The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden (33 page)

“I saw Seth this morning and he promised me he’d talk you into it,” he says. “And I knew he would.”

“Seth’s kind of turning into a traitor,” I reply, lying back on the bed and staring at the poster on the wall across from me.

“Callie, if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to.” He pauses. “But I really want you to.”

I’m still not sure I want to. “Okay, I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

I hang up and stare out the window at the leaves and dirt splattered against the grass, put there by the wind. How could the direction of my life change so fast? I’m doing things I wouldn’t normally do, trusting people, feeling things, living life. I wonder how long it will last.

#21 Let Yourself Be Bored

Callie

It’s been two days since Kayden and Luke dropped me off at my house. Luckily, it was at night, so my mom didn’t run out and embarrass me. I’ve heard from Kayden quite a few times through texting, but we haven’t hung out.

The entire drive home, I had an out-of-body experience. I was riding in the truck with Kayden and Luke and it was surreal, like I was watching it happen to me instead of living it. I’ve had a few similar moments, but they were never good like that. They were bad and full of images I wish I could have been blind to.

It’s a couple of days before Thanksgiving and my mom and I are in the kitchen. The cupboards are stacked with food, the stove with pans, and the sink with dirty dishes. There are orange and brown leafy decorations along the tan walls, in the center of the table, in the windowsill, framing the doorway—my mom has always been a big holiday decorator.

“I still can’t believe how much you’ve changed.” My mother beams at me and I shake my head, chopping an apple on a cutting board. She touches my hair, noting the length of it. “And you stopped cutting your hair. I’m so glad. I’ve wanted it longer since the day you cut it off.”

“I’m not sure if I’m a fan of it,” I lie, angling my head sideways and moving it away from her. I’m a fan when Kayden’s touching it, which he did during most of the drive here, but that’s it. “In fact, I think I’m going to chop it off again.”

She puts her hands on her hips and narrows her hazel eyes. “Callie Lawrence, you will do no such thing. You look so beautiful, honey. A little skinny, but that’s probably because you’re not wearing all those baggy clothes.”

I fidget with the corner of my fitted black t-shirt. “I’m as skinny as I’ve always been.”

She reaches behind her back and refastens the tie on her apron with little apple patterns on it. “Well, we’re going to fatten you up a little. I’m making food galore.”

I set the chopping knife down and reach for another apple. “Why? If it’s going to be just you, me, and dad.”

“Oh, we’re going over to the Owens’ this year.” She takes a wooden spoon out of a drawer, tucking a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear. “They’ve invited a lot of people, like they did a couple of years ago.”

I frown as I recollect the dinner she is talking about.  That was the year Kayden started getting serious with Daisy and she made that dinner for me a living hell. “Who’s going to be there?”

She shrugs and starts humming to the song playing from the stereo. “Should we go get our hair done that day before the dinner? Wouldn’t that be fun? To get all dressed up?”

I’m about to tell her no, and that it sounds like the last thing I want to do, when my phone beeps, announcing there’s a text message waiting.

Kayden: Did you know that Mrs. McGregor is having an affair with Tom Pelonie?

Me: Um… what?

Kayden: Or that Tina Millison is getting a new Mercedes for Christmas?

Me: Should I know this? Because I’m really confused.

Kayden: I think my mother needs a friend. She’s been following me all over the house, telling me the latest gossip. She even wanted me to take her to get her nails done.

I snort a laugh, but quickly erase it when my mom looks at me questioningly.

Me: I guess she misses you.

Kayden: No, she’s bored and needs to lay off the wine. I think my dad’s been on a lot of trips while I was gone and the empty house has made her lose her sanity more than she already had before I left.

Me: Mine wants me to go get my hair done with her.

Kayden: Yeah, but you’re a girl.

Me: Oh, I forgot for a sec. Thanx for reminding me.

Kayden: I haven’t forgotten at all. In fact, it’s all I think about all the time.

Me: That I’m a girl???

Kayden: That ur a girl I very badly want to touch right now.

I press my lips together, uncertain how to respond. We’ve barely kissed once since I dropped my secret on him and suddenly he’s talking dirty to me.

“Callie, what’s wrong?” My mother asks with concern. “You look flushed.”

I glance up from the message at her worried eyes. “I’m fine.”

She reaches for my phone. “Who are you texting?”

I turn my back on her and walk to the table, so she can’t see my face.

Kayden: Did I scare u off?

Me: No, I was just thinking about something.

Kayden: About me touching you?

“Callie, the pans are boiling over,” my mom says. “Can you turn the temperature down?”

Me: I have to go. My mom’s having a cooking crisis

Kayden: Okay, I’ll text u later. Be prepared to give me an answer ;)

My skin is hot as I run over to the stove and turn the knobs to low. Steam fills the air as I take a lid off one of the pots and stir the noodles in the water.

“So, about getting our hair done.” My mom picks the conversation up right where we left off. “What do you think?”

