After the way things ended last night with Kaleb, I’m not surprised when I don’t hear from him all day. Thankfully, I spent most of my time working at the coffee house on campus. Normally, it’s so busy with back-to-back customers and college students who are cramming for a test and just trying to stay awake, but with everyone still gone on break, I felt like I was in my thoughts more often.
Checking my phone for the millionth time, I feel the pang of worry in my chest when I see I still haven’t heard from him. Like any couple, we argue. This is different; we always make up shortly thereafter. This is the first time we’ve gone over twenty-four hours without talking.
Grabbing my purse from the locker in the back room, I slip the strap over my head.
“We’re going to head out, Sam. I’m off tomorrow, so I’ll see you next week,” I shout toward the office. We closed a little over twenty minutes ago, and I know he’s finishing the nightly deposits.
“Sounds good. Do you want me to walk you two out?” Sam yells. It’s only Sara and me closing with him tonight. Looking at her, she shakes her head no before I shout down the hall.
“No, we’re good. It’s dead out here anyway.”
After we say our goodbyes, we walk out the employee entrance located on the side. Waving goodbye to Sara, I jog over to my car. Most nights I don’t bother driving to work. I’ll catch a ride with Sara since she lives close by or I’ll take the bus. Tonight is a little bit different. I had planned before I left town to hang out with Lissa. We were going to head over to our friend Dean’s for a bonfire. I was already planning to meet Kaleb there, and I know since Dean is friends with Graham and Mason, they will be there, too.
Sliding into the front seat of my car, I slip my phone out of my pocket just as a text message comes through.
Mason: Ur still coming, right?
Brea: Yep, picking up Lissa now and heading your way.
Mason hasn’t said anything more about my fight with Kaleb. We don’t talk a lot about our relationships. He doesn’t ask how things are going with Kaleb, and I don’t mention the nameless women I know he brings to his apartment.
It is what it is, I guess.
A few minutes later, I’m pulling up in front of our apartment. Shifting into park, I shoot Lissa a text to let her know I’m here. Not even two seconds later, I see her strutting out the front of the door. Her long red hair is down, curled in waves. Dressed in her skinny black jeans and a gray burnout tee, she has her plaid flannel tied around her waist. She’s carrying the shirt I asked to borrow over her arm.
“What up, babe?” Lissa smiles, climbing into the front seat.
“Here,” she says, shoving the shirt at me. “You know, it probably would’ve been easier for you to come upstairs and change quick,” she adds, watching me as I let my hair down from the messy bun I had going.
“What’s the point? You know I don’t care about going to these parties,” I say, shaking my fingers through my hair. Whipping my work shirt over my head, I toss it onto the backseat of my car.
“You’re right; only you would wear a cable knit sweater to a college party,” Lissa smarts. Looking down at myself, I want to laugh because she’s right. Dressed in a white tee, a blush colored sweater, and distressed jeans, I’m dressed more for comfort than anything.
“It’s cooler outside tonight. I don’t want to be cold.”
With a laugh and roll of her eyes, she pulls the seat belt over, buckling herself in.
“Let’s put the pedal to the metal then, Grandma,” she cheers, smacking her hand against the dashboard, encouraging me to get moving
“Watch it!” I yell. “You love this station wagon, and you know it. I’ll show you ‘Grandma’ alright.”
Leaning over, I turn the volume up just as “North Carolina” blares through the speakers. I can’t control my laughter when I see the look on Lissa’s face as she shakes her head at me. She doesn’t understand my love of old school rap and hip hop.
“Who am I? Petey Pab’ motherfucker!” I sing, letting the beat of the music flow through me, pushing away the earlier thoughts of Kaleb and our fight.
It doesn’t take long before I’m parking my car in front of Dean’s on the outside of town. You can hear the music playing from inside as swarms of the party goers filter in and out of the house.
Closing the car door, I slide my cell phone into my pocket as I use the remote to open the back hatch to grab my Vans I shoved back there.
“Girl, I swear you could live in your car with as much shit as you keep stored in there.”
I don’t even bother to acknowledge her as we both make our way toward the front of the house. Spotting Mason and a couple of his friends, I climb the hill in the yard to where they are standing.
Wrapping his arm around my shoulders, he greets me with a hug. With my head tucked beneath his chin, I inhale his clean scent.
We stand here for a few seconds, and I enjoy the feel of his warmth. Peering over his shoulder, I can see Lissa looking at me with a strange look in her eyes like she’s not sure what to make of it. Pointing over her shoulder, she nods her head to the door, signaling she’s going to head inside. I assume to find Adam, her boyfriend.
