The Choice (a Painful Past)

141

Why did he seem as nervous as I felt?

What had happened to the confident man that had been in front of me, only moments before?

"I'll drive." I answered, quickly.

I didn't like to be without my car. I had been left at a scene where I wasn't comfortable quite a few times, by Will. I needed my car, in case I wanted to leave, before he was ready to take me home.

"You sure?" He asked, cocking his eyebrow in confusion. "It's not a problem. I remember where you live."

There was no way in hell that I wanted him to see that run down ass house.

"No, I'm sure. I'll meet you there. Around 8?" I suggested.

He smiled.

"Yeah, that'll work. I won't call you tonight, Cal. I'll let you get some rest, but I will blow your phone up tomorrow, so you better answer."

I laughed. "Okay, I promise to not ignore you."

"You better not." He replied.

He leaned in slowly, like he was giving me a chance to back away, and that damn memory flashed in my mind. When he had kissed me during the party at my house. He had done the same thing then. Given me a chance to stop him.

Just like then, I didn't stop him. I think I froze, because I didn't expect it. I sucked in a quiet breath, as he pressed his soft lips to the side of my mouth.

"I've missed you, Cal." He whispered.

"Missed you too, Colbs." I whispered back.

I hadn't called him that in years. Too many years.

I cleared my throat, wanting to step back, away from him, but my back was against my damn car. Thankfully, he backed up, and I could breathe again.

"See you." He said. "Be careful."

"Y'all too." I responded.

I got into my car, as fast as I could, and sat there. I sat there for a while, long after they had pulled off. My mind was going off into a million different directions.

From wondering if Ben's party had been up to standards, to thinking about what he and Xander were doing, to thinking about the fact that I had invited Will, but he hadn't showed. It was probably a good thing that he hadn't though. Not with Sam and Colby popping up out of nowhere.

Had that really happened?

Or had I dreamed the entire thing? I shook my head and finally started my car. This entire night had been fucking weird.

I needed to sleep, to actually sleep. The Tylenol PM by my bed, that I saved for rare occasions, was calling my name tonight.

I blasted my music and let my window down. The night air was slightly chilly, but not too bad. I had always preferred the cold anyway.

The house was dark when I pulled up. My mom usually went to everything that was for Ben, but I knew that she wouldn't be comfortable at this one. Not with all of the walking at the jail, then the music blasting at the little building.

So, I made sure that I had taken a lot of pictures, and I had asked Denise to do it too. She would send them all to me, and then I would tell my mom everything that had happened. Her face always lit up, when we had our talks.

Don't get me wrong, she annoyed me sometimes, just like every mother annoyed her child, but I didn't know what I would do without her.

I crept into the quiet house, and made my way down the hallway, to my room.

"Hey baby." She whispered, when I walked past her room.

I jumped and grabbed my chest, making the keys in my hand jangle.

"Jesus, Momma, you almost scared me to death." I said.

She started laughing, so I smiled at the sound.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to, honey. How was the party?"

"It was great." I replied, smiling at the memory. "I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, okay? Oh, guess who showed up tonight!"

She raised her eyebrows, sarcastically. "You mean Will actually came?"

"Ha, no. I don't know why I thought that he might." I replied, shaking my head. "You know those YouTubers that we watch? Sam and Colby?"

She nodded and smiled. "Colby is the one that used to have a crush on you. I remember that. I thought they lived in LA now?"

"They do, but they came out. You know Ben has been talking to Sam forever now and I guess they just wanted to come home for a few days. I don't know, but it was really nice of them to come to his party. He was ecstatic. Honestly, I wish you could've seen his face when he saw Sam." I replied, smiling at the fresh memory.

"Oh, me too! Did you get a picture of it?" She asked.

"Um," I said, furrowing my brow. "I didn't, Momma, but maybe Denise did. She's the one that set the whole thing up. Well, actually they did, but with her help. I hope she did."

"They seem like sweet boys." She said. "You look tired, baby. Go get you some well deserved rest. We'll talk tomorrow."

I nodded. "Love you, Momma."

"Love you too." She replied.

I walked into my room and sat down on the edge of my bed. God, I was tired. I needed to wash my face and change into my night shorts, but I really didn't feel like it, so I took the easy way out.

I grabbed a facial wipe from my nightstand and scrubbed my face with it. That was all the skin care that I was up for tonight. I kicked my jeans off, popped a couple of Tylenol PMs, then climbed under my covers.

My body almost screamed in relief. I grabbed my phone, out of habit, and checked my notifications. I hadn't really had a chance to check any tonight, so there were quite a few.

A random number with 10 unread texts caught my eye first. When I opened it, I was sorry that I had. It was another number of Will's.

He seemed to change phone numbers every fucking week. I didn't understand how he kept getting new government phones, but somehow, he did.

"Hey, can't make it tonight. Tell my boy that I'm sorry and I'll try to get him a gift this weekend." The first one read.

Then, they progressively got worse.

"Hello? You're not gonna answer me?"

"Callie, what the fuck? You can't even let me know that you got the text?"

"I'm sorry that I got sick, but you don't have to be a bitch and not answer me."

"REALLY? WELL, FUCK YOU THEN, YOU STUPID BITCH!" And so on, and so on.

I sighed and rubbed my now throbbing head. I didn't feel like arguing tonight or tomorrow, or anytime soon. I just didn't have it in me.

The fight was gone.

"Will, I was busy with the party. There was a lot that I had to do, and I was busy the entire time. It ran late. I just got home and into my bed. There's no need for you to talk to me like that. I'm sorry that you couldn't make it. Maybe next time. Goodnight." I sent the text, then checked my other notifications.

A message from Colby on Insta.

Hadn't I given him my number? I thought that I had. I wasn't sure though.

My mind really was all over the place.