“I think I’m going to go up to my room,” I evade her question, wiping my hands on a paper towel. “I’ve got a lot of stuff to do.”

“But it’s break time,” she says. “We’re supposed to be spending time together. What are you going to do up there besides be bored?”

My mother has always wanted me to be things I’m not, even before I changed. When I was six she wanted me to be a ballerina and I wanted to be a football player. When I was ten she thought it would be neat if we bought me a whole wardrobe of dresses for school and all I wanted was to pierce my ears. When I was eleven I decided I wanted to learn how to play the guitar. She signed me up for beauty pageant lessons.

“Being bored isn’t all that bad.” I put the knife in the sink and walk toward the back door. “I’ll come back in a little bit.”

It’s cold outside as I head for the garage, a light frost glazing the windows and railing. While I was away at college, my mom and dad put a ton of boxes in my room, along with my dad’s football memorabilia. I could either sleep on the couch in the living room or stay in the apartment above the garage. I chose the garage for privacy reasons. Plus I like that I don’t have to stay in my room, haunted by memories that will keep me awake all night. Up here it’s peaceful and quiet—my mind is somewhat clear from the storm.

I climb the stairs and shut the door behind me, cranking up the two space heaters before grabbing my journal out of my bag. I take out my iPod and put my ear buds in, scrolling to “Seth’s Awesome Playlist.”  Seth has a very broad taste in music and I wonder what’s going to turn on when I click on the first song. “Work” by
Jimmy Eat World
flows into my ears as I flop down onto the mattress and kick my feet up on the metal headboard.

I open my journal and put the pen to the paper, my heart and mind racing wildly.

I’ve been wondering over the last few days what it would be like to be with Kayden. Like really, really be with him. The more I explore the idea, the more I wonder about it. Sometimes, it feels wrong thinking about this stuff, but other times, I enjoy my thoughts and very vivid images. It’s like I’m not me anymore, like he’s changed me into a girl who thinks about the possibilities of life and love.

I was daydreaming the other day in the living room, picturing his mouth on my breast, like it was that night before I flipped out, when my mom came into the room.

“You look so happy,” she said, sitting on the couch beside me. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you smile like this.”

I looked at her, and I mean really looked at her for a moment. Did it ever once cross her mind, even for just a split second, that maybe something terrible happened to me? Did she wonder, but the idea was so dark that her mind couldn’t grasp it?

A warm hand touches my shoulder, startling me, and I wrench my arm away as I bolt upright, dropping my pen and notebook on the bed.

Kayden takes a step back, putting his hands up in front of him as I breathe profusely, kneeling up in the bed. He’s wearing a pair of cargo shorts, a black hoodie, and sneakers. His hair is tucked under a beanie and his mouth moves as he says something.

I quickly tug on the cord of my ear buds. “What are you doing here?”

“Your mom told me you were up here.” He glances around at the tiny room that has no carpet and only sheetrock for walls, his gaze lingering briefly on the unmade bed. “Is this your room or a guest room or what?”

I set the iPod down on the bed and stand up. “It’s supposed to be a guest house. My parents have been working on it for years, but this is as far as they got.”

He smiles at a small hole in the wall that needs to be spackled. “My parents would flip if any part of our house was like this.”

“Mine get sidetracked with other stuff; sports, town meetings, pie baking contests, trying to beg my brother and I not to go so far away for college. They have attachment issues.”

“So they would rather do life. I like that.” He faces me, his emerald eyes sparkling. “Your mom seems nice. I know I’ve met her before and everything, but she seemed really chatty this time.”

I internally cringe. “What did she say to you?”

He pulls the beanie off and tousles his hair with his fingers so the bottom ends flip up and wisps hang over his forehead. “Not too much.”

I aim a doubtful look at him and arch my eyebrows. “Really? Because I kind of doubt it. In fact, I bet she said a lot to you.”

He’s working hard not to smile. “She was completely nice.” He circles around me, and I revolve my body to face him. “She said she was so excited that we were hanging out and that she’s so glad we’re good friends.”

“I didn’t tell her any of that,” I tell him, feeling embarrassed. “She just assumes things.”

He steps around behind me and I start to turn to follow him again, but he wraps his fingers around my upper arms to hold me in place, pressing his chest to my back. “Why wouldn’t you tell her that?”

I shrug, shivering a little from his breath on my neck as he leans his head over my shoulder. “Because I don’t tell her anything. I-I don’t…” I drift off as his mouth moves beside my ear and grazes the tip of it.

“If we’re not good friends, then what are we, Callie?” He pulls my earlobe into his mouth and drags his teeth gently along the skin. “Cause I would really like to know.”

“I don’t know,” I breathe, wondering where the hell this is coming from.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about that text and I decided I just needed to come here and hear your answer,” he whispers, his voice husky. “I actually would have come over sooner, but my dad’s been making me work out. He said… he said I let myself go a little while I’ve been gone.”

His rock hard chest that is pressed up against my back indicates just how big of a liar his dad is.