a warm, friendly smile. "If it helps at all, I don’t think I’ve heard anyone saying anything about you," she hummed lightly, her tone casual. She truly hadn’t, and she spoke to most people. She raised a brow at him, her hair cascading over one shoulder as she watched him curiously. "Just trying to add another name to the list, huh?" she asked, a playful edge to her voice. "In that case, you should come hang out with us," she chirped, her tone bright.

Her group was loud—she knew that. They could probably be a little intimidating if you weren’t used to them, but they were all good people, both the girls and the guys. "I’ve had a few run-ins with your friends... they seem..." she trailed off, a small chuckle escaping her. "Well, they’re definitely guys," she mused, her smile widening with amusement.

She smiled at his last comment, her mind drifting back to the previous night. She honestly had no idea what would’ve happened to her if he hadn’t been there. "I can’t even remember what his name was," she laughed, referring to the guy she’d ended up basically sat on.

Her expression softened when he mentioned his parents, and she pouted slightly. "Well, if you want some company, you’re always welcome at mine," she offered, her voice light and sincere. "My parents are pretty welcoming." She glanced around the room again, noticing the emptiness that seemed to hang in the air. "You’re alone over Christmas?" she asked, her brows furrowing in quiet concern.

Caleb smiled at her warmth, glad to have a real friend rather than the group of........whatever you call them. "Thanks. I might just follow you home sometime." He joked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. His smile became smaller, but didn't disappear at her next question. "They don't really care where i'm at whether it's over Christmas or in the middle of summer." He admitted sheepishly