Take Me There

Tough Phone Calls and Virgin Mary

Chapter Fourteen

　

After the conversation I had with Sadie and Lincoln, I decided that I wasn't going to think about Kiptyn at all. I hadn't really understood why Sadie had been so upset about me liking him, especially whenever she'd said just a few days prior that she knew I subconciously liked him. Whenever I'd asked Lincoln why she thought Sadie changed her mind, she'd said it was probably because Sadie was just kidding and now she knew that I actually did feel some type of way for him.

It had only been a day since the whole thing with Kiptyn, and yes, I was trying my hardest not to think about him at all. It was kind of easier now that we were in Houston and I was no longer rooming with him, but it was still hard. Especially whenever he was being so nice to me every time he saw me.

Yes, Kiptyn Cross was being nice, to me. It was taking me a while to accept it, too.

I was currently sitting in the hotel room alone and completely enjoying every second. Sadie and Lincoln were out by the pool and I wasn't really sure where everyone else was. They'd pretty much begged me to lay out with them, but I'd opted out because I really wasn't feeling well.

I'd had a terrible headache ever since the whole ordeal with Kiptyn. I blamed it on stress.

I finally decided on some Lifetime movie and layed back onto the bed that I had all to myself, which was absolutely lovely. It felt like it had been forever since I'd actually been able to relax and do nothing.

Whenever my phone started ringing, I knew that I'd spoken too soon.

I rolled over and reached for my phone that was sitting on the nightstand between mine and the other bed. I grabbed it and rolled back over before looking at the screen.

Mom flashed across the top of the screen. I hadn't heard from her in a few days, so the fact that she was finally calling me again almost made me feel relieved.

I had a mini internal battle before sliding my finger across the screen and putting the phone to my ear. I let out a sigh. "Hello?"

"Dallis," My mom breathed, "I wasn't expecting you to answer."

I recalled our last conversation briefly and realized why she would expect me to not to answer.

"Well, I did."

I could hear my dad in the background asking if I was okay and my heart swelled at the sound of his voice. I hadn't really realized just how much I'd missed him.

"Honey, I don't want to fight with you right now," She started, "I just want to talk to you."

I rubbed my left temple before responding. "I miss you, mom."

"I miss you too, sweetie. So much."

"How are you? How's dad?" I asked, suddenly overwhelmed with how much I missed them. I could see my mom perfectly in my mind; her shoulder length brown hair and big doe eyes. I felt tears stinging my eyes at the thought of her playing with my hair and scratching my back while I told her about my day.

"We're good," She sighed, "It's just a really stressful time right now."

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

She was quiet for a minute. "I know you are, baby. And I am too. We both are. We're so so sorry."

I took a deep shaky breath. "I'm still not okay with it. But the longer I'm away from you two, the more I seem to understand why you did what you did."

My mom sniffed and I knew she was crying. "I hope you're able to forgive us one day. We only wanted the best for you and Austin."

I felt a tear leak out of the corner of my eye. It slowly traveled all the way down my cheek and dropped down my neck. "I know, mom."