“Dad found out,” I croak, raising the cup to my lips, blowing at the coffee.
“About you and Caleb?” I nod. “Oh, shit.” Emily cringes, then takes a sip from her coffee. “Not good, huh?”
“No.” And then they come after all, the stupid tears, becausenot goodis the understatement of the century.
Emily grabs my hand. “K, I’m so sorry.” She pauses, and I wipe my eyes. “But… but why did you leave?” My eyes fly to hers, stunned at her question. “I mean, yesterday, when you came here, I just assumed that…”
“That Caleb had ended things,” I finish for her.
“Yeah. I mean, don’t get me wrong, but I know Caleb. He’s not exactly a relationship type of guy.”
I pull my hand away, then lean back in my chair, crossing my arms in front of my chest. It doesn’t surprise me that Emily sees Caleb this way, because I guess it’s the way everyone sees him. It’s how I saw him until I truly got to know him and what he’s really like when it’s just me and him. Still, I’m a little annoyed, and I notice the defensive edge to my voice when I speak, “It’s not Caleb. He didn’t—” My voice breaks, and Emily reaches for me, but I avoid her touch. “Caleb would… He would fight for us, but I just couldn’t.”
“Couldn’t what, babe?”
“I can’t be the reason Dad hates him. That their friendship falls to pieces. I just can’t.”
“But that’s… I’m sorry, but that’s bullshit, K.”
I gape at her, surprised by her bluntness. Then again, if you want the truth about something, you ask Emily. “What do you mean?”
“They’re both grown men. Your dad will just have to deal with it. He can’t decide who you love and who loves you; that’s ridiculous.” Emily’s voice vibrates, and she looks angry as hell. “What is this, anyway? The fuckingCapuletsandMontaguesBarnacle Cove edition?”
I involuntarily snort because I know how much Emily hatesRomeo and Juliet.
‘The figment of a sadistic, twisted mind,’she told me when we read it in high school, then threw Shakespeare’s classic in the trash can with ahuff.‘What kind of bullshit message is that? They’re fucking teenagers, and the first time you get your heart broken, you off yourself? Shit, I should’ve been dead at least ten times by now if that were true.’
Emily stares at me. “What? It’s true. Your dad will just have to get over himself. So your son falls in love with your best friend? Tough fucking luck. There are far worse things than that. I mean, you could’ve brought home a republican for fuck’s sake.”
“You don’t get it. Mom and Dad have sacrificed so much for me.”
Now Emily is the one snorting. “Oh, I know that’s what you tell yourself, Kayden, but that’s fucking bullshit. What exactly have they sacrificed for you?”
“Everything!” I yell, my voice ringing through the kitchen.
“No, they haven’t. Everything they’ve ever done for you, they’ve done willingly, because you are their child and they love you. Which is exactly the way it should be, I might add. You don’t owe them anything.”
“So why does it feel like I do?” I whisper.
Emily’s gaze softens as she squeezes my elbow. “I don’t know, K, but you don’t, and your parents don’t think so either. Your dad… I know he doesn’t think so.”
“Everything is just so screwed up.”
“I know, babe.”
“How did it all end up so… so fucked up?”
Emily gets up and pulls me with her, wrapping her arms around me. “Everything will be fine. I promise. Your dad is just scared that Caleb will hurt you. But he won’t, will he?”
I sniffle against Emily’s shoulder. “No.” I know it’s true as soon as I speak the word. Caleb won’t ever hurt me. Then my stomach drops because I hurt him. I know I did, and that thought alone physically hurts me, like someone has taken a knife to my chest and slit it wide open. “But I hurt him. I just left, Em. What if I’ve ruined everything?”
“You haven’t.”
“But I told him not to call me.”
Emily eases me away from her, then smiles at me. “Yeah, well, I’m sorry to break it to you, babe, but I don’t think he listened. Your phone’s been going off in that ridiculously cute fanny pack of yours all morning, and I’ll bet you a million dollars it’s lover boy.”
“It has?” I eye my bag on the counter where I left it yesterday, my heart racing in my chest, hope battling against fear.