Stay With Me

Chapter 3

Isabella

"Are you okay?" Caleb asked on the drive back to my place.

I looked at him and nodded.  "Sorry, just tired," I lied.

Dinner tonight was tense.  Or maybe it was just me, I sighed.  After introducing Caleb to Allan, things didn't settle for me. I felt his eyes on me... us the entire time. It was unnerving. I tried to ignore it because I didn't want Caleb to feel uncomfortable or start asking questions, but I'm not sure I was successful.  I also tried my best not to look at Allan the entire time even though every inch of my body is aching to look at him.  I missed him. If I were to be honest, I wanted to wrap my arms around him the moment I laid eyes on him.

I shook my head.  I shouldn't feel
this way about him anymore.  Specially not when I'm with Caleb.  We haven't made it official, but we're seeing each other exclusively and it's not
fair to him.  What do I do? Ever since I found out he's back, he's all I can think about. I can't help it.  I want to know what happened. Where he went.  What he's been up two for the past two years. I want to talk about what happened.

I...

"Bella?"

"Huh? Sorry?" I said, feeling even more guilty.

"I just said we were here," he said nodding to my apartment building.

"Oh," was all I could say. Should I ask him to come up? The fact that I don't really
want to filled me with dread. We haven't
really developed into more aside from our dates here and there and I haven't been able
to bring myself to invite him up because I never felt like we were there yet. He never really asked either. He's been nothing but a complete gentleman. He's perfect really, but... oh god, he's
not for me. I knew it after our first date, but I want to to give it a real shot but...

"So I'm guessing Allan is more than a family friend," he said breaking through my
thoughts.

"Caleb..." I start to say but he gave me a smile.

"It's okay," he said. "We tried. I really like you, Bella, but I think we both know we're better off as friends," he said.

I nodded, not being able to say anything. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he shook his head. "I think we're two people who really wanted to try to see if we can feel for someone other than the ones who are already in here," he pointed to our hearts."

"It's complicated," I said.

He chuckled. "You owe me a story," he said.

I laughed. "I guess you do too."

He nodded. "How about a cup of coffee if you're up for it?"

I smiled and without hesitating, I took him up on it and invited him up.

I never really told him about my kidnapping. I mean he knows about it from the media but I never opened up and told him the whole story, but somehow after our talk in the car and being honest with how we feel, his friendship is really what I need.

"Wow," he said after I finished telling him the whole story. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I knew about it from the news... everyone did, but the details was kept to a minimum."

I nodded.  "All thanks to my family's connection."

He smiled.  "The things your family has been through," he shook his head.  "I can't even imagine.  Meeting them all tonight... Bella, I'm in awe of all of you.  Most specially your parents."

It was my turn to smile.  "I'm pretty lucky.  My
parents... they raised some pretty strong and resilient children."

"What are you planning to do with Allan?" He asked.

I sighed.  "I don't know.  He just seem so far away. Besides, he's never really seen me other than a friend.... family."

Caleb snickered.  "Trust me, he doesn't just see you as a friend... family," he echoed. "With the way he was watching me... glaring at me the entire night, he wants you, but he doesn't want to admit it."

I shook my head. "Enough about me.  You still owe me your story."

He chuckled. "Are you sure you want to hear it? We can do it another time. It's getting late," he pointed out.

"I'm not tired yet, unless you are?"

He shook his head  "After everything that happened tonight, sleep is the last
thing on my mind."

"Then spill, Caleb Morgan," I said, while nudging him with my shoulder.

"Her name is Piper. Piper Ellis," he started after a few moments.

I waited for him to continue, but he was silent. Pain written all over his face.

"Caleb?"

He blinked.

"You don't have to tell me if..." I started but he shook his head.

"No, it's just that, I haven't talked about her in a long time. Saying her name after a long time just brought back a lot of memories," he explained.

I nodded in understanding. "Where is she?"

"As far as I know she's back in Montana," he said.

"Where do you meet her?" I asked when he didn't continue.

"I met her during the summer before I went off to college and I stayed with my grandparents. She was the ranch hands daughter," he explained.
"She was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. I couldn't take my eyes off of her as I watched her talked one of the horses."

As Caleb continued to tell me the story of how he met Piper, I could see the love in his eyes. But I also saw pain, which made me wonder what happened as he told me how they spent that beautiful summer together.

"What happened after that summer," I asked.

"I went off to college. We promised to stay in touch and we did. For awhile, at least. Then one day she just stopped responding to my letters and my calls. A couple weeks after as I got ready to go to her, I got a letter saying that she's sorry, but she realized that this long distance thing wasn't
going to work and that we want different things," he frowned. "It broke my heart. Then I was angry. But I didn't want to give up. So I flew
to Montana to see her and talk to her."

"Did you?"

He nodded. "She told me the same thing that she did on her letter. Apologized and said we were both too young to think that what we have could last," he shrugged.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I don't understand, it seemed like you two were madly in love."

"I thought so too, but I was wrong."

"Have you tried to contact her over the years?"

"I visited my grandparents here and there over the years, but we've always managed to avoid each other."

We continued to talk, but somehow in the back of
my mind, I couldn't stop thinking about Piper Ellis. Something tells me that their story isn't over just yet. Even if Caleb insists on it being
over, I just can't shake the feeling that their
story is just beginning. That led
me to think about my own story. Mine and Allan's. I wonder if there's more to our story or if ours is just another story that will remain untold.

Whatever it will be, I just know that I'm
i'm for the biggest ride of my life.