Nodding my head, I give her a thumbs up behind Mason’s back. Shaking her head, she turns on her heel and heads inside.
“How was work?” Mason asks, tilting his head to meet my eyes.
“It was work,” I say, taking a step away from him. I would hate for Kaleb to come outside and make it out to be more than what it is.
Lifting my hand, I wave at the guys and mumble out a “hey.”
Dean raises his beer to me with a nod of his head, and Graham grunts, what I assume is his way of saying hello. They are men of few words.
“Have you seen Kaleb since you got here?” I ask, surveying the yard, spotting his car parked along the curb down the street. The souped-up Mustang is not easy to miss.
“No, but I haven’t quite made my way inside yet. We’ve been standing here waiting for you.”
Normally I wouldn’t think much of it, but usually Mason is the first to join the party. People flock to him, especially the women. They’re like eager puppies, wanting his attention.
“Have you talked to him since last night?” he asks.
“He hasn’t been responding to my calls or texts. I guess I’m not sure what’s going on.”
Nodding his head, he takes a long pull from his beer. The sound of a woman shouting Mason’s name interrupts our conversation as he turns his head toward the sound.
“Mason, I didn’t know you were here,” croons the sugary sweet voice of none other than Veronica. Saddling up close to him, she wraps her arms around his neck. I don’t miss the way his hands press against her lower back and I do my best to advert my eyes away from his.
See, I’m not different. Mason does this with everyone.
“I’m going to head inside and see if I can find him,” I mutter. Mason looks at me, his eyebrows furrowing for a minute before nodding his head. I don’t let myself over think the look on his face as I jog up the steps into the house.
The sound of the music and chatter inside is so loud it’s almost deafening. The house is packed, making it difficult to get through the hordes of people. Spotting Dean’s roommate, Seth, I reach my hand out and grab his forearm, trying to get his attention.
“Have you seen Kaleb?” I ask, enunciating the words, hoping he can read my lips. He doesn’t bother trying to say anything, instead, uses his hand to point toward the stairs, signally he’s up there.
He must read the confusion on my face. Furrowing my brows, he nods his head, reassuring me I understood him correctly. I can’t ignore the dread and uneasiness that fills the pits of my stomach as thoughts race through my mind.
No one goes upstairs at these parties except for one reason, and it’s not to use the bathroom. With a nod of my head, I continue to push my way through the crowd of people toward the stairs. Sweat is trickling down my face and neck, making me instantly regret my decision to wear a sweater.
Once I make it to the top of the stairs, I’m thankful when I find it much quieter. Having people pressed against me right now is putting me on the edge of a panic attack.
Taking a deep breath, I amble down the narrow hallway. Dean and Seth have always made it clear their rooms are off limits, so I don’t even bother checking, knowing the doors will be locked.
Knocking on the door to the bathroom, I hear a woman’s muffled shout that she’ll be out in a minute. I don’t bother waiting as I continue down the hallway, checking the doors as I go, finding each one locked. I’m one step away from turning on my heel and ceasing my search when a loud moan pierces the air, halting my movement.
“Harder, harder.” I hear the words chanted through the sound of skin slapping causing my heart rate to pick up.
It’s as if everything clicks into place and I know what’s going to come. I press my back against the wall as I squeeze my eyes shut. My heart feels like it’s about to pound its way out of my chest. The dread and fear seeps in.
The familiar sound of Kaleb’s deep grunts spurs something inside me, lighting a fire, tamping down the foolishness I felt a moment ago. I feel the heat rise up my neck as I clench my fists.
With all my strength, I push the door open. The force behind it causes the wood to slam against the wall. Immediately, my eyes fall on Kaleb’s as I clench my jaw. His eyes go wide with shock and surprise.
It’s still not enough to stop him as he continues to thrust his body into the bleached blonde bent over the bed in front of him.
All this time Kaleb has promised me I could trust him, but it was nothing more than a lie.
“Brea.” The sound of my name on his lips while he hands grip her hips cause bile to rise in my throat.
“What’d you just call me?” the blonde tramp asks, turning her head behind, her only to find his eyes firmly planted on me.
My feet are weighted, planted firmly on the floor. I can’t move as much as I want to leave and erase the visual before me from my sight and my mind forever.
“You’re a lying son of a bitch,” I spit, feeling the anger rise in my throat. “I fucking hate you for doing this to me!” I shout. “I fucking hate you, you hear me? I won’t ever forgive you! Don’t you EVER talk to me again!”
My hands are shaking, and I feel like my throat is burning through the hoarse shouts of my hatred for him. Forcing myself to move, I bolt.
Once again, I’m reminded to be careful who you trust. Not everyone is who you believe them to be.