unplanned destinies

6 | goodbye

As we stepped out of the Uber, the wind hit me in a rush, and I felt a brief moment of clarity, like I was on the edge of making a decision. But Kye's voice broke through the moment, telling me to hurry up. I followed him into the airport, my feet dragging a little. Part of me didn't even want to go back to California. Going home meant facing everything him, the arguments, the way my life felt like it was splitting in two.

The airport was busy, the noise a constant hum around me, but it did little to distract from the thoughts swirling in my mind. Kye walked beside me, gripping my hand with that familiar, possessive hold. His face was hard, his jaw clenched, like he was still mad about something, though I couldn't remember what it was this time. The past couple of days had been a blur, arguments, long silences, and me trying to find a way to keep everything from spiraling out of control.

We checked in and moved through security, barely exchanging words. Kye was scrolling on his phone as usual, and I just stared ahead, focusing on nothing. When we boarded the plane, he sat by the window, leaving me in the aisle seat, isolated in my thoughts. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, the tension between us thick and suffocating.

As the plane took off, I closed my eyes, trying to block out everything. But Jordan's face kept flashing in my mind. The way she had tried reaching out to me, the messages I ignored, the posts she kept viewing. I thought I'd done everything to push her away, but she still lingered. It made my chest tighten, like I couldn't breathe right.

By the time we landed in California, the knot in my stomach had only grown tighter. I felt Kye's eyes on me as we walked through the terminal, but I didn't acknowledge him. We grabbed another Uber, and I leaned my head against the window, watching the familiar streets of California pass by. Home didn't feel like home anymore.

When we finally reached our apartment, I dropped my bags by the door and headed straight for the couch, sinking into the cushions with a sigh. Kye went off to do his own thing, and I pulled out my phone, trying to distract myself. But the first thing I saw when I opened Instagram was Jordan's name. She was still viewing my stories.

Why?

I stared at the notification for a long moment, my thoughts swirling. Why couldn't she just let it go? I had cut her off, removed her from everything. So why was she still watching me, still lingering in the background like a ghost?

Without thinking, I tapped her name and dialed her number. It rang, once, twice, then she picked up.

"Jordan, why are you still viewing my posts?" I asked, the frustration I'd been holding in for days spilling out in my voice.

There was a pause on the other end. "I just... I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Her words made me angry, angrier than I expected. "I don't need you to make sure of anything," I snapped. "You need to stop. Seriously, Jordan, it's weird. Just leave me alone."

I could hear her breathing on the other end, like she was trying to figure out what to say, but before she could respond, Kye stormed into the room.

"Who are you talking to?" His voice was sharp, accusatory, and I instantly regretted making the call.

"Jordan," I mumbled, but he heard it loud and clear.

"What the hell are you talking to her for?" he snapped, his face twisting in anger. "I told you to cut her off. Why are you still dealing with this?"

"It's not like that—" I started to explain, but he cut me off.

"No, it's exactly like that," Kye spat, stepping closer. "You're still hung up on her, aren't you? I can't believe this. You're on the phone with her after everything?"