My Childhood Sweetheart's Brother

Part 27: Text Message

It was our first day back after the big night. As soon as I walked into school in the morning, Dan asked if we could meet up after school today just to have some alone time and sort everything out. I agreed because it was about time, a week of barely speaking to your boyfriend of five weeks is a long time.

I couldn't help but notice that Caleb was nowhere to be seen and I hadn't heard from him over the weekend. I had to admit, I did feel a sense of panic but I knew that if something was wrong Dan or Mary would call me immediately.

"So how are you two feeling after Friday?" I asked my two best friends. "Hungovers cured yet?"

Grace laughed. "You could say that."

"Where did you even go?" Bella asked her.

I looked between them confused. I obviously have been so preoccupied with Caleb that-- oh no, not in that way, it came out sounding much worse than it was.

"Michael wanted to take me for a walk." Grace told us. "He's quite the romantic."

"Do you like him?" I teased.

Grace shook her head. "No. He's not my type and he's way too clingy."

"What about you?" Bella asked me. "Have you and Caleb spoken?"

"Nope. Not since he dropped me home." I shrugged pretending it was nothing.

Bella grinned at me mischievously. "Abbie the way he looked at--"

"Hiya girl." Ryan grinned, panting heavily, obviously running around. "Have you seen Tyler?"

We all shook our heads. "No sorry Ryan."

"Damn it, where did that idiot disappear?" He muttered.

"Ryan," I said. "Do you know if everything is okay with Caleb?"

Ryan looked at me with a warning look. Not a threatening one, just one that suggested for me to remember back to our conversation a couple of nights back.

"Seriously?" I asked. "It's a friendly question. I promise I won't go looking for him."

Ryan rolled his eyes. "He had some stuff to take care of, he'll be in school later." He then looked at my two best friends. "Now if you don't mind I have to go back to looking for that asshole."

We watched him walk away before my two best friends turned back to me and stared at me intensely.

"What was that about?" Grace asked.

"Nothing."

"It didn't look like nothing." Bella stated.

I sighed. "Ryan gave me a protective speech over Caleb at prom?"

"What did he say?" Bella asked.

"That I need to stop leading Caleb on." I told her.

"Does that mean--"

"No." I cut her off. "Ryan said Caleb has just been different ever since him and I became friends and he doesn't want Caleb to be pointlessly led on."

"But for him to be led on, he needs to care." Grace pointed out.

"And by care, we mean have feelings--"

"Stop." I shook my head.

"What?" Bella asked innocently. "It all adds up."

"No it doesn't." I argued. "Nothing adds up, that's the problem."

"You're getting frustrated." Grace teased.