AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Yeah, why? Why what? Delete.
Why did you leave? Why didn’t you choose us? Why didn’t you choose me? Why Ezra?
The same sense of betrayal and defeat that’s been my companion for the last five years settles over me as I delete my last attempt at texting Belle.
three
BELLE
My phone vibratesagain in my hand as I watch text after text come in.
Brad
Where are you? My dinner should be ready and waiting for me, but instead I come home to an empty house.
Answer your fucking phone!
You do not want to mess with me, Belle.
You stupid cunt!
I’ll find you. You can’t run from me!
You’re nothing without me!
I turn my phone off and throw it across the room, where it smashes against the wall before falling to the floor.
The door to my room flies open and a very concerned looking Cal is staring at me.
“Are you ok? What was that loud bang?” he asks, lookingaround.
“My phone,” I say, pointing to the dent it left in the drywall.
Cal sees the damage and frowns. “Was he texting you?” he asks.
“Yeah, and I was over it,” I mutter. I should apologize for ruining his house, but I don’t have the energy.
“I’ll get you a new phone with a new number,” he says. “Do you have your car keys? I’ll get your bags from your car for you.”
“I left quickly. I only have my purse.” I pull my knees up to my chest and rest my head on them.
“Well, that makes packing to go on tour easier,” he chuckles uneasily.
My head pops up at that comment, and I glare at him.
“Don’t look at me like that. I’m not leaving you here without me. You’re coming with me, and I don’t want to discuss it,” Cal says firmly.
“I can’t, Cal. I need to find a job and get on with my life.”
“You can find a job when we get back. Plus, you still get residuals from your song, so it’s not like you need one immediately,” he says as he leans against the doorway. He looks calmer than I know he feels. He’s expecting me to fight him, but there’s no fight left in me.
“I don’t have any money. Brad takes it. The residuals all go into his account,” I say sadly, looking down at the blue comforter under me.
“What?” Cal barks.
“You don’t understand, Cal. It’s ok. We both made choices in our lives and unfortunately, that kept us apart.”
“What does that even mean?” he asks, frustration coming off him in waves.
