Cherry Bomb [H.S.]

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

"What do you mean he doesn't live here anymore?" I ask with my hands stuffed into the pockets of one of Harry's hoodies that I've been practically living in as I stare at Tamara.

"I mean he doesn't live here anymore, Marley. He was here for a month and then he split again. Left me with all these fucking bills to pay, so it's probably best I don't see him. I'm not very happy with him, and I should've known better than to let him come back." Tamara lifts a bottle of vodka, which already appears to be half empty, to her lips. "Don't fucking come around here anymore or else I'll call the cops and get you for trespassing."

I open my mouth to speak again, but Tamara slams the door in my face. Standing there for a moment, I gather myself before walking back to my car. I slip into the driver's seat and start it up as I stare blankly through the windshield. This was the second time I had tried to come here and find Harry since he left my house two months ago. My attempt a couple of weeks ago turned up short when no one came to answer the door. I just figured neither of them were home, but now it's apparent that Tamara was probably just passed out somewhere in the house.

For the last month, any time that I've tried to call Harry, it's gone straight to his voicemail. I hadn't called him during the first month of us being apart because I was trying to give myself time to heal. To give us time apart to see if he would change, or if he'd fall back into his old pattern. When I hadn't heard from him, and when Mikey and Kailey also said they hadn't, that's when I tried calling him for the first time.

The ultimate betrayal would be him living with Rylan again. After what she not only put me through, but also him, I don't know if I could ever forgive him if he were to have gotten back with her. If that ends up being the case, then it really will be over. I'll want nothing to do with him ever again if he did indeed get back with the person that put such an unnecessary amount of stress on our relationship.

As I pull out of Tamara's driveway, I start to go back towards my house, but I decide that I need to see Kailey instead. I haven't seen her in person since Harry left. I feel bad for shutting everyone out, everyone except Lys, but I needed the space. I should probably call first to see if Kailey's even home, but I can't find it in me to do it.

Once I pull into the parking lot of Kailey's apartment complex, I walk up the stairs and knock on her door. Sadie opens it, and her eyes widen once she realizes it's me standing there.

"Marlowe?" She asks, and I hear shuffling in the background before Kailey appears behind her.

"Oh my god," Kailey says as Sadie steps aside, and I can feel my chin wobbling as I stare at her. "Come inside."

Kailey wraps an arm around my shoulder as she leads me into her apartment, and I see her and Sadie exchange a look. Sadie gives her a small nod before retreating to the bedroom while Kailey sits the two of us down on her couch.

"He's gone," I whisper as tears start to streak down my cheeks. "I went to his house, Kailey, and he's gone. I've tried calling him so many times over the past few weeks, and it just goes straight to voicemail. What if something's happened to him?"