The Resolution of Callie & Kayden(14)

The anxiousness in me eases. ‘That’s perfectly okay. And thank you for going with me. And sorry about the weird note. Seth just thought since I never got to go to prom, this kind of thing would be fun, but not that I think about it. It’s kind of weird.’ I stop rambling. I don’t know why, but I feel stupidly high right now. It’s not like we haven’t been on dates before – we’ve been on a ton of them – but this time I’ll get to wear the dress I bought. If someone asked me a year ago if I ever thought I’d be excited about doing such a thing, I’d have told you no. But here I am, spreading my wings and flying all on my own.

He gives me a sympathetic look. ‘Callie, I’m so sorry … that you didn’t get to do that stuff.’

‘It’s not your fault. And besides, you’re helping me do that stuff now.’

‘Good. I’m glad it feels like I am.’ He gives me a sad smile, which I don’t like. He’s feeling sorry for me and I don’t want him to.

‘Kayden, it’s fine – I’m fine,’ I promise him. ‘What happened … it’s in the past and I’m working on moving on – moving forward.’

He looks even sadder, but I’m not sure if it has to do with me anymore. ‘Moving forward’s good.’ He clears his throat then shakes off whatever he’s feeling. ‘Do I have to dress up, though? For the party?’

I shake my head. ‘Not if you don’t want to.’

‘Are you going to?’

‘Yes.’

He momentarily considers something. ‘I’ll see what I can come up with.’

‘Seth wanted you to wear tights,’ I tell him, playfully pinching his side. ‘And be Peter Pan.’

He swiftly shakes his head. ‘No way in hell am I doing that.’

‘It’s okay,’ I assure him. ‘I didn’t want to be Tinkerbell anyway.’

He nudges my foot with his, his sad mood lightening. ‘What are you going to be?’

I wink at him, trying to be suave, but I think it comes off more awkward than anything, but his laugh makes it worth it. ‘It’s a surprise.’

His eyes search mine and I think he’s going to say something deeply profound, like maybe what’s got him all down, but then he decides against it. ‘You want to come inside? I have Doritos, Coke, and we can stream Netflix.’

‘Awe, you know the way to my heart.’ My grin breaks through and for a moment, everything feels perfect, if only Kayden could feel it, too. But the hint of sadness in his eyes tells me he doesn’t.





Chapter 6


#115 Share a Passionate Dorito/Coke Kiss.



Kayden


I am the shittiest boyfriend in the history of boyfriends. Seriously. Callie is always putting her heart out there for me and I can’t even tell her about the call I got from Dylan today. I don’t even know why I can’t just tell her about it. Or maybe I do. Maybe I know that Callie will make me talk about it because that’s the kind of person she is, and I just don’t want to talk about it.

After I agree to go to the party/concert with her, we go up to my room. I feel like the biggest douche after her whole statement about prom. I went to every one of mine, did all that stupid shit in high school that was supposed to mean something, but took it for granted. And here Callie is, trying to make up for everything she missed with a Halloween concert, one she asked me to go to. I need to start doing more things for her, making her feel more special, stop being such a shitty boyfriend.

Once we settle on my bed with my laptop in front of us, we pick a movie out, and then binge on snacks and drinks. My roommate is gone so we have the place to ourselves, which usually I’d take advantage of by exploring every inch of Callie’s body, but today my head’s in the weird place.

Callie must sense my distance too – of course she does – because about halfway through the movie, she moves out of my arms and pauses the screen. ‘Okay, what’s up?’ She grabs a handful of chips and dumps them into her mouth.

‘Nothing’s up,’ I lie, glad the lamp is the only light on so she can’t see my face clearly.

She takes a sip of her soda, eyeing me the entire time. ‘You know I can tell when you’re lying, right?’

I sit up on the bed and rest back against the headboard. ‘How?’

She leans over me to set the soda on the nightstand and I breathe in the scent of her hair, strawberries with a hint of vanilla. ‘Because your jaw twitches when you’re not being honest.’

My fingers absentmindedly travel to my jawline. ‘It does not.’

She bites on her lip to keep from grinning. ‘Does, too.’