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Tabatha sat on the edge of her bed, biting her nails a nervous habit she couldn't shake, especially when her emotions ran high. Tears spilled freely down her cheeks as she thought about how everything had gone wrong.
Three days had passed since Kya had caught her with Dayvon, and those three days felt like an eternity. She hadn't spoken to Kya or anyone else since, keeping to herself in her room, drowning in regret and confusion.
Her phone vibrated on her nightstand Kylan again. He had been calling nonstop, but she just couldn't bring herself to answer. What would she even say? The truth was, she hadn't seen Dayvon in over a week, and yet, it didn't matter. Kya already had her mind made up.
Tabatha wiped her tears, wishing Kya would just hear her out. If only she could explain.
Tabatha's thumb hovered over the phone screen. She squeezed her eyes shut, her breath coming in short, uneven bursts. Every part of her wanted to let this all go, to stay locked away in her room until the storm passed. But deep down, she knew it wouldn't. Not this time.
She swallowed hard, Maybe talking to Kylan would help. He knew Kya almost as well as she did—maybe he could offer some advice, some way to undo the damage. Her finger swiped across the screen, and she pressed the phone to her ear before she could change her mind.
"Kylan," she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying. "I—I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
A brief silence followed before Kylan's voice came through, calm but filled with concern. "Tab, where have you been? I've been worried sick. You haven't been answering anyone."
"I know," she sighed. "I just...I don't know what to say."
"You can start with the truth," Kylan said gently. "What really happened between you and Dayvon?"
Tabatha's heart clenched. She'd gone over the story in her head a thousand times, but telling it to Kylan felt like a different challenge. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak.
"Kya caught us talking," she began, her voice shaking. "But that's all it was, Kylan. Just talking. I hadn't seen him in over a week before that. I swear."
"Then why hasn't Kya heard that from you?" Kylan's question wasn't accusatory, but it cut deeper than anything else could. Why hadn't she told Kya? Why had she let the silence fester?
"I don't know," Tabatha whispered. "Maybe I'm scared she won't believe me."
"Tab," Kylan sighed, "Kya's hurt right now, but you can't just let this go without trying. If she really means that much to you, you've got to tell her the truth."
Tabatha nodded, even though Kylan couldn't see her. His words echoed in her mind as she lowered the phone, her chest tightening with the thought of finally confronting Kya. Maybe Kylan was right—it was time to stop hiding and face the mess she'd made.
