The Heartbroken - S01 E13

Story 2 years ago

The Heartbroken - S01 E13

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 13

continues

Well, I gotta admit that

this guy was actually

making sense.

“So,” I said, before he

could come up with

another rhetorical

question. “You’re going

to court me and I will

play hard to get?”

“That’s pretty much

the first plan.”

I couldn’t help the grin

that slowly widened on

my face. I might have

looked creepy with that

grin, but I didn’t care.

“Not that I think it’s

suspicious or

anything”—Yes, I do

think it is suspicious

—“but why are you so

willing to do this?”

He chuckled. The sound,

even over the phone,

sent chills down my

spine. “I have my

reasons,” he replied.

“Now, see you

tomorrow?”

“Okay,” I said. It was

weird, agreeing to

something like that

with Seth Everett.

I never pictured myself

talking over the phone

with him on a Sunday

night. Him and me? We

were, like, impossible.

Because of Cedric. But

now that Cedric and I,

well… ended up this

way, I guess it wasn’t

really too impossible

anymore.

“This should be fun,

Evans,” he said before

saying goodbye and

hanging up.

I, though, was seriously

considering otherwise.

—

“Kyla, honey. I won’t be

home till late. Lock up,

okay?”

I gripped the house

phone so firmly that I

was sure my knuckles

were turning white.

“Okay.”

“Be sure to eat dinner,

‘kay?” Even as she said

the words, I could hear

some shifting and

movement. I knew she

was only saying pre-

recorded words. Only

saying them because

she’s supposed to say

them. But I knew that

they weren’t anything

more than that. They

will only be questions

that should be asked,

not really meant.

“Okay. Well, I have to

go.” Some laughter rose

in the background.

Before I could even say

good bye, Mom already

hung up on me.

I tried not to let this

put me in a bad mood,

but as I looked at the

cut on my left ring index

finger, I couldn’t help

but feel my eyes water.

I can’t believe I cooked

Mom’s favorite pork

chops—nearly cutting

off my index finger in

the process—for

nothing. The smell of

the pork chops filled the

house and I was

suddenly consumed by

rage.

I can’t believe I nearly

lost a finger because of

those stupid pork

chops. I can’t believe

Mom wasn’t even going

to eat them. I can’t

believe she hung up on

me that way. I can’t

believe she’s not

coming home for

tonight.

Quickly wiping my tears

before they even had a

chance to fall, I stalked

back into my bedroom,

suddenly not hungry

anymore.

I should have probably

gotten used to this

over the years, but

back then, when I had

Cedric as my best

friend, and especially

when he was my

boyfriend, I almost

didn’t notice this

loneliness. Without him,

it was so hard to ignore

the hollowness in I’d

always felt when Mom

didn’t come home.

Grabbing a book from

my shelf (one I haven’t

finished yet—The

Comeback Season by

Jennifer E. Smith), I

settled on my bed and

opened it on the page

with my floral-designed

bookmark.

I haven’t even started

reading when my phone

rang.

I checked the caller I.D.

Seth? Seriously? What

would he want?