The Choice (a Painful Past)

15

     I heard Will groan, but I ignored it. "I gotta go. I'll see you though," I said, before I walked off towards my friends. 

Mitch got us home safely and we didn't have any mishaps getting back inside. Unless you count me stumbling into Kat's heavy chest that she had at the foot of her bed. We weren't turning any lights on, just in case her mom did wake up. This left me shoeless and clumsy. When my pinky toe busted into the heavy chest, I felt it literally explode. The pain radiated over my foot, into my ankle, but I shook it off. I had just stumped my toe. People did it all the time. No sense in making a big fuss about it. 

The next day, I decided to go home, instead of spending the entire weekend. "Are you sure, Cal? I mean, I'm sure your little boyfriend will be by soon, riding his bike or something," Katherine laughed, referring to Colby. I sighed and shook my head. She had been making snide remarks like this, ever since last night. 

"No Katherine, I'm going home. Sherri, I'll drop you off, if you're ready to go home too," I said. "No! She's staying the weekend, like she promised! That's what real friends do. We don't lie to each other," Kat said, snidely. I knew she was referring to the thing with Will again, and I just didn't care anymore. "Whatever. I'll see you guys at school," I said, before I hoised my bag onto my shoulders and made my way out to my truck. 

Just like Kat had said, Colby was waiting by it. "Hey Callie!" He exclaimed, with a beautiful grin crossing his adorable face. His adorable young face. "Hey Colby," I replied. I opened the door to my truck and tossed my bag into the passenger seat. "So, you leaving? I thought you were staying the weekend?" he asked. "No," I said, shaking my head. "I'm ready to go home. Get a little peace." "Oh," he responded, then left it at that. The word hung awkwardly in the air around us. "Okay, well, it was nice seeing you. I'm gonna go though," I said, then hopped into my truck.

 "Wait, Callie?" he asked, getting closer to my truck and mee. "Yeah?" I asked. "Can I get your number? I don't mean because I'm trying to date your or anything. I know you don't like me like that, and I'm too young, but I just need someone to talk to about some things. If you don't mind. My friends aren't really big on that. You know, guys always just let everything ride or make it into a joke. I just need a friend that will actually listen when I need them too. Is that okay?" 

I wanted to say no. I really did. I wasn't a therapist and God knew I probably wasn't the one the kid needed to talk too. But I didn't. "Sure," I said, with a small smile. "Awesome," he replied. I pulled out my phone and put his number into it, then sent him a text so that he would have mine. "I'll see you around," I said, before I started my truck up and headed home. 

Thankfully, Will wasn't there, so I was able to just go to my room and think. What the hell had happened this weekend? I had gotten to kiss Derek, but there had been no spark like I had imagined. I had been so in love with him last year, before he started dating Katherine. I was going out with Will next weekend but hadn't cared at all that he had kissed another girl. I hadn't even noticed. 

Then, this little kid, that I had never, ever thought of in that way, made my toes curl from one kiss. That was insane. There was no way in Hell that I was going to do anything about it. It wasn't like I could date this kid. I still didn't feel that way about him. I mean, he was sweet and so cute, but he was shorter than me and I still thought of him as a kid. 

Age wasn't really a thing, I guess, because when I was 25, he'd be 23, and that was nothing. Didn't matter though. That's not how it was right now. Right now, there was no way that I could date a 14 year old. Nope, never gonna happen. 

Besides, I only had a year and a half left of school. Then, I was off to college, hopefully a good university, and I was getting out of this fucking town. I didn't really need a guy complicating all of that. 

Yeah, I was still going out with Will this next weekend, but I wasn't worried about that. There was no real connection there. I didn't see him or hear from anyone besides Sherri and Colby for the rest of the weekend. Sherri just called to see if I was okay, since I had left early. I assured her that I was, and that I was just tired. 

Colby texted me, sending me little jokes, or memes that would make me laugh. I always responded with "lol" or "lmao." Nothing serious, but I had to say his texts were my favorite. 

I dreaded school on Monday morning, just like every Monday, but this one felt different. I knew there was going to be talk about that damn party. Everyone loved drama. I couldn't wait to grow up and get away from it. High school couldn't last forever, right? 

Sure enough, when I entered my homeroom, everyone stared, and I heard a few snickers. Shit. I took my seat, about halfway back, and stared straight ahead. The only friend that I had in this class was Kat, who was sitting right next to me. 

"So," she whispered, flicking me with her pencil. "Did you hang out with your little boyfriend, after you left my place?" I rolled my eyes and met her gaze. "Will you shut up about that? It was a stupid game." She smirked at my response. "Yeah, I didn't see anyone else kissing like that, except maybe Dana, with that Jason guy, but she always kisses everyone like that. And there STILL wasn't heat in it, like what you and Colby had. So, are you guys gonna date? You gonna be a cougar and date a younger guy?" She raised her hand and made a claw shape before reaching it towards me, and making a cat sound. 

"Shut up, Katherine," I groaned. 

Thankfully, the class started, and I was saved from any other ridiculous interrogative questions from her. For the next few days, I heard whispers and giggles, every time I walked into a classroom, or by a group of students. The entire school knew, exactly like I thought they would.