A Bad Boy's Worst Nightmare (Book 1)

23. Absent

It had been two weeks since Corey had told me he loved me, and I still couldn't say it back to him. He kept assuring me that it was okay for me not to say it back, but it felt wrong to just keep thanking him when he said it. Like I was brushing him off, almost. As if to say "oh you do? That's nice." It was almost painful to not know if I was in love with him or not. I had taken basically every online test, and none of them had given me an answer good enough to help me make up my mind.

"Ryder? Anyone home?"

I snapped out of my daze and looked at Kelsey. "What?"

"I was asking if you knew where Corey was. He wasn't there in first period."

"No, he didn't text me or anything telling me that he wasn't going to be here."

"Is he sick?"

"I just told you I don't know where he is," I snapped.

"Geeze, Ryder, calm down," Jason said, glaring a bit. "She didn't do anything wrong."

"I know," I sighed. "I'm sorry Kelsey."

"You still trying to decide if you can tell Corey that you love him back?" she asked gently.

"Yes."

She paused thoughtfully. "Well, I told Jason that I loved him after only six months. You're half way to where I was when I told him, since October starts tomorrow. And Jason and I have been together for a long time. He didn't say it back until our one year anniversary though, so I think you have plenty of time to think about it before you actually say it back to him."

I nodded and laid my head on the table.

"What's wrong now?"

"I don't know. Something feels...wrong today."

"Do you think something's up with Corey?"

"I don't know," I muttered honestly.

"Maybe you should text him or something."

"I called him before school and at the beginning of lunch."

"Then go over there after school."

"I can't, I have a training class with Sky."

Kelsey nodded. "Alright. Then I'll go over there with Jason and see if he's sick."

"Don't. He won't want you there if he is."

"Are you okay? Seriously, something is off about you right now."

I looked up at Kelsey. There was a weight on my chest, making it a little hard to breathe. "I don't know what's wrong," I said, my voice almost a whimper, "but something is very wrong, I can just feel it somehow."

* * * * *

My training class with Sky went well. She was learning very quickly, and she loved bacon flavored dog treats. Now she was sitting in the passenger side of my car as we drove back to my house. "Where do you think your daddy is?" I murmured to her, referring to Corey. "I don't think he's at his house, since his car wasn't there. Maybe he's waiting for us at home? That would be nice, huh baby girl?"

She looked at me, but her ears weren't pricked like they normally were.

"What is it?"

Sky's ears drooped, and she laid down, putting her head on her paws.

She could sense whatever it was too. Something serious was going to happen, and we both knew it.

* * * * *