Is This Our Second Chance

Chapter 20

It's a little after dinner time, and I find myself back in the hotel hallway, hugging myself and listening in on Kayla and my dad talking.

"I don't understand why he can't just come here." he says.

Because I want privacy. I scoff to myself.

I need to be somewhere where I can think.

When Kayla emerged from the room with a jacket for me, I knew she got me cleared to leave.

"Thanks Kayla." I smile at her as I shove my arms into the jacket.

"Don't thank me, I had to promise that I'd bring you back here tonight, before midnight." She sends a smirk my way.

"But..."

The door creaks open revealing Carly leaning against the doorframe. She has her head rested against the paneling, using one finger to open the door a little wider. She takes me in, and gives me a pitying smile before turning to my dad.

"Dad, nothings going to happen to her. She'll be safe. Kayla and I vouch for him."

"But..."

"Dad." Carly pushes off from the doorframe, and crosses the room. "She'll be fine there."

I let out a sigh. "I'll be fine, dad. I promise."

It takes a beat of silence before he finally gives a nod to void the curfew. Kayla and I practically sprint out the door.

She moves around me, holding the door to the stairs open for me. "He might change his mind."

"You don't have to tell me twice." I sweep past her, not pausing a beat as I fly down the stairs. Three flights later, we find ourselves outside and climbing into Kayla's car.

Kayla lets out a chuckle.

"What?" I give her a questioning look.

"Nothing. I just can't believe I'm giving you a ride to see Zach."

"Am I supposed to be insulted by that?" I ask confused.

"No! No." She rolls her shoulders as she pulls out of the parking lot. "I just never in a million years thought the two of you would be this solid again."

"I know." I frown. "We've come a long way." I pause. "Can we stop making this weird now?"

"Absolutely." She smiles at me.

I watch the fields fly by until Kayla finally turns into Zach's driveway.

"Stella?" she turns to face me.

"Yeah?" I ask.

"Try to get some real sleep. Okay? We can take tomorrow when it comes."

"Plan to."

She parks in the driveway, and I take out my cell. I'd hardly even looked at it or used it once I got it back.

When I checked earlier that day, I had a full voicemail box, over a hundred text messages, and an overwhelming amount of social media notifications. It's all still too much. Everyone wants to know what happened. So many people wishing me well. A few who wished the opposite.

After I saw the first one, I handed my phone over to Carly who went through everything one by one. She handed the ones that wished me harm over to the cops. The well-wishers received a message back saying it was Carly texting on my behalf, and a polite thank you. Once people realized Carly had my phone, the messages stopped coming. Word must've gotten out they couldn't get in touch with me that way.

I turn my phone on and send my first text message in days.

Me: We're outside.

His reply was instant.